Page 82 of Phoenix Rising

“You saved me from a knife-wielding maniac in Colorado.”

Henry’s mouth curved. It wasn’t a friendly smile. “Coworker.”

“The raid of the compound? That was you?”

Henry shrugged.

“Henry, what are you saying?” Tina gasped in outrage. “You set Elijah up?”

“Now, darling, you knew my job was dangerous.”

“But he is our friend.”

Tina had been as clueless as him. Elijah’s heart softened, and he wanted to hug her close. He didn’t want to hurt her, but he thrust a knife against her neck, nicking the skin. Henry was now their enemy. “Stay where you are, Henry, or I will slice her throat.” Tina’s gasp was like a blade in his kidney. He wanted to reassure her he wouldn’t harm her, but the blood oozing from the puncture told another story. “I’m sorry, Tina,” he whispered.

Elijah made the mistake of looking up at Henry. There was murder in his eyes.

“I will gut you like a pig for hurting her.”

Elijah dragged her backward toward his secret exit. “Stay where you are, or she will die.” To Tina, he said, “I won’t hurt you. Play along—”

One minute, he was reassuring Tina. The next, he spun through the air and landed flat on his back. Oxygen rushed out of his lungs, and Tina’s knee pressed against his neck. Henry hadn’t moved.

“You pathetic little man,” Tina hissed. “You are a murderous son-of-a-bitch, and the only place you are going is prison for the rest of your wretched life.”

“I don’t believe I told you, but my wife was former Mossad,” Henry drawled.

The overwhelming feelings of treachery and defeat were almost Elijah’s undoing. He’d always known Henry was capable, but to see meek, submissive Tina coming down on him like Nyx, the most potent female god in Greek mythology, was mind-blowing. He’d thought Tina and Henry were his friends, but they had been after him from the beginning—wolves in sheep’s clothing.

“Why?” he croaked.

“You kept Margaret hostage and stole her baby,” Tina explained.

“That was your first mistake,” Henry informed him.

Margaret Conrad Tobin. Rob’s wealthy wife, whom he’d brainwashed into believing the mission. She’d wanted out once she realized what she’d gotten involved with. Holding Rob Junior hostage was the only way to keep her in line and her fortune flowing into his pockets.

“I researched you two before I let you join my family. You passed all the tests with flying colors.”

Henry smirked. “We’re that good.”

There was no way out for Elijah. He’d never get away from Henry. The man was a professional. He thought he had a chance against Tina, but one look at the steel in her eyes and he knew she’d snap him in half like a pencil. She was as capable a warrior as Henry . . . maybe more so. “Are Tina and Henry even your names?”

Tina smiled, and Elijah’s heart twisted. She was so beautiful. “Nope, but we are married, so you see, we did not lie about everything. Unlike you, you rat fink.”

“I told you all my secrets!” he insisted.

“Not everything,” Henry growled. “Tell us what you did to Paige Stockton, and I’ll put in a good word for you when you’re arrested for murder, Richard Caraway.”

Elijah’s heart cracked in two. The people he loved most were imposters. Their betrayal hurt worse than any pain he could imagine. It was a killing blow he wasn’t sure he’d overcome, but he’d always been a survivor.

“I didn’t want it to come to this.” Elijah reached into his pocket and withdrew the remote. He’d thought of dying before, but he never dreamed it would be by his own hand. He activated the timer. “I’m sorry. I loved you—”

Pounding sounded on the door. “Richie! Open up.”

Oh, God! Tilly!

Chapter Twenty-Seven

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