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“Thanks That’s one less thing to worry about anyway Talk to you later” Lia exactly where she’d been a minute before And her absolute stillness worried him “Cate?”

“I’”

He brought his thoughts back to what she’d almost done—reveal their location over the phone “That’s why you have me” He smiled to ease her alarm and self-blame “You’re careful, Cate And like you told D’Arcy, you stayed alive and on the run for six years, even with a price tag on your head That takes smarts But you’re not a professional at this—I a people alive”

“You and Alec”

That little imp of jealousy returned when she spoke his brother’s nauard, too But not anyional security officer at the US eo”

“Yes, I know” She breathed deeply all of a sudden “But he and Angelina atching oversure I was safe And Alec toldhappened to me because he convinced me to testify”

“You ot you to testify” He took her arm and led her to the porch steps, then sat down and drew her down beside hiht you weren’t supposed to have any contact with Alec before the trial because he’s a witness, too He didn’t tell elina and him”

“I wasn’t I was living in the royal palace”

“You’re kidding!”

She shook her head “No, the king arranged it It’s kind of an involved story, and I don’t know all of it, but”

Lia “We appear to have plenty of tient we have to do as far as I know”

Cate looked at her hands, then at hi a hu between Zakhar and the US It also entailed corruption and visa fraud at the US embassy—that’s where Alec came in”