“I’m not her sister.”
“No. You’re not. You share DNA.”
“That’s the way I’ve always thought of it, at least in the last few months. I’m not anybody’s sister. Whatever she’s looking for…I don’t know how to give her.”
“Two things. First, I don’t know that Ava is looking for you to give her anything. Second, you said that you don’t know how to give it to her. Does that mean you want to learn?”
Raketa didn’t answer right away. She walked through the garden, stopping every so often to smell the flowers.
“Things grow year-round in California. Nothing grows in Moscow.”
Gunner nodded, waiting to see where she was going with this.
“She cannot understand the life I’ve led.”
“There is no reason for you to share that with her.”
“But she will ask.”
Gunner shook his head. “She’s married to Razor. Not asking is part of her everyday life.”
“And if she does?”
Gunner walked closer and put his arms around her waist. “Tell her it’s something you don’t want to talk about.”
Raketa rolled her eyes.
“If that is your only fear, it’s unwarranted.”
She cocked her head. “What do you mean?”
“You have no reason to be concerned.”
“What about the sister?”
“She’s no different. In fact, Aine is the quieter of the two.”
“No,” she said, shaking her head.
“You aren’t the only one who’s had a difficult life, Rocket Girl. Petrov is their father too.”
“They grew up with him. Did he beat them?”
She already knew the answer to that question. “They rarely saw him, or their mother. Like you, they were alone. Shipped off to boarding school.” Gunner looked over at the house. “You know all this, Raketa. If you aren’t interested in learning more or spending time with them, you don’t have to justify it to me.”
“I don’t.”
“Not a problem. I mean that.”
Gunner heard the front door open and was relieved to see Doc walking toward them rather than the twins.
“It’s set. You, Shiv, and McTiernan will meet with UR the day after tomorrow.”
“Where?”
“Los Angeles.”
Raketa put her arm through Gunner’s.