DareFour days had passed, and everything had been going so smoothly that it felt almost unnatural. These days with Sky had been some of the happiest of my life. We hadn’t yet put our feelings into words, but it was clear there was something between us. I could see it in her eyes, feel it in the way she lingered near me.But for now, work was calling.I sat at my desk, the brown surface spotless except for my laptop. On the screen were six faces, my board of directors, each one waiting for my input. The conversation was already in progress.“Our next issue is the drop in sales for the M61 pocket camera,” Sylvia said, her voice sharp. She was a no-nonsense woman with neatly styled blonde hair. “A bad review went viral, claiming it’s trash. Since then, sales have plummeted.”“What review are you talking about?” I asked, leaning back in my chair, fingers steepled as I listened.“One of our influencers,” Alphonse chimed in, his tone laced with irritation. “She has over 22 million follower
DareMark’s silence had been gnawing at me for days. He wasn’t one to go this long without stirring up trouble or barking orders. When he went quiet, it usually meant something worse—planning, scheming. The kind of silence that wasn’t peaceful but full of malice. It bugged me, but I kept my cool. If he was waiting for the right moment to strike, I’d make sure I was ready first.I pulled out an old burner phone from my desk drawer, the one I’d used for years to communicate. The phone was practically a relic, but it still worked. When I powered it on, it buzzed almost immediately. A call came through from a restricted number as if it had been waiting for me.I picked up and waited, listening to the silence on the other end. Ten seconds passed, and I was about to hang up when I spoke his name.“Mark.”His voice came through. “Hello, Dare. Quite a game of hide and seek you’ve been playing. Did you miss me?”I leaned back against the wall, keeping my voice steady. “Things have been peacefu
SkyI woke up early, feeling a rare burst of energy. I stretched, letting out a small yawn, and decided today was the perfect day to do something nice for Dare.He had been taking care of me in so many ways—protecting me, making me feel safe. I wanted to give back in the simplest way I could. Breakfast.The kitchen had been stocked the night before, so I had everything I needed. Padding down the stairs, I tied my hair back and rolled up the sleeves of Dare’s oversized hoodie I had stolen to wear. It smelled like him—clean and comforting.As I entered the kitchen, I scanned the counters and began gathering the ingredients for Eggs Benedict, fluffy pancakes, and crispy bacon. I even grabbed a bottle of grape wine for something a little fancy.First, I started with the hollandaise sauce. I melted butter over low heat, whisking it gently until it became golden and smooth. Then, in a small bowl, I whisked together egg yolks, lemon juice, and a pinch of cayenne pepper. Slowly, I added the m
DareBright orange and red licked the night sky, the acrid stench of smoke filling the air. The sound of the ambulance was far behind, might take them a couple of minutes before they get here.I parked my car a safe distance away and surveyed the scene. The front was an inferno, so I circled to the back, where the flames were weaker. The heat still radiated fiercely, but I had no intention of turning back. Kicking down the back door, I stepped inside, coughing as smoke filled my lungs.I covered my mouty with a wet handkerchief.The warehouse was barely recognizable. Shelves were crumbling, goods reduced to ashes, and the crackling of the fire echoed in the space. Wonderimg how the fire had begun in the first place.There was no sign of Theo anywhere not even his car was parked outside.Then I saw him. At first, I thought it was debris, a pile of burned material caught in the fire. But as I moved closer, my stomach sank. A man was tied to a metal pole, his body charred beyond recogni
Dare The moment I burst through the front door, my voice echoed through the house. “Sky!” I yelled, my heart pounding as I scanned the empty living room. Panic clawed at my chest. No response. I darted into the kitchen, then the hallway, calling her name louder this time. “Sky!” Finally, I heard the soft sound of a door creaking open upstairs. I froze, my breath caught in my throat as her voice reached me. “Dare?” She stepped into view at the top of the staircase, her face filled with confusion and concern. Relief crashed over me, so strong it nearly brought me to my knees. “Sky,” I said, exhaling sharply. I rushed up the stairs, taking them two at a time, and pulled her into my arms the moment I reached her. She let out a surprised sound as I held her tightly, like I might lose her if I let go. “You’re okay,” I whispered, more to myself than her. “Of course I am,” she said softly, pulling back slightly to look at me. “What’s going on, Dare? What happened?” I stared at her.
In one swift motion, I grabbed his arm, yanked him forward, and twisted his body in front of mine. The first gunshot rang out, but it hit the man I held instead of me.Several gunshots followed after.Knowing Mark, he must have given them the order to bring me to him dead or alive.Using the man as a shield, I pushed forward, forcing the others to hesitate as they adjusted their aim. Bullets buzzed past me, piercing the walls and furniture. I didn’t give them the chance to regroup. Spotting the dining table, I shoved the man’s limp body toward them, throwing them off balance, and dove toward the table.With a grunt, I flipped the table on its side, using it as cover. The wood fractured as bullets slammed into it, but it held for now.Peeking out from behind the edge, I fired back. My first shot caught one of them in the shoulder, knocking him down. The second man dropped as my bullet hit him square in the chest.The third man was more cautious, taking cover behind the couch. He popped
DareI could see the men stepping out, guns drawn and ready. Sky stood frozen beside me, her grip on my hand tightening with fear. I pushed her behind me, shielding her with my body.The door of the black car in the end opened, and a man stepped out. Dressed in a black jacket and jeans, hands in his pockets.It was Mark.“Long time no see, brother,” he said, spreading his arms wide like he was welcoming me to some twisted reunion.He walked closer, making sure his voice was louder with each pace. “I told you that I was going to find you, you fucking bastard.”I tightened my grip on Sky’s hand, feeling her trembling. Her breaths came out shallow and quick, and I knew she was panicking.Mark kept advancing. His eyes locked on mine, his expression dark and full of hatred. “You had the nerve to hide from me? Your own brother?” he spat. Without warning, his fist slammed into my stomach.The pain shot through me, forcing me to take a step back, but I held my ground.Before I could retaliate
DareMy vision narrowed to the three men holding me down. I twisted sharply, slamming the back of my head into the nose of the man behind me. The sickening crunch was satisfying, but I didn’t have time to relish it. Blood poured from his face as he stumbled backward, his hands flying up to steady himself.The man on my left lunged, but I was faster. My boot connected with his jaw in a brutal upward kick. His head snapped back, and before he could recover, I drove my heel into his knee, the joint giving way with a sickening pop.The third man tried to grab me, his hands reaching for my throat, but I ducked and slammed my fist into his face. The blow sent him staggering, and I didn’t hesitate. I turned to the first man still writhing on the floor, his breath ragged, and wrapped my hands around his neck. A quick, brutal twist ended him.I spun back just in time to see the man on my right recovering. He lunged at me, but I sidestepped and caught him by the neck, my elbow locking around hi
SkyI stood frozen, trying to process everything unraveling in front of me.“How about Klaus?” Dare’s voice was low and sharp, I was reminded of a family that I had once seen as mine. What really was the reason behind their death? Was it really Dare's fault that they are dead or it was Moscow all along. “Was it really the Pact?”I turned my head slightly, my eyes darting between Dare and Moscow. The mention of Klaus sent a shiver through me, a name tied to a family I once called friends, a family that no longer existed.Moscow smirked, his grip on me still firm. “Klaus? Oh no, that was personal,” he said casually, as if he were talking about the weather. “He found out about my business with Mark. Threatened to expose me. I couldn’t allow that, could I? So I took him out.”My heart clenched, and I felt a sickening wave roll through my stomach. My knees threatened to give out beneath me, but Moscow’s grip held me steady. Klaus’s family—their lives—gone because of… this?Moscow continued
SkyI can’t stop trembling. My body feels frozen, my legs still curled up beneath me on the bed. The echo of the gunshot rings in my ears, and every muscle in my body screams for me to run, but I can’t. I can barely breathe.Outside the room, heavy footsteps grow louder, hurried. A series of gunshots ring out in rapid succession, each one louder than the last. My heart races. Something is happening. Someone is coming.The door slams open, and my head jerks toward it. It’s Mr. M. He storms into the room, his expression dark and unhinged. For a second, he freezes. His eyes land on the lifeless body sprawled on the floor, blood pooling around it. His gaze shifts to me, still sitting on the bed like a statue.The disbelief on his face is almost laughable. He doesn’t think I’m capable of this.“Did you…?” he starts to say, but his voice falters.Without a word, he storms over and grabs me by the arm, yanking me off the bed like I’m nothing but a rag doll. The sudden movement sends a sharp
DareThe frustration was boiling under my skin. We’d gone through every one of those damned addresses, and still, Moscow wasn’t there. With each empty building, each fruitless search, my anger built, bubbling until I felt like I’d explode. But I refused to call him. No, Moscow didn’t deserve the courtesy of a warning or the satisfaction of knowing I was coming. When I found him—and I would find him—I wanted the element of surprise to hit him like a bullet between the eyes.We were down to the last address. It was further out than the others, tucked away on the outskirts of town, isolated. It was the kind of place you’d pick if you wanted to stay hidden, away from prying eyes. My instincts screamed that this was the one, that Sky was there. Still, I had needed to check the others first—needed to eliminate every possibility so I wouldn’t second-guess myself.The helicopter was prepped and waiting, its blades already spinning and slicing through the air. My men, loading up gear and weapo
Dare “Move in,” I ordered, through the comms. Like a ripple in the water, my men moved. Armed to the teeth, dressed in black. The first wave hit the perimeter. Twelve men were stationed outside—some lounging near the front gate, a few patrolling the grounds, and others lingering near the back door smoking cigarettes, unaware. At the front, Marco and Theo led the charge. Marco tackled the first guard, slamming his head against the stone wall so hard he crumpled to the ground unconscious. Theo followed, pulling his silenced pistol from his hip and putting two guards down before they even realized what was happening. Behind the house, two of my best snipers, Ivan and Rick, took position on the neighboring rooftop. The faint glint of their scopes caught the moonlight just before two muffled shots rang out. The two guards by the back entrance dropped without a sound, their bodies slumping to the ground. A guard near the garage heard the thud and turned, his hand going for his g
Dare “Move in,” I ordered, through the comms. Like a ripple in the water, my men moved. Armed to the teeth, dressed in black. The first wave hit the perimeter. Twelve men were stationed outside—some lounging near the front gate, a few patrolling the grounds, and others lingering near the back door smoking cigarettes, unaware. At the front, Marco and Theo led the charge. Marco tackled the first guard, slamming his head against the stone wall so hard he crumpled to the ground unconscious. Theo followed, pulling his silenced pistol from his hip and putting two guards down before they even realized what was happening. Behind the house, two of my best snipers, Ivan and Rick, took position on the neighboring rooftop. The faint glint of their scopes caught the moonlight just before two muffled shots rang out. The two guards by the back entrance dropped without a sound, their bodies slumping to the ground. A guard near the garage heard the thud and turned, his hand going for his gun. Bu
Dare“Move in,” I ordered, through the comms.Like a ripple in the water, my men moved. Armed to the teeth, dressed in black.The first wave hit the perimeter. Twelve men were stationed outside—some lounging near the front gate, a few patrolling the grounds, and others lingering near the back door smoking cigarettes, unaware.At the front, Marco and Theo led the charge. Marco tackled the first guard, slamming his head against the stone wall so hard he crumpled to the ground unconscious. Theo followed, pulling his silenced pistol from his hip and putting two guards down before they even realized what was happening.Behind the house, two of my best snipers, Ivan and Rick, took position on the neighboring rooftop. The faint glint of their scopes caught the moonlight just before two muffled shots rang out. The two guards by the back entrance dropped without a sound, their bodies slumping to the ground.A guard near the garage heard the thud and turned, his hand going for his gun. But Chri
SkyHe pauses mid-step, turning back toward me with slowness, his cane clutched tightly in his hand. My breath catches as he raises the cane to my neck. The cold tip presses against my skin, sharp and unyielding, making me flinch. Then, with a simple flick of his finger on a hidden button, a blade extends from the end of the cane. The tip now rests against my throat, its edge sharp enough to slice with the slightest pressure.“Come for you,” he says, His eyes—dark, and utterly devoid of mercy—bore into mine. I freeze, my body trembling despite my attempts to remain strong. He pushes the blade slightly into my neck. A warm trickle slides down my skin, and I know it’s blood. A drop falls to the floor, the sound barely audible but deafening in my ears.“What makes you think you’re so important to him?” he continues, his tone mocking, as if my very existence is some sort of cruel joke to him. “What makes you believe that, in a world filled with women far more valuable, he would choose you
Sky The door creaked open late in the afternoon, and a woman stepped inside. She was of average height, wearing a crisp white apron over simple clothes, her dark hair pulled back into a neat bun. “Come, my dear,” she said softly, stretching out a hand toward me. I hesitated for a moment, but then I reached out and took her hand. My legs felt weak as I stood, my body stiff from hours—or was it days?—of sitting in the cold, dark room. I had no idea where she was taking me, but the heavy footsteps behind us reminded me I didn’t have a choice. The guard from earlier was following silently, his gaze boring into my back, a reminder that I wasn’t free. The building was larger than I realized, and the more we walked, the more disoriented I became. Instead of stairs, we entered an elevator, the sterile silver walls reflecting my pale, frightened face. I tried to memorize the path we were taking, but every hallway looked the same—long, dimly lit, and lined with doors that seemed to hold mor
SkyThe door creaked open late in the afternoon, and a woman stepped inside. She was of average height, wearing a crisp white apron over simple clothes, her dark hair pulled back into a neat bun.“Come, my dear,” she said softly, stretching out a hand toward me.I hesitated for a moment, but then I reached out and took her hand. My legs felt weak as I stood, my body stiff from hours—or was it days?—of sitting in the cold, dark room. I had no idea where she was taking me, but the heavy footsteps behind us reminded me I didn’t have a choice. The guard from earlier was following silently, his gaze boring into my back, a reminder that I wasn’t free.The building was larger than I realized, and the more we walked, the more disoriented I became. Instead of stairs, we entered an elevator, the sterile silver walls reflecting my pale, frightened face. I tried to memorize the path we were taking, but every hallway looked the same—long, dimly lit, and lined with doors that seemed to hold more se