Chapter 10: The Cost of Breathing

Raine

"You missed."

The words flew out of my mouth before I realized I was on my feet.

Blood stains the sleeve of my jacket. The bullet grazed my chest by inches. But Larsson did not even flinch. Doesn't move. He stands at the doorway of the glass room as if he controls time—and the end of it.

Cassian is still lying on the bed. Still plugged into machines. His fingers twitch, and then still again.

My heart is a war zone.

"I am not here to negotiate with you," I tell Larsson, my voice low and trembling. "I came to end this."

He raises the gun again. "Then you should've brought backup."

I grin. It's not a pleasant smile. "I did."

The lights in the room went off.

Then boom.

Glass shatters behind him as a tiny device explodes in the hallway—smoke flooding through the sterile air like poison. Larsson spins. He fires blindly.

And that's when I made my move.

I slam him into the corridor and elbow his wrist until the gun drops to the floor. He screams, grabs my hair, and slams me into the wal