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“Great.” The conspiracy’s scope overwhelmed her, and she ground a foot into the carpet. “Since they didn’t steal Kyle’s code, how’d they fund their activities this past year?”
“Any shady oligarch in an adversarial country with loads of cash could fund them, but I suspect Russia. Or, it could be Crimson Hammer’s funding ran out, and they attacked Cedarcliff to get money fast. They’d kidnap David and extort the encryption root key to breach European banks faster.”
She tensed her body, and a wave of anger washed over her. “So, Mark and I crashed right into the mess. Kyle and Riku died for this, and David could be next.” Deep scowl lines etched her forehead.
“Yes, I’m afraid so.” He clasped his alabaster hands in his lap and looked down.
Fury boiled inside her bloodstream, and she felt her heart thumping against her chest like a ticking bomb. Lost in her pain, she let out an agonized groan.
“Tess?” Mark extended a hand and touched her shoulder.
She shrugged his hand away. “I need a minute.” Making a beeline for the outside porch, she exited and let the door slam behind her.
Outside the Raven’s cottage, she shivered as the full horror of her predicament cracked open. Constants like black and white muddled into dull gray, but glimmers of clarity formed as she breathed in the frosty air. The Raven revealed a far-fetched world, but every puzzle piece clicked, and she wouldn’t rest until she rescued David and preserved Kyle’s code. She resolved to protect his legacy and would not tolerate terrorists exploiting Kyle’s work to fund violence.
No stars shone above, and the night offered nothing but a shroud of darkness. As the ransom deadline crept closer every minute, she needed a plan—now. Trapped in this dark underworld, fact and fiction blurred together. She vowed to fight, and whatever it took, she’d protect Mark from further danger.
The cottage’s front door opened, and Mark appeared. He pressed his hand firmly against the small of her back. “Hey. Are you okay?”
“No. This is all insane.” Pulling at her hair, she howled a response between a shout and hysteria.
“Never a dull moment in the Highlands. Who knew taking leave from Ukraine would be so dangerous?” Mark rubbed her shoulders. “Uh, that was a joke. I know this is a disaster.”
“You got that right.” She stared at the dark sky, torn over how to respond. If danger befell him, she alone would own the guilt. The only way to guarantee his safety was to keep him far, far away from Crimson Hammer. “Mark. You should be safe with your family in Bergen, not fighting a terrorist cell.”
He released a long sigh. “I can’t lie. Getting kidnapped sucked. But don’t forget, I want Yuri and Dmitry locked up, too. I need my nightmares to stop.”
She stood close with her body against his side, generating a line of heat. Grateful for the darkness, she conjured words she didn’t wish to speak. “We should let the police handle this, and you should fly to Bergen in the morning.” Silence hung heavy in the freezing air, and when he didn’t respond, she wondered if he heard.
“Nice try.”
“What do you mean?” Puzzled, she faced him.
Without speaking, he maneuvered her against his chest and wound his arms around her.
Taken by surprise, she tilted her face, and his mouth caught hers with a passion-fueled kiss. At that moment, she thirsted for him with a desire she couldn’t imagine would ever be sated. Feeling alive and vibrant in the wintry air, she pressed her body taut against his. She unfastened the top few buttons of his coat and skated her fingertips across the base of his neck. Knowing time didn’t allow for any romantic interlude, she ignored the wild ripples pulsing through her pelvis. Pausing her roaming hands, she slowed her choppy, uneven breath. “You didn’t answer my question.”
“You fought off an armed terrorist with your bare hands to save my life, Tess.”
“That’s not an answer. Anyone would’ve done the same.” She curved away from his chest.
“Wrong. Most people would’ve had the common sense to run like hell, but not you.” Chuckling, he touched her cheek. “Under your beautiful exterior, you’re a fighter. No matter what danger you face, you never shy away for a second or flee. You fight and somehow survive.”
How could he so easily articulate qualities she possessed when she couldn’t understand them herself? Despite the military training her father passed down and her family urging her to pursue a career with the State Department, she not only flatly refused but rebelliously chose a corporate life. Years later, even Sophie recruited her at regular intervals. Unable to decipher her jumbled thoughts, she faced him. “What are you trying to tell me?”
“You’re polite to offer me a convenient escape and dump this on the police. But be honest. You won’t let David die or see your company destroyed without a fight, even if it means risking your life.”
“Look, this is my vendetta, and I refuse to let you endanger yourself any further.” The icy edge of the Highlands wind promised frost overnight, and she rubbed her arms while her teeth chattered. “More people will die, and I can’t risk you being one of them.”
He lifted her chin to meet his gaze. “When casualties flood a field hospital, you must make impossible choices. You triage. You treat the patients you can save first, then save as many lives as possible. Concentrate. If you triaged this crisis, how would you break it down?”
The fog lifted as she cleared her thoughts and identified the conflicting priorities. “Save David’s life before the ransom deadline. Protect you from danger. Seek justice for Kyle and Riku’s deaths. End this ordeal and make the truth known.” Opening her eyes, she found Mark beaming.
“Stay in motion, and never doubt your strength.” He kissed the top of her head and wound an arm around her shoulder. “You’re shivering. Shall we go inside?”
The fresh clarity offered relief but fell short of solving her multiple dilemmas. “Fine, but promise me this, Mark Nygaard. You will not risk your life, and you will fly to Bergen tomorrow, far away from this mess.”
“We’ll talk later.” He held the cottage door open and gestured. “After you, min kjære.”
