Page 204 of Inferno

Conan nudges him.

Declan shoots him a look. “I’m fine. You might need it after I knock you out, though.”

“Brotherly love,” Mikhail rumbles with a laugh. “Me and Nikolai are the same.”

Declan chuckles. “Charlotte, this is Mr. Volkov.”

A chill ripples down my spine as I meet Mikhail’s gaze.

“Charlotte,” he says, voice like cold thunder. “I heard it was you who eliminated the last of my father’s men?”

Declan tenses beside me.

“Yes,” I say.

Mikhail nods once. “Good work.”

Enzo clears his throat, flipping open my notes.

“Excellent intel. But one name is missing.”

My chest tightens.

“Drago,” Enzo says.

I glance at Declan. He nods.

“Drago,” I repeat, louder.

“Why exclude him?”

I bounce my leg and Declan clamps down on it.

“Because he’s the only one in there I trust. I won’t let anything happen to him.”

Enzo trades a look with Mikhail.

“Seems we share a contact.”

Mikhail’s tone drops. “Be very careful owing that man a debt.”

My jaw tightens. Drago’s complicated, yes. But he’s protected me for a decade. He’s not the enemy.

“For me, there is no debt,” I say quietly.

Enzo doesn’t look convinced. “We’ll see.”

“We need Drago,” Declan jumps in. “He’s the only way to get to Vlad.”

Finn frowns. “Why?”

Conan cracks his knuckles. “We talking bombs? Guns? Knives?”

“No!” I slam my hands on the table. The room stills.

Declan just smirks like this is normal.

“My daughter is in that house,” I say, voice steady. “She is our mission. Get her out. Safely.”

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