Free Absolution by Kaylea Cross Page A

reception?”
    What? Emily sucked in a breath. “You did?”
    “And that someone tried to kill Neveah that night? When that didn’t work, the head of the sleeper cell went after her himself. He was a world renowned neurosurgeon, I might add. Family man, soft spoken and well respected in his community.
    The last person on earth you’d expect to be caught up in a plot like that.”
    His eyes bored into hers. “Tehrazzi has a master’s degree in political science, from Harvard .
    He speaks perfect English, without any trace of an accent. He works with anyone who will help him get what he wants—al Qaeda, Taliban, Hezbollah, mujahedeen. He doesn’t give a shit about political allegiance or whether they’re Sunni or Shi’a. He’s got more money and support than most members of the U.S. Senate. Do you get what I’m telling you? Do you understand what kind of a threat he poses?
    Tehrazzi can get to anyone, anywhere if he wants it bad enough. I want all of you—you, Bryn, Sam and Neveah—in a secure location where I can make sure he doesn’t get to any of you ever again.”
    And for how long was she supposed to stay in Beirut? Until he got Tehrazzi? He’d been chasing him for six years already. She didn’t have that kind of time left to wait. She couldn’t go. Wouldn’t. He didn’t understand. “No.”
    61

    Kaylea Cross

    Luke leapt off the desk, face tight with anger.
    “ Goddamn it , Em, you have to.”
    “Leave me alone!” She whirled to run from the room, but he shot out a hand and grabbed her upper arm, spinning her around. Facing him, her knees began to tremble. This was awful, so awful. It almost hurt to breathe. Part of her wanted to hit him, and it horrified her. She jerked her arm from his grasp and took a step back, panting, on the verge of losing control and scared to death she might.
    “I’m not leaving you alone here,” he snarled, jaw tensing. “Not this time.”
    A bitter laugh escaped her. “Is that right? Well that’s ironic,” she sneered. “Just when I’m finally able to let you go, you decide to barge back into my life and not leave me alone.”
    He stared at her, a muscle flickering in his lean, bearded cheek. “You think I wanted it this way?”
    “Oh, believe me, this is the last thing I think you wanted. But I’m still not going.” She was being a complete bitch, but she couldn’t help it.
    “Don’t force my hand, Em,” he warned.
    She closed her eyes, her stomach so tight she thought she might throw up. She couldn’t go overseas. He didn’t understand the extent of it.
    Heartsick, she fought to keep her dignity. “Just go, Luke. Take the others and go to Beirut, but leave me alone and give me what little peace I still have.”
    “Jesus Christ, listen to yourself!” He threw his hands up in frustration. “Peace? You want to stay here and risk sacrificing yourself for a little comfort?
    For God’s sake, since when have you become a martyr?”
    Her eyes flew open. She stared at him, unable to stem the sheen of tears as the knot in her throat threatened to choke her. A tortured sob caught in her chest as she confronted him. “Since I found out I’m dying!”
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    Absolution

Chapter Four
    Her words echoed around the room like the report of a high-powered sniper rifle, and for a moment Luke couldn’t breathe. He felt like someone had kicked him in the gut with a steel-toed assault boot. He sucked in a painful breath. When he finally spoke, his throat was so tight his voice came out hoarse. “ What ?”
    Emily turned away from him, but not before he saw the tears gathered on her lower lashes. “You heard me! I’m dying.” She paced over to the fire and bent her head. As if defeated. “The chemo is going to buy me some time, but that’s all.”
    A vise clamped around his heart, crushing it. He had to remind himself to breathe. Jesus Christ. “The doctors told you that?”
    She shrugged. “More or less.”
    He was silent a moment. “Does Rayne