VESPER GREY LYSAN POV

I dialed Gabriel’s number.

Gabby shifted, a shiver betraying her panic even as she tried to appear unaffected.

The ringing echoed on speaker, each tone slicing through the silence like a countdown.

Gabriel answered on the third ring.

Holding her gaze, I lowered my hand and placed the phone on the table between us.

"Yes, Miss Vesper."

"Gabby here thinks I don’t have what it takes to kill her brother," I said, watching her flinch, "so can you kindly put a ...