She was his.
And he protected what was his.
The hotel suite reeked of cheap cologne, sweat, and stale cigarette smoke that clung to two of three men playing cards at the small table. Eric stood by the window, his eyes fixed on the glowing tablet before him. Data scrolled past: timestamps, security footage, intercepted communications. His expression never wavered.
To the three men lounging nearby, he looked calm. Controlled. Unbothered.
Truth was, he was tense, and unease roiled inside him. He didn’t trust any of them. He didn’t trust anyone.
He studied the images of the two men. While they were identical twins, they were polar opposites. Nikos Aeto’s eyes glimmered with amusement, his smile came easier, his shoulders were more relaxed. Markos Aeto was the direct opposite of his brother. Markos’ eyes held shadows, from the images he had seen the man seldom smiled, and there was a tense readiness in him that reminded Eric of a predator waiting to strike.
He focused, searching for the man. Visions of bright lights, bodiesmoving in unison. They were together. He opened his eyes. The men owned a popular nightclub calledThe Rocks.
He frowned, sensing a disruption. He had felt it earlier as well. It was a strange feeling, almost like he was brushing up against an invisible shield.
A shadow fell across his screen. Lyle Henry—tall, brutish, and always two seconds away from violence—held out a phone.
He didn’t speak. He didn’t need to.
Eric took the phone without looking up. Cold glass kissed his ear.
“I’m listening,” he said.
The voice that answered was deep. Smooth, hypnotic. The silky notes threaded in the rhythm slithered down his spine like black ice.
The voice belonged to Dr. Benoit Jeffries, a Founder director.
Jeffries was the only one he had ever met. He knew there were three of them. The other two remained in the shadows behind a curtain that stretched across continents.
But… it was Jeffries who ran everything. Everyone.
Well—
Almost everyone.
His lips curled faintly.
Not Brie.
And definitely not Kiki.
Brie and Kiki were like him, yet different. Jeffries called them strangelings.
He met Brie after he had almost died on a mission. It was only after that happened that he discovered there were others like him.
The Founders had kept him and Brie separate—until theyrealized how much stronger they were together. It was several years later when he was introduced to Kiki.
Eric knew little about Kiki’s full talents. While Jeffries had introduced the younger girl to him and Brie, Jeffries had kept the other girl isolated, seldom letting them interact together and never without a handler nearby. Despite their rare meetings, he had sensed the other girl was extremely talented.
And that’s what worried him.
Jeffries’ voice cut through his thoughts, forcing him to concentrate on the conversation at hand and not his memories.
“Why has the mission not been completed?”
Eric’s tone remained even. “The information provided was flawed. The location of the target was incorrect.”
He didn’t mention his unease—or his sudden memories of Kiki. There was an extended pause, almost as if Jeffries could read his thoughts. Eric checked the shield he had instinctively erected. It was intact. Still, the surrounding air seemed to chill.
