Air Bound

12

AIRIANA watched Maxim slam the loaded darts into the small gun before handing it to her. She could feel his anger seething just below the surface, but she knew he would never let it out. Still, she was right. The children had been through so much already, and if he stayed for a few days, even if it was to protect her, they would cling to him rather than transferring their dependence and trust to her.

“I have to do what’s best for the children,” Airiana said, slipping the gun beneath her shirt, into her belt.

“How the hell would you know what’s best for them?” he demanded. “You have no idea, you just think that you do.”

“Maybe you’re right,” Airiana admitted. “I haven’t gone through the things they have, although my mother was murdered as their parents were, but there are others living at the farm who have had nearly the same experiences. They’ll help. I also know an amazing counselor. I’ll do my best to see them through this.”

“You’d make a lifetime commitment to children you barely know?”

Airiana lifted her chin. There was disbelief in his voice. “You don’t have to believe me, Maxim. Only they do. I was willing to give you a lifetime commitment, remember? I believe I can help those children. At the very least I can give them a safe place where people will love and protect them. I may have my issues, but I’m capable of real love and real commitment.”

“Unlike me.”

“I didn’t say that. I didn’t even think it. I’m not about to second-guess your motives. You saved my life and you’ve protected and taken care of me throughout this entire ordeal. You saved those children. You could have taken the easy way out, but you didn’t. Clearly, when you give your word, it means something.”

Airiana allowed herself a brief moment just to drink him in. She was walking out the door in a couple of minutes and putting her life on the line for this man. Didn’t he see that she believed he was worth it? He didn’t know he was—but she did.

She saw beyond the scars and his rough, unsmiling face. He was beautiful in a purely masculine way, a dark, brooding man with a perpetual five-o’clock shadow and shaggy hair she always wanted to tame. Mostly, he was lost. He didn’t realize he was lost, but she saw that he was.

Maxim Prakenskii was so busy protecting everyone around him that he had given up on himself. He clearly felt he had sinned one too many times, and there was no redemption as far as he was concerned. She wanted to gather him into her arms and hold him close, just as she’d wanted to gather those children to her.

“Stop looking at me like that.” He nearly growled the order, his eyes darkening, the heralding of a turbulent storm.

She sent him a small smile. “You can’t stop me from looking at you, Maxim. You can’t control everything around you, especially me. I look at you because I enjoy it. I see the man you refuse to see. I’m not afraid of either of you, because you’re one and the same.”

“Damn it, Airiana, you’re messing me up.”

“I can’t help how you feel, Maxim, any more than I can help how I feel.” She watched him preparing for battle, shoving guns and knives and ammunition into loops on his belt. His features had gone grim and he looked lonely.

“Maxim.” She said his name softly, insisting he look at her.

His breath hissed out in a long, irritated rush.

She met his stormy eyes. “Unlike you, I don’t want to die and I’m very afraid. But I’d much rather go out there, knowing if I do, you have a chance to stay alive. You matter. If you don’t to anyone else, you do to me.”

He swore again, and took a threatening step toward her. She didn’t move, but her heart accelerated. Not out of fear—she knew with every cell in her body that Maxim Prakenskii would never hurt her—but because she knew he was afraid. Not of the men with guns, or dying out there on the deck, but of her. Of wanting her so much. Of wanting the life she could give him that he no longer believed in.

“I won’t hurt you,” she said softly. “I’d never hurt you.”

He caught the front of her shirt in his fist and yanked her close to him, his icy eyes suddenly blazing with fire, a blue flame of exquisite heat. “You have to stop. I can’t do this, any of this, if I feel anything. You can’t make me feel. If I loved you and then lost you . . .” He shook his head. “I can’t do that.”

“I know. I’m not asking you to,” she replied patiently, refusing to look away from his stricken eyes. He didn’t even see that he was too alone. Or that she already mattered far too much. “I just wanted you to know how I felt about you.”

He kissed her hard. She tasted desperation. She tasted love—she knew she did. He could deny it all he wanted, but there, in his kiss, he was honest with both of them. She poured everything she felt for him into her answering kiss, giving herself up totally to him, without reservation. It might be the only time she ever gave herself that way, and she did it wholeheartedly, kissing him as if it were her last and only time with the man she loved.

Maxim’s body trembled, a strong, invincible man. All muscle. All power. He trembled for her. She kissed him over and over, melting into him, wanting to let him know that once—one time in his life—someone had loved him. What she felt in that moment was absolute love. He was . . . extraordinary.

It was Airiana who pulled away from him, her heart beating too fast, the blood rushing through her veins, adrenaline pouring into her body. She turned away from him without looking at his face. She knew it already, every line, every plane, his masculine jaw that could be set so stubbornly.

She went barefoot, using air to cushion her feet. She pulled the door open slowly, knowing Maxim would fade into the background like he did, but would be in the precise location to see as much as possible when she pulled the door as wide as it could go.

A man stood to one side of the door and his assault rifle was pointed squarely at her head. She stopped, her eyes going wide with fear, her empty hands clutching at her heart. “What’s wrong?” she asked, looking around her as if expecting to see pirates.

“Where are the others?” he asked, never wavering for a moment.

“With my father. He asked me to take a walk around the deck for a few minutes. Is something wrong? Should I get him?” She glanced at her watch. “He said he needed to talk to those other men and Maxim alone for about ten minutes.” She half turned as if she would go back inside.

“No, your father’s right. Take your walk.” He lowered his weapon and indicated her feet. “What happened?”

“Maxim dropped a glass when those other men came in and I stepped on the shards. One of them helped me.” She smiled at him and stepped around him with a little cheery wave.

Relief flooded her. He’d bought her story. It was plausible. The three agents entered, and of course her father would send her out before they killed Maxim. The guard probably figured they’d kill him and toss his body overboard while she was taking her little stroll. If she were lucky, he’d go in to help the others. She’d left the door cracked partway just to entice him.

You were born for this kind of work.

The grudging respect in Maxim’s voice settled her churning stomach. She had been most careful not to block his line of fire to the guard, just in case.

My guardian angel, she replied back. Her palm itched and she rubbed her thigh absently. Thank you. You gave me confidence.

He gave a little cough of derision. I’ve been called many things in my life, but guardian angel is not one of them.

I guess no one’s ever gotten the chance to know you. I’m coming up on the two on the west side. They’re crouched low and both have their weapons trained on me.

She heard his curse echoing through her mind, but as she approached the two guards, she blocked out everything but her story, needing to believe it herself. Both men rose, looking around as if expecting an army with her.

“Hi. I’m Airiana, Theodotus’s daughter.” It was shocking to say the words aloud, almost as if just by saying such a thing she was betraying her country. “My father told me to take a stroll around the deck. Is it okay to come on this side?”

One of the men lowered his weapon, nodding his head. “Of course it is. Don’t get too close to the rail. The ride is fairly smooth, but the ocean can act up at any time.”

“What’s your name?” She tried to look friendly as she took another couple of steps to get closer to them.

“I’m Akim and that’s Feliks.” He indicated his partner.

Feliks lowered his rifle as well, giving her a tentative smile, looking her over, not as a potential enemy, but as a woman. She widened her smile to include him.

“Do you know my father?”

Both shook their heads. Feliks stepped closer to her, into her personal space. He actually put a hand on her shoulder as if to steady her. She shot him in the neck with the dart gun and turned to fire the second shot at the other guard as Feliks went down, shock on his face.

Akim threw himself on the deck and kicked out at her, hooking his ankle around hers and bringing her to the ground hard. She retained her hold on the dart gun, and rolled over and over to try to put space between them. On the second roll she fired another dart at Akim. It hit his thigh, but fell to the deck.

Akim punched her hard in the eye. She actually saw stars. One moment the world was right and the next it was spinning like mad, the edges blurring and stars rushing at her from every direction. She went down, her legs turning to rubber, stomach churning, her vision blurring. She managed to raise the dart gun as he came at her again. Squeezing the trigger, she fell back, hitting the back of her head on the deck.

Akim’s eyes filled with fury as he slapped at the small dart that had hit his arm. He swung his fist at her face a second time. She closed her eyes, but the blow never landed.

Akim flew backward, and Maxim was there, kicking the gun away and stepping in close to deliver three wicked punches to Akim’s face. Each blow knocked the man backward until he was up against the railing. Maxim’s elbow smashed into his face and then he reached down as if he might upend Akim over the railing into the water.

“Stop,” she blurted out. “Just stop. He’s done.”

Maxim let go of Akim and the guard toppled to the deck, his legs no longer supporting him. He turned slowly to look down at her, sprawled as she was between the two downed agents.

She couldn’t imagine what she looked like, but blood trickled down her face from the cut up by her eye. She wiped at it with her hand and managed to smear it.

Maxim winced visibly. “Don’t. You do that again and I’m throwing the bastard into the sea.” He crouched down beside her and touched the swelling around her eye with gentle fingers. “Remind me never to listen to you again.”

“I distracted them,” she pointed out, and tried to sit up.

He instantly swept his arm around her and helped her into a sitting position. For one moment her head seemed to explode and then it settled down again into a pounding rhythm. There was a roaring in her ears that hadn’t been there before.

“Maybe I need to lie down,” she said. She didn’t want to throw up on him, not after trying to prove a point. No one had ever really hit her before. Not like that. She’d worked at self-defense in the gym, but neither Levi nor Thomas ever punched her in the face. When they broke through her guard, they pulled their punches.

Maxim gathered her up and lifted her right off the deck. “I’m going to put you in a lounge chair while I clean up this mess. The last thing we want is for the steward to see all the guards looking dead on his deck.”

“They aren’t dead, are they?” she asked suspiciously.

She didn’t bother to look but laid her head against his shoulder and let him carry her to the forward deck. He felt solid, and she could feel his every muscle ripple subtly while he carried her.

“No, but I’m still considering killing them on principle alone,” he warned. “Next time, don’t let anyone punch you. It upsets me to see bruises on you.”

“So next time I’ll just let them know you’d be really unhappy if they decided to hit me.” In spite of still feeling a little sick and her head wanting to explode, she couldn’t help the laughter welling up. He wasn’t finding anything humorous about it all, which made it all the funnier to her.

“Maxim, really, I’m all right. I wasn’t fast enough getting off the second dart, that’s all.”

“You kept your head and your weapon,” he said. “I’m proud of you.”

She didn’t point out that he didn’t sound proud, he sounded surly. “Do you think you could find me something to drink after you take care of all the guards? What are you going to do with them?”

“Actually, they aren’t technically guards, they’re assassins. They were sent here to kill me, not guard you. Just to clarify.” He settled her carefully on one of the plush loungers, in the shade on the owner’s private deck.

“I didn’t think of them like that,” Airiana said. “I might change my mind and let you throw them overboard after all.”

He did laugh then. It wasn’t long or hearty, but he did give her a small laugh. “That’s my girl. Let the bastard punch you in the face and we have to play nice, but someone threatens me and they can go overboard.”

“Well, I do have my priorities,” she answered.

He pulled out his first aid kit and broke open a gel pack. “Keep this over your eye until I get back. I won’t be long.” He put a cushion behind her head.

She stretched her legs out and took the cold pack gratefully. The instant cold took some of the sting from her swelling eye. “Don’t be long. I feel vulnerable and a little exposed lying here. And I’m not certain I could get up if someone threatened me.”

He put the dart gun next to her hand. “You can always get up if you need to, Airiana. It’s a matter of will.”

She knew he would always get up, even if it was with his very last breath. He was made that way. Or trained that way. She preferred lying on the lounger and waiting for him to bring her back a bottle of ice-cold water. She planned on fantasizing. She was on the yacht with him. No killer aboard. Lying in the sun and maybe dozing off.

Airiana waved him off and closed her eyes. She had a vivid imagination and was going to use it. Weren’t they somewhere off the beautiful Mexican coast? She could get behind that. She needed a vacation . . .

Are you certain he didn’t give you a concussion?

Don’t rain on my parade. This yacht is the real deal. If we didn’t have all those killers aboard, and we weren’t heading to Colombia so they could fly me to Russia where I’d be a prisoner the rest of my life and probably tortured on a regular basis, I think I could make this a fun trip.

You’re a little crazy, you know that?

She loved the amusement in his voice. She was in his mind and there was little that amused him. Little that mattered in his world at all. But she did. He hadn’t meant to let her inside, but he had and now it was too late. She was there and she loved being that one. The only one.

Well. Yes. Probably. I might be a little crazy, but it’s the only way to be in your company. Has it ever occurred to you that you attract the wrong kind of people?

I do what?

Attract the wrong kind of people. Take this yacht for example. We’re not even going to mention the whack jobs aboard the container ship. Just this nice little yacht. On the surface, it all appears to be wonderful. Maybe it was when they were sailing around enjoying the sun and fun.

She paused to adjust the ice pack, looking at the ocean with her one good eye. He was dragging two men into the den and not being the least bit careful about it. She knew, not because she could see him through her physical vision, but because she was reading the air and knew the exact position of everyone on deck. Someone was coming up the stairs from below.

Then you came aboard, Maxim, and we discover that this isn’t the nice yacht we thought it was. My father isn’t the nice man you thought he was. Those men aren’t the nice deck crew I thought they were. No one is nice at all. See, you attract the wrong people. When you think about the law of averages, this shouldn’t be happening everywhere you go.

The stairs were to her left. She shifted her position enough that she could see the top of the stairs. She could hear footsteps. No hurrying. Whoever was coming up the stairs didn’t appear to be alarmed. She forced air through her lungs.

What is it? His voice was demanding.

She didn’t want to answer him. She didn’t want there to be any more trouble. She just wanted time to stop for a moment and give her space to breathe. Nothing. I don’t know. Someone coming up the stairs.

You should have told me immediately.

He’s here. She smiled and waved at the man topping the stairs. He was dressed all in white.

“Miss Solovyov?” The man walked right up to the end of the lounger. “I’m Gorya, your steward. The chef is preparing lunch and wanted to know if there was anything you were allergic to or didn’t care for.”

“Tell him no allergies and I’m willing to try nearly anything. Please thank him for asking.”

He frowned and moved closer. “Did you hurt yourself? I have some medical training. Perhaps I can help?”

“No, my father found me a cold pack. I was a little clumsy, broke a glass and stepped in the shards. It sounds crazy, but I fell and hit the side of my head on that little part of the bar that sticks out. I’m not used to the way the boat shifts out from under me.”

“If you’re feeling a little seasick I can get you something for that.”

“I’m okay now.” She knew Maxim was close. The middle of her palm itched horribly. She pressed her hand against her thigh, fingers feeling for the dart gun. Just the feel of it at her fingertips reduced her anxiety. “How many crew members? I’ve never been on a yacht this size before.”

“There are eight of us who work full time. I have to find out what your father would like for lunch. For some reason the intercom wasn’t working.”

“He went to lie down. I think I gave him a headache.” She gave a little laugh as if every daughter the world over could give headaches to their fathers. “Maxim is probably hungry though. He’s around somewhere.” She did her best to sound offhand.

Hopefully the crew wasn’t privy to the plan to kill Maxim. She doubted it. The less they knew the better. Sorbacov wouldn’t want witnesses. More than likely Sorbacov would have everyone killed that observed the murder aboard the yacht.

I’m not certain if he even knows I’m a kidnap victim and here against my will. He appears pretty innocent, Maxim. She didn’t want Maxim to hurt the steward if it wasn’t necessary.

Theodotus told me they believe your life was threatened and that was why there is extra security. Still. Keep that dart gun handy.

He came up behind the steward. “Are you all right, Miss Solovyov? This man isn’t bothering you, is he?”

“Gorya was being friendly and most helpful. He was just checking to make certain I’m not allergic to anything.” Don’t sound so scary. He went white.

I’m supposed to be scary. I’m your bodyguard.

Do you see my cut feet and black eye? Perhaps you need another line of work.

Perhaps you should do what you’re told instead of insisting on playing the heroine. Maxim lifted her bandaged foot and inspected the bloody gauze. He glanced at the steward over his shoulder. “Where do you keep your first aid kit?”

“Up here on the sun deck, there’s one behind the bar. I can show you if you’d like. I was telling Miss Solovyov that I have some medical training.”

“She cut her feet on glass,” Maxim said.

Gorya nodded. “She told me she was a little seasick and dropped her glass. Her eye is really swelling where she hit the side of her head.”

Nice story.

He bought it, didn’t he?

Only because you look so damn innocent. I wouldn’t have bought it for a second.

Only because you’re cynical. She yawned before she could stop herself. Of course Maxim saw. He was looking at the steward, but he still caught her hastily covered yawn. “You’ll need to rest, Miss Solovyov.”

Her breath hissed out between her teeth. “Both of you had better call me Airiana. I don’t answer to that name. I wasn’t raised with it.”

“For your own protection, as well as for your father’s,” Maxim interjected smoothly for the steward’s sake.

“Whatever. Call me Airiana, please.”

You could act like a spoiled rich girl. They expect it of you. The more manners you have and the friendlier you are, the more likely it will blow your cover.

Go away. You’re giving me a headache.

It’s only fair. You’ve given me one from the moment I laid eyes on you.

Airiana burst out laughing. “Go away, both of you. My feet are fine, but if either of you are heading this way again, I would love a bottle of water. No fancy glasses, no liquor, just plain old water in a plain old bottle.”

Maxim pulled a bottle from under his coat and held it out to her. You ask and I provide.

She resisted rolling her eyes. “Thanks, Maxim. I really appreciate it. And, Gorya, please relay to the chef that at this point, anything will be fine with me. Please allow my father to sleep through lunch.”

“The security team is working at the moment,” Maxim said. “They’re in the sitting room and don’t want to be disturbed. If there’s anything you need them for, just let me know and I’ll take care of it.”

Deliberately Airiana made a face. “Such a fuss. Really, Maxim, you and Theodotus worry far too much.”

Maxim ignored her, reaching out lazily and taking the bottle of water from her to unscrew the cap. He handed it back and turned his attention to Gorya. “I know you need to get back to the chef, but if you could show me where the first aid kit is . . .”

“Of course.” The steward was all business. “Right over here.” He led Maxim to the bar and reached behind him, pulling out a fairly large box.

“Thanks.” Maxim nodded at the man dismissively, and Gorya immediately took the cue and hurried down the stairs.

“Why make a big deal about the first aid box?” Airiana asked. She was beginning to realize everything Maxim did was for a reason.

“I wanted him to remember I asked for it. I can use the same ploy with the captain. I’ll want to get into the control room and turn this thing around. We’ll need Theodotus for that.”

“He won’t cooperate.”

“Of course he will. Your father doesn’t want to die. He has a big ego, Airiana, and he’s convinced himself the world can’t get along without him, so it won’t be a big leap for him to help us. The story will be easy enough. The team doesn’t trust the contact in Colombia. Russia and Colombia are friendly, but we believe you and your father are far too valuable for certain opportunists to pass up.”

“I see. Theodotus will definitely like that explanation.”

“No doubt he’ll come to believe it. It isn’t that far from the truth. If it was known where you were, and that your father was with you, every terrorist in the world with a grain of sense would be after the two of you. You’d better believe that Evan Shackler-Gratsos is looking for you right now.”

He laid the first aid kit open on the deck beside the lounger and carefully began to unwind the blood-spattered wraps on her left foot. To keep from wincing—she didn’t want him to know it still hurt—she took a long swig of water. The cool liquid slid down her parched throat. She hadn’t realized how thirsty—or tired—she was.

While he worked on her feet, she glanced up at the clouds. The sun was bright, shining on the water, the sky a deep blue. A few lazy clouds drifted overhead and at first she idly tried to see animals in their fluffy shapes. When she was a child she’d played that game to stop herself from noticing patterns.

Patterns were everywhere. In the clouds. In the waves. In the shadows thrown onto the deck by the sun. There was no escaping from them. She took another long drink as he applied more antibiotic cream and a new wrap.

“You’re sighing.”

“Because I thought we were going to get off easy, but we aren’t.” She watched the clouds moving above them, spinning and drifting as if they hadn’t a care in the world, but inside those clouds, her fluffy animals were gone.

“No, Evan was bound to figure out who had you. He’s got money, Airiana, and he’s willing to use it to get what he wants. He buys people, and anyone willing to aid Sorbacov would be just as willing to help Evan. Theodotus had a plane waiting in Colombia. The pilot knew the plan was to take you from Mexico up the South American coast to rendezvous with the plane. If Evan offered him money, why wouldn’t he give him that information?”

“How would Evan know who to go to for information?” Curiosity nearly took her attention from the patterns forming above her.

“The underworld is all connected,” he said, starting on her other foot. “It isn’t that hard to know who the major players are. Each of them is fed information through their pipelines. Some are extensive, some aren’t.” He gave a small shrug. “Once you’re in that world and you’ve acquired a reputation, everyone knows what you will or won’t do for money.”

“Like you.”

“Like me.”

“So we’re going to make a run for it.”

He nodded. “The yacht is. We’re going to bail.”

She scowled at him over the water bottle. “You said no swimming. We’re done with swimming. We are done, aren’t we?”

“Circumstances have changed.”

“I’m switching sides. Suddenly I feel a bout of loyalty coming on to dear old Dad. Just how bad could it be living in Russia?”

“Russia is beautiful,” Maxim said. “They would welcome you with open arms.”

The laughter faded as she studied his face. “But not you. Not after all you’ve done for your country. They’ll kill you.”

“Eventually. But it isn’t my country killing me. It’s one very powerful man.”

Her heart turned over. “Maxim, you can’t just accept death like you do. You have to fight this man. You’re willing to fight for me. You have to be willing to fight for yourself.”

He ran his fingers down the side of her face in a little caress. “Who says I’m not willing? I’m just not willing to put others in jeopardy with me.”

Maxim took the cold pack from her to inspect the damage done to her face. “You’re developing a wonderful shiner. When your family sees you, they’re going to think I’m the kind of man who beats his woman.”

Her heart skipped a beat. He probably hadn’t even noticed he’d referred to her as “his woman,” but right then, when they were alone and the world was quiet and peaceful, she wanted to be his.

Airiana smiled up at him. “They know what a tough girl I am. If you hit me, I would hit you back.”

He picked up her hand and placed it palm to palm with his, studying the difference in their sizes. She laughed. Her hand was dwarfed by his. His fingers closed slowly around hers, one by one, almost as if he was waiting for her to pull free.

“I love the sound of your laughter,” he said. “You make life a fun adventure rather than a daily job.” He brought her hand to his mouth and nibbled at the pads of her fingers. “I’ve never done this before, you know.”

Her breath caught in her lungs. Maxim wasn’t given to revelations about himself. She stayed very quiet. Waiting. Hoping for more.

“Men like me have to stay alone. We can’t trust anyone. Anyone could be the assassin sent to end us. We form relationships only for information. No one ever is close to us. I don’t sleep when I’m near others.” His mouth curved in a humorless smile. “I’m like a mole, I crawl into a hole and close it over my head if I need rest. There isn’t a moment when I don’t have a weapon on me and a contingency plan to escape a situation.”

Airiana didn’t know what to do or say, so she stayed silent, willing him to keep talking. She was hearing things he’d never told anyone else. Personal things. Reasons, of course, why he could never be with her. He didn’t realize that in revealing details of his life to her, he was acknowledging she meant more to him than he was willing to admit aloud to her.

Maxim opened her fingers and pressed his mouth into the center of her palm. She nearly jumped and jerked her hand away, but managed to remain still. Deep inside, in her most feminine core, she’d felt the intimacy of his tongue stroke. Her gaze jumped to his in a kind of dazed wonder. Did he even know what he’d just done? Probably.

“I want to lie down with you and fall asleep. Just once.”

As a declaration of love, it didn’t seem like much on the surface, yet she felt elated, almost giddy inside with joy. She knew he wanted her physically. There was no doubt in her mind that given the opportunity, he’d make love to her. Somehow, admitting that he wanted to sleep with her seemed so much more of an intimacy.

His teeth teased at the pads of her fingers. “Someday, Airiana, if I live through all this, I’m going to do that. You’ll have to leave your window open for me and I’ll just slip in. You won’t even know I’m there.”

She would know. They both knew if he came into her bedroom, he would make love to her. And she would welcome him.

“That sounds good to me. I prefer my window open.”

He frowned. “What kind of security system do you have?”

She rolled her eyes at him. The revelations were over, and he was back to being Maxim Prakenskii, all about living in a fortress. “You sound just like Levi and Thomas,” she said. “If they had their way, we’d have a fourteen-foot fence with barbed wire on top and machine guns every few feet.”

He frowned at her. “What’s wrong with that?” His strong teeth bit down on the pads of her fingers. “I think that’s a very good plan.”

“You would.”

“And dogs. You need a pack of very large dogs patrolling your property.”

“I’d like that. We’ve been talking about it for a while now, but so far, no one’s figured out the breed we want.”

“My brother Gavriil loves dogs. I hope when he finds a safe place to settle down, he’ll have several,” Maxim said.

“What about you? Do you like animals?”

He shrugged, his features totally expressionless once again. “I wouldn’t know one way or the other. I don’t have pets, if that’s what you mean. I never have had one.” He let go of her hand and was up, slipping into the shadows easily, as if he belonged there.

She knew Gorya was on his way up the stairs with their lunch.