Eli caught the long sweep of hair in his hand, wrapped the thick mass around his wrist and pulled her head back, forcing her to look up at him. “You persist in thinking of him the way you did when you were a child. You bested him. Do you realize that? You outsmarted him. Do you have any idea how intelligent you have to be to do that? You lived in his house, right under his nose, and you educated yourself using his personal computer and he never suspected.”

She opened her mouth to refute his statement and he tugged on her scalp until she quieted.

“Do you have any idea what courage you have? Grown men didn’t leave his organization because they feared him. Witnesses refused to testify against him because they feared him. You escaped, more than once. You tried repeatedly. You risked everything when others refused to. What does that say about you, Catarina?”

She moistened her lips and then tugged her lower lip between her teeth. He had no choice but to sweep his tongue across that temptation.

“Kitten, when he comes for you, and tries to intimidate you, tries to make you feel less than him, look him in the eye and believe in yourself the way I believe in you. See yourself the way I see you. You’ll have nothing to fear. You’re prepared. And I promise you, I’ll be coming to help you. I’ll come.”

She knew he would come. He saw the knowledge in her eyes.

She nodded slowly. “I told you all this, Eli, because I know I have to help you and Jake. Thank you for saying I didn’t have to, but I know I do. I can’t allow him to keep killing people. The businesses he has are bad enough, and the men he associates with are equally horrible. The bottom line is, I have to help or I’m just as bad as he is. Tell Jake I’ll give him names, dates and as many deals as I can remember. I have bank account numbers as well.”

Eli felt a rush of pride for her. He knew how difficult the decision had to have been on her. His fingers gentled in her hair, moving through the silken strands to ease the ache in her scalp.

“Baby, what I asked of you, helping us, that doesn’t come from having been an agent. I don’t want you to think, even for a moment, that I would trade what we have for anything. Or use it against you. I love you. If you can’t do this, I understand.”