Morning light poured through the floor to ceiling windows and spread across the cold grey marble floor. Pale. Like an operating room light.

Avery sat up, her body aching. Her eyes swept the room.

No photos. No plants. No decoration at all. Grey white walls, metal trim. So empty it made her chest tighten.

Last night's memories crashed back. She took a deep breath and pushed the door open.

Sensor lights in the hallway flicked on as she walked, then died behind her. Every door looked the same. Quiet. Endless. Like being sealed off from the world.

At the end of the hall, two black suited guards blocked her way.

"Mr. Kessler said you shouldn't wander around."

Avery stopped. "I need access to Mr. Kessler's complete medical records. I can't make a treatment plan without his full history and medication records. That means going back to my clinic-"

"Anything your clinic has, we have here."

The guard cut her off.

"And any resource Mr. Kessler needs for treatment? We have it here too. Just tell us what you need."

Her fingertips went cold. All the arguments she'd prepared died on her tongue.

After changing, the guards led her to the study.

The study was dim. Dominic leaned back in a leather chair, dark circles under his eyes. A coin turned slowly between his fingers.

When he heard her footsteps, he didn't even look up.

"Come here."

Avery walked over. Her phone sat on the desk, sealed inside a clear plastic bag.

She reached for it. His hand landed on the bag first.

"My caretaker might call the police if she can't reach me."

"The police?" He finally looked up, eyes sliding over her face. "Are you threatening me?"

"Stating a fact."

He stared at her for a few seconds. Then he smiled. The smile didn't reach his eyes. He tapped the bag lightly with his fingers.

"Fine. You can call." He tilted his chin toward a small black box on the corner of the desk. A red light glowed on it. "Speaker. I want to hear every word."

He leaned back. The coin started spinning again. "After you're done, you're going to tell me why you planted a listening device in my car last night."

The air froze for a heartbeat.

Avery's face didn't change, but her heart dropped. He knew. He'd known all along.

She was silent for three seconds. Then she tore open the bag, turned on speaker, and dialed her caretaker, Kate.

"Avery! Where are you-" Kate's voice cracked, like she'd been crying.

"Kate, listen." Avery cut her off. "I have an urgent project. I'll be gone a few days. Follow Protocol Three for the 'patient.' Tell Julian I'll pay the fees on time."

"Got it, but someone came by today..." Kate lowered her voice. "Said he was your colleague. Asked which school Dorothea goes to. I didn't tell him, but he waited downstairs for a long time before leaving."

Avery's fingers tightened on the phone. "What did he look like?"

"Mask and hat. I couldn't see his face. Avery, I'm scared-"

"Follow the protocol. Don't open the door."

She hung up.

She set the phone down and looked up. Dominic's eyes were on her.

"A child?" His eyes narrowed."I planted the device because my mentor told me to." Avery took a deep breath. "He said your previous treatments all fell through. He needed to know your real condition."

"You think I believe that?"

"You don't have to. But it's the truth."

"Wenger." He repeated the name like he was tasting it. "Your mentor. The one who recommended you to me."

"Yes."

"So he planned to use you as a pawn from the start?"

"I'm not a pawn." Avery's voice steadied.

"I agreed to the listening device because I need to track your progress. A patient who won't cooperate? The best treatment plan in the world is worthless. I need data. Not his trust."

Dominic watched her for a long moment. Then he stood, walked around the desk, and stopped right in front of her.

"Interesting." He tilted his head down, voice low.

"But I don't like being played for a fool. I'll deal with Wenger. As for you-"

He stepped closer.

"The listening device? You owe me one."

Avery didn't move back. "How do I pay it back?"

"You'll find out soon enough." He stepped away. "Now go get ready. First official treatment starts in ten minutes."

He turned toward the door. As he passed her, he paused.

"And by the way. What's Protocol Three?"

Avery didn't answer.

He didn't wait. He pushed the door open and walked out.

Footsteps echoed down the hall, then faded.

Avery stood there, palms slick with cold sweat.

Protocol Three was the last line she'd left for her caretaker. When Dorothea's episodes became uncontrollable, use a strong sedative and lock the door from the outside. The last resort she never wanted to use. The only way to keep her daughter from hurting herself.

But right now, her mind was stuck on something else.

The person in the mask. The one who asked about Dorothea's school.

She turned. Her eyes caught the corner of the desk. The little red light was still on.

Recording.

Every word she'd said since walking in had been recorded. Including the part where she admitted to the listening device.

The door opened again.

Dominic stepped back in, tossed a folder on the desk, and stayed in the doorway.

"You said you need data." He paused.

"That's Wenger's medication and lab records from the last seven years. Look at page thirty eight."

He didn't explain further. He left.

Avery stared at the folder. She walked over and opened it.

Page thirty eight.

Just one black and white photo. Poorly printed. An interior shot of a lab. A row of numbered tags hung on the wall. Her eyes landed on one of them.

030.

Her fingers stopped moving.

030... She'd seen that number somewhere in Julian's records too.

She didn't have time to figure out what it meant. She flipped straight to the last page.

Unlike the others, this page had no photos. Even the table was handwritten. Neat handwriting.

Three columns: Name, Number, Notes.

Her eyes scanned down and stopped on the seventh row.

Avery St. Clair.

She thought she'd misread. She brought the folder closer and looked again.

No mistake. The birthday matched too. That was her.

The Number column was blank. The Notes column had four words: Candidate A.

Next to it, smaller handwriting, darker ink than the rest. Like it had been added later.

"Blood match rate 99.7%. Unique antibody profile. Can neutralize residual compounds in Subject 047. Recommend long term observation. Do not eliminate."

The back of her neck went numb. The numbness crawled down her spine.

Avery stared at those words. A ringing sound filled her ears. Everything in the study felt far away. Only those words stayed, burned into her eyes.

What did all this mean?

She had no idea.

But her hands were already shaking. She didn't notice until the edge of the folder cut her fingertip. A thin red line.

BANG-!

A dull blast ripped through the air. The whole hallway trembled. The floor to ceiling windows cracked with a sound that made her teeth ache. Avery dropped to the ground on instinct, arms over her head.

The folder fell from her hands. The last page flipped face up, pinned under shattered glass.

"Everyone, on guard!"

The ringing drowned out everything.

Red emergency lights flickered on and off. Smoke filled the hallway. Guards shouting. Gunshots. Footsteps. All of it blending together.

A hand reached down from above and grabbed Avery's wrist. The grip was so hard she stumbled forward.

"Get up."

Dominic's voice came from above her. He wasn't looking at her.

He pulled her deeper into the hallway. Avery had no choice but to follow. Her medical bag slipped from her hand. She instinctively tried to look back-

"Leave it."

He pushed open a door at the end of the hall, shoved her inside, and locked it behind him. The room was dark. A storage closet, maybe. The gunfire continued outside, muffled now by the walls.

Avery leaned against the wall, gasping for air. Dominic stood by the door with his back to her, listening.

Her eyes landed on his shoulder blades. His shirt was torn. A shallow cut bled beneath it, still seeping.

"You're hurt."

"A graze."

"I'm a doctor." Avery's voice steadied. "Let me see."

Dominic turned his head and looked at her. Emergency light slipped through the crack in the door, cutting a sharp line across his face.

"You're a psychiatrist."

"I'm an MD. I can handle a minor wound."

She stepped forward. Her knees felt weak, but her fingers didn't shake. She bent down and found the first aid kit in the corner, opened it, and pulled out antiseptic wipes and tweezers. Quick movements. Like she'd done it a thousand times.

Her eyes went back to his wound.

"It's not deep, but there might still be debris inside. If I don't clean it, it'll get infected."

He didn't sit. He just stayed against the wall and turned slightly, exposing the wound.

Avery stepped closer. When the antiseptic touched the cut, Dominic's muscles tensed for a second.

He didn't make a sound. Didn't even change his breathing. But she saw it. His fingers clenched once, then relaxed.

She used the tweezers to pull out a small piece of debris lodged near the surface. Small. Not deep. But when it came out, the blood flowed faster.

She stopped it quickly and bandaged the wound. As the gauze wrapped around his shoulder blade, her fingertips brushed his skin for a moment.

It was hot.

"Done."

She stepped back.

Dominic looked down at the bandaged wound and rolled his shoulder. The gauze didn't shift.

"That bullet," he said. "It was meant for you."

Avery looked at him and didn't answer right away.

Her mind was already working.

Meant for her? With explosives?

She wasn't a security expert, but she wasn't stupid. The villa's windows were bulletproof. The hallway had motion sensor lights. Every corner had cameras. If someone just wanted to kill her, one sniper bullet would have been enough.

The moment she walked out of the study would have been the perfect time.

Using explosives meant they wanted to cause chaos. They wanted to break through the house's defenses.

They wanted him.

She looked at Dominic.

"It wasn't meant for me," she said, her voice steady. "It was meant for you."

Dominic's gaze froze for a fraction of a second.

"I was just collateral damage," she went on. "Or maybe I'm a variable. Something they couldn't control."

The corner of his mouth twitched.

"You're smart."

"I'm a doctor. Doctors need logic."

He looked at her but didn't respond.

The gunfire gradually stopped. Dominic took a call, said a few words, then hung up and looked at her.

"Come with me."

He led her through the hallway into a windowless room. Grey walls. Metal table and chairs. Like an interrogation room. One table, two chairs. A camera on the wall.

He pressed a remote. A screen on the wall lit up. Security footage from every corner of the villa.

"Sit."

Avery didn't move. Her eyes were fixed on the dark screens.

"Three entry points blown." Dominic leaned against the table, watching her. "Two bulletproof windows shattered. They used military grade explosives."

Her fingertips went cold.

The door opened. Drake walked in and placed a phone on the table.

"Boss, we just intercepted an encrypted order." He kept his head down. "Sent to East Pier. Someone's telling them to tamper with your shipment tonight."

Dominic's eyes darkened. "Source."

"The signal came from north of the city. Same encryption as the warehouse incident last time."

"Stay on it. Don't alert them."

Drake nodded and left.

Avery stood there and heard the whole conversation.

Explosion. East Pier. The same night.

She didn't say anything. But she put the two things together.

Right before Drake left, he paused. He pulled out a clear evidence bag and placed it on the table.

"Found at the explosion site. Dug it out of the wreckage. Doesn't belong to the villa."

Dominic glanced down and said nothing. After Drake left, he picked up the bag and emptied the contents onto the table.

A ring.

Black diamond. The letter D engraved on the inside.

The ring was old. The edges showed signs of wear, but it had been cared for.

Avery's breath stopped. She recognized this ring.

No. She wasn't sure it was the same one. But the one she remembered also had the same letter on the inside.

Something exploded in her head.

That night on the casino boat seven years ago. She had been drugged. Her memory was broken. A lot of things were blurry.

All she remembered was moonlight coming through the porthole, falling on the scar on the inside of the man's wrist.

Star shaped. Jagged edges. Raised slightly.

She had stared at that scar for a long time. She didn't know why she remembered it.

Later, he got up. A ring slipped off his finger and fell onto the sheets. She didn't make a sound. After he left, she picked it up and looked at it in her palm.

Black diamond. A letter on the inside.

D.

Avery had kept that ring. Not long after, she sold it.

Eight thousand dollars. The pawn shop owner looked at her like she was an idiot.

But that money paid for her brother's first round of treatment.

"You know this." Dominic's voice pulled her back.

"I've seen something like it."

"Where?"

She didn't answer. Her fingers were shaking. She hid her hands under the table, not wanting him to see.

Dominic watched her for a few seconds. His eyes slid from her face to her hands, hidden beneath the table. He paused for a moment.

Then he put the ring back in his pocket and didn't push.

"Today's attack. Wenger did it."

Avery's head snapped up. "My mentor?"

"Yes."

"He has no reason to-" She stopped. A huge contradiction flashed through her mind, like a thorn stuck in her throat. "If he wanted to kill you, why send me to treat you?"

Dominic looked at her. He didn't answer right away.

Silence stretched between them. She could hear the ticking of the clock on the wall.

"Don't you think that doesn't add up?" Avery's voice steadied. "He recommended me to take over his work. He sent me to treat you. And at the same time, he's blowing up your house. What does he actually want?"

"What do you think?"

"I don't know. But those two things don't fit together. The logic is wrong."

Dominic was quiet for two seconds. He tapped his finger on the table. Light. But in the silent room, it was sharp.

"How long have you known Wenger?"

"Six years."

"Do you think you know him?"

Avery didn't answer.

Six years. She had studied under him for her PhD. Done research. Written papers. He was her mentor. Her guide.

When she was struggling the most, he gave her a teaching assistant job so she could take care of her brother while studying.

But she really didn't know much about him...

Dominic's voice was flat. "Wenger isn't the man you think he is. He was my doctor for years. I trusted him. My medical records, my condition. He knew everything."

He paused.

"And then he had someone blow up my house."

Avery didn't speak. Her fingers gripped the edge of the table. Her knuckles were white.

"A doctor who worked for me for years suddenly wants me dead. Aren't you curious why?"

"Why?"

"Because someone's behind him." Dominic's voice went cold. "He's not the mastermind. He's just a pawn."

"Then why don't you just-"

"Just what? Kill him?" He cut her off. "The man is already dying. What's the point?"

Avery froze. "Dying?"

"Pancreatic cancer. Late stage. He doesn't have long."

She stared at him. A ringing sound filled her head. Wenger had never told her. His pale face. His shaking hands. His more frequent time off lately. All those details rushed back, snapping together like puzzle pieces.

"So you're keeping him alive to find out who's behind him."

"Yes."

"And me?" Avery's voice tightened. "Are you keeping me because I'm his pawn too?"

Dominic looked at her. He didn't deny it.

"You're his student. He trusts you. Or at least, he thinks he can control you. As long as you're here with me, he feels safe."

"So you're using me too."

"Yes." His tone was flat. "Just like he's using you."

Avery's fingernails dug into her palms. Pain spread from her palms to her wrists, but she didn't let go.

"I need Wenger's complete medical records," she said. "The one you had-"

"Destroyed in the explosion."

Her head snapped up. "What?"

"The archive room was in the blast zone. Most of the paper records burned." Dominic's voice didn't change. "The electronic backup is with Wenger. His server. His encryption. I can't get it."

Avery stared at him, trying to read his face. His expression was a wall. Nothing showed.

"You need the records to treat me," Dominic said. "Wenger has the records. If you want them, you have to go to him."

"You want me to go to Wenger?"

"Yes."

"You locked me in this house yesterday. I couldn't even walk down the hallway alone. And now you want me to willingly go to the man who just blew up your house?"

Her voice came out louder than she intended. She felt it. Her emotions were spilling over.

Dominic watched her. His expression didn't change, but she knew he was studying her.

"Do you have a better idea?"

She didn't answer. She didn't.

"Aren't you afraid I won't come back?"

Dominic looked at her for two seconds.

"You'll come back."

Avery fell silent.

She knew he was right. In this city, no one could escape his reach. Her brother was in the hospital. Her clinic was downtown. Her daughter-

Her daughter.

Her blood went cold for a moment.

Dominic pulled something from his pocket and tossed it onto the table. Her phone.

"Twenty four hours," he said. "Don't disappoint me."

He turned and walked toward the door.

Avery grabbed the phone. The screen lit up. More unread messages piled on top of each other. All from Kate, her caretaker.

The latest one, sent two minutes ago.

"Someone broke into the house. Dorothea has been taken."

Avery stared at those words. Her heart missed a beat. The phone nearly slipped from her hand.

Her head went blank. She headed for the door on instinct. A guard blocked her way.

She shoved the phone screen in his face. "My daughter was taken. If you stop me now and something happens, you can explain it to your boss."

The guard hesitated for a second. His radio crackled.

Dominic's voice came through. Just two words. "Let her go."

Avery ran out of the villa.

The door to her house was open. Kate sat on the couch. When she saw Avery walk in, she stood up and started crying. "Two men came. Said they were your colleagues from the clinic, here to check on the child. I let them in. And then Dorothea just-"

Avery didn't let her finish. She ran straight into her daughter's room.

The stuffed rabbit was still on the bed. Crayons scattered across the floor.

She spun around the room. On the windowsill, a piece of paper weighed down. Not Dorothea's handwriting.

"The child is safe. It's time for you to come find us."

She gripped the paper. Footsteps sounded outside the door.

"Dr. Clair. Come with us."

Avery was shoved into a car. The door slammed shut behind her.

The cabin was dark. Dominic sat across from her.

Before she could catch her breath, he spoke.

"Your daughter is with me."

Avery's fists clenched. "What did you say?"

"Wenger's men grabbed her. I intercepted them." Dominic's voice was flat. "She's fine."

She stared at him. Something surged up in her chest.

She lunged. Her fists hit his shoulder. Once. Twice. Dominic didn't move. He took the hits.

When she swung the third punch, he shot his hand up and caught both her wrists. He twisted them and pinned them against the seat back.

Avery's back hit the seat. She was stuck.

She struggled. Her wrists twisted in his grip. His fingers tightened. His knuckles ground against her bones. She sucked in a breath.

"Enough."

She didn't listen. She lifted her knee and drove it toward his stomach.

Dominic shifted sideways. He blocked her knee with his hand and pressed it down. Her leg got trapped between him and the seat. She couldn't move.

"Let me go—"

Avery yanked one hand free. Her nails raked toward his face. He turned his head. Her knuckles grazed his jaw. He grabbed the back of her neck and shoved her down against the seat.

Avery's neck was locked in his grip. She was on her back, looking up.

"Done?" His voice was low, right above her face.

She glared at him, chest heaving.

"You could have just taken her from the start. You didn't have to—"

"Would you have believed me?"

She said nothing.

Dominic let go. Avery fell back into her seat. Red marks circled her wrists. His fingerprints still burned on the side of her neck.

"What's the difference between you and Wenger?" She spat the words out.

Dominic turned to look out the window. He didn't answer.

"I'm bringing my daughter to the villa," she said.

"No."

She blinked. "You said she was safe—"

"Safe doesn't mean she moves in."

"Then I'm not seeing Wenger."

Silence filled the car for a few seconds.

"She can't leave your room," he said finally. "If she shows up in front of me, the deal is off."

"She's six. She won't—"

"She can't leave your room."

Avery stared at him. She knew this was the most he would give.

"Fine."

"Call Wenger. Tell him you're coming."

She picked up her phone. Her thumb hovered over the dial button. "When do I see my daughter?"

"After the call. Forty minutes."

She held his gaze. "You promise."

Dominic didn't answer. He just looked at her.

She made the call. Wenger's voice came through, rougher than usual.

"Avery."

She looked at Dominic. He mouthed speaker.

"I'm coming," she said.

Wenger paused. "Did you give him the shot?"

"Yes."

"Confirmed?"

Avery looked out the window. Six years. She had studied under him for her PhD. Done research. Written papers. He was the one who reached out when she had nothing.

"I watched him go down."

Wenger laughed. A soft sound.

"Good. Come to the warehouse. We'll talk about your daughter."

The line went dead.

"You lied to him." Dominic let out a short breath that was almost a laugh.

"You told me to." She didn't look at him.

The car turned. They were on the road to the warehouse.

"One more thing," Dominic said.

She looked at him.

"Your daughter is already at the villa."

Avery froze. "You said forty minutes—"

"That was for you."

The car stopped in front of the warehouse.

Avery pushed the door open and glanced back. Dominic sat in the shadows. He wasn't getting out.

She walked closer. Wenger sat in a wheelchair. His face was yellow.

"Is he dead?"

"Yes," Avery said.

Wenger stared at her.

"Your right hand," he said. "When you're nervous, you make a fist. You've done it since your first year in my PhD program."

She looked down at her right hand. Her fingers were clenched tight.

"Dorothea must be six now," Wenger said. "November birthday."

Avery's steps faltered.

She had never told Wenger her daughter's birthday.

"You looked into me."

"From the first day you came to me." Wenger coughed. "Why do you think I recommended you to treat Dominic?"

She didn't say anything.

"Dominic isn't dead. You came to buy time."

"You think your brother's medical records, your research, your license. All of it is in my hands?"

Wenger's mouth pulled to the side. It wasn't a smile. His expression was horrible.

"You're wrong. When I die, it all disappears. No one will find it. Not even him."

Avery's fingers loosened. Then clenched again.

"My best student." Wenger looked at her. "You picked the wrong side."

His hand slid off the wheelchair armrest. He pulled a wire.

Avery saw it. When she saw what it was connected to, her legs moved before her brain did.

"Run," Wenger yelled at her.

She turned and ran. Her footsteps echoed through the warehouse.

An explosion ripped through the air behind her. The shockwave hit her back. It threw her forward several steps. She crashed into the warehouse's metal door and squeezed through the gap, falling to the ground outside.

Ringing in her ears. The smell of smoke.

She pushed herself up on her hands and looked back at the warehouse.

Flames licked out through shattered windows.

Wenger was still inside.

Avery ran. Her legs were so weak she almost fell to her knees.

The dull blast still vibrated in her ears like a needle stuck in her brain. She couldn't pull it out.

She didn't dare look back. She ran a few steps, but her legs were shaking too hard.

Dominic's car was still there. He leaned against the door, looking down at his phone. When he heard her footsteps, he looked up.

Avery braced her hands on her knees and gasped for air. Her throat tasted like rust.

"You ran fast."

She kept her hands on her knees. "My mentor, he—"

"I figured."

"He said the records would disappear—"

Dominic nodded.

"He said I picked the wrong side—"

Dominic put his phone away and opened the car door. "You didn't."

She stood there, legs trembling. She wanted to say something else, but her head was full of Wenger's face. His last look. The wire.

When the car got back to Dominic's villa, Avery ran through the front door. She grabbed the nearest black suited guard.

"Where's my daughter?"

The man stared straight ahead. He didn't answer.

Avery let go and yelled, "Dominic! Where is my daughter?"

Her voice bounced off the walls. No Dominic.

"Dominic!"

She shouted again. Her voice cracked. Sharp and hoarse. Her breathing got faster. Her hands shook.

A moment later, she heard Dominic's footsteps behind her. He looked at her for a long time before finally answering.

"Mm."

"Where is my daughter."

She stared into his eyes. His eyes showed nothing. Just empty darkness.

He didn't say anything. He turned and walked deeper into the hallway. After a few steps, he stopped and looked back at her.

"Follow me."

Avery hurried after him, taking two steps at a time. She didn't know how long they walked. Her chest was about to explode.

He finally stopped in front of a door.

She tried to move past him to push it open. His arm came across, blocking her.

"Conditions first."

She pulled her hand back and stared at him. He leaned against the doorframe, looking down at her.

Avery's blood rushed to her head. She listened to her own heartbeat. Her fists clenched. She glared at him.

"Come to my room tonight."

"You're dreaming."

"Then try getting in." He stepped aside and gestured toward the door. Be my guest.

She stared at the door. Her daughter was right there.

She didn't know how long she had been in there. If she was scared. If she was crying.

She couldn't do anything except stand here and wait for this devil to say yes. She forced her tears back. She gritted her teeth and nodded once.

"...Fine."

The door finally opened.

Avery saw a small figure sitting on the floor. Dorothea had a pile of blocks in front of her. Her old, worn out stuffed rabbit was beside her.

The door creaked. The little girl looked up.

"Mommy."

Avery rushed over. She dropped to her knees on the floor and pulled Dorothea into her arms. The girl's body went stiff for a second. Then she softened and buried her face in Avery's neck.

Her daughter's breath touched her skin. Only then did Avery's shoulders relax.

She looked back. Dominic stood in the doorway. His gaze went past her and landed on the small figure.

Avery glared at him. She instinctively shielded the back of Dorothea's head with her hand.

"Ten o'clock," he said.

Dominic looked at her one more time, then closed the door for them and walked away.

Avery shut her eyes. Her chin rested on top of her daughter's head. Dorothea gripped her collar tight.

"Loud." Her voice was muffled against Avery's neck.

Avery pulled back and looked around the room.

Soundproof walls. Double paned glass.

"Not loud."

Dorothea shook her head. She pressed her hand against the wall. Her eyes fixed on something Avery couldn't see. A few seconds later, she pulled her hand back and pressed it to her own ear.

"Wall. Loud."

Avery stared at her. Words from the diagnostic report floated up in her memory. Sensory overload. She was listening to the house. It was breathing.

"Mommy." Dorothea looked up at her. She put her hand on Avery's chest. "You. Loud."

Avery looked down. Her heart was pounding.

In the study, the screens on the wall glowed. Security footage filled the panels. Dominic sat deep in his leather chair. His fingers rested on his knee.

"Boss."

Two knocks. Drake walked in.

"Wenger is still in the ICU. He hasn't woken up."

Dominic didn't move. "What did the doctors say?"

"No one knows when he'll wake up. Or if he will."

Drake paused. "Something happened with her brother. His primary doctor, Lin. He was picked up yesterday. He went willingly. No struggle."

Dominic's fingers stopped moving.

"There's more." Drake lowered his voice. "Two containers at East Pier got held up. The south side logistics route was tampered with too. Someone knew our timing. Knew the routes."

"How much did we lose?"

"Not a lot of money. But—" Drake stopped. "Someone inside is feeding information."

Dominic said nothing. He looked at the screens. The door on the east side of the third floor was closed. The light was on.

"Find them. Three days."

"Yes, sir."

Drake turned to leave.

"One more thing." Dominic's voice came from behind him. "East side of the third floor. Add a camera."

Drake didn't ask why. He acknowledged the order and left.

After she got Dorothea settled and asleep, Avery walked to Dominic's door with heavy steps. She checked the time. 9:59.

Her fingertips hovered over the door. She hesitated. Before she could knock, the door opened.

Dominic stood leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed. He wore a dark grey cotton set, sleeves rolled up to his forearms.

He didn't say anything. He just looked at her, like he had been waiting a long time. Or like he had known all along she wouldn't have the nerve to knock.

"Lock it," he said. Then he turned and walked inside.

Avery did as she was told. She followed him to the center of the room.

When she caught sight of the oversized bed, her fists clenched without thinking.

She watched Dominic's eyes slide from her face down to her clenched fists. He paused for a moment. Then his gaze moved up to her lips.

And then the devil smiled. A slow, dark smile.

By instinct, she turned and bolted. A muffled explosion erupted behind her.