Malia had never felt smaller than she did standing beside Kieth in his private war room. The penthouse lights were dim, replaced by the cool blue glow of screens that stretched across the wall—maps, coded files, hidden accounts, live surveillance feeds. It was another world entirely. His world.
And now, she was inside it.
He moved like he belonged there—precise, controlled, and untouchable. His presence filled the room, every movement calculated. Malia stood frozen by the door, watching him type commands she couldn’t begin to understand.
“You’re quiet,” Kieth said finally, glancing over his shoulder. “Scared?”
Her throat tightened. “You’re asking me to lie to a man who’s holding my sister hostage. What do you think?”
For a second, she thought he might snap back, the way he usually did
