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I whip my head toward her, finding her scanning our vicinity, her eyes wide with terror.

“Who? What? Fill me in, Bree.” She better tell me what’s going on.

“I should’ve known it wouldn’t be easy. I should’ve known…” she rambles, her body shaking, sweat dotting her forehead.

My years of medical training snap in on autopilot. I stand in front of her and tilt her head down so our eyes meet.

“Bree, breathe. You’re panicking right now, which won’t do us any good. I need you to focus on my voice and breathe. Deep breaths in. Deeper breaths out.”

She follows my lead, her eyes still unfocused.

“Good. There’s no one on this street right now. We’re safe.” I have no idea what I’m saying. “Again. Let’s do this again. Then you can tell me what’s going on and we’ll figure it out.”

Bree nods and does as I say. Her wig slides off her head and, with a frustrated growl, she grabs and hurls it onto the ground.

Eventually, her breathing evens.

Leaning closer to me, she whispers, “Bree isn’t my real name. I’m not really moving. I’m on the run. Elias and Rex are helping me escape some dangerous people.”

The puzzle pieces finally slide into place. The strange interactions between them. The secretive discussions. The sadness and fear in her eyeswhenever she brings up her “move.” How she rarely left her stateroom after Pyrgos Village in Santorini.

The near kidnapping.

My eyes widen, my pulse soaring off the charts. “Santorini?”

She nods, her lips trembling. “It was for me. The Association. They want me dead.”

Shit. I’ve been around the Andersons long enough and have seen the newspaper headlines to know about The Association and how dangerous they are.

I survey the dark alleyway.

“We should leave then, if you’re the target. We can’t stay here. We’re sitting ducks,” I whisper.

Screams emanate from behind the closed door.

Bree vehemently shakes her head. “Elias told me to stay put. Whatever happens, to stay here. His contact is coming. W-We just have to be patient and trust him. He must have a plan.”

I press my hand over my chest, trying to stem my chaotic heartbeats.

Trust Elias. The Andersons trust him—the mobster has helped them time and time again.

And what can I do by myself? Run where? And I won’t leave Bree behind.

“Okay. We’ll stay. But if we hear or see anyone other than your contact, we run, okay? I don’t care what Elias or Rex says.”

Bree nods.

Swallowing the bile rising in my throat, I grip the wall behind me, trying to find purchase. My breath throttles out of my lungs, and then the shakes start.

Shock. I can’t go into shock.

“Distract me. Tell me why The Association is after you.”

Box breathing, inhale—hold—exhale, four seconds each, repeat. I circle through the various exercises drilled into us in medical school.We’ll get out of this alive.I look around for a weapon, spotting a crowbar on top of some boxes. I quickly grab it.

“The Carusos. Have you heard of them?” Bree says.

They sound familiar. Old money, secretive. I don’t really follow these circles, so I don’t know.