I am. I didn’t even notice.
I force myself to breathe. “I’m fine.”
“You keep saying that,” Ricky mutters. “Starting to sound like a lie.”
He’s right. It is a lie. But it’s the only one I have.
I yank my arm away and head for the door. Behind me, I hear them arguing; should they follow, should they let me go, what the hell is wrong with me.
Everything.Everything is wrong with me.
Outside, the pre-dawn air bites at my skin. I run. My boots slap against wet pavement, lungs burning, ribs screaming. I don’t stop. Even when I know I’m being followed, I divert and lose the tail.
Gabriel’s house looms ahead, all stone and shadow and secrets buried in the foundation.
The gates are open.Waiting.
I slow to a walk, force my breathing steady. Can’t let him see me rattled. Can’t give him that satisfaction.
Emir meets me at the door. His expression is unreadable.
“He’s in his office,” he says quietly. “And he’s not happy.”
“When is he ever?”
Emir’s jaw tightens. “Ayla—”
“Save it.” I push past him.
The walk to Gabriel’s office feels like miles. My heart pounds in my ears, drowning out everything else.
I don’t knock.
Gabriel sits behind his desk, fingers steepled, eyes cold. Two of his men flank the door behind me. I hear it click shut.
Trapped.
“You’re late,” he says.
“Traffic.”
His hand slams down on the desk. I flinch—can’t help it.
“Don’t fuck with me, Ayla. Give me all the intel you have.”
I lift my chin. “I don’t have any.”
“You don’thaveany?” He stands, moves around the desk. “So spend the night at Korsakov’s apartment to get fucked and have nothing for me?”
My blood runs cold.
“Don’t be a whore for free Ayla” He stops inches from me. “If that’s what you want to be, I have men who would line up and hollow you out.”
I swallow hard. “I didn’t fuck him, he didn’t touch me or give me intel.”
“No?” He grabs my jaw, forces me to look at him. “Then why were you there so long?”
“He kept me out of rain, that’s all.”
