“In a matter of ways. Thepolice are already questioning the attention you’ve been drawingthis past month. It’s only a matter of time before they move in.All of those political assets you think will help you, won’t.They’ll break ties with you as soon as they realize the risk totheir own careers. Now, I can make a suggestion on how to deal withthese people, but I will not, under any circumstances waste mytalents on a drug transfer.” His eyes assessed Ivan, who looked asthough he wanted to shoot him. “You have plenty of men that canaccomplish that without me. I’ll only be another gun.”
Peter swore and turned awayfor a moment. “You are a stubborn prick, but you are definitely notjust another man.” He stared out the window for a while, inthought.
There were feet shuffling,throat clearing and obvious impatience from the men in the room asthey awaited Peter’s decision.
“Do you think we can catchthem?” he asked after a moment.
“Yes. I’ll tell youhow.”
He turned back around,facing Ryan. “I should kill you. God knows I want to just becauseyou’re so damn smug. However, you are right about the mediaattention and protecting my Katya. For once, I’m going to listen.Maybe it will change the outcome. If this doesn’t work, I’m goingto slice you into pieces and feed you to the sharks.” He took aseat behind his desk again and waved an arm. “So talk.”
“Clear theroom.”
“What?”
“You want to know how, andI want to help you. It’s just you and me.”
“No damn way!” Ivanprotested.
Peter stared at him inthought, then he nodded. “Do as he says.”
“Boss—”
“Dammit Ivan, getout!”
Ivan grumbled, and waved afurious arm to the other men scooting them out of the room. Afterthe door closed behind them, Ryan started talking.
It was several hours laterthat Ryan returned to his room. Katya was dressed in a casual denimshort navy skirt and stylish top. She was waiting in the chair ofhis room that he usually occupied late at night. She stood abruptlywhen he entered and was ringing her hands.
“Ease your worries. I’mfine.”
She embraced him. “I can’thelp it. After everything I’ve discovered over the past few weeks,I’m scared all of the time.”
He gripped her shouldersand eased her back away from him. “I need you to stay focused. Staystrong for me.”
She took a deep breath andnodded. “I will. I’ll use every ounce of strength in me to keep upthe pretense.”
He smiled, “that’s mygirl.”
“I don’t know how muchlonger I can do this though.”
“You have strength Kat.More than you think.”
She shrugged. She certainlydidn’t feel all that strong after what she’d gone through. She alsonever had the opportunity to find out exactly what was in her. Shealways obeyed whatever her father asked of her; the privateschools, the social functions. The degree she was working on wasthe only thing she managed to insist on from her father, and didn’tseem to care that she was doing something with her life. “What didmy father want?”
“Me to help him with a drugtransfer.”
Dread coursed through her.“You aren’t!”
He shook his head. “I havea suspicion that someone close to him is feeding information toyour sister. I gave him a way to help figure out who itis.”
“How?”
“Don’t worry about thatright now. Your father has asked to speak with you beforebreakfast—alone.” She turned white and her bottom lip started totremble. “Kat, listen to me. If you go in there looking like that,he’ll know that something’s wrong. He’s a very smart man. You needto use what happened to you to calm yourself. Remember who hereally is and concentrate on that. Use the anger and hate you havetoward him. You need to lie convincingly.”
“I don’t want to do this. Imay seem tough at times, but he does frighten me.”
“He doesn’t care about youremotional state, remember that. He’s fishing for information. Sohe’ll be looking for things in that area. You tell him exactly whatI did. You didn’t hear or see anything, that they kept you in acell. He also doesn’t know that I called in the drone. He’s underthe impression that they blew it up to hide evidence after weescaped.”
She took a deep breath andnodded. She could do this. She had Ryan’s confidence in her backingher up.
“Come, I’ll take you downand wait outside.”
“Thanks.” She followed himout the door and stopped at the top of the stairs. There werepeople everywhere in the foyer and her father’s men were at thedoor patting them down as they entered. “What—?”
“Your father’s big shindigis tonight,” he answered while watching the action. They had juststarted to arrive when he left Peter’s office.
“Oh gosh, I completelyforgot. I thought he might cancel it.” She started down the stairswith Ryan close behind her.
“Well, I think that’sreasonable that it slipped your mind considering what you’ve beenthrough.”
“If he still goes throughwith it, you’re coming, right?” she spun to face him at the bottomof the stairs. “I can’t do this without you.” There was clear panicin her eyes.
“First of all, you can.Secondly, I’m not letting you out of my sight, so yes,” he affirmedquietly. The fear drained out of her expression and was replaced byrelief.
“Do you have atuxedo?”
Her answer was a wrysmile.
“Why am I not surprised.”She laughed softly as she turned around and walked to her father’soffice. As per usual two men were standing outside of it. The dooropened at that moment and her father was shaking hands with theevent planner that he usually hired. This was one person Katya washappy to see. She was actually a very smart woman, and veryfriendly. She smiled when she saw her.
“Hello Katya. You getlovelier every time I see you.”
She gave her a hug andmurmured her thanks. Eveline Peirce had been planning her father’sevents for as many years as she could remember. She was an elegantolder woman with short grey, almost white, hair and a very kindface. She always dressed very stylishly and for some reasonreminded Kat of English royalty. She mentioned it to her once andthe older woman was flattered. Now, her attention went to Ryan, andKatya introduced him as her bodyguard, something she wasn’t goingto do at the party if her father
