Page 235 of Inferno

Disgust crawls over my skin.

"Not until I see my daughter," Declan bites out.

Vlad shifts his gaze to Declan, a twisted grin forming on his face. "You think you’ve won, don’t you? With your snipers, your Russian friends, and what’s this… a little Italian flavor?"

He steps closer. Declan doesn’t flinch.

"Wow. Déjà vu, right, princess?"

He pulls a small black device from his pocket. My stomach knots.

"I don’t need games anymore," Vlad sneers. "No chocolate factories. No riddles. I’ve got the one thing that still makes her kneel locked in that van."

His lips curl, finger twirling in the air like he’s spinning fate itself. "Rigged to explode. I press this button, it all goes boom. Then you two can share what’s left of her."

"You motherfucker," I scream, lunging at him, but Declan’s arm shoots out, steel-strong, holding me back.

"And if I kill you?" Declan challenges. "What good are your bombs then?"

Vlad chuckles, the sound pure poison. "Emil’s got a switch, too. Eyes on everything. One wrong move, she’s ash. But I’m reasonable. Let’s make a clean trade. I get my wife, you get your daughter. No one else dies."

I clench my fists behind my back to hide the tremble.

"Let me see my daughter," I say, voice calm, razor-sharp. My insides quake. But he ignores me, setting his sights only on Declan.

"Declan, do we have an agreement?"

I look up at him. His throat bobs as he swallows hard. His eyes meet mine, I can see he’s torn. He doesn’t want to do this. But he knows what needs to happen. So do I.

"Please, Declan. Our promise." My voice breaks.

Vlad will sleep just fine if he murders Isabella. I won’t survive that.

Declan closes his eyes and inhales slowly. I can tell it’s cutting him apart.

"Thermal confirms she’s there, baby," he whispers.

"Do it, Declan."

"This isn’t how our story ends, heartbreaker," he whispers.

I slide my hand into his and squeeze tight.

"I know," I whisper. "The prince is coming to save the queen."

His brow furrows in confusion.

"Ask Isabella to tell you the story."

One last squeeze, and I let go. The worst kind of letting go.

I turn to Vlad with fury in my eyes. I will never let him see my fear.

"Well?" he barks.

"Yes, deal," Declan replies.

"Enzo can’t cut Emil’s feed. Can’t trace him," Declan mutters, leaning into me.

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