Page 78 of Bride of Vengeance

"The real Plan B, not the one where you kill everyone?"

"Mila releases everything she's found to every major news outlet simultaneously. Harrison will be too busy defending himself to come after us."

"That might not be enough."

"It will have to be." I tighten my arms around her. "It will be enough to at least raise doubts about his reputation and subject him to an investigation, It will at least be enough to raise doubts about their reputation and subject them to an investigation. Andif that happens, we can help them gather more evidence, the kind they find undeniably credible."

She props herself up on an elbow, looking down at me in the darkness. "What's really Plan A?"

"You know Plan A."

"No, I mean your plan. The one you're not telling me about."

Sometimes her perception is inconvenient. "If Harrison threatens you, if he does so much as touches you inappropriately, I extract you immediately. Confession or not."

"Mikhail—"

"Non-negotiable. You're my wife, you're carrying my child, and those two things matter more than justice, revenge, or clearing our names. You’ll be angry with me. But you'll be alive, which is better than the alternative."

She's quiet for a long moment. Then: "I love you."

"Even though I'm an overprotective caveman?"

She kisses me in response, long and deep. "Tomorrow, we will end this."

"Tomorrow," I agree.

But as she falls asleep against me, I run through my real Plan A—the one I haven't told anyone. If Harrison threatens my family, if he puts Mariana or our baby at risk, I'll kill him myself. Slowly. Painfully.

Justice is a luxury for people who can afford to wait for it.

I'm not one of those people. Not when it comes to her.

Tomorrow I'll be ready for whatever comes.

Chapter sixteen

Playing the Part

Mariana

The federal building looms above me like a glass and steel tombstone. Everything about today has to be perfect—every word, every reaction, every tell. Harrison thinks he's meeting a desperate fugitive. He needs to believe he's winning.

"You're clear," Mikhail's voice comes through the earpiece, barely a whisper. "Harrison's on fifteen. Six guards, just like we expected. Remember—"

"I know," I murmur, pretending to check my phone. "Sell the desperation. Make him believe I'm breaking."

The lobby security is chaos—metal detectors screaming at everyone who passes through. Mila's interference workingexactly as planned. The guards look overwhelmed, waving people through with cursory checks.

"Federal Agent Castillo," I tell the desk guard, using my real name. We need Harrison to think I'm too desperate to hide, that I feel safe here.

His eyes widen. "Ma'am, you're—you're wanted for—"

"Call Deputy Director Harrison. He's waiting for me, I'm here to make a deal."

The elevator ride feels endless. Every floor is another layer of the performance I'm about to give. I think about those thirty-nine women Harrison sold, about Mikhail’s sister, about my mother he threatened. This has to work.

Harrison's waiting in the conference room, looking exactly like what he is—a snake in an expensive suit. His presence had always caused me a certain discomfort, rejection, but I attributed it to his position. Now I know my instinct was right.