Pyotr gritted his teeth. Was she baiting him? Testing
him? She knew exactly who he would recruit for the
task of skinning the lamb. “His brother.”
Djeserit’s dark eyes glittered, and his gut curdled.
Shedidknow something he did not. She had information that had failed to reach him. How?
“He is dead, as well,” she murmured, her expression
utterly flat.
Pyotr jerked back, leaving go his hold on the back
of the chair so forcefully that it rocked and creaked. He
clenched his fists against his thighs and then realized
what his action betrayed and forced them to relax. Here
was a complication he had not anticipated. Frank
Marin’s involvement had been fairly common knowledge. A calculated but necessary risk. So his death
came as no real surprise. But no one had known of the
brother. No one save himself and Djeserit.
“Did you have him terminated?”Without my permis-
sion? Without my agreement?Rage simmered, but he
held it under tight rein. Where was his control, his
calm?
He would not devolve to a gibbering, ranting ass. He
was better than that.
Djeserit frowned. “I was planning to ask you the selfsame question.” There was no guile in her reply. Having
known her for more than two decades, he believed he
would spot a lie. She was telling the truth. She had not
ordered Joe Marin’s death. And neither had he.
“If neither of us—”
EVE SILVER
195
“His heart was taken.” She cut him off.
Incredulity swelled. “I see.”
