The drawer shut again with the slightest of slams. “I’ve been well trained.”

He caught her chin then, not gently. “Yes, by God, you have. What other talents do you have, I wonder? Deceit is certainly the sharpest. How many women can you be?”

“However many it takes to do my job. If you’d excuse me, I’m very tired.”

“Oh, no.” With his other hand, he gathered up her hair. He thought of what she’d put him through in one evening. Anxiety, outright terror and betrayal. “I’m afraid I won’t fall for that again. With me, at any rate, the quiet, well-bred English lady is quite done. Cards on the table, Hannah.”

It was fear, she realized, that had her stomach heaving. Not fear that he would hurt her physically, not fear that he would do something in temper that would jeopardize the operation, but fear, deadly and cold, that he would always look at her the way he was now.

“I doubt there’s much I can tell you that Reeve hasn’t. The operation was put in effect just over two years ago. The ISS needed an agent on the inside, so—”

“I’ve been apprised of the basic details.” He let her go, dropping his hands to his sides. There, they balled into fists. “A bit late, but the information seems fairly complete. After establishing yourself with Deboque’s organization, you pretended an affection for Eve so you could gain access to the palace.” He saw the flicker of emotion cross her face at that but wasn’t ready to interpret it. “In this way, Deboque would be deceived into believing he had one of his own on the inside. By playing both ends, you would be privy to his plans, and once he makes a move, the authorities would be able to close in and destroy his organization. I’m told I should be grateful you’re so good at what you do.”

“I don’t need gratitude, just cooperation.”

“Then perhaps you should have asked for it from the beginning.”

She lifted her head. No, there would be no apologies. “I had orders, Bennett. You’re no stranger to duty.”

“No, but neither am I a stranger to honor. You played me.” Anger broke through the ice so that he held both of her arms. “You used my feelings for you.”

“You weren’t supposed to have any,” she snapped back.

“We can’t always choose what we feel. But there are other choices. Did you need to use how I felt for you, Hannah?”

“I had a job to do.” Her voice wasn’t steady now because she couldn’t be sure if she’d done what she’d done coolly or because of her own needs. “I tried to discourage you.”

“You knew I cared, that I wanted you.”

“I didn’t want you to.”

“You still lie.”