“He keeps pretending he's retired,” Dante grumbled.
Sophia smiled faintly. “And?”
“And Lark keeps reminding him he doesn't know how to sit still.”
Sophia studied her brother. “You're happy.”
He looked surprised she'd noticed. “I am.”
She nodded. “Good.” She meant it, too. After everything Dante had sacrificed to find her, he deserved happiness.Still, watching him build a family with Lark and Rocco stirred something painful inside her. They had escaped Keller and found love. Sophia had escaped Keller and only found nightmares.
Dante leaned forward. “STARR wants to move you today.”
Her entire body tensed. “No.”
“Soph—”
“No,” she said again, this time with a little more heat.
“They found evidence Keller's organization kept a secondary target list,” he said.
Cold spread through her chest. “A target list?”
“Yeah, a list of survivors,” Dante explained. He didn't sugarcoat it, and that was one of the things she appreciated most about her brother.
“Witnesses.” She said the word as though it felt foreign on her tongue.
“Former employees, too,” he said. “Anyone capable of identifying people connected to Keller's operation.”
She looked away because she already knew the truth. “And I'm on it.” Dante hesitated just long enough to let her know that she was right. “They wouldn't move me otherwise.”
“No.” His honesty hurt, but lying would've hurt more.
“I don't want protection,” she insisted.
“I know,” he breathed.
“You don't know,” she spat. Her voice sharpened. “You really don't.”
Dante lowered his eyes. “No, I don't.” Silence filled the room, and Sophia immediately regretted snapping at him.
“You didn't deserve that,” she breathed. “I’m sorry.”
“No.” He smiled sadly. “But I understand it.” She hated that too. He understood her now in ways no older brother ever should.
A knock interrupted them, and Sophia's heartbeat spiked. Dante stood immediately as two men entered the room. Neither wore a suit nor hospital scrubs, and Sophia knew immediately that they were agents.
The first was tall and broad-shouldered with closely cropped blond hair and calm blue eyes that seemed to assess every corner of the room without appearing obvious about it. The second leaned casually against the doorway with dark hair, gray eyes, and a crooked grin that suggested rules were merely recommendations. They were two completely different men, but she knew that they were both dangerous because they were both impossible to read.
Dante nodded toward them. “Jasper, Ronan.”
The blond man inclined his head. “Manzo.”
The dark-haired one smiled. “Good to finally meet you.”
Sophia looked between them. “Who are you?”
Jasper answered first. “Special Agent Jasper Kane.”
