Roman’s empire? That wasme.
My intel.
My body kept Ethan in check while Roman moved in.
Iplanted that map.Igot us inside.
They all forget that. But I don’t.
“I don’t know,” Miles mutters, rubbing the back of his neck. “Dante came out with a gun to Sean’s head. No idea where he got it.”
Roman turns to Sean, gaze sharpening. “Where’d he get the gun?”
Sean shrugs. “I was checking his bandage. He just… pointed it at me.”
Roman watches him too long. Somethingtightis happening behind those eyes, but Sean doesn’t blink. Doesn’t flinch.
What the hell is going on between them?
Why does Roman need him so badly?
“Who was there before you?” Roman asks.
Sean shakes his head. “No idea.”
“Bryn was.”
My blood freezes.
“What?” Roman’s tone shifts. He steps forward, eyes narrowing until he spots the one that spoke up.
One of the kids.
Roman points at him. “Come here.”
This fucking kid will ruin everything.
“What did you say?” Roman’s fury is visible in the way his veins pop on his forehead.
The kid flinches; he can’t be older than twenty.
“I saw Bryn in the army guy’s room. Before Doctor Sean went in,” he says, eyes darting toward me.
Roman turns to me. “Why were you there?”
He takes a step closer, but I don’t move. I won’t show him fear or regret.
“I went to tell him that if Aspen didn’t show, we had no reason to keep him alive,” I say calmly, chin raised, arms crossing tight over my chest. “I was trying to get something out of him. A location. A weakness.”
Roman stares me down, but I don’t blink.
He’s trying to read me, catch some flicker of guilt, but I’ve lied to people far more dangerous than him. I lied to my family. To the BloodHawks. To Aspen.
Roman will only see what Iwanthim to see.
“Did anyone here give him a gun?” Roman asks, sweeping the group.
Silence.
