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Maria snorted. "I've known you for twenty years, so don’t play innocent with me." She disappeared into the hallway.

The bedroom door clicked shut, and Lily buried her face in Soren's shoulder. "I can never look her in the eyes again."

He chuckled. "You will. Maria is fine with us being together, babygirl.”

"I don't think I will." She looked up at him. "How can you be so calm?"

"Because everyone in this house has been waiting twenty years for me to smile again, and now that you’re here, I have a reason to do so.”

Her heart squeezed. "You don't smile very often."

"I didn't." He looked down at her. "But then you showed up."

Before she could answer, every phone in the suite vibrated simultaneously. Soren's expression changed instantly. The warmth disappeared from his face. He pulled his phone from his pocket and read the message, and his jaw clenched.

"What is it?" she asked quietly.

He looked toward the bedroom windows before meeting her eyes. "They found the second witness."

"And?” she asked.

"She’s disappeared."

The room suddenly felt much colder, because if Soren couldn't find the other witness first, someone else would.

Chapter Twelve

Soren

Soren Kane had built an empire by preparing for the worst. It was why he was still alive. It was why the people under his protection were alive. Preparation beat luck every single time. So when his phone vibrated with Luca's message, he knew before he even opened it that luck had just run out.

SECOND WITNESS IDENTIFIED.

He read the message twice before locking the screen. Across the room, Lily carefully unpacked the last of her belongings into the dresser beside his. She hummed softly under her breath. It was the first time he'd ever heard her hum. The simple sound tightened something in his chest. She was beginning to feel at home, and someone wanted to take that away from her. He wasn’t going to let that happen, though.

"Babygirl."

She looked over her shoulder and smiled at him. "Everything okay?"

"No, it’s not,” he admitted.

She closed the dresser drawer. "Do you have to go?"

"I do."

She nodded. "I'll stay here."

"I know you will."

She walked over until she stood directly in front of him. "I'll be waiting for you to come home." Soren leaned down and kissed her forehead. It wasn't planned, but nothing about Lily had been part of his plan.

"I won't be long,” he promised.

She smiled. "Go save the world."

"The world can wait." He brushed his thumb across her cheek. "You can't." He leaned down to kiss her, leaving her with every promise that he wanted to make to her, but that would all have to wait until he finished with business.

The command center was already alive when Soren stepped inside. Monitors covered one wall. Radio traffic filled the room, and guards moved with practiced efficiency. Luca looked up the moment Soren entered.