Page 17 of Savage Reckoning

“Not all of it was lies. I was telling the truth when I said I loved you.”

I gape at him, open-mouthed. Even now, he can’t help himself. He just opens his mouth and out it all comes, one lie after another. “Ed. I mean, Gabriel, stop it. Just stop it.”

He ploughs on with his claptrap. “I never stopped loving you, even after you put a bullet through my foot. I forgive you for that, by the way.”

“Don’t fucking bother. I don’t want your forgiveness, don’t need it. You got what you deserved.”

“I agree. You had a right to be angry. I admit, I hadn’t realised just how… fierce you could be when you were riled.”

“And yet, here you are, pissing me off all over again.”

“I’m hoping you don’t have a gun under the bed this time.”

Weary of this conversation, I drop into one of the sofas and put my head in my hands. “Can you just go? Please? Let’s just make sure we avoid each other from now on.” Shouldn’t be too hard, I’ll be leaving soon to accompany my patients to the Richmond, then back to Caraksay. Gabriel Sawyer won’t be able to follow me there.

He ignores my request. Instead, he lowers himself into the chair opposite me. “I never stopped thinking about you.”

“Oh, right.” More lies.

“I wanted to make it up to you. That’s why I had the powers that be review your sentence. What happened between us was my fault, not yours. You just got caught up in it and didn’t deserve to lose your career.”

“But still, I was drummed out in disgrace. Fancy that.” I make no attempt to conceal the simmering resentment in my tone.

“I managed some damage limitation. You had your freedom back, at least.”

“Gee, thanks. How very noble of you. Please, do tell me, how did you manage to achieve that?”

“I already told you, I did a deal. The army wanted me to take on a new assignment. It would be dangerous, highly specialised.”

“What assignment?”

“Infiltrate the Sokolov organisation and destroy it from within.”

I stare at him, horrified. “That sounds…”

“Dangerous? Yes, like I said. There was no one else they could ask, no one else stupid enough. Or with quite the right experience or skill set. So, I had some leverage. I used it, and you walked. I’ve been working on the Sokolov project for the last eighteen months, which is how my path crossed with Ethan Savage’s. I realised we had shared interests, so I came here to offer him a collaboration.”

Now he has my attention. I slant him a suspicious glance. “You didn’t come here looking for me?”

He shakes his head. “I wish I could say I did, but the truth is I had no idea where you were. I knew you left the US to move in with some elderly relative in the UK, but that was it. Running into you was a happy coincidence.”

“I wouldn’t describe it as happy, exactly.”

“It gave me a chance to apologise, to make amends. To explain.”

“Mission accomplished. Now you can go.”

He sighs. “Honey, I’m going nowhere. I have a job to do—”

“Ah, right. Just like before. Does Jack know who you really are, or are you lying to him, too?”

“He knows. And since you and I are on the same team again, at least for a while, how about we call a truce?”

“I’ve a better idea. How about you just stay the fuck away from me. I won’t get in your way, you stay out of mine.”

His mocking grin fades. “It’s a small world we find ourselves in right now, Doctor Alexander. I can’t promise anything.”

“Just fucking try. Right?” I shove myself to my feet. “I have to go.”

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