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“But the snakes…,” I muttered

I was sure ood for my current condition, yet I couldn’t slow it or pull in a full breath Fear slithered through my veins This was not a scenario I’d ever anticipated any of us finding ourselves in

“Kyle, move over there with them,” Tom instructed

“No!” I cried out “Leave hio—please!”

“Shut up, Ari,” Kyle grumbled “As if I’d walk away” He joined us and swiftly pushed me backward, behind him, so I had a double layer of protection

Tears stung my eyes—not just because of thethat ominous red dot was now on er, but also because I was monumentally pissed off at how Tom had turned on all of us

“If Vale is dead,” I ed to say, “then who put the snakes on the patio?”

“I don’t know,” Toate open while you were all out last night and turned a blind eye”

“You son of a bitch,” Dane said

“I had to do as instructed”

“But there’s no Lux!” I shouted, the anger getting the best of me “It’s over It’s all over!”

“No,” Dane reasoned “Because To theht?”

“I haven’t told anyone anything Only took the directive and said I’d eliminate Ari”

“This doesn’tto see around the two brick walls protectingthis attack on us?”

“It’s the principle of the matter,” Dane explained “They destroyed the Lux as a last resort The ultiht, because I’m the one who produced all the evidence for the indictments That’ll be confirmed for them today, thanks to Toame of chess, he’s a dead man Aren’t you, Tom?”