Karen’s POVThe sharp wail of the sirens pierced the night air, growing louder as they approached. I stood frozen at the mouth of the alley, my arms wrapped around myself as if that could keep me safe from the chill seeping into my bones. The police would be here any second now, but the weight in my chest felt unbearable.Richard was dead.Even as the thought echoed in my mind, I couldn’t bring myself to look back into the shadows of the alley. The image of his lifeless body, the blood pooling beneath him, and that note—God, that note—was burned into my memory.Lauren.The name clawed its way into my thoughts again. She had always been dangerous, but this? This was a whole new level. My mind reeled as I tried to connect the dots. How had she found out about Richard's investigation? How far was she willing to go?The sound of car doors slamming jolted me from my thoughts. Two officers emerged from the cruiser, their flashlights slicing through the darkness.“Ma’am?” one of them called
Karen’s POVSaturday morning greeted me with a calm I didn’t feel. The sunlight streamed through the kitchen window, warming the hardwood floors, but it was a stark contrast to the chill in my chest. I sipped my coffee, staring out at the backyard where Paris and Aiden were playing with a small soccer ball. Their laughter floated in through the open window, a sound so pure and carefree it made my heart ache.I had spent most of the night tossing and turning, unable to shake the image of Richard’s lifeless body or the venom in Lauren’s imagined smirk. Devon’s visit hadn’t helped either; it had left me with a knot of unresolved anger and fear that I couldn’t untangle.As I took another sip, a knock at the front door startled me. I set my mug down and walked toward the door, trying to compose myself.“Troy,” I said, opening the door to see him standing there with his easy smile. He was dressed casually, a leather jacket thrown over a simple black shirt and jeans, but he still exuded the q
Devon’s POVThe drive from O’Hara’s office back to my place was a blur. My mind was spinning, caught between the pressure of what O'Hara had demanded and the situation with Lauren and Karen. I had been so wrapped up in trying to keep O'Hara from pulling the trigger that I hadn't fully processed the weight of what was happening with Lauren. The bitch was dangerous.And she was playing her games again.It had been a long time since I’d thought about Lauren—since the fallout from our relationship had torn us both apart. But now, she was back in my thoughts, like an old wound that refused to heal. I wasn’t sure why I hadn’t seen it before. Maybe because I was trying to protect Karen from the mess of my past. Or maybe because, in the end, I just wanted to distance myself from the people who had only ever caused me trouble.But Lauren was a problem that couldn’t be ignored.I pulled into the parking lot, turned off the engine, and sat there for a moment, staring at the dashboard. I had a ch
Karen's pov.I was about to get into my parked car when my phone rang, looking up at it, I saw it was Troy.We haven't talked since I told him about Lauren and he decided to offer his help. As of last week, I hadn't been present at work all through. I needed to make sure I cracked the Laurens case and what she was truly on to. Several police updates showed some results but they were rather slow then frequent.The call missed before I had the chance to pick up and I immediately called back. He picked up after the second ring. “Hello, Karen.” His voice rang out. “Hey. Any updates?” I didn't have the time to beat around the bush and as much as I knew the words didn't come out in my most friendly tone I wasn’t still going to rephrase it.“Fortunately, yes. Lauren was spotted,” Troy said, his tone measured but firm, as though he was carefully weighing every word.My heart skipped a beat. “Where?” I asked, the question spilling out before I could stop myself.“My team tracked her to a c
Karen's POV My fingers trembled as I read the note again, each word feeling like a dark omen.I set the note down, my thoughts racing. The fruit basket seemed harmless enough, but I wasn’t about to let my guard down. It was the small things, the subtle gestures, that always made me question her intentions. She had played me before, and I couldn’t afford to be a fool again. I reached for my phone, my mind racing through possibilities. I knew Troy would be the first person I’d need to consult, but as I pulled up his number, something caught my attention— the address on the note was different from what he had told me. The location wasn’t familiar. It wasn’t the one he’d mentioned in our previous conversations. My heart skipped a beat. Lauren was playing a game I didn’t understand, but I wasn’t about to let her win.The question gnawed at me: Should I go, or should I stay? It was already late, and I felt the weight of exhaustion settling into my bones. My body screamed for sleep, but m
Karen's POVI picked up the phone, my fingers trembling slightly as I dialed Troy's number. The seconds felt like hours as I waited for him to pick up. When he did, his voice was a welcome comfort, steady and reassuring."Karen?" he asked, his tone instantly alert. "What's going on?"I hesitated for a moment, weighing my words carefully. "I just got a call from the police. They want me to come down to the station. Something urgent about my case," I said, my voice tight with a mix of concern and frustration.There was a pause on the other end before Troy responded, his voice low and serious. "Do they say what it's about?""No, they wouldn’t tell me over the phone," I replied, glancing at the clock again. "I’m heading over as soon as I can. I just... I don't know what’s going on, but it doesn't feel good."Troy let out a quiet sigh. "Alright. Keep me posted. Be smart about your movements. Don't do anything rash. We don't know if this is just about your case or if it’s something more."I
Devon's POVThe phone buzzed on the corner of my desk. O’Hara’s name lit up the screen for what felt like the hundredth time in the past two days. I’d ignored it, silenced it, even turned the damn thing face down in the hopes it would stop. But now, as I sat in the dim light of my office, the soft hum of activity from the floor below echoing faintly, I knew I couldn’t avoid it any longer.My hand hovered over the phone, the weight of the decision pressing down on me. Finally, with a resigned sigh, I picked it up and swiped to answer.“O’Hara,” I said flatly, my voice betraying none of the turmoil swirling within me.“Devon,” came the familiar oily tone on the other end. “I was beginning to think you’d forgotten all about me.”“Been busy,” I replied curtly, leaning back in my chair.“Well, I hope you’ve been busy getting me something useful. Any updates?”I hesitated, staring at the papers strewn across my desk. My fingers drummed a restless rhythm on the wood as I considered my respon
Devon's pov He hesitated, his instincts screaming at him to leave, but her words cut through his resolve. “Come on, Devon,” Lauren said, her voice low and inviting. “Don’t you want to know? Aren’t you curious about what I have to say?”Her eyes locked onto his, a smirk tugging at her lips as she patted the space beside her on the bed. Against his better judgment, he moved forward, his jaw clenched as he lowered himself onto the edge of the mattress, keeping a careful distance between them.Lauren shifted, her posture relaxed yet calculated, her knee brushing against his. “You look tense,” she purred, her voice dripping with false concern. “You’ve always carried the weight of the world on your shoulders, haven’t you?”“Lauren, if you’ve called me here to waste my time—”“I called you here because I care, Devon,” she interrupted smoothly, her hand sliding onto his thigh. “I’ve missed you.”Her fingers trailed upward, and he stiffened, his gaze snapping to hers. Lauren leaned in, her pe
EpilogueSix Months LaterThe shopping mall bussied around Karen as she wove through the aisles, her heart hammering in frustration."Austin!" she called, glancing around the shelves filled with colorful toys.No answer."Paris?" she tried again.She spun around, her eyes scanning the store, but the two little troublemakers were nowhere to be found. A pang of panic crept up her spine. Jordie, who had been helping her keep an eye on them, jogged up, her face mirroring Karen’s concern."I swear, I just saw them two minutes ago," Jordie said, glancing around.Karen let out an exasperated sigh, running a hand through her hair. "They're fast. Too fast."She pushed past the rows of toys, checking behind shelves and peeking into play areas, but the kids were gone. Her heart pounded harder.Then, suddenly—"You might want to be careful with these two."A deep voice—steady, familiar.Karen turned sharply, and her breath caught in her throat.A man stood a few feet away, holding both Austin and
Karen’s POVThe door burst open with a thunderous bang, the sound echoing through the cold night air. My breath hitched as a swarm of armed officers stormed in, their guns raised in precision, their movements swift and practiced.“Hands in the air! Nobody move!” a commanding voice barked.The room shifted instantly. The arrogant smirks on Liam and Troy’s faces faded, replaced by something I had never seen before—fear.“What the hell is going on?” Liam hissed, his eyes darting toward the doorway.And then she walked in.Lauren.Clad in a sleek black jacket, her presence radiated confidence. She stepped forward, unbothered by the chaos around her, her gaze sharp and unyielding."You forgot about me," she said, her voice dripping with amusement.Troy’s jaw clenched, his eyes narrowing. "Lauren," he spat. "I should’ve known you’d stick your nose in where it doesn’t belong."She smirked, stepping closer, her gaze sweeping over the room before landing on me. There was something in her eyes—
Karen's POV I forced my eyes open, but my mind felt sluggish, struggling to catch up with my surroundings. A dull ache pulsed at the base of my skull, and my body felt impossibly heavy, as if every limb had been weighed down. The sharp sting of cold air sent a shiver down my spine, and a strange, salty scent filled my lungs. This wasn’t the alley. I blinked rapidly, my vision adjusting to the dim light. Instead of damp concrete and graffiti-stained walls, I saw open space. The ground beneath me was rough and uneven, dirt and gravel scraping against my skin as I tried to move. A cold breeze brushed against my skin, sending a shiver through my body. My limbs felt heavy, but I forced myself to move, shaking off the haze.Where had I been?The last thing I remembered was the alley—Devon tied to the chair, Troy’s grip on my arm, Liam’s smirk—then, darkness.As my vision slowly sharpened, I realized we weren’t there anymore. The damp, suffocating alleyway had been replaced with an op
Karen’s POV“Alright, they’ll be back this afternoon.” Jordie’s voice came through the phone, warm and reassuring.In the background, I could hear the kids giggling and playing. My heart ached with how much I missed them.“Let them stop over at the ice cream shop, okay? There’s no rush,” I said with a small smile.The response was immediate—excited squeals and the sound of tiny feet shuffling around.“Mommy!” Austin’s voice piped up next. “Luna and Lucas told us stories!”I chuckled. “Oh? What kind of stories?”“About a pirate and a lost treasure!” he said excitedly. “But Lucas says the treasure was actually a puppy!”“That sounds like a fun story,” I mused. “Did you like it?”“Yes! But Aiden said the pirate should’ve had a pet parrot instead.”Aiden’s voice came in the background. “Because pirates always have parrots, Mommy!”I laughed softly. “Well, I can’t argue with that.”“Can we tell you the story when we get home?” Austin asked hopefully.“Of course, sweetie.” I smiled, my hear
Devon’s POVThis was it.The final move.If I wanted to fix the mess I had created, if I wanted any chance of making things right—not for myself, but for Karen—this was what I had to do. Even if it was the last thing I ever did.Stepping out of the cab, I adjusted my coat and walked toward the elevator. The security at the front barely acknowledged me; Liam had always been arrogant enough to think no one would dare come after him.The elevator ride up was suffocating each passing second amplifying the weight pressing down on my chest.As soon as the doors slid open, I stepped into the hallway leading to Liam’s office. The air carried a faint scent of cigars and leather, a familiar stench that brought back too many memories I’d rather forget.I pushed open the doors without knocking.Liam was seated behind his oversized desk, a whiskey glass in one hand, his other hand lazily flipping through documents. The moment he saw me, his lips curved into an amused smirk, his dark eyes glinting
Devon’s POVThe night was thick with silence, the kind that settled deep into the bones and made a man question everything. The cold metal bars in front of me felt heavier than they should, the dim flickering light above casting elongated shadows across the small, suffocating cell.I leaned back against the wall, running a hand through my hair as my mind spiraled into the past—into the mess that had landed me here.Karen.Her name echoed in my head like a ghost refusing to be forgotten. I remembered the accusations, the way they had thrown my name into the fire, claiming I had been the one threatening her and the kids. The sheer disbelief in her eyes had stung more than I cared to admit.Had it really come to this?A sharp rattling sound jolted me out of my thoughts.I straightened, my instincts kicking in as I turned toward the cell door. The metal groaned, the lock shifting before it swung open.Troy stood there, his face impassive but his eyes burning with something close to contem
Karen’s POVMy breath caught in my throat as I stared at Lauren. The weight of her betrayal hit me like a punch to the gut. I had suspected, but now the reality of her involvement was undeniable."You've been sending me messages," I said, my voice trembling with a mixture of rage and disbelief. "Threatening me, threatening my kids. What the heck do you want? And then you go ahead and kill somebody. You're a psychopath." The words spilled out, the anger rising in me with each passing second.Her lips curled into an almost sinister smile. She didn’t even flinch at the accusation. Instead, she laughed—a soft, mocking sound that made my skin crawl."I hate you Karen,” she said. "And yes, I’ve been sending some messages. But it was only to check up on you. Nothing much. Just checking how things were going." Her voice dripped with sarcasm, as if everything she had done was just some petty game.I could feel my blood boiling. "You killed somebody," I snapped. "How can you sit there and act
Karen’s POVI sat in the small office at the station, my fingers curled into my lap as I tried to steady my breathing. The tension in the room was suffocating, thick with the weight of everything that had just happened. Troy stood in front of me, his arms crossed, his gaze hard and unyielding.“They have leads, Karen,” he said, his voice firm. “And all of them point to Devon.”I shook my head, my stomach twisting uncomfortably. “That’s impossible,” I whispered. “Devon wouldn’t do this. He—”Troy cut me off, stepping closer and placing a file down on the desk in front of me. “We just got this,” he said. “And I need you to face it.”Slowly, I reached forward, my hands trembling as I flipped the folder open. My breath caught in my throat.It was the same photo. A blurry image of a man, caught in the act of what looked like a secret exchange. The shadows obscured his features, but the shape, the stance—It was Devon?I felt like the air had been sucked out of my lungs.“No,” I murmured, m
Devon's pov.The next day, I walked into Karen’s office, my mind still reeling from the night before. The memory of her lips, her body pressing against mine, and the raw emotions we had shared clung to me like a second skin. I couldn’t stop thinking about it, couldn’t stop feeling it.I had barely slept, replaying every detail in my head, wondering what she must be thinking now. Did she regret it? Did it mean anything to her? Did it mean as much to her as it did to me?Her office door was slightly ajar, and I caught a glimpse of her inside. She was seated at her desk, her expression neutral, focused on something on her computer screen. But I knew her well enough to notice the tension in her shoulders, the way her fingers tapped absently against the edge of her desk.She was thinking about last night too.I took a deep breath, steeling myself, and pushed the door open fully. She looked up, her green eyes locking onto mine. For a moment, neither of us spoke. The air between us felt char