“I won’t help you anymore,” I say, my voice trembling but firm.
“You don’t have a choice.”
The knife appears in his hand—small, unremarkable, terrifying in its simplicity. Not for show. For certainty.
“Sebastian Rusnak is about to lose everything,” Viktor says softly. “His name. His freedom. His life—if I choose.”
“No,” I breathe. “You can’t—”
“I can,” he cuts in. “And your involvement—your little affair five years ago—made this far easier than I expected.”
Tears burn my eyes.
This is my fault.
Sebastian is being hunted because of me. Because of an old wound I never healed. Because I let my pride, my pain, my need for revenge blind me.
“No,” I whisper. “I won’t let you do this.”
Viktor’s mouth curves. Amused. Certain. “And how exactly do you plan to stop me?”
I force out a slow breath, like I’m conceding. Like the fight has drained out of me. My gaze flicks around the warehouse—corners, shadows, exits—just enough to sell the fear.
“Okay,” I say quietly. “I’ll give you more information. Real information. Something you can actually use to bring him down.”
His eyes sharpen.
“But you let me go,” I add quickly. “And you don’t mention my name again. You don’t drag me into this. Ever.”
For a moment, he studies me. Then he smirks, victory already settling into his bones.
“Tell me,” he says. “And I’ll let you go.”
I know he’s lying. He’s a bloody fucking liar. But he doesn’t need to know that I know.
I motion for him to come closer, my shoulders folding inward, my voice dropping.
“Not so loud,” I murmur. “What if someone hears?”
He steps in.
Closer.
Close enough that I can smell his cologne. Close enough that my fear turns sharp and electric.
I drive my knee up into his groin with everything I have.
He howls, folding in on himself. The knife slips from his fingers and clatters against the concrete.
I dive for it—but he lunges too, pain slowing him but not stopping him.
That’s all I need to know.
I turn.
And run.
My lungs burn as I burst through the warehouse doors into the gravel lot, cold air slicing into me—and I slam straight into a hard chest.
