InkintheBlood Read Online Free PDF Page B

a shield. “Would you like some juice?”
    “Sure.”
    She walked back to the cabinets and grabbed another glass.
She poured the juice slowly, painfully aware of the tremble in her hand. And
when she handed it to him, she made sure to avoid any contact with him. She had
to end this before she forgot why they could never work. Several clichés ran
through her head but he deserved better. “Jacob.”
    He studied her over the edge of his glass as he took a
drink. “Yes?”
    She heard the stress in his voice and wondered if he’d
somehow guessed what she was about to say. “I don’t think we should see each other
again.”
    He stared at her for a second before cursing softly under
his breath. “You heard the phone call, didn’t you?”
    The unexpected question threw her. Shaking her head, she
tried to puzzle out why he’d asked it.
    “I don’t understand this obsession you have with your
brother.”
    The small pieces she had heard began to fall precariously
into place, but she wasn’t ready to jump to any conclusions yet. “Half
brother.”
    “Okay, half brother. It’s not healthy, Izzy.”
    Hoping to get more information from him, she chose her next
words carefully. “That’s not really for you to decide, is it? You couldn’t
possibly understand what his drugs did to me. What they’re still doing to
countless other people.”
    “I know.” He took a step away from her. “I’ve see it on the
streets. I hear it in the courthouse. But you’re not the only one who can stop
him.”
    “You don’t seem to be having much luck so far.”
    Running his fingers through his hair, he cursed again.
“Things got botched last night. Really botched. But we will get him.”
    “That’s what the phone call was about?”
    His glare was the only answer she needed.
    “You lost an operative last night going after him, didn’t
you?” As the pieces finally settled into place, a cold anger began to fill her.
“Wait, the other case you left to check on. That was it, wasn’t it? You knew he
wasn’t going to be at the bridge all along.”
    This time he had the decency to look away from her.
    “And you still let me believe there was a chance he’d be
there?”
    “It was the only way you’d lead us to Minshouse.”
    “Jesus! I can’t believe you lied to me.” The realization
hurt more than she ever imagined possible. It was bad enough to be lied to by a
faceless agency, but by her lover as well? The pain threatened to make her
sick.
    “I was following orders, Izzy.”
    Unable to look at him, she turned away.
    “That’s a lie too.” His words were so soft she almost didn’t
hear them. “I wouldn’t have told you even if I could have.”
    Turning back to face him, she stared into his eyes as anger
and disbelief tore at her heart. “I can’t believe I bought it. I can’t believe
I fucking believed you. Jesus, my sister and I grew up alone, away from our…”
The word “people” stuck in her throat. “Away from everything we’d ever known
because of your agency’s lies. Yet, even knowing that, I still ate them up. I’m
such a fucking idiot.”
    His expression quickly changed from compassion to anger.
“I’m sorry your mom died. I’m sorry the agent assigned to her couldn’t do his
job, but don’t put that at my doorstep. Everything I did was to protect you.”
    “I’m not a child. I don’t need protecting.”
    “Bullshit! I’ve seen what he’s capable of. What he does with
people who get in his way.” He grabbed his shirt off the floor and pulled it
on. “I couldn’t put you in that kind of danger.”
    His look of loss and despair softened her anger, but she
refused to let go of it completely. She set her glass down on the countertop
and took a deep breath. “You’ve seen what he’s capable of?”
    He nodded.
    “Tell me, then. Tell me what he’s capable of.” Her tone was
harsh but she didn’t care. She was giving him a chance to explain. Which was
more than he deserved after the stunt