Free Absolution by Kaylea Cross

pulled in a deep breath and let it 58

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    out slowly, the gold chain around his neck glinting in the firelight. “Believe me, you’re at risk.”
    He still wore the medallion. The surge of hope the words elicited made her heart ache. Was he saying he did care?
    Stop it, just stop it. Are you insane? Don’t you dare go there.
    Because it hurt to look at him, she glanced away. “So what am I supposed to do? Get a better alarm system?”
    He gave a short laugh. “An alarm system, Em?
    You think that will keep you safe?”
    “You’re not seriously suggesting I hire someone to protect me.”
    “No. I want you to come to Beirut.”
    She whipped her head around to gape at him.
    “What?”
    “My team’s setting up there at Bryn’s father’s place. She’s going, too.”
    Was he serious? “I can’t go to Beirut,” she said with a humorless laugh.
    “Why not?”
    She made an incredulous sound. Wasn’t it obvious enough? “I’m sick and in treatment, for one.”
    “Neveah’s a doctor, and Ben was a Ranger medic. I’ve already arranged for all your medications and equipment you’ll need, and cleared it with your doctors. Ben and Nev were on the conference call with them and me. They’re all up to speed and ready to make sure you get the care you need.”
    Her jaw started to fall open, but then she reminded herself who she was dealing with. Luke had more connections and authority than half the generals working in the Pentagon. But going to Beirut? No way. She threw the blanket off her and surged out of the chair, pacing in front of the fire while she attempted to fight the growing panic building inside her. “I can’t.”
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    Kaylea Cross

    “Yes, you can.”
    “ No .” It came out much sharper than she’d intended, but she couldn’t seem to get control of her emotions. Too much was happening too fast. What the hell was she supposed to do in Beirut? Most days the chemo had her so tired and sick she slept as much as a cat, and she’d only had one treatment.
    The next was due in a few days, and the side-effects were bound to get worse. She couldn’t handle the thought of being away from the home she loved, staying in a strange place with a group of strangers, vomiting continually but too weak to run to the toilet so she had to crawl. All because the terrorist Luke was after might hypothetically try and target her.
    Considering what she was up against physically, she’d rather risk being on a terrorist’s hit list and stay home.
    Luke stood. “Emily—”
    “No!” She shook her head and backed away from him, growing frantic. He couldn’t make her. No way was she going anywhere. If she had to suffer through this disease, then she would do so in the home she took comfort from. God knew she had precious little to give her any sense of security anymore. She’d be damned if she would lose this as well.
    “Listen to me—”
    She cut him off with a curt shake of her head.
    “You forfeited the right to tell me what to do the day you walked out that door.” Luke stiffened as though she’d hit him, and indeed she had. Way below the belt. Anxiety clawed at her. This wasn’t her—she didn’t like confrontation and didn’t say hurtful things, but her world was spinning out of control and she couldn’t stop the words or the terrible pressure forcing them out of her heart. How dare he march in after all this time with the audacity to turn her life upside down yet again. She wouldn’t let him do it 60

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    anymore.
    Luke was still as a bronze sculpture, but his eyes seared her like hot coals. He sat back down on the desk. “Maybe I did,” he said in a low voice, an undercurrent of anger simmering in his tone. “But you don’t know what Tehrazzi’s capable of.”
    “Yes, I do. I know what happened to Bryn.”
    Luke cocked his head. “Yeah? Did she also tell you we caught people armed with assault rifles and grenades about to kill everyone at Rayne and Christa’s