He laughed softly, but there was something almost hysterical in the sound, like he couldn’t quite comprehend the magnitude of what he’d done. “To end this company. To destroy it, completely and utterly, so no one will ever hurt me because of it again.”

Nita stared at him a long, hard moment. “I’m going to release all your information online. I don’t go back on my threats.”

“That’s fine,” he agreed amicably. “I don’t see the issue with that now. Martin is dead, he can’t send people to bring me back. Tácunan Law has been robbed—and the computers wiped—so I have no information the black market cares about.” He considered. “I suppose now that I’m eighteen I’ll inherit my father’s fortune, though I imagine the collapse of Tácunan Law will eat up most of it. There’s better rich kids to kidnap and ransom.”

He grinned at her. “Thanks for getting rid of everything tying me down, Nita. After this, I really can start a new life.” His face cleared, and for a moment, he looked like he’d just seen paradise and he wanted to weep from the sight. “I’m finally free.”

“You . . .” Nita couldn’t even find the words to express her anger. Because he was right—she had nothing on him anymore. Nothing. He’d played her like a violin to deal with all his problems, and now she had nothing left to hold over him.

And even now, played and manipulated and furious, she still felt a little bad for him. There was something so utterly pathetic about his situation and his goals that made her pity him.

She tried to push that emotion away, because that was just another part of his manipulation too. But the emotion persisted, mixing with her anger into some new emotion she didn’t fully understand.

Kovit ran into the room, his eyes wide. He grabbed Nita’s hand and tugged her toward the door. “Nita, why are you standing here? We need to run!”

Fabricio smiled and tapped his finger on his wrist, indicating a nonexistent watch. “The more time you waste here yelling at me, the less time you have to escape.”

“He’s right.” Kovit pulled Nita away from Fabricio. “We need to go, Nita. Now.”

Nita hated that they were right, and she let Kovit pull her away. She shot one last murderous look at Fabricio before she left. “This isn’t over, Fabricio.”

He sighed softly, slumping against the glass. “It never is with you.”