Chapter 47

Ramon POV

Lake paused with his hand on the banister. “Forty-eight hours from this morning. So I have about thirty-six hours left to get him the full fifteen million, or he takes Ollie.”

Thirty-six hours. Not nearly enough time to raise that kind of money through legitimate means, even if Lake had been willing to accept help. Which meant he would be escalating, taking bigger risks, potentially putting himself in situations even more dangerous than tonight’s encounter with Hutchins.

“Lake,” I said, one last attempt to break through his walls. “Please. Let me handle this. You don’t have to keep hurting yourself. You don’t have to keep sacrificing pieces of yourself to keep Ollie safe. Just... trust me. One time. Let me prove I’m different from everyone else who’s let you down.”

For a moment, Lake’s carefully maintained composure cracked completely. Tears spilled down his cheeks, and his entire body shook with the effort of holding back sobs that wanted to