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“They’re not really,” Dive theor if he decides to et”

“Bullshit,” Catherine exclaimed “They’re every bit as capable as you are And I’ out of your mouth, Dmitri”

“I’ that because they’re woroup of people that, despite their tough attitude, have lead very sheltered lives Sure, they talk the talk But what do you think they’d do if Gregor bought off their body guards and sent a couple thugs around to any one of their houses?”

Catherine grabbed her shiny silver purse fro Glock, and said, “They’d blow the thugs’heads off”

A bark of laughter escaped Jess, and she said, “Da that wasn’t packing”

“Well good,” I told her, “since carrying concealed is actually illegal in California” I shot a pointed look at Catherine, then asked, “Wait, how’d you get that thing on the plane when you flew in yesterday?”

“This is one of Dmitri’s,” she said “I had to leave ger than this one” She returned the gun to her purse

One of Dlanced at hi my reaction

“Why do you have a gun?” I blurted It was a stupid question Why wouldn’t he have a gun? He was in the mafia, for God’s sake “Never mind, don’t answer that”

I was sorry I’d said anything as I watched his expression He looked ashaet dressed I’m expected at the club soon” And he left the room

I started to go after hirabbed my arm “Give him a minute,” she said quietly

“I didn’t un It just surprisedI’d expect from him Why did he react like that to what I said?”

“Dh for you,” Catherine said “He keeps waiting for you to get totally disgusted by the wholeand walk out on him He’s a really insecure person”

“How do you know all that?”

“We’ve been best friends since ere kids He confides in me”

“How can someone that beautiful be so insecure?” I said, mostly to myself

Catherine said, “That beauty is all most people see when they look at Dmitri: the pretty face, the hot bod, the perfect clothes For most of his life, that was all he ever let anyone see Dmitri wears his attractiveness like armor, but what’s underneath is just a scared, lonely kid that wants to be loved Not so different than the rest of us, I guess”