He whispers, “She played us.”
Us or you, Damian? That stupid fucking photograph appears behind my eyes again, and my gut boils with an ugly emotion—either satisfaction or jealousy. I’ve given up on figuring out which it is.
“We need solid proof,” Kiro adds.
“We have the transmitter,” I say. “We trace the originating packet… we know who activated it. And when.”
Kiro taps a few keys. “Routing path is clean. Looks like the signal identifies—wait—fuck.”
And, on the screen, a distinct pattern of handshake pings. There’s no mistaking it.
Damian whispers her name out loud the same time I think it.
“Inessa.”
Bingo.
Damian steps back from the screen, eyes darkened to something dangerous.
Kiro’s voice breaks the quiet. “So what now? Should we contact Mikhail about—”
“No,” Damian interrupts. “Not yet. If Anton is using her as a channel, she won’t reveal herself under pressure. She will under arrogance.”
“I’ll confront her,” I volunteer.
Damian’s head snaps toward me. The reaction is immediate, instinctual, and sharp enough to slice the air.
“No.”
His voice is low and final. I can sense the fear woven through the order. “You’re not going anywhere near her.”
I straighten, keeping my tone steady.
“She won’t suspect me. It’s cleaner if I go alone.”
“No,” he repeats. Those jade orbs flash at me, halfway between command and panic.
I’m not a soldier, nor am I his prisoner anymore.He’s losing it if he thinks I’ll listen to him.
“One woman’s challenge draws less attention than your entire security team showing up at her office.”
“That isn’t the point.”
“Then what is?” The words slip out harder than I intend.
The silence that ensues is loaded. His jaw ticks once. When he finally speaks, the words feel scraped out of him.
“Control isn’t the same thing as protection, Harper.”
I step close, the static between us crackling.
“I know,” I say softly. “That’s why I’m telling you I need to do this. Not because I want to. Because we need to know what she is, and what Anton is doing through her.”
He searches my face. Something unspoken passes between us, heavy with everything we haven’t said for weeks, months—maybe from the very beginning.
He looks away first and victory settles in my gut.
“Fine. But Kiro’s team follows you.”
