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"I'll go in unarmed. Carmichael can take the hit and Wraith can be back up."

Charlie was now just comprehending what he was suggesting. "I have to be the one to deliver the print or he'll kill Imogen."

"No," Sin said. "You will not be going,"

"Weren't you listening? Sokolov said I had to be the one to deliver the print," she said angrily.

Sin shook his head. "Absolutely not. I'll not let you near that man again."

"He'll kill Imogen," she said. "He won't like being crossed."

"He'll be dead. Carmichael will put a bullet through his head."

"But—"

"Enough. You're not going and that's final. You'll stay here where it's safe."

Alex, who had been quiet up until this point, chimed in. "Sin is right. You'll stay here. It's too dangerous."

Charlie stood up. "You're all fools. You have no idea what you're dealing with." She stormed from the room, running straight into a man with sandy brown hair.

"Sorry, hen," he said, surprised.

Charlie took a step back. It was the voice from the car. The one she knew she had heard somewhere before. He turned white beneath the yellowing bruises that covered his face when he looked at her. "Sorry," she said, hurrying off.

She heard Gabriel in the hallway behind her. "You couldn't have picked a worse time to show up. Enter at your own risk, brother."

* * *

Sin jumped up when Phinneas walked through the door. "What the fuck are you doing here?"

"He's an agent of The Watch," Alex said, getting between the two men. "And a brother to you."

"That was the girl from the pub," Phin said, looking behind him.

"I told you before she's my wife. You'd be wise to be respectful."

"I came to see if I could help," he offered.

Sin looked at Alex. "He might be an agent of The Watch, but I won't work with him."

"No one is asking you to work with him, and you'd be wise to be respectful," Alex said, turning Sin's own words back on him. "Phinneas, go get yourself settled then have Forbes look you over."

"Yes, sir," he said, leaving.

Sin looked at Alex. "I don't trust him."

"I know you don't, but please trust me to handle him."

"I've never asked you for any favors, Uncle." He had never used the title before. "But I will ask that you don't inform Phinneas of our plans and also that you and Gabriel will watch out for Charlotte when I'm gone."

"I will watch out for Charlotte, I'm sending Gabriel with you. If the lass is right and Sokolov is waging the other's girl life, you'll need extra hands."

Sin gave him a nod. There was no room for mistakes on either of their ends. No room.

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