My jaw tightens.
“How many teams?” I ask.
“Two. One already stateside.”
My vision narrows.
“When?”
“Within forty-eight hours. Maybe less.”
I end the call and stare at the wall without seeing it.
For months I’ve been trying to find Laney towarn her.
Not threaten her.
Not hurt her.
Warn her.
When my father died, my mother’s grief turned into something sharp and poisonous. She blamed the girl. Blamed her mother. Blamed them for everything.
I told her to leave Laney alone.
She smiled and said she had.
She lied.
She always lies.
I grab my jacket and my gun.
“She thinks she’s erasing a mistake,” I mutter.
She has no idea what she’s started.
I call my head of security. “Cancel every contract we have that isn’t airtight.”
“Yes, sir.”
“And quietly find out who she hired.”
A pause. “Your mother?”
“Yes.”
Another pause. “Understood.”
I don’t waste time packing.
I don’t call ahead.
I get on the first plane to the United States.
Because if my mother’s people reach Laney first…
I won’t be cleaning up a problem.
