sted blood. I tasted betraya

the ports. Bleed ever

hrough the war ro

ds in bags

've already burned three of our warehouses

ns they'll thin

into my gun. "Let's

nt was

oked street runner

ins. Made them talk

e thing-the Aurelian Circ

robbed from the last punch, but the smile neve

er like a wolf s

hink Silas will ch

ough to

You're his collapse. You gave him

er-the key to my kingdom, my offshor

," Kairos whispere

ys comes

ther has finally

lse st

ll are you t

hone on her lap. "Ask your mothe

, my pulse a detonator in

ce hit me li

he's been working with t

hell are y

Silas. I was always the key. My

n't c

d into my Glock. "I'm

a trap. They'

l have

all. Anot

ke a blade. "You disappoint me. I raised you t

n. But you forgot one thing-

king into y

my grave to

ashing through their blockade. Bullets shredded

a

a

a

their car over the bridge, and c

ar, trembling. "I'm sorry I didn't tell

on't care how bloody the

all sli

ve f

en

dfol

her t

rked into

os. One bullet.

ut. But I

s against the chair

Our war

elling

g me not to

even

ity collapsing behind me in fla

off the hinges, walked through

ne to the knee. Two

floor before

didn't rise. It burned. "

his knees,

s not

seco

y Glock to

he screamed. "Your

se

d the t

ly. "The warehouse! Dock 39!

he leg. "Then I

treets, tir

her

red, raw and shaking. "They've

ic. "Tell me what you

old metal.

do

a

a

e. Broke through a side g

n I got

pt

ner phone, s

airos's voice dri

we'd make it tha

e is

But don't worry, I

ehind me

the concrete. Blood in my

My enforcer's voice bl

just hit our offshore acco

ow

he codes. Sh

jaw so hard

ot betra

only one wi

backup car when another c

las. Pawns don'

ed. "I don't play che

me. You're not the heir. You're the weapon. And y

ngs s

h

red you, Silas? Why were you

ine w

. My pulse tore thro

er br

her

a-where d

e in o

e play

ssage ping

en

alking freely beside Kairos. The ring on her fi

ling? Or wa

? Or had she

ee

Right.

co

sending me a

goo

d the ac

d out t

bullet through it. The

iving. I wa

accounts. The empire is

ords-still ricoch

not t

the w

the stee

lsh

ne else. My father was d

Syndicate b

-her voice wa

the voice

ords, her

his messes for years

her's re

se fra

er br

would've seen him. I

ess

I alrea

ings the whole time. Protecting

nd, gunning toward the

ded p

ecords.

thi

n possessed. My hands stopped on a

. Clas

r's priv

tuck when I rea

. Operative Silas Mavros as

jec

ir

bled i

Every mission I'd been sent on, every targ

o kil

hiel

my fath

d. His bodygua

sn't just

my br

folding in on itself, the g

one b

gone. Ring flashing. Smiling next

. Left. Ri

me to rescue h

een wen

he phone unt

n't

n't

on't know if I'm c

execut

d the dr

ect

jec

ot

idn't fit

ir

o. He

him, bleeding his crew,

ng to kill

never sup

e buzze

Anonymous

edger. You m

. Pages stuck together,

it me like a bla

K: Kair

Eirene

Konstant

: Silas

ered the floor

her knew. They let us

age pinged.

t for you. You're the one

l was feedi

pped out like it

certif

Eirene

airos

r: Un

kn

ther's last vo

ther's r

e mean

e mean so

message

who your rea

h

er me

to you before she even k

ound, the city split

en

. She al

rning just as

all lit u

en

airos. The ring was still on her finger. Her

as.

ke she wasn't sure w

come

at easily?" My voice was ice

n't und

ke me un

oice slice

y where she's

when you're blee

smi

d of you, Silas. He always knew

ted my

t to call him

airos tilted his head. "We're

litched-just

fingers.

Right.

er eyes said s

ed the

ust chasin

hasing

ing a woman who was