Page 60 of Veil of Secrets

He nods once.

“It matters if you say no.”

I take that in. Let it settle.

People used to leave me bleeding.

Nico steps in, blade first.

That matters.

I won’t say it.

But it matters.

I glance down at the body. Still twitching. But only barely.

“He was waiting,” I say. “Vince knew what he was doing.”

“Marco’s dog,” Nico replies. “Sent to see if the poison stuck.”

I exhale sharply. “Did it?”

“No.”

I study him.

Nico doesn’t look away.

I nod once. Step toward the edge of the roof. Look down at the lot where cars keep pulling in and out like the city doesn’t care who lives or dies upstairs.

It doesn’t.

I turn back to him.

“We keep doing this, you and me—” I gesture to the body, to the trail of blood stretching back to the stairs, “—better not be for nothing.”

His expression doesn’t change.

“It’s not.”

He says it too fast to be anything but real.

The wind catches my hair, whips it across my cheek. I don’t push it back. I want the sting.

Nico steps forward. Stands in front of me.

Close.

Close like before, but sharper now. Less heat. More edge.

I lean into it anyway.

“What do we call this?” I ask.

He doesn’t blink.

“Ours.”

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