Page 50 of Belgian Betrayal

Catya snorted. “I’m a killer.” She released Madison’s hand and pushed her feet. “Right now, I’m thinking about how I want to murder the people who shot this girl’s father and left him for dead. I want to find and kill the men responsible for Gia Rosolino’s death.” She paced away from Fearghas and Madison and stood with her back to them, looking out the hospital window into the dark night sky. “I want to be the judge, jury and executioner for the monsters who prey on the weak and use them in ways they should never have to endure.”

Fearghas eased Madison off his shoulder, slipped out of his seat and laid her on her side with his jacket as a pillow.

Once he had the girl situated, he went to where Catya stood by the window and rested his hands on her shoulders. “The point is that you care more than anyone I know. More than some parents care about their own children. I know that if you had a child of your own, you would move heaven and earth to make her safe and happy. You’d be a kind and loving mother.”

Catya leaned back against his chest. “Well, we’ll never know. I can’t bring a child into this world. She’d never be safe. I couldn’t do that to a kid. What kind of life would that be? I mean, look at what happened to Madison.” She shook her head. “I would be devastated if my child were kidnapped.”

Fearghas wrapped his arms around her middle and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “Why did you leave me in Athens, Catya?”

She sighed. “You’ll never be safe if you’re with me.”

His arms tightened around her. “I can take care of myself.”

“I almost convinced myself we could be happy together. Like a normal couple.”

Fearghas’s heart skipped several beats and then made up for it by pounding hard through his veins. “What changed your mind?” he asked softly.

“Someone followed me the day I left.” She turned in his arms and stared up into his eyes. “I dodged him before I came back to your place, but it reminded me of why I couldn’t stay. I will always be followed, which means you will always be at risk.”

“Again, I can take care of myself.” He swept a strand of her silk black hair back from her forehead. “Shouldn’t it be my decision on the amount of risk I’m willing to take?”

Catya shook her head, her brow wrinkling. “It was my choice to become an assassin. I can’t let you take a hit because of my decisions. I would never be able to live with myself if something happened to you.”

Catya rested her hands on his chest. “And now that my parents are gone, you’re all I have left. I won’t let you die.”

“If you leave me, you have no choice in whether I live or die.” He cupped her cheeks in his palms. “Together, we have each other’s back. Apart, we have nothing.”

“I want you so much.” Catya shook her head from side to side, caught between his hands. “But I can’t do it. I can’t put you in danger every day of your life.”

“Cat—”

“Father?” a voice called out behind Fearghas.

He spun to find Madison pushing herself to an upright position, her eyes rounding. “Father?”

Catya ducked around Fearghas and knelt on the floor in front of Madison. “Hey, everything is going to be okay. Your father is recovering from surgery. Remember?”

She nodded and pushed dirty blond hair back from her face. “I was dreaming. I couldn’t get out of that room. I couldn’t get to my father.”

Catya hugged Madison. “You’re safe now. And your father is safe. Lay your head down, go back to sleep and dream of fields of flowers and puppies.”

Madison gave Catya a watery smile. “Thanks.” Her gaze went to Fearghas. “Thanks for helping me and my father.”

Footsteps tapped against the floor, heading their way. Two sets of footsteps, by the sound of it.

Fearghas tensed, his hand going to where his shoulder holster had been before remembering he’d handed it off to Ace before the ambulance had arrived—until he saw who they were.

When a man and a woman appeared in the doorway to the waiting room, Fearghas let out a sigh of relief, and a smile spread across his face.

He strode over to greet the newcomers.

“Hank, Sadie, I didn’t expect to see you two here.” Fearghas gripped Hank’s hand and gave it a firm shake. Then he turned to Sadie and shook the movie star’s hand as well.

“We were flying to Brussels when we heard what happened,” Hank said. “Sadie insisted we alter our course and come to Bruges to help.”

“Thank you,” Fearghas said. “I suppose Ace told you we ran into a wee bit of trouble.”

Hank nodded. “He did. We came to check on Atkins and his daughter. I’m prepared to stay as long as it takes to get them somewhere safe.” He touched a hand to the small of his wife’s back. “Sadie can stay a few days before she heads back to Montana and our babies.”

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