“But his reasons don’t change the good.”
“Not unless there are knock-on effects. For every child with cancer he helps, there are ten adults addicted to his drugs. For every family he houses and feeds, there are dozens more torn to pieces because of his operations. He’s a wound and a surgeon.”
“It could be worse.”
Lucy stops walking and faces me. We’re a few feet from the back entrance. “It sounds like you’re defending him.”
“I don’t know what I’m doing.” I mean that very honestly too. I’m overwhelmed and exhausted by the walk back herewhile carrying Rosie the whole time. “Maybe Mass is more complicated than I gave him credit for.”
“He’s not. Mass is a power-hungry monster. He’s a killer.”
“He doesn’t seem that way to me.” At least not most of the time. Except he’s got to be dangerous if he’s a Dragon.
“You’re his wife.”
“Are you trying to scare me or something?”
“I’m trying to understand where your loyalties are.” She steps in closer, lowering her voice. “I’m just like everyone else in this place. Mass helped me a long time ago and earned my loyalty. And if there’s someone in the Fortress who wants to hurt him—” She lets that last part linger between us. The implicit threat sends a chill down my spine.
“I don’t know anything about what happened to that dead guy back there.”
Lucy nods slowly. “We’ll see.” She gestures at the doors. “You can find your own way back. Don’t deviate from the path. Lady’s watching.”
I feel sick as I hurry inside. The cold air conditioning hits me like a hammer. It’s like cold metal eyes are staring at me from the doorways. I try to find cameras, but I don’t see any.
This situation couldn’t be any worse. Ryan was my only chance at escaping this place. I don’t know who sent him or what they were going to do, but now I’m cut adrift again. I’m trapped, and to make it worse, Lucy’s clearly suspicious of me.
I struggle not to run. I find the elevator, take it to the apartment, and put Rosie down in the living room.
Before I fish out the phone from where I hid it down the back of the couch.
No messages. Nothing at all.
I could scream.
Who killed Ryan? And what if they’re coming for me next?
The phone is everything now. Without it, I’m totally lost.
I put it back in its hiding place and try to pretend like I’m not drowning.
ALLIE
Mass strides down the hallway, his shoes clicking slightly on the marble floor, and throws open the door to a lavish suite. “Welcome to your Turkish home,” he says, casually waving a hand at the room around him.
Light streams in through gauzy curtains. Rosie squeals and crawls toward a low couch set near a coffee table. Satya follows her in, cooing and laughing with my daughter as I stare around in wonder.
It’s incredible. The warm smell of ocean air drifts in from a balcony covered in flowering plants. More plants fill the interior alongside blue-and-white mosaics set into the walls. The kitchen is modern and looks barely used. Mass frowns like the place barely meets his lofty standards, which is probably the case.
But for me, it’s pure luxury.
“We’ll stay here while we’re in the country,” Mass says, peering out at the street below. I join him on the balcony.
“Is this yours?”
“My local fixer tends to stay here, but she found alternate lodgings.”
“You have a lot of women employees.” That tumbles out of my mouth before I can stop it. Instantly, my face turns red and regret boils in my stomach. Why am I so stupid sometimes?
