Worse? Her mouth fell open. He kept his eyes on the road, stilldriving at top speed. The vehicle bounced and swerved and if shedidn’t trust that he knew what he was doing she’d be more worriedabout an accident. She glanced over her shoulder to see if theywere being followed. Then she flinched as an explosion rattled theSUV. Smoke and fire burst up through the top of the trees behindthem. “What—“
“I called in a favor,” heanswered. “They won’t be bothering us anymore.”
“You blew themup?”
“No, I called someone whoblew them up.”
Should she feel shame atthe satisfaction she felt over that? No. One look at the conditionof Ryan, told her definitely not. They would have killed him andher. “Is this what Jackson was talking about?”
“No.”
She should know he wasn’tgoing to tell her what incident the Colonel was referring to, andmaybe this just wasn’t the time.
A drone zipped overhead anddisappeared into the tree line.
Katya saw it and looked atRyan. If he saw it, which she was sure he did, because she knew nowthat he didn’t miss anything, he said nothing. “What have I gottenmyself into?”
“You didn’t get yourselfinto anything. The circumstances of your birth did that,” heanswered coolly.
She sat back in her seatstaring at him with her mouth open again. He sounded socasual—cold, and they had just been through hell. “Ryan, I don’tknow you right now.”
He gazed back at her takinghis eyes from the road for a moment.
She waved an arm at him.“This person, right here, is someone different. You are in analtered state altogether. You are no bodyguard and not the person Ithought you were. Tell me the truth.”
She was right. He wasn’tthe same. He was indifferent and distant when his training kickedin. It probably was a little intimidating, but this cool, calmdemeanor is what made him survive some pretty perilous situations.It eliminated fear, it made his reactions and senses heighten, itmade him good at what he did.
He’d only known how to bethis way his whole life and never considered what it looked like toher. Of course she didn’t know or understand that. She deserved anexplanation.
He glanced in the rear viewmirror. No one was behind them and he doubted anyone would be. Hethen pulled over behind a brush of trees, cut the engine and facedher. “The truth?”
“Yes, Ryan.”
“You really want to know?”He was giving her an opportunity to back out. She may not like thethings he was going to tell her.
She nodded. “I have to. Idon’t want any more secrets.”
His eyes glanced off theroof of the SUV for a second considering what to tell her. “No, I’mnot a bodyguard.”
“Then what areyou?”
“I’m a man with skills,special skills, that is out to avenge my brother’sdeath.”
“What?”
“I’m the man that’s goingto destroy your father, Katya.”
It took her a moment toabsorb what he just said. She gaped at him. “What? Butwhy?”
“He was responsible for mybrother’s death.”
Her eyes watered up as hiswords hit home and tears spilled down her cheeks. “My fatherkilled yourbrother?”
“He didn’t necessarily pullthe trigger Kat, but he gave the order. I know that’s something youdon’t want to hear right now, but It’s the truth. Like you said,he’s a murderer.”
“How—what?”
“He was a Miami detective,uncover in a drug operation. He’d been in your father’sorganization for three months.”
“How do you know it was myfather for sure?” she repeated.
“Because I have a way offinding things out. I wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t a hundredpercent sure.”
She buried her face in herhands. “I just can’t think about this right now.”
“Katya.”
She looked up at him withan expression of shock and dismay.
“It was an execution.” Hepointed to his forehead. “A single bullet here.”
She covered her ears. “Ican’t hear this anymore.”
“You asked,” he remindedher. “He was last heard from at your father’s house. They found hima dumpster, Katya. My brother.My flesh and blood!” He could have said so muchmore, but this wasn’t her burden to bear. He could have told herthat he knew that Georgy begged for his life. Peter would have madehim. He also knew that the last thoughts his brother had were ofhis family. No child should grow up without a father.
She honestly wanted to denyit. To not believe what he was saying, but she knew it was true.She knew exactly what her father was capable of because those mentold her everything. She knew he destroyed lives—families, but itwas still hard to swallow. Now she was in the middle of it all. Sheslumped back in her seat. Was any of her life real? Did she evenmean anything to him, or was she just a way in? “You used me to getto him?”
“I used the opportunity. Iwas there to do a job, and I was fully intent on doing it until Igot to know you.”
“I don’t believe you. Youare no better than them!I let you know how I felt about you! Yet, youused me to do a job?”
“I know you are upset.” helooked down at the middle console for a second, in thought. “If youremember correctly, I did my best to discourage you.”
Her mouth fell open indisbelief. “Discouraged?I said fourwhole words and you crumbled! Somediscouragement!” She struck him in the shoulder. The same one he’dbeen shot in. He grunted in pain, but she didn’t care. Tears poureddown her cheeks. “You tell me right now—right now Ryan, the truth. Ineed to know how you feel about me. Has it changed? Am I still ajob?”
“No, Kat. You’re not,” heanswered softly.
She took a shudderingbreath calming her voice. “Then what am I to you exactly.”
He lifted his hand andmoved a strand of hair behind her ear, leaving his thumb on hercheek. He never said anything, he just looked at her for a momentand surprisingly, as angry as she was, she let him. She waseverything to him. He’d never felt like this about anyone before.“You mean more to me than anyone in my life at themoment.”
Kat searched his eyes, sawthe emotion there. Here he was again. The man she knew. She pursedher lips and nodded. “I don’t think I can trust youRyan.”
He released her.“Everything about
