The silence stretched.

Victor Kane stood a few feet away, perfectly composed, perfectly dressed, and somehow more threatening than the armed agents Riley had met at headquarters.

Around them, the gallery continued as normal.

People laughed.

Champagne glasses clinked.

Someone discussed the deeper meaning of a sculpture that looked suspiciously like a bent spoon.

And meanwhile, Riley felt like she’d accidentally stepped into a bomb waiting to explode.

Victor’s gaze lingered on her.

“Interesting.”

Riley immediately disliked him.

“What is?”

Victor smiled.

“You.”

“Oh good.”

She folded her arms.

“Because I was just thinking the same thing.”

A muscle jumped in Kade’s jaw.

Victor noticed.

His smile widened.

“Oh.”

The man sounded delighted.

“She’s funny.”

“Kane.”

The warning in Kade’s voice was unmistakable.

Victor ignored it.

“Relax.”

His eyes returned to Riley.

“I’m merely introducing myself.”

“Funny.”

Riley said.

“Most introductions don’t feel like hostage negotiations.”

For the first time, Victor laughed.

Actually laughed.

And somehow that was worse.

Because there wasn’t an ounce of warmth in it.

“Kade never mentioned me?”

Victor asked.

“No.”

“That’s disappointing.”

“No, actually,” Riley said.

“I think that’s probably a good sign.”

Victor tilted his head.

Studying her.

Evaluating.

Like he was trying to solve a puzzle.

And for reasons she couldn’t explain—

That made her skin crawl.

“Kade always did have terrible judgment when it came to people.”

The words landed like a slap.

Kade’s expression didn’t change.

But Riley saw it.

The flash behind his eyes.

The anger. Sharp. Instant. And Dangerous.

Victor saw it too.

And seemed pleased.

Very pleased.

“Kane.”

Mia’s voice suddenly crackled through their earpieces.

Cold and Controlled.

“Step away.”

Victor’s gaze flickered toward Kade’s ear.

“Hello, Mia.”

For the first time since Riley had met her—

Mia didn’t respond immediately.

A pause.

Small.

But noticeable.

Victor noticed too.

And smiled.

“Oh.”

His voice softened.

“Still angry?”

The silence that followed felt deafening.

Riley looked between them.

Okay.

Something serious had happened here.

Not mission serious.

Personal serious.

The kind of serious that left scars.

“Who exactly are you?” Riley finally asked.

Victor looked delighted by the question.

“I used to work with them.”

“Used to?”

“Before they decided to betray me.”

Kade moved.

Not much.

Just one step.

But Riley instantly understood something.

That step wasn’t random.

It placed Kade directly between her and Victor.

Protective. Instinctive. Almost Automatic.

Victor’s eyes dropped to the movement.

Then slowly lifted back to Kade.

And suddenly—

The amusement disappeared.

For the first time.

Gone.

Replaced by something colder.

Something uglier.

“You always do that.”

Kade didn’t answer.

“You always protect people.”

Still nothing.

Victor laughed softly.

“And look where it’s gotten you.”

Riley felt the shift.

The atmosphere.

The tension.

The way Kade’s shoulders tightened.

The way Victor’s eyes sharpened.

This wasn’t an argument.

This wasn’t rivalry.

This was old.

Years old.

The kind of wound that never healed correctly.

And somehow Riley knew—

Victor wasn’t trying to hurt Kade physically.

He was trying to hurt him emotionally.

Which meant he knew exactly where the weak spots were.

“Kade.”

Victor’s voice became quieter.

More dangerous.

“Does she know?”

Oh no.

Nope.

Riley did not like that question.

Not one bit.

Kade’s expression became stone.

“Leave.”

Victor ignored him.

“Does she know what happened in Prague?”

The temperature in the room seemed to drop ten degrees.

Mia swore again.

A sharp intake of breath came through another comm line.

Someone at HQ.

Listening.

Watching.

And suddenly Riley realized—

Everybody knew what Prague was.

Everybody except her.

Victor smiled.

Slowly.

Cruelly.

“Guess not.”

“Kane.”

The warning was lethal now.

The kind of tone that made even Riley’s pulse jump.

But Victor continued.

Because apparently self-preservation wasn’t one of his hobbies.

“You know,” he said to Riley, “they tell stories about Agent Mercener.”

Riley stayed quiet.

Instinct telling her to listen.

Victor leaned closer.

“A ghost.”

“A legend.”

“The man who always completes the mission.”

His smile turned ugly.

“But they never tell you about the people he couldn’t save.”

The words hit.

Hard.

And for the first time since she’d met him—

Kade looked shaken.

Not visibly.

Most people would’ve missed it.

But Riley saw it.

A fraction of a second.

A flicker.

Pain.

Real pain.

Gone almost instantly.

But there.

Victor saw her notice.

And looked victorious.

Like that had been his goal all along.

Not exposing secrets.

Not causing a scene.

But Hurting Kade.

Then something unexpected happened.

Riley stepped forward.

Before she could think.

Before she could stop herself.

Just one step.

Enough to stand beside Kade.

Instead of behind him.

Victor’s eyebrows lifted.

“So that’s how it is.”

Riley shrugged.

“Honestly?”

Victor waited.

She smiled sweetly.

“You seem like the kind of guy who reminds teachers they forgot to assign homework.”

For a moment—

Nobody spoke.

Then, from somewhere in HQ, a technician burst out laughing over an open comm channel.

Another agent snorted.

Someone actually choked.

Mia made a sound suspiciously close to a laugh.

Victor’s smile vanished.

Completely.

And Riley thought:

Worth it.

Absolutely worth it.