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“No,” Cate said, shaking her head “That’s too much of a coincidence to be true”
“I kid you not I don’t know the whole story—Keira and her husband would never say exactly what all was involved, and trying to get anything out of McKinnon is like pulling teeth But it’s true”
“You must be very proud of your sister” The wistfulness was back in her voice, and she suddenly turned away, staring out the“I could never be that brave,” she said under her breath
“Are you kidding?” The words ca into a courthouse ready to testify against one of the most depraved, most vicious criminals in this country A ainst him A man who tried to kill you to keep you silent And you’re still willing to testify Do you knohat kind of guts that takes?”‘
“But I’m afraid,” she explained, as if that made all the difference “To do what your sister did, to do what Angelina did when she killed the man ould have killed your brother—I’m not brave that way I’elina, without Alec, I could never face Vishenko”
Lia herself down, how she washer own valor “You think Keira wasn’t afraid? You think your cousin wasn’t afraid?” He wanted to shake some sense into Cate, but knew he couldn’t touch her Not when anger was spilling through hi e heard the Uzis, you think Alec and I weren’t afraid? Hell yes, ere afraid What do you think bravery is, Cate? It’s conquering your fear and doing what you have to do in the instant you have to do it Anyone who says they’re never afraid is a liar, or a fool”
The fingers of Cate’s right hand touched her left wrist, and Lia that A habit that betrayed her inner turmoil He hesitated, then reached over across the aisle and placed his hand on hers “You’re not a coward, Cate A coouldn’t have these scars” She averted her face, as if eht her chin with his hand and turned her to face him
“Do you kno much it tears me up inside to see these scars?” he told her, his voice rasping like sandpaper, but so low he knew he couldn’t be overheard by the e at the sa what Vishenko did to you, and you’re still willing to face hie far beyond anything I can claim”
The color drained out of her face “Alec told you?” she whispered
He shook his head “No He only told round He said anything else had to come from you But I’m not blind, and I’ure out what caused these scars”
He lifted the hand he held and kissed the delicate skin on the inside of her wrist, where he could feel her pulse racing “They’re nothing to be ashaes of honor”
She tried to pull her hand away, but he wouldn’t let her “You don’t know,” she said in a shamed little voice “You don’t understand You think you do, but you don’t”
“Can’t you tell iven his anger at Vishenko “I want to understand, Cate I really do”
“No” Her voice wobbled at first, then she repeated the word, more firmly this time “No Please don’t make me tell you”
Another dagger to his heart Liao, but not until he’d kissed the palm “No,” he said, and it was as fervent a pro you don’t want to do, Cate Never”
Chapter 8
Aleksandrov Vishenko bent his cold, hard gaze on one of his brigadiers “Where is she?” he demanded He didn’t have to specify a name There was only one woman on Vishenko’s mind now, and all of his men knew it
“Vanished”
“That answer is not acceptable”
The brigadier shrugged He had been with Vishenko for , and his loyalty was unquestioned—as far as anyone in Vishenko’s position could count on loyalty Which adier could be brutally honest, instead of telling Vishenko what he wanted to hear “It is what it is, Pakhan She is not to be found It is as if she crawled into a hole and pulled it in behind her”