Winifred frowned, but before bshe /bcould speak, a knock came at the door.

“Sir, sorry to bother byou/b. We’re looking for a woman in a crimson dress. Have you seen here in here?”

bSean /bstarted to say, “She’s right he-” but a sharp cry was forced from his lips.

Before he could finish, Winifred kicked him to the floor. In one swift motion, she tore down the nearby curtain, wrapping it tightly around him and pressing the fruit knife from bthe /btable to his throat.

Her gaze bwas /bas cold as the de against his skin. “Answer them carefully, she warned.

bSean/b, shocked by her hidden strength, swallowed hard. “I haven’t seen anyone,” he called out. Try somewhere else.”

“Alright. Sorry for the trouble.

Winifred waited until the footsteps fadedpletely before pulling the knife away. “Behave,” she said. “I don’t want to bkill /banyone.”

Sean, who bhad /bbeen wriggling to get free, froze. Okay,’ he thought, she’s definitely not one of the good

Kuys

“bCan /byou untie me? I swear I’ll be quiet. You bcan /bhide here” Sean said.

Winifred shot him a disdainful look, taking in his ingratiating smile. “It’s not that tight,” she said dismissively. “Get yourself out.

Faced with her utter impatience, Sean gave a weak smile band /btried to free himself. After struggling for what felt like an eternity, he was drenched in sweat, exhausted, and still tied up.

He looked at her, panting.

Winifred took a few sips of her drink and nced at him, “Useless,” she said coldly.

With that, she grabbed one end of the curtain and yanked. Sean tumbled across the floor a few btimes /bbefore scrambling to his feet, rubbing his back.

“So, who did you piss off?” Sean asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.

Winifred answered casually, “You want to know? Everyone who knew my business is dead. If you’re that eager, I can tell you.

“No! No, I’m good! Don’t need to know, really!” Seanughed nervously, waving his hands in frantic refusal.

“Go on. Have someone bring up some food,” Winifred ordered, toying with the knife.

Sean had no choice but toply–she was clearly in a position to make bdemands/b, “Yeah, send it up to my room,” he said into his phone.

The Umbre Organization’s people hadn’t lost her for a second Fay Santos knew exactly where Winifred was. He ran a finger along his ss. “Sean Lecter. From the Lecter family. They’ve been having some… internal problemstely. This is perfect.”

“Sir, you mean…”

Fay downed his drink in one go. “Keep an eye on things. Don’t let anyone hurt Winifred

“Yesb, /bbsir/b. If I may bask/b, who is this Winifred?”

A smile yed on Fay’s lips. “She’s the Boss’s sister. We can all die here, but she can’t. Understand?”

“Understood, sirb, /babsolutely.” The man broke out in a cold sweat. No wonder she was a high–bpriority /btarget. The Boss’s sister… if anything happened to bher/bb, /bthey’d all be dead.

b“/bShe hasn’t eaten all bday/b. Get a proper meal sent up.” Fay ordered

“Right away.

10:26 AM ch

Back in Sean’s room, Winifred ate the bfood/bb. /b

It tasted decentb–/bpassable, at least. The aroma bmade /bSean’s stomach rumble.

He couldn’t help but swallow, finally breaking the silence. “That’s a lot of food. You’re not going to finish it all, are you? Maybe we couldb…. /bshare?

bWinifred /bshot him a look that shut him up binstantly/b.

He seethed internally. ‘So cheap. And rude. Doesn’t she know I just saved her ass? No thank you, just threats.

After she finished eating, Winifred stretched her long legs out and leaned back on the sofa. “How long until we dock?”

“Soon. Twenty minutes. Sean replied.

“I’m leaving with byou/bb, /bWinifred stated.

Sean shook his head. “No. You can’te with

He had his own battles to fight tonight. This girl was obviously capable, but he didn’t want to drag an innocent person–rtively speaking–into his mess.

“Hmm?” Winifred stared at him, her displeasure obvious.

“I’m serious,” Sean bsaid/b. “It’s not that I don’t want to help you, but I’ve got my own problems. I don’t even know what kind of danger is waiting for me.”

“Don’t worry,” Winifred retorted. “You’ll die long before bI /bdo.”

Sean was speechless. Couldn’t she be a little nicer about it?”

bIn /bthe bend/b, they left together. Just as he reached for the car door, a powerful force yanked him back by the arm.

He turned, stunned, to hear Winifred yell, “Run! Now!”

rgency sent a jolt of fear through him. There was no time to think; he just turned and sprinted after her.

Her urgency

Their footsteps hammered against the

pavement.

If he bhad /bopened that doorb, /bbhe’d /bbe nothing but ash right now.

A deafening explosion erupted bbehind /bthem. Sean nced back to see a massive fireball engulfing his bcar/b.

The once sleek bcar /bwas now twisted and deformed in the inferno–ss shattered, metal melted, and bthick /bck smoke billowed up. blotting out the air.

If he had opened that door, he’d be nothing but ash right now,

Sean stared at the inferno, his face pale with shock.

He wiped bthe /bsweat from his forehead. “Th–thanks. If it weren’t for

byou/b, I’d be….

“We’re even bnow/b,” Winifred replied, bher /bface impassive. b“/bbYou /bbdon’t /bowe me anything!

Sean bwas /babout to say something else, but Winifred was already walking away–She only took a few steps before abruptly changing direction and breaking into a run toward a nearby bpark/b,

Confused, Sean looked back and saw why: arge group of men in ck were charging toward themb. /b

“There’s Lecter! Get him!”

Sean’s eyes widened in terror. Shit, they’re here for me!

He took off after Winifred.

“At least with her, I might live a little longer, he thought desperately, ‘Hey, wait for me!