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died.”
    Judith sat up straighter. “Thomas told me about him. He should have died. It was really bad. And Sorbacov put out a hit on him because he didn’t die, and according to Sorbacov, Gavriil was useless to them. But that was a long time ago, his injuries should have healed.”
    â€œHe worked for their government all those years and they just threw him away, threw all the Prakenskiis away. That’s so wrong.” Lexi’s sympathy was entirely with Gavriil and had been from the moment she felt his pain.
    â€œIf he’s using his own name, and he knows Sorbacov put a hit out on him,” Blythe said, “he came here to say good-bye to his brothers. He’s planning to lead them away from Thomas, Levi and Max. That’s the only reason he would use his real name.”
    Rikki came through the front entrance bearing a tray with a teapot and cups on it. The women turned to her gratefully. They had met one another in group therapy. Each of them had gone as a last resort. It was a special group for women who had relatives murdered and in some way felt they were to blame for the death of their loved ones. They had grown close and realized that together they were far stronger and more powerful than apart.
    â€œThank you,” Lexi murmured, taking one of the cups and pouring a little milk into it. She turned back to her sisters, her small frown still very much in evidence. “Maybe he just told me his name to reassure me.”
    â€œWhatever the reason, honey,” Judith said, “we’re grateful to him for saving your life.” She put her teacup on the railing and looked out over the farm. “We have to be more careful about listening to the men. We’re always rolling our eyes when they give us orders on where we can go and how we’re supposed to get there, but we all have too many enemies to pretend we’re always going to be safe.”
    Lexi sighed. “I may as well tell you the truth. I’m in witness protection. The things I told you about the cult and the kidnapping and the murder of my entire family is all true,but I testified against several key members of the cult and the rest scattered and were able to get away, including Caine, the man who forced me into being his wife. My real name is Alexia Wilson, not Lexi Thompson.”
    â€œI suspected as much,” Blythe said. “It was all over the news when it happened.”
    â€œYou weren’t his wife,” Lissa said fiercely. “You were a little girl he beat and raped. There was no marriage, no sacred vows. He was no man of God, and anyone who would perform a ceremony uniting an eight-year-old child and a grown man is certainly no ordained minister.”
    Lexi ducked her head. “I know. That’s what they told me. The point is, if Caine found me, other members of the cult probably know where I am as well. It was just luck that Gavriil had come here. I saw my family for about three hours, and the feds moved me into a safe house before the trial. While I was there, these people went into my home, murdered my parents as they slept, went down the hall and killed my two brothers and my baby sister. We have children here.” Her eyes met Airiana’s. “Your children. They’ve been through far too much already.”
    â€œNo.” Blythe said it firmly. “You aren’t leaving.”
    Airiana leaned forward and took Lexi’s hand. “I had to ask myself the same question about coming back here. I’m working for the government now, and everyone wants my work. Sorbacov tried to take me to Russia. I’ve got Evan Shackler-Gratsos trying to kidnap me, and if it hadn’t been for Max, I’d be with one of them right now.”
    Evan Shackler-Gratsos, Lexi remembered, was a billionaire who had inherited not only a major shipping company from his brother, but his brother’s side of human, arms and drug trafficking as well. Lexi hugged Airiana