Funny, what hurt her gutand heart the most, was not her family. It was not knowing exactlywhat she was to Ryan. She was amazed that she could feel sodetached from her own blood. Was that cruel of her? She reached upand wiped away the tears that started to fall.
She could start over again.She had some strength in her. The last few weeks proved that toher, and Ryan taught her how to tap into it. Well, if she walkedaway all alone, she still had those things.
Just then the doors openedand she spun around to see Ryan walk in. He was removing his glovesand she saw that he still had a rifle slung over his shoulder. Thattold her something. He didn’t stop to remove it. She was his firstpriority. She stood there wringing her hands as he finally reachedup, and swung it off his shoulder laying it across a largeconference table. Then he turned and looked at her. His expressionstill looked angry.
“Are you trying to give mea heart attack?” he finally said. He may have been irate towardsher but he was also severely relieved.
She sobbed and rushedtoward him. He gathered her in his arms and held hertight.
“Jesus Kat, you areseriously trying to kill me.”
She shook herhead.
“I died when I saw youthere.” His arms tightened around her.
“I’m so sorry.” She sobbed.“I honestly wasn’t going to follow you all the way, I just wanted asense of the direction, but then—“ she sobbed “—then everythingwent wrong!”
“I’ve told you from thestart. You need to listen to me.”
“I know! I screwedup.”
“Shush. I hate to see youlike this.” He tilted her head up to face him. “Are you hurt?” Herface was wet with tears and he felt his heart constrict. Yes he wasin a rage, but he managed to calm down since then. What the hellwas she thinking? She’d scared him like nothing else in his entirelife. He knew she was traumatized yet again, and having him rant ather for an hour would serve no purpose.
“No.”
He looked around. “Have youbeen by yourself the whole time?”
She nodded.
He cursed. “Damn sometimeswe can be so unfeeling.”
“Are you angry?”
“Very.”
She swallowed.
“You can make it up to melater. I’m just relieved you’re okay.” He smiled. “Let’s sitdown.”
“Why?”
He pulled her over to awhite leather sofa and coaxed her down beside him.
“Ryan, you are scaring me.I know that look. Something’s wrong.”
“I just want to let youknow what happened.”
“Is everyone okay? Yourfriends—?”
“They’re fine.” He reachedup and moved a stray hair off her cheek. “I’m sorry babe, but wefound your sister.”
“Why are you sorry?” Anunusual chill moved through her. Tears formed in her eyes. “Ryan?She—she—” she choked.
“Keep it together, I haveto get this out.”
“Oh God!” She took a fewdeep breaths, then nodded to let him know she was ready.
“It appears your sistermade promises to Ivan. When she didn’t fulfill those, he murderedher.”
“I-Ivan was the traitor?What did she promise him?”
“You, babe. She promisedhim you.”
She was taken back. Thetears stopped and her eyes narrowed as she was trying to absorbwhat he was saying. “She what?”
“Ivan was leakinginformation to your sister in exchange for you. I told your fatherto only tell one man where the drop was to be made tonight. Thatwas Ivan. He didn’t want to believe me, but went along withit.”
“She…he…neither one of themhad that right!” She stood abruptly. “What kind of family did Ihave? Twisted—sick!”
He stood up and gatheredher into his arms. “I’m sorry Kat.”
She buried her face in hischest and wept.
“There’s more.”
“Oh God.”
He breathed deep. He felther pain. She had no one except him. She didn’t deserve this. Noone did.
She finally pulled back andlooked up at him. “Tell me the rest.”
“Sit downagain.”
She turned and sat back onthe sofa folding her hands on her lap. “I’m ready.”
This time Ryan pulled achair directly in front of her and took her hands in his as he satdown. “We chased them down—your father and Ivan, and caught them atthe end of the dirt road just before the highway. Your father shotIvan in the head before we had a chance to take him intocustody.”
“I hope he rots in hell,”she said harshly while wiping tears off her face with the back ofher hand.
“Me too.”
She paused and looked athim. The pain her family caused this man was more than she had todeal with. Her heart went out to him. “Yeah, you too.” She smiled.It was bittersweet.
“But with Ivan gone, we’velost him as a turncoat.”
“Against myfather.”
“Yes.”
“And the same withAnna.”
He nodded.
“How did you know aboutAnna’s promise then?”
“We also captured two ofAnna’s men. The rest are dead.”
“Oh. So you don’t haveanything on my father then?”
“We have enough Kat. He’llgo to a dark cell, skip a trial, and no one will know whathappened.”
“But what about his bid forgovernor?”
“This is the way wework—there’ll be an accident and his remains will be found at thebottom of a cliff in one of his fancy cars. Yet, he’ll live. Theagency needs him and his government contacts, but he’ll never seethe light of day again. That’s the truth. That’s all ofit.”
“Is that what youwant?”
“I wanted the manresponsible for my brother’s death. Demetrev is dead and yourfather will be out of the drug business for the rest of his life.I’m surprisingly okay with allowing him to live.” He took her handsagain and met her eyes. “He is your father Kat. I know you don’twant him harmed.”
“Even after all he’s done,no, I honestly don’t, but what is wrong with me?”
“We always love our parentsno matter how evil they can be. It doesn’t make you disturbed Kat,it makes you compassionate.”
She looked away in thoughtfor a moment. “Can I see him?”
“Yes,” he answeredhesitantly.
“Now?”
“Yes, but straightenyourself up first.” He stood up. “Ned has a private bathroom behindthat wall over there. Go wash up and be strong. You must understandthis too. You can never see him again.”
She nodded again, got upand walked towards the restroom.
Ryan watched her withconcern. She shut down. It was too much and she’d already beenthrough hell. It
