ter

e kept v

wn nu

in the silence between

he screen as if i

did not reach for her. H

ply wa

," he repe

She forced herself to breathe o

it sp

ng that her voice was

voice

olite. Al

hank you for t

mach ti

is

is Adri

anded like

Lucien's express

lethal flicker

swal

ow anyone b

var continued lightly. "Florentine. La

ed around the ed

things," she r

. "But not all of

eath c

locked onto he

what you mea

e came throug

h," Kovar said. "Curiosity is admirable

ly felt too sma

y. "If you have questions regarding own

ave questions,

pa

e inte

e pres

tly closer to the ta

tting her

r? Or resp

uldn't

ou want?"

at your professional enthusiasm doesn't

threate

ded amused. "No, Miss

w tigh

well to advice

at," he said smoothly. "We

ne wen

llowed was heavier

cing now-no pret

phone and turned the

t ask pe

d quickly acro

te," Lucien said.

race it?"

es

ok slightly. S

do anyth

kno

ey wouldn't

ey wouldn'

't feel li

lifted

agreed. "

etween th

't theory

business

as r

lightly, putting s

nsane," sh

es

ore pai

uncovered

gh her hair, pacing

e said. "Your father.

accusation wit

es

admission d

ow I'm

es

ut con

pa

not my i

incredulous. "You fo

rotec

rotection. Th

w tigh

nding. You were not approached physically. You were no

sed to make m

you understand

ared a

differ

tween intimidation

dropped

omach

nk he'd

he'd pref

not reas

d rather

er crept up

" she ask

ver

settled

opped

t does t

calmly, "he believes you

ad sna

ld he th

I'm stand

hit her like a

t have come,"

said. "I s

de this

d softly. "I ma

art po

't even

ze hel

ow en

not po

n risk is

haled

king like I

g like you'

sing th

softened

e frig

ation broke some

dragged into strangers'

t a strang

d out before he

of them hun

ared a

oes tha

answer i

he met him, he seemed to c

last, "he believes prox

doe

ng p

w tigh

es

eath c

harder than de

pped ba

am lev

N

just

e believe

d y

le

t her diffe

alcul

asse

hing

I did not anticipa

not an

nly one you

ion flar

o decide what I

"But I do decid

yes f

in control o

oftly. "But I c

d them. A group of tourist

alcy fel

briefly towar

back

back to the at

stif

olutel

N

t own my

sn't ow

els li

surv

hesi

ot aggressively. Just e

tter," he said quietly, "

h tremble

call

scala

ind r

escalating

n't he

Surveilla

swal

ady fee

es

hiding in your

venly, "is the safest

s arro

fact

at him-re

no perform

bra

certa

eneat

ns

fe

methin

ried about me,"

es fli

ied about so

of si

n't de

er," she s

w tigh

nd your

hardene

sn't ab

ls like

ice dr

venting history

d that sentence

rst time,

e bill

the

e

shifted

tr

t

dersta

haled

she said carefully

es

aintain

es

decide t

n't be

pa

se against i

es

won't s

N

face for any s

nd

ne buzz

unknow

omach

look at the sc

oked

" he said

zzing

ce re

ence warred

n her resist

wasn't

s str

dnapping me,"

N

hoosin

es

ld he

n't belon

ickered in h

ger

ses

in a

ng to anyone,"

s carrie

they sho

odded

in

dn't

n't ce

aside, gesturing

er y

ture wa

pec

char

ther, the rain had started again-fi

y waited a

ed before the

riefly before

n fol

oor c

e blurred as the

spoke im

ts streaked p

elt i

sh

e cro

by f

cho

o the London traffic, one trut

longer about

about

prox

where both begin to fe