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“The family one.”

“No. You’re playing your own.”

He smiles. “Aren’t we all?”

I think of Ella again.

I think of Delaney in Samson’s castle.

A door opened.

“She’ll be taken care of,” Cain finally says.

I swallow, grip his collar harder. “Is she dead?”

“No. But she’s taken care of.”

Fuck. I let Cain go.

I think of Samson when he finds out.

If Samson finds out Delaney has been hurt because Father ordered it and Cain authorized it, there may not be a Vexley empire left to shield.

Cain moves toward the door.

I step sideways, blocking him again. “We’re not done.”

“Yes, we are.”

“No. If Delaney is alive, tell me where she is.”

“You don’t need to know.”

“If Samson comes for us⁠—”

“When Samson comes for us,” Cain corrects.

My blood chills.

“When Samson comes,” Cain continues, “you do what you do best.”

“Which is?”

“Stand between the damage and the family.”

I want to hit him.

I don’t.

Not because he doesn’t deserve it.

Cain reaches for the door again. “Nate,” he says without looking back, “you don’t need to fixate on the details. Delaney. Samson. My go-between.”

“Your go-between? You mean you’re shoving your dirty work off on someone else?”

“Why the fuck should you care? None of this is where your attention belongs.”

“And where does it belong?”