contingent on his. Mady knew her place in his life. Knew that it was a man’s privilege to take what he wanted—as much as he wanted, and as often as he felt like it.
Mady had known that from the beginning. Had known that he answered to no one but himself. Knew that whatever he desired, he would take.
Right now what he desired was to be out of the cold and in a hot bath, then a warm bed. He’d been on the run for three days and his hand hurt like a son of a bitch. He was hungry and tired, and anxious to have his wife tend to all of his needs, one at a time.
He pulled the drab gray stocking cap lower over his forehead as he left the alley behind. The dirty black coat he wore, he’d stolen only moments ago off the dead man who slumped against the brick building with his throat slit.
He didn’t hurry as he headed toward the SUV. The pain attacking his muscles made every step challenging, but then he’d always been up for a good challenge. Still, he was in bad shape. Possibly the worst he’d ever been in.
His body was on fire, burning up with fever. He steeled himself against the dizziness that threatened to knock him to his knees.
Four feet from the vehicle, the door swung open. He ducked his head and eased into the front seat. He bumped his useless hand and swore crudely.
The word useless filled him with a surge of rage, followed by the need for revenge. An assassin with a useless hand may as well turn the gun on himself—but he wasn’t going to. Instead he was going to find and kill the man responsible.
Bjorn Odell was going to die screaming. Die screaming while he cut him apart with a dull ice pick and fed him to a dog with a fork.
Mady reached across him and pulled the door shut. As she eased back behind the wheel, he caught the sweet scent of her. She smelled like lavender and a hint of lemon.
He studied her delicate features within the folds of her ugly brown scarf a shade darker than her wool coat. He had instructed her to dress warm, to borrow Jakob’s SUV, and to come alone. She had done all three.
For a woman of thirty-six, Mady still had a youthful pixie face, and the blond hair peeking out of her scarf held no signs of gray. It was still a natural honey color, and as silky smooth as the day he married her.
“Drive,” Holic demanded. Then he added, “You didn’t tell anyone I was back, did you?”
“Nein. Not even Prisca. She will be excited, though. For weeks she has been asking when you were going to come for a visit. Are you sure you want to go to Groffen?”
“I’m sure.”
She put the vehicle into drive. “We’re very busy. It’s the height of the season. What if—?”
“Someone sees me? You forget I can disguise myself easily if necessary.”
“Why did you want me to meet you here in St. Anton, then? Why not Kitzbuhel or—”
“I have my reasons. Did you ready my suite? The one I requested?”
“I did.”
“Then there is nothing to worry about. If I must flee, I will take flight. I always have a backup plan.”
“Prisca will be so happy to see you.”
“I do not want her to see me for a few days,” Holic grumbled. “Not until I’m better.”
“Your daughter will not care what shape you are in. Only that you have come home. And for once I think it will be good for her to see that you are human. You have filled her head with grand stories. She talks of you like you are a hero in a fairy tale.”
“There is nothing wrong with that. She will never know the truth.”
“I know the truth and I still love you.”
“You are a rare breed, Mady. Some would say stupid, others would say blindly loyal.”
“I’m neither stupid nor blind. You have seen to both. What I am is a woman cursed to love one man for all time.”
They left the town of St. Anton behind, and as they began to head toward Zell am See, Holic asked, “How is she? Is my daughter well?”
“Prisca has grown into a beautiful young woman. Otto Breit has come home from Graz often, and swears that one day he’ll take her away with him.”
“He is ten years older. Too old for my Pris.”
“She’s nineteen. I was seventeen when you took me.”
Holic scowled. “What are you saying, that Otto Breit is sleeping with my daughter?”
“Nein.”
“Good, ’cause if he is I will kill him, no matter if he is my friend’s son.”
“If you confine your daughter, she will grow restless. She must experience life. She is very smart and I trust her judgment. She needs something to nurture.”
“Not a babe.”
“No, I didn’t mean a child, but something that she can be proud of. A career of some kind. We could send her to school.”
“I will think on it. Speaking of nurturing, how is the runt? Is your brother’s bastard still amusing Kovar?”
“Her name is Alzbet, Holic. And, da, she is still at the lodge. Kovar is teaching her to ski. Though she suffers from a cold at the moment. But don’t worry, I will keep her away from you. You don’t need a cold to compound everything else. What is wrong with your hand? You never told me when you called.”
“A few broken bones is all. My hand will heal.” Holic set his jaw at the thought of his hand remaining useless. Bjorn Odell would pay either way.
He glanced out the window to the rugged countryside. He hadn’t been back in Austria for months, and he realized he had missed it.
“Did you get the package I sent you six weeks ago?”
“Da.”
“And did you follow my instructions?”
“I bought the computer, and the money is in the safe at Groffen, along with the canister.”
“Did you bring me a gun?”
“You know I hate guns.”
“Did you bring it?”
“Yes.”
Holic smiled. “Is it loaded?”
She glanced his way and frowned. “Of course it’s loaded. It would do you no good if it wasn’t.”
“My thoughts exactly. And just where might this gun be hiding, Mady?”
With his good arm, he reached across the seat and slid his hand into her coat. He saw her suck in her breath as his fingers brushed over her breasts, then moved low over her
