“What’s wrong with you?” he hissed. “I swear to God, if you’re faking this to try and—”
“Not faking,” Zaria said through gritted teeth, the words barely audible. “Give me… a minute.”
He released her arms with a curse. She hadn’t even realized he was still holding them. She fought to retain consciousness, blinking hard.
“Zaria.”Kane snapped his fingers in front of her face. It might have been horribly condescending, except that she heard his breath hitch as her head canted to the side.
“What?”
“Tell me why you’re in my office. Now.”
Breathe in, breathe out.“I—you left the door open.”
He hissed through clenched teeth. “Yes. I saw the way you were glancing around the other night. Almost like you were looking for something. When I heard the explosion, I figured it was a distraction, so I left the door unlocked when I went outside. I assumed Iwould catch you here.” He made no attempt to conceal the derision in his voice. “Do you take me for a fool?”
“No.” It was Zaria who’d been the fool. She’d walked right into his trap. She should have known better the moment she found the office unlocked.
“I take it Julian Zhao was responsible for blowing up my shed.”
“It’s not yours. You don’t own this place.”
A muscle feathered in Kane’s jaw. “That’s what I thought. What were you looking for?”
She leaned her head back against the bookcase. “I can’t tell you.”
“You don’t have a choice. I meant it when I said I would make your life hell.”
“I know.” Zaria released another shuddering breath. She no longer felt like she might pass out, but exhaustion had begun to take hold, making it difficult to take his threats seriously.
Kane took her chin in his thumb and forefinger. His touch was impossibly light, his tone commanding. “Look at me.”
Childishly, she wrenched her head away, staring instead at the buttons of his shirt. A couple of them glinted in the moonlight. She couldn’t do as he bid. Not now, not like this, when she didn’t have her wits about her.
His fingers became coercing, thumb hooking under her jaw as he guided her face back to his. “I saidlook at me, Zaria.”
Finally, resentfully, she lifted her gaze. She was relieved to find Kane back in focus. Whereas she felt moments from unconsciousness, he looked as though he’d never been more awake.
“You’re afraid,” he said.
She scoffed, the sound weak. “Of course I’m afraid. You just told me you would make my life hell.”
“No. Not of me—of someone else.”
“You can’t possibly know that from looking at me.”
“You’re difficult to read, but I daresay I’ve become quite adept at it. Besides, you’re not good at hiding your feelings when you’re… like this.” Kane’s voice hardened further. “Who is it?”
Knowing she couldn’t answer, she chewed her lower lip as her stomach continued to tie itself in knots. Rather than answer, she pushed herself shakily to stand, eyeing the door only a few paces away. Kane straightened alongside her. The moment she tensed to move, he slammed a hand into the bookcase, arm forming a barricade between her and the exit. They were inches apart, his face perilously close to hers. Zaria’s heart thundered in her ears. For a moment they stood there, trapped in a stalemate, and then she whirled to face him, shoving the heel of her palm into his stomach.
He stumbled back, more from surprise than the force of the blow. A laugh bubbled up, the sound rough. “Youarefrightened of this person. More frightened than you are of me.”
“It’s none of your business,” she said, hating the edge of uncertainty in her own voice.
“Give me a name. And then, because I’m feeling charitable, I’ll kill them instead of you.”
She thought about hitting him again. Thought about kicking him in the groin and making a run for it. But he would doubtless catch her, and in any case, what if Kanecouldkill Vaughan? The other kingpin seemed more frightening because he was unknown. A faceless entity. He wanted Zaria on his side, but perhaps it was time she betrayed someone other than Kane. Perhaps Kane could get the other man out of the picture. In any case, she knew she wasn’t leaving here until she provided an answer.
“It’s Vaughan,” she said quietly. “The client I asked you to look into the other week. Do you remember?”
