“That you understand she’s terrified. That you’re not going to abandon your family. That you’ll figure this out together.”
“I said most of that.”
“Before or after you walked out?”
I don’t answer.
Julian sighs. “Listen. I don’t like you. I barely trust you. But the boys need both of you. So whatever this is, fix it. Before the Petrovs make everything worse.” He hangs up.
I sit alone in my office with two phone calls weighing on me. The Petrovs want a meeting. Want to lure me out. Want to kill me for what I did six years ago. And Aurelia’s at the estate crying because I walked out instead of fixing things between us.
The smart move is to ignore the Petrov meeting. Let them show their hand. Wait for them to make a move I can counter. But they threatened my sons. And I can’t let that stand.
I call Declan back. “Tell me you traced it.”
“Burner phone. Last pinged a cell tower near the warehouse district. Went dead immediately after the call.”
“So they’re already there. Waiting to see if I’ll show.”
“You’re not seriously considering this.”
“They threatened my family.”
“So end them. But not by walking into their trap.”
“What if I can end this tomorrow? One meeting. One conversation. Figure out what they actually want and negotiate from there.”
“They want you dead, Cass. That’s what they want. Everything else is just theater to make it happen.”
He’s probably right. But I can’t shake the feeling that if I don’t go, they’ll escalate. They’ll move from surveillance to action. They’ll go after the boys to hurt me.
“Set up a team,” I say. “Snipers on the surrounding buildings. Eyes in the air. Close support within two blocks. If this goes sideways, I want overwhelming force ready to move.”
“You’re really doing this.”
“I’m ending this. One way or another.”
“And if it’s a suicide mission?”
“Then make sure the boys know I died protecting them. Not running from my mistakes.”
Declan’s quiet for a long moment. Then: “I’ll have the team ready by morning.”
He hangs up and I’m alone again.
I should call Aurelia. Should apologize for walking out. Should tell her I understand she’s scared and I’m scared too but we have to face this together. Instead I pull up the security feeds and watch the estate. The boys’ bedroom window is dark. They’re asleep. Aurelia’s light is still on.
I watch her shadow move across the curtains and wonder if she’s thinking about me. If she regrets what she said. If she understands that I can’t just turn myself over and die because she’s scared.
My phone buzzes. Text from Julian:She wants to talk to you. Call her.
I stare at the message. Then I dial her number.
She answers on the first ring. “Cassian.”
“I’m sorry. For walking out. For not handling that better.”
“I’m sorry too. I didn’t mean what I said. About you turning yourself over.”
