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  “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)

  Live to See Tomorrow

  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

  The Ugly Duckling

  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 10

  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 [email protected].

  First Edition: October 2018