Free Nix. (Den of Mercenaries Book 3) by London Miller

darting down a moment before returning to her face. “Perhaps you would like to go through the door next time? And don’t,” he said when she opened her mouth, “don’t apologize. There’s no need. You’re not my prisoner—you can venture where you like.”
    Gaze going beyond her, he offered clipped words to the man standing behind her, but she got the gist of what he was saying as the guard stashed his gun away and started around them, though not before giving a two-finger salute as the shadows swallowed him.
    Unbidden, Luna asked, “Is he always so silent?”
    “Tăcut can’t speak.”
    “Is that a rule of yours?”
    “His vocal cords were removed.”
    Luna put her own hand up to her throat, looking to where he had disappeared. “Why would you do that?” Luna didn’t think that anyone would want that willingly.
    “It was before I knew him.”
    An apology was at the tip of her tongue, but she remembered the way he told her not to, and decided to keep it to herself.
    She had been looking so intently toward the château that she hadn’t realized Kit was studying her until the silence seemed to echo.
    “I apologize for what I said earlier,” he said, his voice a touch kinder than before. “My intention wasn’t to offend.”
    Luna couldn’t remember the last time someone had apologized to her, especially for something that most wouldn’t consider a big thing. The ridiculous urge to tell him that it was fine, he hadn’t hurt her feelings that bad came over her, but she swallowed those words back down.
    Instead, she said, “You don’t have to apologize.”
    “When I’m wrong, I will.” Holding his hand out toward the house, he asked, “Shall we?”
    He led her to a door, stepping off to the side to allow her to go ahead of him. She could smell the chlorine scenting the air wherever they were, but it wasn’t until he had the door closed once more did the lights suddenly flicker on and she could see the pool.
    It was … amazing.
    At home, hers had been one of those above-ground pools that was large but unsightly. This one was a beauty to see.
    Blue mosaic tile lined the interior of the pool, making the water shine brighter, but it was the light fixtures on the ceiling that made the water sparkle.
    “Constellations,” Kit explained reaching her side.
    She had figured they were stars, but she had never been very good at seeing the patterns. “Is it the Big Dipper?”
    A corner of his lips tugged, but he didn’t smile completely. “Look here.”
    He pointed, tracing out the shape for her to see, but even as she smiled, she still didn’t know what he had shown her.
    “The Phoenix.”
    If she squinted, she could almost imagine it up there. “Why the phoenix?”
    His smile was distant, secretive. “You’ll learn soon enough.”
    Outside of the pool room, there was a sauna and a personal gym, and once the hallway narrowed, there was a stone staircase that led back up to the main floor of the château.
    Luna thought that he would venture off now that she was back inside—and probably thoroughly locked in—but he walked her to her room instead. And when they got there, Luna understood why.
    There was a tray of food waiting for her in front of the door, laden with more than she had seen in days.
    “Aidra will find you in the morning,” Kit said glancing from it to her. “If there’s something you don’t like, let her know and she’ll make sure the chefs are properly informed.”
    “You don’t have to go through that trouble.”
    “It’s not a problem at all.”
    Well … “Thank you.”
    “Rest. I’m sure you’re tired.”
    Now that she had come down from the high of being outside, Luna was more than ready to climb into bed and shut her eyes.
    “Tomorrow, we’ll discuss things more so I can give you a better understanding of why you’re here. Should you need me, my room is one floor up, last door on your left. I—”
    “Is everyone upstairs?” she asked quickly, not having