"No shit."
He smiles at me, but it's sad. I feel a bit of pity for him, but it disappears as I remember he's partially the reason I'm here. He looks at Gabe. "This is your show now. Alexei is out of his hiding place, which is what I needed. My business here is concluded."
"Wait." Gabe moves toward him. "You can't just leave. What am I supposed to do?"
"That's not my concern." Artem's voice is flat. "Though if you want my advice, cut your losses. Kill her. Disappear. You're not going to get money from Adrian Nero. And you're certainly not going to survive him if he gets ahold of you."
Kill her.
The words hang in the air.
Gabe looks at me. Then back at Artem. "She's my sister."
"That hasn't mattered before." Artem moves toward the door. He pauses, looking back at me one last time. "I'm sorry. For what it's worth, you deserved better than this." There's a haunted look in his eyes, but before I can say anything, he's gone.
The door closes behind him with a soft click.
Leaving me alone with Gabe.
"Gabe." I try to keep my voice calm. Steady. "You need to let me go."
"I can't." He's pacing again. Hands in his hair. Wild-eyed. "You don't understand. Adrian will kill me. The Morozovs will kill me. The feds will throw me in prison. I'm fucked, Sera. I'm completely fucked."
"So let me go. I'll talk to Adrian. I'll tell him?—"
"Tell him what? That I kidnapped his pregnant wife? That I drugged you? That I blew up his house?" His laugh is manic. "He's going to kill me anyway. At least this way, I have leverage. I can try to survive."
"I'm not leverage." I press my hand to my stomach. The baby is still moving. Still alive. Thank God. "I'm your sister. I'm carrying your nephew. You can't?—"
He stops pacing. Looks at me with something like desperation. "I just need Adrian to pay. To give me money so I can disappear. Start over somewhere they can't find me."
"He won't do that," I say. "He's not going to let you blackmail him."
"He will. For you. For his precious heir." Gabe crouches down in front of me. "He'll pay. He has to. And if he doesn't?—"
"If he doesn't, what?" My voice hardens. "You'll kill me? Kill your nephew?"
"If I have to." He swallows. "Adrian is in love with you. Your death would ruin him."
I stare at him. At this stranger wearing my brother's face.
"You won't," I say quietly. "You don't have it in you."
His face twists. "You think I won't?"
"I know you won't. You're a coward, Gabe. You always have been. You gamble and steal and run away when things get hard. But you're not a killer."
Something in his expression shifts, and I worry I've pushed him too far. But shit, I am pissed.
"You think I'm weak?" His voice drops. "You think I won't hurt you?"
I cringe.
"Gabe—"
He moves faster than I expect. His hand grabs my arm, yanking me forward. I cry out as pain shoots through my shoulder.
Then I feel it.
