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Sophia bent her head "It’s from the Department of Justice"

"Bart," he clarified "I asked hiotten the other man fired, but the prosecutor had asked only the questions he needed to get the answer

Sophia took a long breath, let it out "You asked hiainst the central Justice criuessed "It was a logical step, given our socioeconomic circumstances, the history of the other men in the area at the time" He took a deep breath "And it’s a step I avoided for a hell of a long ti to a kneeling position beside hih his hair "You’re a cop You’ve dedicated your life to upholding the law--discovering that your father was a criminal who broke those same laill be a blow" Her words were calentled, her eyes shining--"it will alter nothing about the man you are, the man you’ve made yourself"

He slid one arm around her waist, his throat thick "Yeah?"

"Yeah" Her forehead touching his in tender affection, her hands cupping his face "You’re the one who taught me that life isn’t predestined We are e make ourselves"

Her faith in him tore him wide open, reformed him a better man "Open it forfor her cop, to give hier under the flap, she slit it open to remove two pieces of paper The first was closed around the second--which proved to be an autoes which could be pulled apart to reveal what lay within The first was a handwritten note

"Max," she read out, "as far as the computers are concerned, this scan was never done I don’t know the results Neither does the computer tech We requested that the results be printed auto for" It was signed with Reuben’s name But below that was another line--"PS A man’s father doesn’tSOB with three wives and an inability to be faithful to any of the "I assuasp, his lips curved "Bart’s father founded his own religion"

"And how many wives does Bart have?"

"He’s been married to Tasma since they were in law school Got four brats they love like crazy"

Sophia smiled "So"

"So"

"Ready?"

"Yes"

She broke the serrated edges but held the letter closed "You should see it first" Passing it over, she waited as he read it, then put it on the coffee table Nothing happened for the next few secondsuntil Max gave a shuddering sigh and dropped his head, thrusting his hands through his hair

Worry tore through heruntil he lifted his eyes Relief shone a beacon of sunlight through his irises "Max?"

"I always thought," he said, his voice rough with e with me that my mother couldn’t love me She could love River, and I think she even loved soht home But not me, neverconnections out of the experiences of a lifetime spent in Justice "Who was your father, Max?"

"His name isn’t important," Max said, and she saw that to him, it truly wasn’t "But what he did to herHe raped her, was convicted of it, died in a prison fight" A short, brutal su I don’t understand is why she keptup, he saw eyes huge with concern, with e her into his lap, he nuzzled his face into the sweet curve of her neck as she wrapped her arms around him "I’uessed the truth a long tiive her for it"

"You’re a better person than I aer a steel flaht, this wo back, he could feel only pity and sorrow for the tormented, haunted woman who’d been his mother "And I’m a man who is loved Who loves to the depths of his soul"

There was no way in hell he was ever letting anyone take Sophie away from hiet used to that "Baby," he said, turning his relentless will to how to ensure no one would ever dare coleamed "I have an idea"

CHAPTER 45

Nikita entered thethat what she was about to do would change the course of Psy history Whether she’d coe alive, ti LeBon co in just after

"You’re well?" she asked

The iveas Henry and Shoshanna Scott entered, followed by Tatiana Rika-Smythe and Anthony Kyriakus in short order