“Yes.” Is she surprised? “While you’re around, Perry will always be worrying about whether you’re safe instead of worrying about himself. You want him to be okay? Go home. Don’t answer the door. Look after yourself. Then when this whole thing is over, you can be as condescending toward him as you like.”

Her jaw drops. “I’m not condescending.”

“Sure. He just can’t be left without your supervision.”

I see the exact moment Margot’s words sink in with her. I get that she doesn’t mean to be mean, that she’s frustrated and worried, but the things she says hit Perry harder than anyone else. Her dark eyes go misty.

“I’m scared.”

“I know …” Perry moves forward to reassure her. “I know. Me too. But I’ll be able to be a tiny bit less worried without you here.”

“How am I supposed to leave you knowing that I might never see you again?” She’s frowning hard, holding back tears, and all I want is for them to go so we can find out what the fuck Perry found out today.

“You trust me.”

Her bottom lip shakes, and Elle pulls her back.

“Come on, love. They have a lot they need to deal with.”

“I swear to fucking god, if you die⁠—”

Perry’s laugh cuts his sister off. “I know, I know, you’ll kill me yourself.”

“No, you boob. My life will be over.”

And with that little bomb, she and Elle finally leave.

Perry doesn’t say anything, and the silence from him speaks volumes. The heavy way his shoulders slope forward makes me want to pull him closer, maybe hug him or protect him or— Lars turns on him before I can.

“Tell us everything.”

“Not much to tell,” Perry says. “Luther’s the one who organized the hit on me, and he said I have a week to turn St. Clare over to him. Dead or alive.”

Lars’s gun is back out in a flash. “Just try it.”

Perry glares at him. “Do you really think I would have told you that if I was planning to do it?”

“I have no idea what goes through your mind, only that, as you said this morning, you don’t plan.”

“Listen, I’ve already had one gun pointed at me today, am reevaluating all the friendships I thought I had, went on an expedition to get here, and now would really like⁠—”

Lars holds up his hand, cutting off Perry’s stream of thoughts.

At first, I think he’s done listening to him, but then I catch what Lars has already noticed. Incessant car horns down on the road.

“What the …” I go to check out of the window before Lars pulls me back.

“Get down.”

I get down, and after a second, Perry joins me.

Lars huffs. “What are you doing?”