*Tell him if he wants the legitimate money back, he surrenders the shipping docks by midnight.*

I stared at the glowing screen, my breath catching in my throat as the phone began to ring.

I pressed the receiver to my ear, my fingers trembling against the cold plastic.

The cabin was silent except for the low hum of the electric heater in the corner.

“Elena,” Sophia’s voice came through, sharp and clear.

“She is with me,” I said, my voice barely a whisper.

I slid my finger across the screen and hit the speaker button.

Marcus stepped closer, his boots heavy on the wooden floorboards.

His face was pale, his jaw clamped so tight the muscles in his cheek twitched.

“Put her on,” Marcus said, his voice dropping to a dangerous register.

“I can hear you, Marcus,” Sophia said from the small speaker.

Outside the window, the snow was falling faster now, dusting the pine branches in white.

“You have five minutes to explain why my accounts are locked,” Marcus said.

“They are frozen because I used your personal security clearance,” Sophia said.