“She’s lying,” Rachel whispered. “She has to be lying. You said you saw him die.”
“I thought I did.”
Her gaze flew to his face. “What?”
“He was dying. Did I see the last breath? I thought I did. How do I know? I was on the run.”
“It could be true?”
“I’d bet against it considering what we know of Claire. She was vague as hell. She could be playing us.”
“But there’s a chance…”
“There’s a chance. Do you want to play her game? Okay, we’ll do it. Any way you want it.” His gaze was suddenly holding her own, glittering with recklessness. “In spite of Catherine’s doubts, you can trust me.” He paused. “Until the end of the road.”
She couldn’t look away from him. “Catherine knows I can trust you. She was joking.”
“But she doesn’t know how far. But you do, Rachel. I’ve made it very clear.”
“You were upset. You thought I might die.” She got to her feet. “You were probably feeling guilty because you were responsible for bringing me here to use against Huber.”
“Bullshit.”
She shook her head. “I know how guilt works. For years my father felt—”
“I’m not your father,” he said roughly. “I have a lot of regrets, but that’s sure not one of them. I don’t know where we’re going with this, but it’s going to be together. And Venable’s shadow isn’t going to be standing over us. I’m not going to let it.”
“There’s no shadow. What are you talking about? My father is probably dead.”
“But what you were together was never really resolved.” He took a step closer to her. “And that would make the temptation almost irresistible for you to reach out and try again. Well, that’s for you to work out, and I know you won’t let me interfere. But just know that I’m going to be there, and I stand alone. Unless it’s with you. Think about it.”
“I … will.” She wouldn’t be able to help thinking about it. He was everything that was vibrant and sexual and desirable, and yet she kept thinking of him sitting in that helicopter and smiling down at Maria. “But you should really consider that you might have been influenced by—”
His fingers were suddenly over her lips. “I’m too selfish to be influenced by anything but what I want. I want you, Rachel.”
And she wanted him, she suddenly knew. She wanted to reach out and take, and she didn’t care where it was going or how long it would last.
“It’s not smart of you to do this,” she whispered. “Particularly right now. I’ve no idea where I’m going or what I’m going to do. I’ve been changing and evolving since the day you met me. I don’t even know if I’m going to let Claire do this to me. It would probably be foolish.” She added, “But I might, Brandon.”
“I don’t care if it’s foolish or not. Your choice. We’d make the best of it.”
“Yes, we would.” She reached out and took his hand. Warmth. Joy. Desire. Trust.
Love? Yes, that’s where they were headed. She didn’t know how long it would take them to reach it, but it would be worth the journey. But there was something she had to tell him, something he had to know before they started that journey. “And you’re right, there are still things I need to resolve with my father. He’s a very good man, but I don’t want you to be like him. I promise I won’t compare you again, Brandon. I only want you to be you.”
“What a relief.” His eyes were twinkling as he pulled her closer. “I’ve no desire to be anything else. Your life with Venable was much too complicated.” His kiss was slow, sensuous, infinitely erotic, before he whispered, “I promise I’m going to keep our relationship very, very basic.”
ALSO BY IRIS JOHANSEN
Mind Game
Look Behind You (with Roy Johansen)
No Easy Target
Night Watch (with Roy Johansen)
Night and Day
Hide Away
Shadow Play
The Naked Eye (with Roy Johansen)
Your Next Breath
Sight Unseen (with Roy Johansen)
Silencing Eve
Hunting Eve
Taking Eve
Sleep No More
Close Your Eyes (with Roy Johansen)
What Doesn’t Kill You
Bonnie
Quinn
Eve
Chasing the Night
Shadow Zone (with Roy Johansen)
Eight Days to Live
Deadlock
Dark Summer
Quicksand
Silent Thunder (with Roy Johansen)
Pandora’s Daughter
Stalemate
An Unexpected Song
Killer Dreams
On the Run
Countdown
Blind Alley
Firestorm
Fatal Tide
Dead Aim
No One to Trust
Body of Lies
Final Target
The Search
The Killing Game
The Face of Deception
And Then You Die
Long After Midnight
Lion’s Bride
Dark Rider
Midnight Warrior
The Beloved Scoundrel
The Magnificent Rogue
The Tiger Prince
Last Bridge Home
The Golden Barbarian
Reap the Wind
Storm Winds
The Wind Dancer
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Author photograph by Louis Tonsmeire
IRIS JOHANSEN is the New York Times bestselling author of Hide Away, Shadow Play, Your Next Breath, The Perfect Witness, Live to See Tomorrow, Silencing Eve, Hunting Eve, Taking Eve, Sleep No More, What Doesn’t Kill You, Bonnie, Quinn, Eve, Chasing the Night, Eight Days to Live, Blood Game, Deadlock, Dark Summer, Pandora’s Daughter, Quicksand, Killer Dreams, On the Run, and more. You can sign up for email updates here.
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CONTENTS
Title Page
Copyright Notice
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Also by Iris Johansen
About the Author
Copyright
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
VENDETTA. Copyright © 2018 by IJ Development. All rights reserved. For information, address St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010.
www.stmartins.com
Cover design by Rob Grom
Cover photographs: gun © Reilika Landen/Arcangel; hair © gostua/Shutterstock.com
The Library of Congress has cataloged the print edition as follows:
Names: Johansen, Iris, author.
Title: Vendetta / Iris Johansen.
Description: First edition. | New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2018.
Identifiers: LCCN 2018017180 | ISBN 9781250075871 (hardcover) | ISBN 9781466887251 (ebook)
Subjects: | GSAFD: Suspense fiction. | Mystery fiction.
Classification: LCC PS3560.O275 V46 2018 | DDC 813/.54—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018017180
eISBN 9781466887251
Our ebooks may be purchased in bulk for promotional, educational, or business use. Please contact the Macmillan Corporate and Premium Sales Department at 1-800-221-7945, extension 5442, or by email at MacmillanSpecialMarkets@macmillan.com.
First Edition: October 2018