Ripping Time by Robert Asprin & Linda Evans

“Who is it?” Marcus grated out. “I will kill them, whoever they are!”

Jenna believed him. Profoundly. Imagination failed her, trying to comprehend what this ordinary-seeming young man in blue jeans and a checkered shirt had already lived through. Noah told Marcus what they were up against. All of it. In thorough and revolting detail. The suspicion that flared in Marcus’ eyes when he looked at Jenna wounded her.

“I’m not my father!” she snapped, fists aching at her sides. “If that son-of-a-bitch were in front of me right now, I’d blow his head off. He always was a lousy, rotten, stinking bastard of a father. I just never knew how much. ‘Til now.”

The suspicion in the other man’s brown eyes melted away while something else coalesced in its place. It took a moment to recognize it. When he did, it shook Jenna badly. Pity. This ex-slave, this man whose family was targeted for slaughter, pitied her. Jenna turned roughly aside, shoved her pistol through her belt and her hands into her pockets, and clenched her teeth over a flood of nausea and anger and fright that left her shaking. A moment later, Noah settled a hand on her shoulder.

“You never killed a man before.” It wasn’t a question, didn’t have to be a question, because it was perfectly obvious. Jenna shook her head anyway. “No.” Noah sighed, tightened fingers against her shoulder for a moment. “They say it’s never easy, kid. I hadn’t either, you know, until that hit in New York.” Jenna glanced up, found deep pain in Noah’s enigmatic eyes. “But I always knew I might have to, doing the job I chose. It’s worse for you, probably. When a kid comes to the Temple young as you are, she’s hurting inside already. You got more reason than most. And Cassie told me you cried when you accidentally ran over a mongrel dog on the road out to the ranch.”