Tanner didn’t move for a few moments. Then he got to his feet and moved down the aisle. He should never have read that file. He needed to keep his distance from everything to do with this job of Kaskov’s. And he shouldn’t be going down this aisle and making contact with Lara at this moment. It was too soon after he’d been immersed in those years when she’d been fighting the world just to stay alive. Yet he was irresistibly drawn to see her as she was now, to make the connection between her and the child she had been. Stupid. Grossly sentimental. A mistake.

Lara was leaning back in her seat, her eyes closed. Dozing?

No. Her eyes were opening and she was suddenly alert and looking at him. She scrambled to an upright position. “What are you doing? Is something wrong?”

He shook his head. “I just wanted to tell you that we’ll be in Stockholm in another couple of hours. We’re landing at a private airport, and Nash should be delivering your mother shortly before we get in. She’ll be waiting for you.”

“She’s still okay?”

“Nash would have told me if there was a problem. Is there anything else you want to know?”

“No. Yes.” She hesitated. “Did Mallory ask you about my piano?”

“I understood there was a discussion. We’ll have to work around it.”

“So it’s no. You should have just said it. I’ll find a way to get it myself.”

“I didn’t say no. Don’t put words in my mouth. And you’ll not think about getting it yourself until I say it’s not going to screw up my plans.” He drew a deep breath. “You’ll get your damn piano, but it will be on my terms.”

She was just looking at him.

He muttered a curse. “Never mind. I’ll send Mallory to talk to you. He seems to be on your wavelength.”

She was frowning. “You’re…different. Why?”

“I’m not different. How would you know? Different from what? You don’t know anything about me.”

“That’s true. We don’t know anything about each other.”

But he did know her. He felt as if he could read her better than he did Mallory. Every word, every defensive posture, the stubbornness, the independence, the wariness, that passionate protectiveness for her mother because she was the only one on earth who gave a damn for her. And he could trace it all back to those blasted files.

She tilted her head, studying him. “I think you were trying to be kind to me. You were going to give me the piano, but I couldn’t be sure why, and I said things that made you angry. I didn’t mean to do it. I just had to make certain that you knew I didn’t expect it. No one has to give me anything. I’ll get it for myself.”

“I’ll be sure that I remember that.” He thought for a minute before he added, “But from now on, it might be wise if you remember that I’m being paid for everything I do for you. No favors. So just ask. If you want or need anything, you come to me and tell me.”