“This is wrong,” Irina said, shaking her head. “You cannot do this, lubimaya. I forbid it.”

Liza’s hackles shot up just as they had when Tom had forbidden her the night before. But she remained calm, because, like Tom, Irina’s expression was full of fear. “Irina,” she said gently. “Mercy should live without fear. Gideon, Amos, and Abigail, too. That’s worth a risk.”

“No,” Irina insisted. “I cannot sit idly while one of my girls sacrifices for another. It’s like asking me to choose one child over the other.”

“Thank you.” Affection roughened her voice. “Truly. But I went into combat zones. I’m trained to defend myself. And I’m qualified for this role. I’m a good choice.”

“I can’t . . .” Irina looked at Karl beseechingly. “How can we change her mind?”

“I don’t think we can. Or that we should. Liza has proven herself capable of making wise decisions.” He wagged his finger at Liza. “But you won’t take any undue risks.”

“None.” She crossed her heart. “Of course, you’re assuming I’ll even get the job.”

“You will,” Irina said sadly. “Because Portia Sinclair finds your résumé very impressive.”

Liza blinked. “You heard her say that? The HR lady on the phone?”

“I have good ears. I hear much.” She raised her voice. “Like footsteps in the hallway!”

“Dammit!” Zoya snapped. Her stomping footsteps could be heard going back up the stairs.

Karl shook his head. “She’s yours.”

“Remember that when she is valedictorian of her graduating class,” Irina said.

He leaned over to kiss Irina’s temple. “Then she’s mine.” He turned to Liza. “Okay, here’s how this is going to go. Because you are important to us. You get that, right?”

She smiled. “I do. Thank you. Now I need to get home and get ready for the interview.”

“Not so fast,” Karl said. “I know you’re a soldier and I know you can take care of yourself, but there’s also DJ Belmont to consider. If he knows that you were the one who spoiled his shot on Wednesday, he might be looking for you. I don’t want you driving around in a car he can follow. I’ve already given instructions to the guards in the lobby of your apartment to watch for Belmont and call 911 if they see him anywhere on or around the premises. Now I’m going to worry about people from Sunnyside Oaks lurking outside and following you. Especially if they find out where you used to live.”

“How could they?” Liza asked. “How could DJ? Nothing I own is in my name.”

“If someone wants to badly enough, they can,” Karl said darkly. “Do this for me, okay? Drive your car back to the apartment, and when you leave for the interview, take mine.”

Liza choked. “Your Tesla? Hell, no. I’d wreck it.”

“Not the Tesla.” Karl took a pen from his pocket and wrote something on the back of a napkin. “I keep an SUV there for VIP clients. It’s a Ford Expedition and has tinted windows. It’s made for privacy. The keys are hanging on a hook in the laundry room.” He gave her the napkin. “This is the slot where it’s parked. Please drive it when you go on your interview.”