Page 36 of The Torturer's Target

She averted her eyes. Max waited patiently for her to speak, sensing that she was struggling with her innermost thoughts and feelings.

Finally, in a voice so low he almost didn’t hear it, she said. “I don’t like to owe people. I hate being indebted to anyone.”

It was the closest she could bring herself to admitting that she believed he wasn’t the man that took her father’s life, and Max smiled in triumph.

“I don’t want to assassinate him. I want him to suffer in prison. But I can’t do that because I have no evidence, so it’s been a hell of a time.” He couldn’t hide his frustration either.

“You’re kidding, right?” Tesiera huffed. “If all you told me about the man was true, then Carter Walker is a dangerous man, and he wants you dead. In my world, you don’t need evidence to gun a man down. Just be sure that it’s him and pull the fucking trigger.”

“Like you did to me?”

She recoiled as if he’d slapped her. That reaction, so unexpected, shocked him. She really does feel guilty about the mistaken identity. She truly feels bad for almost killing the wrong man. Her being here is not a ploy; it is genuine.

He sighed, the tension bleeding out of him. “I don’t plan to simply murder the man, especially since there’s no evidence to prove that he’s the one sending these assassins after me. I could say that I know it was him, but sometimes a person’s solid belief could be wrong. Besides, I’m not a fan of dirtying my hands unless it’s absolutely necessary. You should know that by now. I’m doing this the right way,” he replied, his voice firm and resolute.

“Fine. I believe you’re not the killer,” she said, surprising Max with her admission. “I don’t have hatred for you as a person, Dr. Kingston. I hate the man that killed my father… whoever he is. Since you’re not him, I don’t hate you.”

He didn’t expect her to actually say it. He watched her carefully, trying to figure out the kind of person she was—not as an assassin but as a woman.

Tesiera continued. “Let me do this, Maximilian; let me protect you. I promise to protect you with my life. I’m giving you my word. My word is my bond; my word is gold. I have to do this for you. I’ll be with you for a month, or more than that if you need me. I will be here until Carter Walker is dead, or behind bars—whichever you want or whichever comes first,” she offered, her voice unwavering.

She waited for his response, but he didn’t say a word. His face was inscrutable. Max had been easy to read, but now he was a maze, and she was lost trying to read him.

Tesiera hung her head in resignation. “Alright.” She turned to leave again.

“You will have to protect me with your life, Tesiera.”

His voice halted her in her tracks. She swiveled to face him again, relief coursing through her. “I know how it works,” she replied coolly.

“You would have to live in my house and be at my beck and call whenever I want you.”

The double entendre didn’t get past her, and the image that formed on her head made her breath hitch. Inwardly shaking her head, she replied out loud, “I understand.”

“And you must promise to try and get along with the others, for as long as you work for me.”

That was a hard condition. She didn’t get along with people. She was certain she’d never get along with Bose. “I’ll try.”

“If you work for me, you will work only for me. No outside work, no taking side contracts, and no new missions, unless you’ve sought my approval and I’ve consented,” he stated, his gaze boring into her.

“I can do that.”

His brow arched. “You would have to address me properly, with respect, professionalism and politeness.”

A pause. She swallowed hard, her throat constricting with tension. But he saw the resolve in her eyes. “I understand, sir.”

“You will stay beside me at all times, even if it means a twenty-four-hour, or longer, shift; traveling here to work with me or going on business trips when required.”

She nodded firmly. “I will, sir.”

He stood up then and extended his hand. “Then congratulations, Tesiera Anderson; you’re hired.”

CHAPTER 16. FACE-OFF

Tesiera stepped out of Max's office, her mind racing with what she had just agreed to.

She had always valued her independence and cherished her solitude. The idea of living in someone else’s house and being at their beck and call did not sit well with her.

The thought of having to endure the nightmares that haunted her every night in someone else’s home was the most daunting aspect of the arrangement. She couldn’t bear the thought of them hearing her screams when nightmares assailed her.

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