Chapter 18 · Eve's Kill Clause

"Don't touch the trigger." Eve's hand locked around my wrist before I could reach the gun.

The pistol was pressed under my jaw. Silas stood three feet away, calm as a man waiting for coffee instead of watching me bleed onto the contract table.

"Take your hand off me," I said.

"If I let go, you grab the gun. If you grab the gun, he fires." Her fingers tightened. Her palm was warm against my skin. "So no. You're staying exactly where you are."

"Eve."

"Cole, shut up."

Silas smiled. "Still giving orders, Eve? I thought the Council broke that habit out of you."

"They tried." She didn't look at him. Her eyes stayed on mine. "They failed."

The black card between us twitched.

Not moved. Twitched.

Its edges scraped against the wood like something underneath was trying to get out. Red letters crawled across the face of it, rearranging themselves one line at a time.

KILL CLAUSE: COLE MERCER.

EXECUTOR: SILAS QUINN.

PAYMENT: EVE VANE.

My throat went dry. "You knew this was coming."

"I knew Silas would bring a clause." Eve's voice dropped. "I didn't know it would be yours."

"You dragged me into this room.