a Monr

rt of me was tense, coiled with the events from last night. The cold business c

ey, or the feeling that something far darker was in motion behind the scenes. My heart still raced

r interrupted my

tood there, his usual dark expression in place. His eyes swept over me wi

ike you did

g back a retort. "I did

ion, his boots making a quiet thud against the h

kered in me. "I'm perfectly

No one's ever truly alone, Valeria." His ga

ding. "And what do you want me to do

ght? He's connected to people who don

ching him closely. "Wh

rson trying to help you navigate this mess.

if he meant the danger surrounding me or something else-somethin

y way to get answers. I'll keep an eye on yo

inty gnawing at me.

t his eyes remained serious. "Then you'll

e screamed to back away, to forget it all. But I couldn't. I knew too much now, a

y coat from the chair and

k, almost as if he expected

't goi

r Kan

s. I hadn't been able to get a read on her all morning. One moment she was fire, the next, she was calm. But there

n building, dark and decaying. The address had led us here, to an abandoned warehouse that looked like it

r a second, I almost warned her to stay in the car. But that would ha

a part of this

closer we got to the building, the thicker the air felt-li

here without a plan,"

"Plans don't always work out.

bornness. She was too much like me for her o

stretching far beyond the reach of the weak overhead lights. A sense of wron

amiliar with it, stepping carefully over old crates an

didn't want to admit how unsure I was, but there was only one reason

ng, followed by soft footsteps. I turned just

ain-the man f

their faces cold and impassive. They were

voice smooth but with an edge to

f a choice," Valeria

to me. "I thought I told

s never leaving his. "You

smile playing on his lips. "That's wher

scle in my body screamed to move, to act before things w

lear. "If you think you can intimidate me into

econd before he recovered. "You don't

e. "You've been hiding something from me. From everyone.

ng like static. The man's gaze darkened

, a sharp sound spli

ed for her, pulling her behind me. The ma

is voice calm despite the

but she didn't break. "A

life. The moment stretched, the air th