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“Lie on your back and think of the family. That’s what my uncle said.”

Silence crashes through the office.

My laugh comes out thin. “But now I think I was supposed to come here to die.”

Orien turns to stone beside me.

Ash’s lips part. “What⁠—”

“If you all received a tip that I was a spy, and you had dealt with me the way my family would have, by killing me inside Blue Note territory during rising tensions...” I shake my head. “My death would have handed Uncle Mikhail the kind of excuse he needed to wipe you out.”

“Jesus Christ,” Ash mutters.

A shadow passes over Ghost. “That’s one hell of a spark to throw into dry tinder.”

“Either way, I don’t think my uncle expected me to come back from this mission.” I square my shoulders and turn to Rowan. “But bonding with Orien changes the board.”

I force myself to sit straighter despite the ache in my body. “If Alexei views this as a political union instead of betrayal, there’s still a chance to stop this before it turns into a war.”

Ghost exchanges a look with Rowan.

Ash is the one who asks the question hanging over the room. “And if your uncle gets to Alexei first?”

Ice slides down my spine. If Mikhail gets in Alexei’s ear first, then my brother won’t be open to a political explanation. He’ll be preparing for war.

My pulse starts pounding hard enough to aggravate my fresh Marks as I pull my phone from my pocket and unlock it with suddenly clumsy fingers.

“I need to call him.”

Orien straightens beside me, while Rowan leans forward, his elbows on his knees.

I pull up Alexei’s contact, hit dial, and put it on speaker.

The call doesn’t even ring before an automated message cuts in.

“The number you are trying to reach is unavailable.”

A cold knot forms in my stomach.

“No.”

I try again.

“The number you are trying to reach is unavailable.”

“Your brother’s blocked you, trouble.”

The room goes deathly still around me.

Ash swears under his breath.

“He wouldn’t do that.” The denial feels fragile as I stare down at the screen. “Alexei wouldn’t block me.”

But as I say it, another realization slams into me, and bile rises in my throat. “I’m supposed to pick up the drugs tomorrow to plant in the Blue Note. If I miss the pickup without warning, the family will realize I’m no longer following the plan.”

Pity fills his eyes as he smooths a hand over my head. “Afraid it’s too late for that. If your brother’s blocked you, he’s already decided you’re compromised.”

My stomach drops. “We’re screwed.”