Page 110 of Gunnar

When Gunnar turns back, he looks controlled again—but only just.

“How do they have a picture of Alexandria?” he demands, rage flashing in his eyes.

“The mafia must’ve got to them,” Torin says. “Paid them a visit already.”

“But why?” I say.

“Because they’re goddamn mercenaries,” Gunnar snaps, anger pouring off him in waves. “Fucking Orson. Dumb prick.”

Torin’s expression darkens. “Still doesn’t explain the photo.”

Then Gunnar goes still.

“The parking garage.”

I look between them. “What?”

“The night you witnessed the shooting,” Gunnar says grimly. “There would’ve been cameras everywhere.”

Torin nods slowly. “If the mafia got hold of the footage, they could’ve pulled stills from it. Sent them to the rival clan asking if they’d seen you.”

A sick feeling twists through my stomach.

“They’ve been looking for me this whole time,” I whisper.

Gunnar’s jaw tightens. “Yeah.” His eyes flash. “And now they know exactly where you are.” He paces, dragging a hand through his hair. “They’ll come here. They’ll bring the mafia here.”

Torin exhales slowly. “We can’t stay here.”

The words hang in the air.

“What the hell are we going to do?” Gunnar says. “Go hide somewhere else?”

There’s a long silence.

“Let’s think this through,” Torin says at last. “They’re trying to get Orson to bring us to them. Right?”

“Right.” Gunnar is already moving again, pacing the length of the kitchen, feet storming on the tile.

“And they want us to come,” Gunnar says. “Because they know we’ll bring her.”

His gaze cuts to me.

Something in it shifts—brief, unguarded—before it’s gone again.

“They know we won’t leave her unprotected.”

“But what’s their endgame?” Torin asks.

Gunnar drags a hand over his face, thinking it through as he speaks. “They want leverage. They want to hand her over to the Russians and make themselves useful.”

Torin nods once. “Yeah.”

“They’re not coming here,” Gunnar goes on. “If they were, they’d already be on the road. They want us to walk in.”

Silence stretches.

“But if we don’t, they’ll be here eventually. The whole darn clan,” Torin growls.