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Back No Going Back: a Novel Save as PDF
Chapters (84)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. Part 1
  4. 1
  5. 2
  6. 3
  7. 4
  8. 5
  9. 6
  10. 7
  11. 8
  12. 9
  13. 10
  14. 11
  15. 12
  16. 13
  17. 14
  18. Part 2
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. Part 3
  38. 33
  39. 34
  40. 35
  41. 36
  42. 37
  43. 38
  44. 39
  45. 40
  46. 41
  47. 42
  48. Part 4
  49. 43
  50. 44
  51. 45
  52. 46
  53. 47
  54. 48
  55. 49
  56. 50
  57. 51
  58. 52
  59. Part 5
  60. 53
  61. 54
  62. 55
  63. 56
  64. 57
  65. 58
  66. Part 6
  67. 59
  68. 60
  69. 61
  70. 62
  71. 63
  72. 64
  73. 65
  74. 66
  75. 67
  76. 68
  77. 69
  78. 70
  79. 71
  80. 72
  81. Acknowledgments
  82. About the Author
  83. Also by Sheena Kamal
  84. About the Publisher

“And you’re just going to give me some of this money to disappear?”

He shrugs. “It’s an option. It’ll be a loan you can pay back whenever you’re able to.”

“Why would you do that?”

This pisses him off, though I don’t understand why he thinks I’ll just take money from him without questioning his reasons. “You know what, Nora? I don’t actually know why. I just can’t believe that this is happening, and it all seems a bit dangerous. And, if I’m being honest, more than a little absurd. Why would this guy Dao hate you so much? Let me guess. You don’t want to talk about it.”

He pushes away from the table and goes to the window. I follow his gaze, but he’s not looking at anything I can make out. Just considering the sky and, perhaps, what he’ll do with all his money now that I’ve decided to let him keep it for himself.

Leo takes offense at Brazuca’s tone and glares icicles into his back before turning to me. He puts his hand over mine. I don’t love the touch, but this is Leo, and it’s impossible to be upset at him. Even though he may have designs on my dog. “Nora, hey, we’re with you on this.”

That may be true, but even I can see what Leo is really saying is that he needs this right now. Here in this kitchen is the first time he hasn’t looked completely bereft since he opened the door to me.

Brazuca looks at our hands on the table, Leo’s still covering mine. For a moment I think he’s about to add his to the pile, but he thinks better of it. We don’t touch, Brazuca and I. Not anymore. Some parts of my past have to stay there, and the line between us is one that neither of us is willing to cross.

Thank God. I’m not sure how much more masculine intervention I can take.

“If we’re going to look for Dao, we can work through the only angle I’ve been able to find,” Brazuca says.

“Which is?” Leo asks.

“Before the head of Three Phoenix, Jimmy Fang, fled the country and the case fell apart, there was some suspicion that someone on his side was talking to the cops.”

“A snitch?” I ask.

Brazuca frowns. “We prefer to call them ‘police agents,’ actually. But no, I checked with a police contact and I don’t think there was anyone official who went into witness protection. The information never had a chance to come out in trial.”

“But you think someone was talking to the cops?”