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Logan’s gaze then settles on me, and I can tell he’s about to break the worst news. “The third team is Personal Protection. For that assignment, Knox is the choice.”

My stomach twists in a knot.

Yep… worst news.

“Knox is trained in four martial arts, is an expert in close combat, and is proficient with the majority of firearms,” Logan continues, and ok, wow… That sounds a little impressive. “He will follow you everywhere, Cillian. Meanwhile, the rest of us will work on finding the stalker and enhancing the security on the island.”

“The island is already a fortress,” I say, annoyed that they don’t know what they’re talking about.

I expect Logan to tell me off, but instead, the model-looking man reaches for his laptop, opens it, and spins it around.

He clicks play, and the screen lights up, showing drone footage of my island.

A figure appears, rappelling down a cliff I was told is impossible to rappel from. The man is big, shirtless, his hair tied in a man-bun, his chest and arms covered with tattoos of Viking runes.

Is that… Björn Eriksson?

Björn reaches the beach and does a weird little dance, pointing at the camera.

Logan clicks on another video file.

This time, the footage is from another drone, showing a man identical to Björn, but unlike Björn, this man is wearing a shirt, and his arms are covered in tattoos of trees and wolves.

“That’s Björn Eriksson, and this is his twin Leif,” Logan says. “Leif is our infiltration expert.”

On the screen, the man named Leif emerges from the ocean, having used a submersible scooter to bypass the sonar net. He climbs the rocky wall with his hands, moving like a spider, until he stands on the lawn of the villa.

I check the timer in the video.

What?!

It took him less than four minutes.

Logan closes the laptop. “They’ve found twelve ways onto your island so far. That was just this morning.”

“My God,” Arthur whispers. “How do we stop that?”

“You don’t have to,” Logan says. “Leif’s twin, Björn, is our fortifications expert. For every weakness Leif exposes, Björn is there right behind him, finding a solution. By the time your guests arrive, the island will be impenetrable. That is our guarantee.”

Alistair slides a folder to my uncle. “Our terms.”

Arthur picks up the contract and skims it before passing it to me. “This is impressive.”

I stare at the stack of papers, feeling like I’m being sentenced.

Fuck, I hate this.

I pick up the fountain pen and stiffen my body so they can’t tell my hand is shaking.

“Mr. Harrington-Hale.” Alistair’s voice stops me, and I look up. “Aren’t you going to read it first?”

I let out a breath that is half a laugh and a sigh. “What’s the point? It doesn’t matter what it says. I’m going to have to sign it anyway.”

“You are free to do what you want, Cillian,” Logan tells me, and I guess it is nice to see him try.

“It’s okay… after all, this is only temporary.” I lean down and sign.

“Perfect!” Alexios, the model-looking man, says, taking out a plastic bag full of gadgets. “Now, let’s set the cameras and security bugs.”