“Just let me out, Declan.” She was starting to get nervous. They were getting so far from Lennon and Beto and the Vals.

“No.”

“I promised Lennon I’d get him to the gate! And if I think I can get the shipment without killing anyone I should—”

“Again, no,” he said, with more than a little condescension. “I don’t know how you’re planning to get the shipment without killing people, but it won’t work.”

“How do you know my plan won’t work if you haven’t even heard it?”

“Because it can’t be done.”

“Sure, since you haven’t thought of it, that must mean it can’t be done.”

He sighed. “I don’t want one shipment. I want to control all of them. So, frankly, I don’t care if you can get one stupid shipment without killing people.”

“That is not—”

“Maisie. I know what I’m talking about, okay? And you should be thanking me for—”

“Thanking you?”

“Yes, thanking me! I just saved your life by kidnapping you. That little shithead can get himself to the gate if he wants out that badly, I don’t care anymore.” He snorted. “I wish him luck with that.”

“You were trying to grab him a few hours ago.”

“I was trying to grab both of you. I decided I didn’t need him. I’m not sure how helpful the son of the president will be in here, anyway.”

“I still think we should have kept him to help convince the Americans not to blow us up,” Vic called from the front seat. “The president won’t order a hit if his own son is in here.”

“Yeah, well, the brat has proved difficult to kidnap,” Declan muttered.

Maisie almost laughed. Lennon would be so thrilled to hear that he was difficult to kidnap.

“And I can’t waste my time on him,” Declan continued. “You and Jonathan Spencer are my priority. Now you’re safe, so we’re on track.”

“You have a weird definition of safe.”

“How are you not safe right now?”

“You just grabbed me against my will!”

“For your own good!”

“Declan.” Maisie tried to make her voice gentle. He wouldn’t listen if she got mad. He was smart enough not to accuse her of being “hysterical,” but he usually stopped listening to her if she got even a little bit upset and would just start kissing her instead.

He looked up at her. His expression was guarded, and she was reminded of the night they first got together. He’d been leaning against the wall of the shop, trying to hide the fact that he’d just been checking her out. She’d thought his expression was sort of endearing.

There was nothing endearing about it anymore.

“What if…” She took a breath, choosing her words carefully. “What if we get the shipment, and I agree not to fight you on leading the south? I won’t tell anyone what you were going to do up here. I’ll give you credit for getting the shipment.”

“I don’t need you to give me credit.” Declan shifted, adjusting his gun. “And I told you, I don’t want one shipment. I want to control them all so this doesn’t keep happening.”