Chapter 30 · Mom Left a Second Key

"You're not going to that tower."

Kane's voice hit me before I'd even cleared the vault door. I spun around. He was standing in the middle of his study, still wearing the shirt Marcus had made him rip half open, blood dried at the collar.

"Marcus just used your mouth like a puppet," I said. "You don't get to tell me what I'm doing."

"Evie."

"No." I walked past him toward the desk. "You hid my brother. You hid my mom's case. What else are you sitting on?"

He moved fast. His hand closed around my wrist before I reached the first drawer.

"Let go."

"Not until you listen."

I twisted, but his grip didn't budge. His palm was hot. Too hot. I could feel the pulse under his skin beating wrong, like something else was drumming alongside it.

"I listened," I said. "Marcus told me to show up before midnight or Eli dies. That's all the listening I'm doing tonight."

"He wants you in that building because you're the piece I won't sacrifice." Kane's voice dropped. "He'll use you to crack me open. You walk in there, I lose."

"Then give me what I need to crack him first."