Page 142 of Ruins
“Clear it,” I snap.
She falters. “But—”
“I said clear it,” I cut her off, my tone leaving no room for argument.
She stutters out a quick agreement as I shove open my office door and slam it behind me.
I need a minute to think.
Pouring myself a glass of whiskey, I slump into my leather chair, the city skyline stretching before me in the cold, indifferent night. The amber liquid swirls in my glass, untouched, my mind fracturing under the weight of everything.
Vasilisa knows about Scythe.
The QUEEN file will take months to crack.
We have a war on the horizon.
The problems keep stacking up.
And I feel my control slipping through my fingers.
Rubbing my temples, I try to prioritize.
First—Angelo. Our disagreement has to wait. We can’t afford to be divided when we need to set up a meeting with Kaya.
Next—Vasilisa. That has to be handled delicately. Her face flickers in my mind, soft and sweet—butafraid. Ofme.
I grit my teeth.
I can’t let that happen.I won’t.
The shrill ring of my phone cuts through the quiet.
I inhale sharply, biting down the fresh irritation as I snatch it up without checking to see who it is.
“What?”
“Santo…”
The voice is hesitant. Shaky.
My stomach drops.
I recognize it instantly.
Silvio. My father’s advisor.
No.
My grip on the phone tightens. “What happened?”
A beat of silence. Then—
“There’s been an attack… your father.”
The world narrows.
A single, razor-sharp thought slices through the noise in my mind.
