I could tell Rachel was not enamored of my plan. I well understood why. Asking her to open the door to her tormentor meant that she would need to get close to him. This was not how she had envisioned this night. The way she'd pictured it, I was here so she would never have to be close to Yuri again.

"You can do this," I told her. "Just open the door and lead him to me. Don't let him see that anything is different tonight."

"How do I do that?"

Her voice was shaky and fear was written all over her face. Which was what Yuri would expect.

"Don't think about it. Just be as you are and you'll do fine. All right?"

She nodded. I glanced at my watch. We had less than ten minutes. I told Rachel to get behind the serving counter and make herself busy. Like any other normal day after closing. She did as I said and began folding napkins. I stationed myself in the dark entryway to the kitchen, alternating my gaze between the street door and her. With my right hand fondling the folded knife in my pocket, I found myself looking at her more and more. She seemed intent on her work, and there was something nice about it, something…pleasantly ordinary, something—

The rattling of the front door broke off my train of thought. My eyes veered toward it. A shadow behind the glass, but I could not make out its shape or size. I turned to Rachel. She stood frozen, unable to move.

"Go," I whispered at her, or maybe it came off as more of a hiss, because she gave a start, dropped the napkin she'd been holding, and walked with mincing steps toward the door.

I drew out the knife and pressed the release button. I could feel my pulse throbbing in my neck. My skin tingled. My fingers tightened around the knife handle. I hadn't always been this man, one who is excited by the prospect of battle and bloodshed. But I was such a man now. There was shame in that, I knew. My father, whom I had revered above all other men, would not have approved. But shame should not inspire false denial. I was who I was. And who I was relished the coming violence.

Rachel reached the door. I let out a slow, almost endless breath. I was ready.

I knew there was a problem the moment she opened the door. Rachel let out a noise that was somewhere between a gasp and a yelp. I quickly saw why. There were two men standing on the threshold, not one.

5

I cursed silently.

That's what you get for being arrogant, Adam. That's what you get for not listening to your elders.

Now I wished I had brought the Luger along. Because taking one man by surprise is one thing. Doing the same with two is quite another.