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“And Maurice?” he asked.

“Maurice doesn’t know about The Broker,” Code said. “Or if he does, he’s never met him. He thinks he’s working for investors. Event sponsors. He’s useful because he believes just enough of the lie.”

“And if he’s arrested?” I asked.

Simon’s mouth curved without humor. “He’ll be shocked. Offended. Cooperative. And utterly disposable. Nash will have only cut off the tip of one tentacle of this operation.”

The room went quiet and all eyes turned to me.

“What?” I turned to Zarek. “What is everybody thinking that I’m not going to like?”

“I found out they’re down a fighter,” Code said softly. “They’ve got feelers out with all of their recruiters to find someone, quick.”

Zarek went still.

My heart slammed into my ribs. “You don’t mean⁠—”

“We mean Zarek,” Code said bluntly.

“No,” I said, pushing back from the table. “Absolutely not.”

Zarek turned to me and squeezed my hand, hoping I’d understand. Yeah, that wasn’t going to happen. Then he turned to Simon. “Let’s talk about next steps. I should probably call Maurice and say I need money.”

Then it hit me. I knew what needed to happen next, and it would make Zarek’s head explode.

“That’s part of what needs to happen, yeah.” Roan agreed.

Zarek frowned. “What else?”

None of the men responded.

“What am I missing?” Zarek asked again.

“Leverage,” Jase finally answered. “There is no way that they will have you get into the ring in Memphis unless they have leverage. Unless they can whisper in your ear about someone you love dying unless you kill the other guy.”

Zarek looked around the table, and finally his eyes fell on me. “I won’t do it,” he said. “We have to find another way to get to The Broker.”

I thought about saying something snarky. Something about a goose and a gander, but I held back. Instead, I pictured a young couple. A pregnant girl named Emily being told that her husband wasn’t coming home.

“You know Simon will keep me safe,” I whispered. “Hell, he probably won’t even let me drive my Miata because he thinks I’ll end up in a wreck.”

“You’ll have to turn over your keys, first thing. You drive like a maniac,” Simon said seriously. Then he turned to Zarek. “It’s a good plan. Solid. Not only the five of us, we’ve got Kai, Beau, Ford, Renzo, Graham and Michael that we can pull in at any moment. She’ll be protected seven ways to Sunday.”

“Then how will they get their leverage, if they don’t take her?” Zarek’s question was reasonable.

“All they have to do is get a few photos of her close-up at the grocery store, the library, in her apartment, and show them to you. That’d do the trick, now wouldn’t it?”

I held my breath.

“Okay, I’ll call Maurice as soon as you get everyone in place to cover her, not a minute before that. You said the fight was this coming weekend. I’m assuming Saturday?”

Roan nodded.

Five days. We had five days before The Broker would expect Zarek to step into the ring. I ignored the hint of nausea roiling around inside me.

They started talking next steps, and I let their words wash over me. The part of my brain that needed to be engaged was there, listening. Comprehending. But me? The real Chloe was still holding onto Zarek’s hand, as if it was the only thing tethering me to Earth.

I couldn’t lose that.