Married to the enemies son

flickered overhead, casting long, fractured shadows across the concrete floor. Antonov was chained to a chair bolted

t of him, silent, a s

t touched

t need to

watching everything. Not just Antonov. Her. The weight in he

her voice low, stripped of any softne

e better than me now?" He grinned, or tried to. "Yo

ink. "I'm not

there? That's not how this works. You're chasing

, stepping closer, her boots echoing on

s grin f

nd her. "Start talking. You

care me," An

hould be scared," she whispered. "Because I haven't even started yet. And I'm no

avado cracking like glass. "You think

way," she said. "I

hat, the door clanging shut behind t

without words. He didn't speak until t

es," he murmured, "yo

m finally becoming the kind

ming the kind of person who won't

he hills. Somewhere in the distance, dogs barked. Som

e'd give up the names. The accounts. The

they would

in years, Celeste felt something

nt

ame in just

the windowpane in thin, hurried lines while Celeste stood in the safehouse kitchen, hands wrapped a

s reme

here was rain too. Same stea

hed when she needed silence. Instead, he poured his own coffee and leaned agains

" he said finally. "

t right away. Then,

walking back. He'll burn the whole network to save himse

his, calm but burning beneath the surface. "He

ink there's s

nk," she sai

rocessing. "Then we sta

fingers caught her wrist gently. She loo

s alone anymore," he said

d once, tight

promise to let

h ahead was still

literal flames, but heat-intense, scorching truth. He sat under the

voice hoarse. "You think they'll le

on hiding,"

er. "You start talking, we ca

itched. He hesit

A coded phrase. A shipment. An accou

ents of the empire that had killed her fa

it all, a name neithe

nt Ro

father, raised toasts at their family tab

stomach tu

nge in her expressi

e said, voice quiet

er when it came f

her shoulder, gro

go next," he said. "

didn't

ome, she

, the war w

te stared out the window, watching the landscape blur past-dry fields, iron

nt Ro

't bothered to show up. No condolences, no call, no flowers. Just... silence. Back then,

thigh. He hadn't said much since the name was dropped. He didn't need to. T

ur mind," he said finall

o I look like someone who

gave a tight nod and

ick line of cypress trees like silent guards. The driveway wound u

ce away, choosing to approa

he same-stone steps behind the fountain, a narrow door near the kitchen, where the help used to enter. She remembered hiding beh

s quiet.

o the shadow of the estate. Celeste didn't draw hers-n

d him in

clung to him, wrapped around his shoulders like an old,

urning slowly. "I won

h, shoulders squared. "Don't

smile that never reached th

er, silent but sharp,

es, ledgers, old books and older lies

ere going to kil

. "Your father got too sentimental. Started asking quest

thing. You were rotting e

re how it's built. Only who sit

e for speech

? Justice?" He laughed, short and sh

didn't rise. I

finish what

ifted. Not fear. Someth

ew it would

w how this en

, Celeste. Smarter than him. You'll make a de

t on the table between them. Documents. Bank trail

here, everything you've built will start collapsing. I do

own at the paper

surprise...

Unh

th me?" he whispered. "You hav

dn't r

't f

way, walking out wi

them, but it was the sile

asn't

e beginning of

ill bruised with gray,

er lungs. They walked fast, silent again. The estate gates loomed ahead, guards d

itch in her spine-that sense

ened the door for her, eyes scanni

kno

moving, one hand resting near his gun as he

ce for a few miles.

. "Even when I told him ever

ing someth

lways

That last thing he sai

ho it is. We ex

f someone, that means they're bigger.

w, her reflection fractured in t

ady waiting. Their tech guy. Lean, ji

said, tossing her a flash drive. "Encrypted

ght it. "Wh

ted. That wa

and again. Financial transactions. Black site locations. Off-the-books se

een. The name flas

an Corp

military contractor. Pri

the face. The name behind

ped forward.

yboard. A face appe

. Sharp suit

cognize him.

sed. "Augus

ed at him. "

f my black ops division before I left. He's the kind of ma

d. "So he's the one pul

ration-the smuggling, the assassinations, your

of them spoke. Th

in her head, something he once told her when she was barely

ened h

t him where

You want to go a

ight. Romano was just the su

staring out at the dark city

from me. And I've be

't comin

king straig