In For the Kill (McClouds & Friends #11)(48)

“No!” Sveti said sharply. “Are you guys even listening to yourselves? ‘We’ve decided?’ ‘Keep me here?’ What am I, a doll?”

“Of course not, honey,” Becca said. “But it’s the only option. You were snatched from your own home, and we don’t know their agenda.”

“I told you their agenda!” Sveti protested. “I know what they want! He wanted to know about what was written on Mama’s photo!”

In the silence that followed, everyone abruptly had something to look at that was not Sveti. Her eyes widened, and a bright red slash began to glow on each cheekbone. “Oh, my God,” she said. “You guys don’t believe me either.” She looked at Sam. “What did you tell them?”

He lifted his hands. “Just what the investigation turned up. The body I pulled out of that fire is Jason Kang. From Hong Kong. He’s a snakehead goon from Helen Wong’s gang.” He paused. “Not Ukrainian.”

She looked betrayed. “But . . . but the guy who questioned me was not Chinese! I know what language I’m hearing when I hear it! And his eyes were gray! He was white, with gray hair, buzz cut! He put on the mask right before Sam came in!”

“Calm down,” Lara soothed. “You’ve been through a terrible experience, and no one better than we can understand—”

“You don’t understand! Not if you all think that I’m delusional!”

Becca’s face contracted. “Honey. We just need to keep you safe.”

“The nationality of the * gunning for you doesn’t matter, Sveti,” Nick said. “Our response remains the same.”

Sveti looked at Tam. “You too? You think I’m crazy?”

“I’ve had stress flashbacks.” Tam’s voice was colorless. “They suck. I would not spit in the face of a friend who offered to help.”

“I’m not spitting in anyone’s face,” Sveti said fervently. “I’ve had stress flashbacks, too. But I was not having one yesterday. In any case, I’m leaving the country, so it’s irrelevant. Thanks for the thought, but I’ll handle this myself from now on.”

Sam inhaled and braced himself. This was gonna be ugly.

Tam was the first to find her voice. “Excuse me? Going where?”

“Italy, and then England. It’s been coming together the past few weeks. I was waiting to tell you until I’d nailed the details down. There’s a conference on human trafficking in San Anselmo. I’m speaking on several panels and getting an award for my contribution to the fight against modern slavery. And I got a consulting job, in London. Illuxit Transnational. It’s a big contract research organization. I’ll be advising corporations on how to implement policies to prevent trafficking.”

Nick folded his arms. “When were you going to tell us?”

“At the wedding,” Sveti said. “But I, ah, got distracted. Oleg Arbatov showed up, and I had my freak-out, and then, ah . . .” Her eyes flicked to Sam and her whole face went pink.

“It’s great about the award, Sveti,” Kev said gently. “You deserve it. But you can’t go receive it now. It’s too dangerous.”

“It’s been dangerous from the start,” Sveti said. “It’ll always be dangerous. Whatever. I’ll defend myself. You all taught me how.”

“Like you defended yourself yesterday?” Sean said.

“Amen,” Sam muttered.

“You shut up,” Sveti said furiously, whirling on Sam.

Sam raised both hands meekly in the air.

“We are not going to let you get killed,” Tam said stonily. “You’re one of us now, and we just can’t do it.”

“It’s not up to you.” Sveti looked from one to the other of her friends. “I’ll always be grateful to you. But I will make the decisions.”

“I promised your father I’d look out for you!” Nick bellowed.

“That’s nice, but my father should have looked out for me himself,” Sveti said. “He did as he pleased. He made his choices.”

“And got his guts ripped out,” Tam pointed out.

“His choice,” Sveti repeated. “His risk.” She looked at Sam, at Nick, then Val. “I’ve seen your bullet scars,” she said. She looked at Kev, Tam, Miles. “You all have scars. None of you ever backed away from a dangerous job. And you criticize me? You want to wrap me in tissue and lock me in a cupboard? I’m calling you on your bullshit right now!”

“This is different,” Tam said. “The scum of the earth can wait for you to flatten them into paste while we get a hold on this situation. You have your whole life to fight the powers of darkness.”

“And if we never get a hold on it? I stay on lockdown indefinitely? Poor Sveti with her pathetic delusions, locked up so she doesn’t hurt herself. Uh-uh. I don’t think so. Some opportunities won’t wait.”

“Your destiny will not be derailed by a single missed opportunity,” Val said.

Sveti shook her head. “I won’t run and hide. I want my f*cking award, and I want that f*cking job. I won’t back down because of this!”

Val rubbed his chin. “If it was Helen Wong’s gang, Europe might not be such a bad idea,” he said thoughtfully. “Their ties are to Asia.”