Chapter 2

I leaned against the wall, the cold brick a small comfort.

Sophia' s words echoed in my mind, each one a fresh stab.

"Like a stray dog."

My mind flashed back.

South America, a hostage rescue. Derek, green and cocky, nearly got us all killed by rushing a barricaded room.

I' d pulled him out by his collar, saving his worthless hide.

Afterward, Sophia hadn' t thanked me for saving her brother.

She' d accused me of not "coddling" him enough, of being too harsh.

"He's sensitive, Alex," she'd said, her eyes cold. "You need to guide him, not break him."

Another memory surfaced.

A corporate security summit last year. Pops Washington, an old-timer, a veteran who' d seen it all, pulled me aside.

"Watch yourself with the Vances, son," he' d mumbled, smelling of stale coffee and cigarettes.

"They use people. You' re a sharp tool to them, nothing more. Once you' re dull, or they find a sharper one…"

He never finished. The next day, Pops was reassigned.

A remote monitoring post in Alaska. Siberia of the corporate world.

I' d dismissed it as office politics, Sophia' s father protecting his interests.

Now, I saw it clearly. Pops was trying to warn me.

Sophia' s manipulation wasn' t new. It was a long game, and I' d been her prize pawn.

The Vances. They weren't just ruthless in business, they were ruthless in everything.

My life, my career, my safety – all expendable for their convenience, their power.

The pain in my shoulder flared, a sharp reminder of my current reality.

I couldn' t stay here. Sophia's betrayal meant this was the most dangerous place I could be.

I pulled out my burner phone, the one I kept for emergencies like this.

Only one name I could call.

Mac.

His voice was a lifeline. "Alex? You okay? I've been trying to reach your primary."

"Compromised," I said, my voice hoarse. "All of it. Sophia… she' s in on it. Selling my location."

A harsh curse on the other end. "That bitch. Knew she was bad news. Where are you?"

"Georgetown. Near her place. Took a hit, shoulder."

"Stay put if you can, find cover. I' m mobile. ETA twenty minutes. We' ll get you out, figure out a new identity. You can' t trust anyone connected to the Vances."

"I know," I said. The words felt like ash in my mouth.

The Vances wanted me broken, begging.

A chained house dog, as Sophia implied.

No. If I was going down, I was going down fighting, free.

I pushed myself off the wall, ignoring the searing pain.

Time to disappear.