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I press my foot lightly against her hand. Stay still.

She does.

The rest of the drive feels much longer than it actually is. Every turn makes me worry one of the bags will slide. Every time Irina shifts in her seat, I think she is going to look behind her. Once she reaches back for her handbag and I grab it before she can turn.

“Here.”

She takes it without thinking. “Thank you.”

I almost tell her she’s welcome. Instead, I stare out the window and try to remember how to breathe normally.

When the Harrington townhouse finally appears ahead, decorated with balloons along the railing and children going in through the front door, relief hits me so hard I nearly sink into the seat.

We made it. Kirill slows the car. Then he looks at the house. His expression changes. “Why are we here?”

Irina turns toward him, confused by the question. “For Lily’s birthday party.”

He looks at her. “What birthday party?”

She frowns. “Anya’s friend. What are you talking about?”

I close my eyes for half a second. There it is.

Kirill looks into the rearview mirror. At me.

I know immediately that he understands something is wrong. Before he can say anything, I open the door.

“Elle,” Irina says behind me.

I get out and move around to the other rear door. Kirill is already stepping out from the driver’s side when I open it.

Anya unfolds herself from the footwell, still holding Lily’s gift. For a moment, nobody says anything.

Irina just stares.

Kirill looks at Anya, then at me. “What is she doing in the car?”

Anya gives him a tiny, guilty smile. “Hi.”

Irina’s head snaps toward me. “You hid her back there?”

I look at Kirill instead. “We’re here for the party.”

His face goes very still. “You told me she was at the house.”

“She was when I came to get you.”

“That’s not an answer.”

“No.”

Irina’s still staring at me in disbelief. “I thought Nikolai had approved this.”

“I know.”

Her expression changes. “You knew I thought that?”

“Yes,” I say.