Page 57 of Depraved

I lift our intertwined hands and kiss her knuckles.

“No one will get close to you,” Ghost says before I can reassure her. “I promised Ragnar I’ll watch your back.”

Her gaze whips to mine. “Ragnar?”

“It’s just a nickname.” I struggle not to glare at Ghost for his slip-up.

Karolina won’t like the prospect that I’ve concealed yet another layer of my identity from her.

But she’s far too clever to let it slide.

“That man in the café told me he was coming for me because of you, Brandon. He told me it was about revenge. About Ragnarök.”

The ground seems to shift beneath my feet.

Shit.

I had no idea that Costa used my assassin’s alias in front of her.

Ghost makes it so much worse when he says, “So, you finally told her who you really are. Thank fuck. I didn’t want to have to keep track of your web of lies.”

Her lips thin with mounting anger as she starts to put the pieces together. “I thought that man was talking about blowing up my life. Or I thought maybe he meant that he was going to kill me. But it wasn’t about that at all, was it? He was talking about you, Brandon.”

She says it like an accusation.

Ghost curses under his breath. “You didn’t tell her that part?”

“Tell me what?” she demands. “What does it mean that you’re Ragnarök?”

“I’m going to the kitchen,” Ghost announces. “I’ve been traveling for twelve hours. You’d better have beer in the fridge.” He brushes past us and adds, “Sort your shit out, Ragnar. I told you I don’t want to be involved in your drama.”

I growl and take a menacing step after him, but Karolina’s fingers tighten to a vise around mine.

“Oh no, you don’t. You’re not going anywhere until you explain.”

Ghost has the goddamn nerve to laugh at my expense as he strolls into the next room.

Nothing has ever been less fucking funny.

Her peridot eyes glitter. “Do not lie to me,” she warns. “I told you I’d give you time to open up about your past, but this is connected to the men who are threatening me.”

I wince. “I didn’t lie to you about it.”

She crosses her arms over her chest. “You omitted it. Just like you didn’t tell me about your other identities. I want the truth. Right now. What does Ragnarök mean?”

“I don’t want to tell you. I never want you to know.”

Her eyes narrow. “What you want and what I need from you seem to be entirely different things. But I won’t compromise on this. Complete honesty from now on, Brandon. You want to earn my trust? Prove it.”

“Ragnarök is an assassin.” The admission is dragged from me like razorblades in my throat.

She stills.

Several seconds tick by. They feel like a lifetime.

“You’re Ragnarök.” Her tone is so calm and even. I can’t read her at all.

I manage a tight nod.