“Don’t you have anyone that you have to protect?”

“I had Sandrino. But I evidently screwed that up.” He thought about it. “And I protect Mallory sometimes.” He lifted his glass to her. “And now I have you to protect. So evidently my horizons are beginning to expand.”

“I don’t want you to have to protect me. I need this to be over.” She shivered. “Anton is going to be upset. This was the second time he missed getting us. He’ll be on his phone to Volkov making excuses and asking for help.” She nibbled on her lower lip. “Volkov will be furious.”

“And will he come running to help your bastard of a father?”

She nodded. “He’ll start to get worried. He won’t want to lose me, so he’ll come after me. I’d have a chance of my father giving up, but not Volkov, he’ll never give up. He’s not finished with me.”

“Why?” Tanner asked suddenly. “Finished? Why do you say that? Talk to me.”

“Revenge. He hates me. He’s always hated me. He always will. I think he believed this last Trial might be the end, but it didn’t turn out that way, and that will only make him more bitter.” She was talking too much, she thought. And she was a little dizzy. She shook her head to clear it, but that made her even dizzier. “I don’t think I should have had that whiskey. I told you that I don’t drink.”

“And I probably should have paid attention to you.” His eyes were narrowed on her face. “I could see the pain and I just wanted it to go away. I wanted to make you stronger, not weaker. And now I’ve changed my mind, I don’t want you to tell me anything. It might not be fair.”

“You think liquor would do that?” She shook her head. “Not to me. And I don’t think you’d use it just to get me to confide in you. You’d regard it the same way you would a crooked game. Besides, you couldn’t be that curious.”

“Yes, I could. And I’m an opportunist who wants very badly to know everything possible about you and Volkov. So don’t trust me. I’ve always found information to be a weapon, and I have an idea that before this is over I might need a weapon or two to use against Volkov.” He leaned forward, and his voice was suddenly velvet soft and persuasive. “But I’ve promised to keep you and Maria safe, and I’ll do it. You don’t have to pay me by letting me know anything about what you went through with Volkov.”