Page 117 of Power & Punishment

Usually, I find his riddles charming, but today, it feels like a warning dressed up like advice. Advice that I don’t need.

My jaw clicks from clenching it too tight. I take a deep breath and say, “And what would you know about that?”

“I know from experience. It’s the only reason I’m still sitting where I am. And you’re where you are.”

“I get it, Adrian,” I say, clicking my tongue. “This is your way of telling me to stay in my lane. Message received.”

He shakes his head before taking a slow sip from his coffee cup, forcing me to wait until he’s done. “You’re underestimating how quickly things can spiral. One wrong move and…” He trails off, not bothering to finish.

My fingers curl into a fist on my lap. “Then it’s a good thing I don’t make wrong moves.”

“Well, that’s not exactly true, now is it,” he says, his eyes glittering with a hidden meaning.

Does he know about last night?

He can’t.

Right?

I push to my feet again, tired of his lackluster responses. “We’re done here.”

Adrian doesn’t stop me this time. He just watches like he always does.

“I was being sincere when I said I like Emilia,” he says, making me stop just short of the door. “It would be a shame if anything happened to her. She would’ve made a good addition to Enzo’s payroll.”

Silence fills the room as I grip the door handle. Every muscle in my back shifts painfully as I attempt to keep myself turned away from him.

“Noted,” I mutter, any semblance of control completely gone.

My mind can barely keep up with the rest of my body, as I push myself out the door and through the maze of offices. Once I hit the street, my phone is out and dialing Mia’s burner before I hit the first stair.

It rings.

Once.

Twice.

Each time she doesn’t answer, my stomach churns.

And then when I get her voicemail, I hang up and call again.

Nothing.

Panic sweats through my suit, but I don’t stop calling.

She needs to be okay.

Adrian’s threats can’t be real.

I need to get to her now.

34

MIA

“Why are we meeting here?” Keith asks, spinning around one of the abandoned warehouses Vince and Dante used to use.

“I couldn’t work in Dante’s office. The man is a pig,” I say, keeping my head pointed toward my makeshift evidence board.