Night and Day by Iris Johansen Read Free Book Online

careful.”
    He shook his head. “I’ve been taught in a hard school to be careful. I don’t make mistakes.”
    â€œI don’t want Cara to be your first one.” She paused. “Neither do you.”
    He didn’t speak for a moment. “God, no.” He drew a deep breath. “What do you want from me?”
    â€œWhat I’ve wanted since Cara was taken by Natalie Castino. Do I want your help? Of course, I do. I just want for us all to work together to get her away from Natalie. I don’t want to take a chance on anyone’s being overpowered and causing us to lose her.”
    â€œIt’s never happened to me. I won’t lose her.”
    â€œJock.”
    He got to his feet and strode over to the window and stood looking down at the street. “I can’t sit still and wait for something to happen,” he said jerkily. “I’m going to Moscow as soon as you tell me where they’re holding her.”
    It sounded like a partial victory. “And then what?”
    â€œI do what I always did. Analyze the situation, then take care of it. I know Moscow. I’ve worked there before.”
    â€œYou did?”
    â€œYou’re surprised?” His lips twisted. “I wouldn’t have been considered adequate for the duties for which I was trained if I was confined to a single area or city. I know how to operate in most cities in Europe and the U.S. Would you like to know the easiest and safest way to make a kill in Venice? Or maybe how to avoid the police in—”
    â€œNo, I don’t want to hear any of that.” She hadn’t meant to broach any of those memories when she was trying to move him away from thinking about that life. Besides, the thought of what he must have gone through hurt her. “I just asked a question.”
    â€œBut you really didn’t want to know the answer. If you do, ask Jane. She managed to sit through most of it one night when I was on the verge of going crazy. She even asked for more. A catharsis, she called it.” He shrugged. “I called it salvation.”
    â€œI won’t ask Jane,” Eve said quietly. “But if you need someone to talk to when this is over, I’ll be there for you,”
    â€œWill you?” He tilted his head. “But I’m not hunting for salvation anymore, Eve. I don’t lay my sins on people who care about me. I’ve been burden enough to them. At some point, you just have to face it alone.”
    â€œCara wouldn’t like that. She didn’t want you to be alone.”
    He flinched. “That was one of the last things she texted me. She ran after me because she didn’t want me to be out there alone searching for the men who had tried to kill MacDuff.”
    â€œShe always wanted to take care of you. I thought it was strange. She was just a kid.”
    â€œYeah, just a kid.” His eyes were glittering with moisture. “Which just goes to show what a poor specimen I am if she thought she could take better care of me than I did of her.”
    â€œShe made a mistake, too. She should never have run after you. But, if you want to take a lesson from any of this, it should be that she thought it was wrong for you to be alone.” She paused. “Don’t make that mistake again, Jock.”
    He was silent. She could see the conflict struggling in his expression.
    â€œJock?”
    â€œI’ll wait,” he said harshly. “I’ll analyze her situation, and if she’s not in any immediate danger, I won’t move. But not long, Eve. If you don’t show me that you have a plan that will be safer for her, I’m going to get her away from that bitch.”
    She drew a deep breath of relief. It wasn’t total commitment, but it would have to do. “We’re not going to be dragging our feet. I’m just as worried as you about Natalie Castino.”
    â€œI’m not worried,” he said grimly.