ia M

drowning out the world around me. Every time I blinked, I saw Gio's face, his wide, terrified eyes, the blood pooling around him

s g

one person who had always been there for me, who had protected me wh

image, but it was useless. It was burned into my mind,

ened street ahead, lined with buildings I didn't recognize. The air outside was thick wit

d. Why had

arm, yanking me out of the car. My bare feet hit the cold concrete, sending a shock th

rked, and I had no c

headquarters. The place that had swallowed Gio. The

t? The thought was laughable. The air inside was thick with tension, and I could feel the eyes of every person in the room on m

oors slid shut. My reflection stared back at me in the dim, flickering lights. My face was pale, my

was led down a narrow hallway, the sound of our footste

rough the crack, the man who had orchestrated everything. The one who

e called from ins

of dread pressing down on my chest. The door clicked shut behind me, and

to me. The faint glow of the desk lamp cast long shadows on the walls,

, as if this was any other day. As if

t. The rage bubbling in

was still calm, but ther

, my fists clen

. "I'm not s

ime, I saw something, something beyond the cold indiff

don't you?" His lips twisted i

epped back, my heart racing. Th

y voice trembled slightly. I wasn't sure

ment, I could have sworn there was

d softly. "You don't know

d was still fresh in my mind. I could still hear his voice in my

able to save him.

it was

the words coming out lik

othered. "Your brother made his choices. H

e like a punch to the gut. Gone

"You think I'm just some pawn in your game? You think

voice low and dangerous. "I think you'll learn. Just like your broth

pinning. This was a game to

hallenged myself, my voice rising.

I don't need you to bend, Kia. I need you to

uld speak, the door to the office burst open.

ation at the docks. I

the man. "Not now," he growled, his eyes s

again, more urgently. "It's

s expression darkening. "Fine

dn't stay here. Not like this. I couldn't let him control me,

my hand touched the handle, I felt a shar

n. Blood. So

, and my knees bu

es' voice was cold, sharp, as if

g in ragged gasps. I could feel the warmt

is voice soft but lethal. "

was spinning, my bod

pping away, I heard a sound, a faint cre

else was

ding fast. Was it a friend? A foe? And if th