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That fucking, fucking bitch.
Slava’s entire body was coiled with rage. It pounded through his body, coursed through his blood. He could barely see past it.
But he’d seen enough.
He’d known her the instant he saw her, e
ven in her workout clothes, carrying that ridiculous backpack. And that voice—how could he forget it? It had haunted his dreams and heated his loins since she’d promised to call him, walked out of the building, and disappeared off the grid.
No one deceived him like this. No one. He was too smart to be taken in by a slut who was really a cop. But he’d been thinking with his dick, not his brain. He’d bought her coffee. She’d walked out with the cup and probably his DNA. She knew who he was and what he was.
Well, he was about to know a hell of a lot more than her name.
Fuck the surveillance. Fuck the Forman woman and the Barker girl. Fuck all his strategic plans.
He was getting his hands on Isabella.
The Chinese food was consumed in record time.
As they ate, Emma explained to Lisa, Miles, and Shannon where things stood on the case—precisely the way Casey had told her to. She started with the fact that Shannon was part of a big medical experiment involving designer PEDs and a whole bunch of targets. Quickly, she reassured them that FI was on the brink of uncovering the mastermind who was orchestrating the whole operation, along with whoever he had working for him—and that included not just Shannon’s attempted kidnappers and those surveilling them but the Jim Robbinses all over the country, who were the reapers of this medical experiment.
Emma finished her update by giving her word to Lisa, Miles, and Shannon that this nightmare would be over in days, not weeks, after which they’d all be safe.
Of course they had questions. They wanted details about the monster running the show, about precisely how Forensic Instincts planned on bringing him down, and about how their mysterious FBI contact fit into the picture.
Emma deflected the questions by stressing the sensitivity of the situation and the need to keep them safe by telling them as little as possible.
“Trust me,” she said with her customary frankness. “I’ve never lied to you, steered you wrong, or placated you—and I’m not doing any of that now. I’m helping my team put an end to this. Please, let us do our job. Once it’s over and you’re safe, I’ll personally tell you every single outstanding detail.”
“Emma, you know how I feel about you.” Lisa shoved aside her empty plate and shook her head. “I trust you implicitly. But it’s our lives that are at stake. We have the right to know everything—now, not later.”
“Leave it, Lis.” Miles surprised Emma by stepping in and helping her cause. He looked deeply pensive, staring at Emma as if focusing in on her thoughts and succeeding in reading them. “Forensic Instincts is afraid that, if we know the whos and the whats of the situation, we’ll jump in and do something stupid that could jeopardize their entire plan. And, given our mental states, they’re probably right.”
He turned to meet Lisa’s frightened gaze. “Think about it.” He put a soothing hand on her arm. “Can you swear that if you knew who all the players were you’d just sit still and stay put? I know I couldn’t.”
Lisa’s gaze faltered. “I… No,” she admitted. “I couldn’t make that promise.” She squeezed her eyes shut, and there were tears shimmering on her lashes when she opened them. “I just want this to be over.”
“And it will be.” Emma was speaking to Lisa. But she was watching Shannon in her peripheral vision. The young girl was openly weeping, her body trembling with fear.
Instinctively, Emma reached over and gripped Shannon’s hands. “Don’t be afraid, Shannon. No one will hurt you again. You’re safe here. And soon you’ll be able to stop living like a prisoner. I promise.”
“I just want to go home.” Shannon’s choked words reminded them all that, despite her maturity and bravado, she was still a sixteen-year-old girl who had been pushed beyond her limits. “I miss my family. I miss my friends. I want to be normal again.” A sob escaped her. “As normal as I can be with the damage that’s been done to my body and the stuff I’ve gone through.”
“You’ll go back to seeing that great therapist you said you were visiting right after your accident—the one Julie referred you to,” Lisa said, her attention shifting from her own unease to Shannon’s. “Dr. Hawke, right? She was helping you a lot. She’ll help you now. You’ll get through this. We all will.”
“I guess.” Shannon took a huge shuddering breath.
“We have a bond, Shannon, one that’s formed by going through a life crisis together.” Lisa reached over to tuck a hair behind Shannon’s ear, giving her a small smile. “That’s not going away. Miles and I are your friends for life.”
Shannon managed a smile in return. She dashed away her tears and even finished the last of her fried rice.
“Okay, enough drama. Subject closed.” Emma popped up and began clearing the table. “I came here today for two reasons—one, to fill you in, which I just did. And, two, to spend some fun time together.” She pointed at her backpack. “I brought some mindless DVDs with me. Plus I just downloaded some new apps on my iPad—games we can play against each other.” She arched a brow in Miles’ direction. “I expect you to cut us some slack. If you start winning every game, I’m taking away your iPad and tossing your iPhone out the window.”
A broad grin spread across Miles’ face. “As long as you pre-acknowledge my superiority, I’ll agree to that.”
Emma rolled her eyes, turning off the kitchen faucet. “You sound just like Ryan; it’s nauseating.” That made her remember Ryan’s offer. “By the way, while this big reveal is going on, Ryan said you could contact him with any questions you have. I guess he figures great minds should stick together.”
Miles looked relieved and pleased. “Thanks, Emma—for the offer and the compliment. It’s good to know that Ryan’s got my back.”
