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Fortunately, this is a performance I can get behind. If anyone thinks to attack me in here while we’re distracted, they’re in for a surprise. We climb one step at a time with wide-open eyes, listening for doors and echoing feet, until we make it to the fifth floor.
I throw open the door and pull Archer with me into the hallway. We move fast, navigating the long corridor until I find room 526. My brothers are on the other side of this door, ready and willing to put a bullet in Archer’s skull, but the plan has officially changed.
Archer could have turned us over to Myra, but he didn’t. He could have walked away with more money than he’d ever dreamed of, but he didn’t. He chose to save me instead.
And I choose to trust him.
I lay my palm on his chest to guide him backward. He nods with curiosity as I slide the keycard into the door. The light flashes from red to green and the lock clicks open.
I roll my hand into a tight fist, laying my thumb along my fingers. It’s a subtle hand gesture, one commonly used among Snake Eyes agents to signify one thing:
Safe.
I push the door open and step inside, leading with my closed fist.
My brothers stare at me across the golden room with wide eyes, their pistols held at their sides.
Dante eyes my fist. “Lil—”
I hold my two fingers to my lips to silence him, making sure to keep my other fist in front as Archer closes the door behind us. I slide the fingers back to my ears, gesturing that we’ve been bugged and Archer points to the button on his shirt.
Elijah moves to grab the pen and notepad off the table in the corner. He hands them to me. I write out a message.
Myra.
Dante points at Archer with his gun but I stand my ground, flexing my fist again in front of me. He lets out an angry sigh and holsters his weapon, casting a hard glare at Archer as he backs down.
I lower my fist and I scratch out another note.
We have to leave. Now.
My brothers nod and head toward the door, eying Archer as they pass him by.
I turn to him and he lays a warm hand on my cheek.
“Go,” he whispers.
I tug his sleeve, urging him to come with us but he shakes his head and snatches the notepad from my hand.
He writes on it and holds it up to me.
I can buy you time.
My heart stalls. If I leave him this way, he’s done for. There’s no way he can explain how we all managed to escape without giving himself up. One wrong move and his cover is blown. One misstep and he’s dead.
I push up onto the tips of my toes, locking our lips and holding him close. He kisses me back with just as much intensity and my senses burn a little brighter.
I whisper in his ear. “I’m sorry.”
He moves back to look at me with a furrowed brow. I ignore the concern in his perfect eyes and spin around, kicking him in the head.
Archer slams against the wall and tumbles to the floor, completely knocked out on impact.
I take one last look at him before turning away and joining my brothers. “Let’s go,” I tell them.
Dante moves quickly down the hall, but Elijah stays behind him with me. He lays a reassuring hand on my shoulder and I give him a silent nod. I can hide emotion from my big brother all day, every day. But never from my twin.
We reach the stairwell and Dante halts in place. He holds up his hand to stop us as the pounding of boots echoes from the stories above. He jumps back but not fast enough to go unnoticed.
