Lily touched the silver bracelet on her wrist.
It looked delicate. Pretty. Innocent.
But hidden inside the tiny clasp was a memory chip Cass had protected for seven years. The evidence Marcus’s sister had died trying to preserve.
Names. Transfers. Orders. Recordings. Enough to burn down every empire built on lies.
Victor Malone, forgotten by everyone for a moment, tried to crawl toward the back exit.
Cass glanced at him.
“Stay.”
He stayed.
The tallest man’s smile faded. “You can’t protect them all, Cassandra.”
Cass looked around the restaurant.
At the terrified guests. At Rini holding Lily close. At Marcus Castellano, a dangerous man suddenly faced with the last living piece of his sister’s legacy.
Then she looked back at the men who had hunted her.
“I don’t have to protect everyone forever,” she said. “Just long enough.”
Outside, sirens began to wail.