One by one, every man in the room turns white as a ghost. Every man except me. Because I know the name that pops up on my phone: Tempesta. It means Oksana is okay, like she ever couldnotbe. She knows how to take care of herself. For one heartbeat, I feel invincible. Above the chaos that has the others unraveling.
Until I pick it up, "Oksana?"
But the voice that answers isn't hers, and I feel a punch to the sternum.
"It’s me, boss."
Sasha.
My heart drops straight into my stomach. The whole room turns to me because whatever expression hits my face is worse than all of theirs combined.
I grip the phone tighter. "Where is she?"
There is a beat of silence on the other end.
Then: "We have a problem."
Gunshots crackthrough the attic like thunder. For a second—just one—we’re all frozen, mouths open, hearts stopped. Then everything in me shifts.
The killer, the enforcer, the one Stephano married without fully understanding what that meant. She wakes up and moves into action.
"Scarlet," I snap, already moving, "is there a safe room?"
Scarlet’s eyes are huge. "This—thisisthe safe room."
She bolts toward the heavy door on instinct. I’m right behind her. The door is metal. Reinforced. She slams it shut and locks it with shaking hands.
"Good," I mutter, pulling out my phone. "Now let’s see who the hell we’re hiding from."
I call Sasha. "Status?"
His voice is clipped, breathless. "Several men breached the perimeter. DeLuna’s men are in a shootout. There’s enough security to handle it, but?—"
"But what?"
His pause tells me everything. "The attack came from within."
"Within?" I hiss.
"Toni’s men," Sasha says. "Some of them turned. We think Venezuelan Cells were activated. They’re trying to get to the women."
Of course they are.
The Venezuelans know we took out their chain of command. This is the retaliation. Punishment.
I whirl back around. Sophia is already holding a gun. So is Gigi. They stand like soldiers trained since birth.
Good.
"We’re ready," Sophia says.
"I’m pregnant." Scarlet’s hand flies to her stomach.
Gigi steps in front of her, solid as a wall. "We’ve got you."
Violet is white-faced but steady, phone pressed to her ear. "Pippa?"
She puts whoeverPippais on speaker, a woman's voice sounds out, strong and steady. "Some of Toni’s men areattacking each other. Stay where you are. Help is coming."
