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“We need to be quick,” I snap. “What if we’re stuck waiting for the elevator?”

My nerves are taut, panic threatening to grip me.

“Do you have the recording devices ready?”

Owen shakes his head in confusion. “I thought we were just going to use our phones. You didn’t mention anything abou⁠—”

“It’s fine,” I huff. “Remember, we’re going to get him talking. Now, just wait.”

I move fast so I don’t give myself time to think about what I’m doing. Yaro leans against the wall, looking at me with shark-like eyes. He’s not outright hostile, but he’s not friendly either.

In the apartment, I find Rosa, Sasha, and the two girls in the living room. Luckily, it’s the weekend, so there’s a reason for the girls to be here and not at school. But we won’t be able to hold off the questions forever.

I take Sasha and Rosa aside. They both look shell-shocked, drained by this experience. My heart is thumping and a warning alarm is screaming in my head. But I choose to ignore it.

“I need your help,” I tell them, glancing over at Zoe and Michaela. Zoe smiles at me, and I wave back. They’re working on a play for their toys, it seems. Zoe’s so imaginative. “This is going to sound nuts,” I go on, “but you need to trust me. Okay? Please?”

They exchange a look.

“Please?” I press.

They turn back to me. I can read their expressions, see how erratically I must be behaving. I’m doing this for them. For Nikolai. I’m doing this so we can all go back to normal.

Finally, they nod. “We’ll help you,” Rosa says. “Of course, we will. But with what?”

I turn to the girls, raising my voice. “Who wants to play a game?”

They leap up, happy and bright and oblivious. “Me, me!”

I wait behind the door, dressed and ready to go, sneakers tied tightly. Sasha and Rosa looked shocked when I explained what I wanted them to do. The girls were excited, delighted at the idea that they got to be as loud as they possibly could. I breathe slowly, trying not to think, to panic.

Soon, I’ll be face to face with the man who thinks he can send people to my baby girl’s school, the man who thinks he can ruin my life.

Finally, they all start screaming. Loud. Like they’re in serious danger.

The door bursts open, and Yaro rushes down the hallway. I quickly slip out. Owen is already in the hallway. We rush to the staircase and run down as fast as we can. I run across the street and get into my car, starting the engine, looking at the apartment to see if Yaro is following.

I told them to keep screaming until he found them. The girls think it’s a hilarious form of hide-and-seek.

I pull away from the parking spot, screeching down the street, panic closing my throat. But I’m stronger than this. I’m not some helpless woman. I’m coming for blood.

“Call him. Arrange the meeting. It’s time to make him sing.”

“You need to slow down,” Owen says tightly.

“Just call him!”

I’m doing my best. But I’m also terrified and ready to get this over with.

I’m sorry, Nikolai. You don’t get to be the hero this time, baby.

CHAPTER 26

NIKOLAI

“So, he lives in a goddamn fortress, basically,” I grunt, stroking my hand along my chin.

Anton nods grimly from the other side of my desk. “Yeah, mansion with round-the-clock security. Our police contact says he’s got people on the payroll too?”