Page 13 of Belgian Betrayal

“I have only a day to find Atkins and that disk, or they’ll come for you.” She stared up into his eyes. “I will not let you die because I failed. But now that you’re here, at least I know where you are and that you’re still alive. I hope I have a better chance of keeping you alive as long as you’re with me.”

His lips curled. “And here I thought I was going to protect you.”

Her brow twisted. “I take care of myself.”

“If there are so many people after you and that disk,” Fearghas said, “maybe it’s time to let someone else help.”

“I have found it best to rely on only me. I won’t lie to or betray myself.”

“When you find Atkins and the disk, what will you do with them?”

“Before I kill Atkins, I’m going to find out who sent us to kill a schoolteacher for a disk. I want to know what’s so damned important on that disk that so many people are looking for it.”

“Okay, then, I’m here to help,” he said. “I can contact my people and have them start looking for Atkins.”

“I’ve been searching the internet and the dark web for any sign of the man.”

“Why do you care about finding that disk? You don’t have it,” Fearghas pointed out. “You could walk away and lay low for a while. They would shift their attention to Atkins, who deserves it since he took the disk and ran without concern for you. He would’ve known they were going to kill you after he secured the disk.”

Catya frowned. “I don’t know enough about the people who’ve attacked me, my parents and, now, you. Are they all working for the same people, or are they working for different factions all bent on retrieving the disk for their own purposes?” She took several steps away. “We won’t find the answers here.” Catya looked back at Fearghas. “Are you coming?”

“Aye, mo ghràdh.” My love. He quickly caught up with her and took her hand in his. “You’ll nae be rid of me so soon this time.”

As much as she wanted to hold onto his hand, she couldn’t get used to having him around. It had hurt her too profoundly when she’d left him in Athens. She hadn’t recovered from the effort it had taken to do the right thing and leave him there.

She’d gone to him when she’d heard he’d gotten out of the military, knowing she’d been the one to put a black mark on his SAS career the night they’d both appeared at the Roxburgh Mansion in Scotland.

Although she had not been the one to set off the explosions that had destroyed the mansion and the people inside, MI6 and Russia’s Federal Security Service had blamed the blast on her.

In turn, MI6 had blamed Fearghas for not seeing through her plans in time to stop the sabotage before it had claimed the lives of some of the wealthiest men in the world.

Catya had been at the mansion because she’d received word that someone had come to sabotage the meeting. Not until she took the blame from both sides had she realized she’d been set up, framed for the explosion. And because someone within MI6 knew Fearghas had been assigned to observe her in the past, he’d been part of the setup.

They’d taken the fall for the real terrorist responsible.

Catya suspected the puppet master pulling the strings occupied a central role in MI6. She’d looked into every database she’d been able to access and tapped on all her contacts but hadn’t found the source of the orders or uncovered the name of the person who’d set the explosive charges.

When she’d heard Fearghas had left the SAS and relocated to Athens, she’d gone to him. She’d told herself reconnecting with the Scotsman was purely a mission to gather any information he might have on the mole within MI6.

What should have been less than twenty-four hours with the man had ended up being several months.

As they hurried through the darkened streets, passing through narrow gaps between buildings, Fearghas squeezed her hand gently.

The same spark of electricity ripped through her system, warming her to her core.

Their relationship had never lacked chemistry. Every time they were together, passion rocketed off the charts.

It built inside her even as she feared for this man’s life.

A man in a dark coat and cap stepped out of a side street ten feet ahead.

Catya stopped abruptly. Her legs braced as she reached into her jacket pocket for the pistol she’d reloaded while they’d cruised through the canals.

The man didn’t turn toward them but crossed the street on which they stood and disappeared between two buildings.

Catya didn’t move for a few moments longer and then turned, taking in a three-hundred-and-sixty-degree scan of the area surrounding her and Fearghas.

Fearghas pressed his back to hers, doing the same. He had his handgun out, holding it close to his side, hoping the dip in the canal wouldn’t interfere with its operability.

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