Peter tilted his head slightly, as if surprised by her persistence. “Because if he survives, more people will suffer. You wouldn’t understand.”

He stopped just a few feet away from her, the distance between them tight with tension. She didn’t flinch, meeting his stare.

“I never leave business unfinished,” he said. “And you both—”

He pulled a large knife from his coat pocket. The blade caught the light, gleaming.

“Since I’m so close to finishing what I started—”

He ...