Page 78 of Beautiful Vengeance

“Yeah it does,” Amber said, rubbing Kiyomi’s shin through the blankets. “And I will personally shove the pain meds down your throat if you refuse to take them, so don’t even bother trying that shit.”

She looked between her and Megan. “So. Your aunt, huh?”

Both women’s expressions darkened like thunderclouds. “Yeah,” Megan muttered. “I’m only sorry we figured it out too late to stop her from getting you.”

“I think I remember her.”

Everyone stared at her. “From where?” Megan asked.

“The Program. Just before I graduated. Some of the cadre would come in and observe me during various tasks. I noticed her because she reminded me of you,” she said to Amber. “She came in a handful of times after that. And she was there at my grad ceremony.”

“During the branding?” Amber asked.

“Yes. I saw her just as she slipped out of the room. But I didn’t know who she was. Never spoke to her.” A shiver swept through her. “I wonder if she selected me all the way back then.”

“Jesus,” Megan whispered, sounding horrified.

Kiyomi shared that sentiment. “Did you get anything out of her before they took her into surgery?”

“No. Except that she’s a psychopath who managed to stay under everyone’s radar, even the highest levels of intelligence agencies in the world,” Megan said in a hard voice. “And she orchestrated this entire thing—all of it, right back to when Amber was targeting us—to get you.”

That was scary as fuck. Little wonder they hadn’t found her.

Kiyomi told them about the blueprint remark. “Any idea what she was talking about?”

“No,” Amber answered, eyes glittering with suppressed rage. “But I’m gonna find out.”

“Rycroft’s here mopping up the mess,” Trinity said. “He’s started the initial investigation, and we’ll finish it together.”

“Good,” Kiyomi said with a sigh. Her gaze strayed back to Marcus, now standing off to the side of the room behind the others. He was gripping the windowsill behind him, his weight shifted onto his right foot, and there was a slight bulge beneath the sleeve of his shirt.

Alarm jolted through her. “You’re hurt.”

The others looked over at him but he shook his head. “I’m fine.”

“What he means is,” Chloe said in a sardonic tone, “he took two bullets and tore his hip all to shit trying to save you.”

Kiyomi scanned the length of him intently. He’d been wounded trying to save her, and he hadn’t said a thing. “Marcus—”

“I’mfine, love,” he said, putting on a smile as he came toward her, leaning heavily on a cane. His limp was a hobble now, and it tore her up inside. He took her hand and leaned down to kiss her softly. “I’ll be right as rain in no time.”

Someone cleared her throat.

“We’ll give you guys some privacy,” Trinity said, then shooed everyone out. She moved slowly to the door, then paused to smile at them. “You guys need anything—anything—just holler. We won’t be far.”

As soon as the door swung shut Kiyomi focused on Marcus, drinking him in. A beep sounded close to her head, and a moment later, a warm, floating sensation took hold. The pain began to fade, her eyelids growing heavier and heavier.

She grabbed Marcus’s hand. The decrease in pain was awesome, but she didn’t want to lose a moment with Marcus. “I love you.” She needed him to hear it again before she slid under. “Don’t leave.”

He squeezed her hand, his lips pressing a kiss to her forehead. “I won’t ever leave you, love. I swear it.”

Chapter Twenty-Three

Rycroft was waiting in the hallway when Trinity and the others stepped out of Kiyomi’s room. “Got an update?” Trinity asked him while the others all walked past.

“She’s out of surgery. We’re moving her to a secure facility as soon as she’s out of recovery.”

Might be smarter to move her while she was still unconscious, but that wasn’t Trinity’s call to make. Rycroft was walking a fine line while cooperating with British intelligence and authorities on this matter. “London?”

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