It never comes.
Instead—
“You survived,” Ronan says quietly. “That was your job. You didn’t break.”
My chest tightens painfully. “Jonah didn’t.”
Ronan exhales slowly. “Jonah is still alive.”
I turn my head then—too fast, dizziness slamming into me.
“What?”
“He might have broke,” Ronan continues evenly. “And he’s still alive.”
Tears spill before I can stop them. Hot. Humiliating.
“I was weak,” I whisper. “I almost gave them everything. I’m sure I would have broken.”
Ronan leans forward, forearms on his knees.
“You were tortured,” he says. “And you held longer than any man should be asked to.”
“That’s not strength,” I choke.
“Yes,” Ronan says firmly. “It is.”
I shake my head. “You came for me.”
“Always,” he answers. “I would have come sooner if I knew you all were alive.”
The word hits harder than any blow ever did.
I press my face into the pillow, shoulders shaking. “Ithought you were dead. I thought Lena was dead. They told us—”
“I know,” Ronan says softly. “That’s why this ends with Malenkov.”
“Let me help,” I whisper. “I owe—”
Ronan cuts me off gently. “You don’t owe me anything.”
He stands.
“You heal,” he says. “That’s the mission right now.”
The door closes quietly behind him.
I finally let myself cry.
Not because I almost broke.
But because I didn’t die.
And that means I have to live because I survived.
42
Viktor Malenkov
