Page 15 of The Gentleman

“Stay here.”Gage shot her a stern look before disappearing to answer the knock at the front door. “Whoever it is, I’ll handle it.”

Kat leaned against the kitchen counter, fingers wrapped around a mug of coffee. She’d managed only a few restless hours of sleep before giving up. Gage’s bacon sandwich sat untouched on a plate—she was too wired to eat.

The TV in the corner of the room flickered, but she barely registered the news. Her mind raced. Hours ago, she’d been a respected MI6 operative. Now she was a fugitive, her face circulating on every news channel in Britain.

Choose between love and the job. You can’t serve both masters.

So much for the right choice. Now she had neither.

She set down her mug, ears straining to catch the conversation. A deep voice rumbled beneath her brother’s sharper tones.

A crash made her head snap around.

What the?—

Heavy thuds, then shattering glass.Shit. Had Eldridge found her already?

She removed the SIG Gage kept secured beneath his kitchen table, then crossed the kitchen in four swift strides, bare feet silent on the hardwood floor as she reached the hallway.

Framed in the doorway was over six feet of lethal energy locked in combat with her brother.

Leonid.

Her breath stuttered. She’d dragged him into her nightmare. The one man who’d always remained safely distant was now wrestling with Gage, risking everything.

Dangerous warmth unfurled in her chest.

He had come for her. Without question.

Oblivious to her presence, the men crashed into the living room, grappling for advantage. They spun, knocking over a side table, neither yielding an inch.

They crashed into a bookshelf, paperbacks tumbling to the floor. A sharp crack followed as a framed photo shattered.

She stepped into the room. Gage clawed at Leonid’s arm—the one locked around his throat.

“What the hell are you two doing?” She disengaged the safety on the SIG with a decisive click.

Both men froze.

“Now that I have your attention, perhaps you can tell me what the hell is going on here?”

Leo’s eyes widened, his chest heaving as he registered her presence for the first time. He released Gage and staggered backward, wiping the blood from his split lip.

Gage sagged against the wall, chest heaving. “Kat, put the gun down.” He made a downward motion with his hand.

“Nope.” She shook her head sharply.

“Katarina.” Leo breathed her name, his shoulders dropping.

Kat kept the gun steady, her gaze moving between them. “Sit. Both of you. Now.” She clicked the safety back on.

Gage straightened, wiping blood from the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand. “You know this guy?”

“Yes.” Kat didn’t lower the weapon. “He’s one of the two people in the world I trust implicitly.” She leveled a glare at her brother. “Though at the moment, I’m reconsidering that assessment of both of you.”

Leo’s gaze never left her face. “I got your message.”

The interrupted message. Half-formed words sent in desperation before she’d fled her flat. She hadn’t expected him to come. Hadn’t allowed herself to hope.

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