Radclyffe - Honor Under Siege

a few more days. Let me come to you.

“Are you going back to

Manhat an?

“I dont know. Im probably going Out of years of habit, Diane

hesitated mentioning anything about Blair.

Valerie stif ened. “Never mind. You dont have to

tel me. Diane shook her head. “Its not what you

think.

“You dont have any reason to trust me. Valerie gently disengaged

Dianes hold on her and backed away. “I should apologize for ever

involving you.

“Dont you say that, Diane shot back. “This isnt just about you, and what

you need and what youre afraid of. Im in this too, because I chose to be.

She closed the distance that Valerie had created. “I chose to be with

you.

“How can you choose when you dont even know whats

going on?

Dianes heart clenched at the uncertainty in Valeries voice and the

tormented look in her eyes. She sensed Valerie struggling not to pul

away and risked sliding her hand inside her jacket again. When she

rested her fi ngertips against Valeries side, Valerie trembled.

“Oh, dont, Diane breathed. “Dont hurt so much, my darling.

Help me understand. Tel me, so that when I say I love you, you can

trust me.

“I cant seem to think straight when youre near me, Valerie murmured

before kissing her again. When the door behind them opened, she spun

Diane to the wal , shielding Dianes body with her own, and pushed her

hand into her jacket pocket. “Keep your head down.

Diane held her breath, her heart jumping in her chest. Valeries face had

gone completely stil , her blue eyes intently focused, and her body

coiled as if it were poised to explode. Footsteps passed behind them and

started down the stairs, clat ering loudly in the enclosed space. Dianes

breath whooshed out. “God.

“Do you understand now. Valerie backed away until their bodies didnt

touch. “Thats what youre asking me to bring into your life. I cant.

Dianes gaze dropped to the bulge in Valeries jacket pocket, which she

now realized was a gun. Having been around Blair since they were

teenagers, shed seen men and women with guns before. But shed

never sensed the lethal menace of one as acutely as she did now. “Are

you saying that someone wants to kil you?

“I dont know. Valerie moved to the stairs leading down. “And until I

do, you cant be anywhere near me.

Diane fol owed her and grasped her jacket tightly. “Im not going to let

you walk away from me so easily again, Valerie.

“Il come back, Valerie said, her voice choked. “I have to. I cant get you

out of

my

head.

Diane kissed her, hard and long. Then, though it wrenched her heart so

badly she felt like she was bleeding inside, she let go of Valeries jacket.

“Come soon.

“Il

try.

I

promise.

Then Valerie turned and hurtled down the stairs until all

that remained was the distant echo of her footsteps.

* * * * *

“Hey! Blair said. “You missed the fashion show.

“Sorry, Diane said breathlessly. “I got lost in the

shoes.

“So what do you think. Blair held up a strapless black silk

chiffon dress.

“Nice, Diane said, running her fi ngers over the sheer fabric.

Blair frowned and cast a glance in Paulas direction.

Paula appeared not to be watching them, although Blair knew

she was. She lowered her voice. “Youre shaking. Whats wrong?

“Nothing.

“Of course, Blair said, loud enough for Paula to hear, “now I

have an excuse to buy more shoes. She moved closer to

Diane. “Bul shit. What happened?

“I just saw Valerie.

Blair slipped one arm around Dianes waist and draped the

dress

over her free arm as she guided Diane through the dress

department and out of hearing range of her security team.

“Here? When?

“Yes. Just a few minutes ago.

“You talked to her?

“Briefl y. Shes scared, Blair. Dianes voice broke. “She scared,

and shes alone.

“What did she

say?

Diane shook her head. “Not much. It was only a couple of

minutes. She laughed unsteadily. “And I was kissing her about

half the time.

Blair rol ed her eyes. “Why am I not surprised. Jesus, Diane.

You have to be careful. When Diane started to pull away,

Blair tightened her grip. “Im sorry, I know you love her. And

I love you. And if shes in trouble, you could get hurt. Blair

felt Diane shiver. “What? What happened?

“Nothing, Diane said quickly. “Real y. Its

just

“What?

“Someone came into the stairwell while we were together,

and Valerie acted as if she expected someone to try to hurt

her. She was armed and

“Thats it, Blair snapped. “You have to talk to

Cam.

“I dont have to do anything until Im certain Valerie will

be

protected.

“You dont trust Cam?

“Shh, Diane warned, aware that Paula and Felicia had closed the

distance behind them. “I dont know who to trust, al right? I trust you .

Just let me have a few days. Please.

Blair bit back another angry retort, thinking that she would probably

behave the same way in Dianes position. Stil , she wasnt certain she

trusted Valerie, not just with her best friends heart, but possibly with her

life.

Chapter Nine

I ts Cameron Roberts, Cam said in response to the question cal ed

through the door. The thunk of the lock disengaging was fol owed by the

door opening, and she was face to face with a panicked-looking Renée

Savard.

“Is Paula okay? Savard asked, her voice

tight.

“Yes, Cam said immediately. “Shes fi ne. Sorry, I shouldnt have

come by unannounced. I wanted to talk to you.

“Thats okay, Savard said, running her fi ngers quickly through her hair

as she stepped back.

“Thanks, Cam said. A quick visual sweep of the dimly lit room revealed

closed drapes, an unmade bed, and a room service cart just inside the

door. The food on the uncovered plate was mostly uneaten. The three

bot les of Becks were empty.

Savard grabbed the cart. “Here, let me get rid of

this.

“Ive got it. Cam held the door open with one hand as she pul ed the

cart out

into the hal . Then she fol owed Savard toward the two chairs and

smal table that comprised the sit ing area. She noticed Savards

limp fi rst and then registered that she wasnt wearing her knee

immobilizer over her navy FBI sweatpants. The loose wrinkled white

T-shirt was also FBI issue. Savards initial panicked expression had

changed to one that Cam recognized as weary resignation. “Hows

the leg?

“Fine, Savard avoided her eyes. She eased into one of the chairs

without bending her knee.

“Going a lit le stir-

crazy?

Savard grimaced. “Been there and

back.

“How did you like being assigned to counterterrorism? Cam asked as she

took the chair opposite Savard at the lit le round table.

Savard blinked, then her body seemed suddenly infused with energy.

She sat forward, her elbows on the table, her eyes fi xed intently on

Cams face. “Before

9/11 it used to bug me a lit le bit, how much time I had to spend at the

desk on the computer, sifting through bits of data and chunks of memos,

screening crazy tips from civilians about strange looking characters in

their neighborhood. She shrugged. “Stil , when we identifi ed persons

of interest or traced messages to potential cel s, I felt like I was doing

something.

“What about now? You said before