Fifty

Andrey.

"Hey, did she say who she made the deal with?" I asked, feeling my heart thumping fast, but I tried to keep my face cool. How did I overlook this detail about Hazel's mom?

I never thought she'd stoop so low as to harm her own child. And Hazel, she just shrugged and scooped up more yogurt like it was no big deal. "Didn't feel like showing I cared about her threats," she said, all nonchalant. I gave a nod, pretending to get it. "I'll check up on this. I promise, nothing's gonna touch you," I told her, planting a kiss on her forehead. She smiled back, and I felt a swell of pride.

Stepping out onto the rooftop, I knew I couldn't waste a second. Somebody out there was plotting against Hazel, waiting for their chance. The thought sent shivers down my spine and lit a fire in my gut. I fished my phone out of my suit pocket and dialed Brando. He was supposed to dig deep into Hazel's mom's background, but it seemed he'd missed the most crucial part. The part that could mean life o