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don’t sleep with every contact I make, Antonio. You’re grasping!”
    “The world knows you slept with Ramsey - what about Jace?”
    “We barely got along, okay? He’s a self-possessed bastard who can fly a plane. That was it.”
    Antonio’s head lolled back, and he energetically bounced his foot. “I didn’t ask for a bedtime story, Dayne.”
    “Tell me again why I tolerate your life on this planet?”
    “You secretly lust after me.”
    “You’re smoking crack.”
    “Then maybe it’s because I’m the middle man on most of your contracts.”
    “You’re the middle man on a lot of contracts, Antonio. In fact, why shouldn’t I believe you’re in this whole situation up to your eyeballs?” She opened both eyes to glower at him.
    “You’re my sister, Dayne. I’m not going to sell you out.”
    “You know, it really disturbs me that you continue to say that. I’ve lost track of how many times you’ve hit on me.”
    “Well, we aren’t blood related,” Antonio hastily pointed out.
    “Still, it’s revolting.”
    Antonio’s expression was one she hadn’t seen in years. She reached out and lightly punched his knee to lighten the mood. He wasn’t having any of it.
    “That foster home was a hell hole. You and I both knew it.”
    She shrugged. “Everyone knew it. I think even the state knew it, and they put us there.”
    “Yeah, but the stuff that happened…”
    “Don’t. It’s best to forget things like that, Tonio.”
    He shook his head. “It’s hard to forget some things.”
    “Like what?”
    “Like how much different you were before the shit went down.”
    “How was I different?”
    “You were totally wrapped up in your school work.”
    “I knew it was the only way out of the system, Antonio. I don’t know why nobody else ever saw that.”
    “Felonies were easier to get into than college,” Antonio quipped.
    “Yeah, and look where it got you.”
    “I happen to like where I am, thanks.”
    “Speaking of where you are,” Dayne said thoughtfully. “Where are all of your little gophers?”
    “I sent them out.”
    “Out?”
    “Out of my sight,” he muttered. “I still can’t believe you got all the way in here and put a gun to my head without anyone being the wiser.”
    “It’s my job, remember.”
    “And their job is to keep you from doing your job, remember?”
    “You could always hire me to do their job,” she shot back sarcastically.
    “I can’t afford you.”
    “Too true.”
    Her eyes were getting heavier with every passing minute. Dayne desperately wanted to snatch a few hours of sleep. But where was safe? She had a price on her head. She’d just re-kidnapped a ten-year-old boy who she had no idea what to do with. Plus, there was a lot of disturbing information rolling around in her brain. She wished she had a way to lay all of the pieces out and see if they fit together. Something inside was telling her to keep what she knew to herself. She trusted Antonio more than she trusted most people, but this time it was her life hanging in the balance.
    “Dayne,” Antonio began hesitantly. “We need to figure out what to do with Jace when he gets here.”
    “What you mean when he gets here?” She didn’t open her eyes.
    “The aunt had to have known how to get a hold of him in an emergency if he trusted her with Ryan.”
    “Yeah, so?”
    “If he took the first flight out of Egypt, it would put him here tomorrow. Probably sometime in the early afternoon.”
    “Right, we’ve got all of tomorrow morning to worry about him.”
    “And Yuri has all of tomorrow morning to worry about you.”
    “Damn.”
    “That about covers it.”
    “What do you suggest then, oh omnipotent one?” she asked in a snide voice.
    “I’ll get you two set up someplace, and you can sit tight for a few hours.”
    Her suspicion grew. “While you do what?”
    Antonio grinned. “Jace knows I work out of this area. I’m the first person he’s going to contact when he gets here.”
    “Oh,