Leonard took the knife, grabbed the antiseptic from the tray, and rinsed the de to wash away the traces of blood, his face as impassive as ever.


    Sophia let out a scornfulugh. "You''re not afraid I might turn this knife on her? She''s hopeless in a fight."


    "That''s why I gave her a blunt one," Leonard replied without emotion. He had never expected the knife to actually end up in Sophia''s side. The woman was no amateur-she could handle herself. He didn''t want an ident, so when M had asked him for a knife on the way over, he''d handed her one with only a half- sharpened edge.


    If anything had happened, no one would have been seriously hurt. A little yelling, and he''d have time to rush in and break it up.


    What he hadn''t expected was that the only one who actually got hurt was Sophia. That, he admitted to himself, was a surprise. What the hell had happened in


    there?


    "When you two were inside-" he started to ask.


    Sophia cut him off coldly. "I took a hit for this. If your boss doesn''t cough up something I''m satisfied with, we''re not done here. Or he cane over and let me p him a few times-either works for me."


    Leonard fell silent.


    "Where is she?" Sophia''s eyes swept the hospital room.


    Apart from Julian, still lying unconscious in bed, it was just the two of them. M was nowhere to be seen.


    So she''d vanished before things were even settled?


    "She left," Leonard said quietly. "What did you say to her?" M had stormed out earlier, snapping at him not to follow, and he''d had no idea what set her off.


    "You let her go?" Sophia''s face darkened. "There''s still the kid to deal with!" "She''ll be back," Leonard replied, ncing at the boy passed out on the bed. "Yeah, you''re probably right." Sophia''s voice was icy. "She doesn''t have a choice. There are two peopleid up here-thanks to her and her precious son. If she dares note back, I''ll call the cops myself."


    Just then, the phone tossed on the table began to vibrate. Through the cracked screen, an odd name flickered "Patient Friend."


    Sophia rolled her eyes. "Your boss is calling. You answer it."


    "I need to go keep an eye on her," Leonard said, getting to his feet.


    "Piece of crap," Sophia muttered under her breath.


    She pulled a cigarette from her pocket and held it to her nose, breathing in the scent a few times to calm herself. Just as she was about to answer the call, her gaze lingered on the sleeping child. She hesitated, cursed under her breath, and took the phone out to the small hospital balcony.


    Closing the ss door behind her, she swiped to answer and put the call on speaker. With one hand, she touched the fresh bandages at her throat, inhaling the scent of her unlit cigarette to dull the ache.


    "My neck''s killing me. Spare me the small talk," she rasped.


    "Did you do what you promised?" Lysander''s voice was slow, almostzy, on the other end.


    "It''s done, isn''t it?" Sophia replied offhandedly, conveniently omitting the fact that she''d sold Lysander outpletely. The oue was what he wanted-just not the way he''d nned. Didn''t matter.


    "Leonard says she''s furious," Lysander said.


    Sophia snorted. So, he didn''t trust her after all. He''d already checked with Leonard before calling. She gave a coldugh.


    "Of course she''s angry. Isn''t that what you wanted? To make her so scared of you


    she wouldn''t dare betray you again? This is just the beginning-anger is normal. I pretty much followed your instructions to the letter," she lied, deadpan.


    "Pretty much?" Lysander''s tone sharpened.


    "Close enough." Sophia''s patience was thin after what she''d just been through with M, and now this


    grilling was pushing her over then et


    edge. Lysander, let''s gething clear. We''re partners, not master and servant. Stop barking orders at me."


    "Sophia." Lysander didn''t rise to her anger, but his voice turned cial. “I don''t want her angry. I want her scared. I want her so terrified of betraying me that she stays home and waits for me-doesn''t go running off to other men."


    Sophia froze. "Who did she run to?"


    Lysander didn''t answer. He didn''t need to. Sophia could guess easily enough. Even though she was still fuming, the thought of Lysander losing control for once almost made herugh out loud.


    "What''s so funny?" His voice was even colder.


    “Nothing,” Sophia said, covering her neck as she coughed. “You can''t get everything in one go, all right? Give it a little time. This is just getting started."


    Not that she thought this n had much chance of working. M might look soft, but she was stubborn as hell-no one could control her that easily Sophia had been too pissed off to follow Lysander''s orders exactly anyway, but she''d paid for it, hadn''t she? As far as she was concerned, they were even.


    Let him think what he wanted, she thought, utterly unapologetic.


    After a long pause, Lysander finally spoke. “I''ll give you onest chance. If you


    can''t deliver what you promised, our partnership is over."


    Sophia let out a lowugh.


    "I''ve got something to say as well," she shot back. Through the ss door, she nced at the unconscious Julian, her tone as cold as his I''ve helped you first, but I''m not happy with what I''m getting out of this. If you can''t give me what I want, then we''re done. I''m not ying this game anymore."


    Who did he think he was, threatening her with ending their deal? If things didn''t


    work out, she''d walk away herself. And right now, she was still mad as hell-


    nobody had screwed her over like this and walked away in one piece.


    The line clicked off.


    Sophia stared out into the distance, jaw clenched, her lips barely moving as she ground out a single name under her breath.


    M.


    We''re not done-not by a long shot.