Sasha stood in the Vegas Casino’s secret room, the anger from the beytral still coursing through her veins. The knowledge that the Russians had been playing them gnawed at her, anger mixing with a grim sense of determination. She had no room for doubts—no time to second-guess her decisions. She had to act, and she had to act now.“Ivy, we need names. You said you’d dig deeper. How long will it take?” Sasha asked, her tone sharp and commanding.Ivy nodded, already scrolling through information on her tablet. “I’ve got a few leads, but I’ll need at least a couple of hours to verify them. There’s a contact I can meet—someone who deals with both us and the Russians. He might know who’s been feeding Rico the intel.”Sasha’s eyes narrowed. She didn’t like relying on shady intermediaries, but right now, they had no choice. “Fine. Set it up. And be careful—I don’t trust anyone right now.”Big Tom’s massive frame shifted slightly in his chair, his voice gruff. “What if the Russians catch wind
Sasha pulled her car into an abandoned parking lot near the edge of the city, where Ivy had instructed her to meet. The night was thick and heavy with the scent of rain that had yet to fall, and the only light came from a flickering streetlamp casting distorted shadows over the cracked asphalt. Sasha parked under the dim light, her heart pounding with fear and determination.She stepped out of the car, her eyes scanning the darkness. She pulled her hood up, her black mask concealing her face. This was not a meeting she could afford to be careless with. Not with the Russians actively plotting against her, not with Rico breathing down her neck. Every step she took felt weighted, each moment dragging her deeper into a world she could never escape from.A car door slammed shut behind her, and Sasha spun around, hand instinctively dropping to the concealed blade strapped to her thigh. Ivy was walking toward her, holding a small, sealed envelope. Her expression was serious, tension lining
Sasha parked her car in a dimly lit alley just a block from the Russians’ meeting place—a hidden warehouse in the industrial district. Ivy had sent her coordinates to a remote location on the city's edge, warning her to come alone and remain unseen. The tension was almost unbearable, but Sasha knew she had to stay calm. They had a plan. They had the intel. It was time to turn the tables. Just as she was about to step out, her phone buzzed. It was a message from Ethan. “I’m here. Watching from a distance. You’re not alone.” She typed back quickly: “Thanks. Keep your eyes sharp. This needs to end tonight.”As she approached the warehouse, she could see shadows shifting inside. The sounds of deep Russian voices and the smell of cigar smoke filled the air. Sasha pulled up her mask, steeling herself for what was about to happen. She pushed the heavy metal door open and walked in, her footsteps echoing.Inside, the air was thick with tension. Around a large table sat several of the Russia
Sasha adjusted her grip on the wheelchair as she guided Chris up the long driveway to the Miller mansion, he could walk it was just one of the ways he could save his strength as he recovered. It had been a long day at the hospital—paperwork, last-minute checkups, and the awkward exchange of pleasantries with the nurses who had grown to know Chris over the months. Her father’s black SUV pulled in behind them, Amanda got out and gently lifted Chris’s bag from the trunk. Chris had requested to live with her. He did not want to live in the Brooks Mansion. “Welcome home, Chris,” Sasha said softly as she pushed open the heavy front doors, the familiar scent of cedarwood and polished floors enveloping them. Chris glanced around, his eyes wide, taking in the high ceilings, the sparkling chandeliers, and the ornate furnishings. “This… this is where I’ll be living?” he asked, his voice both nervous and hopeful. Sasha smiled, nodding. “Yeah, Chris. You’re home. Your room’s all set up.” B
Sasha was in the middle of folding laundry after she, her father, Chris, and Amanda had eaten dinner. When her phone buzzed on the kitchen counter. She glanced at the screen, seeing Eve’s name flash across. Relief surged through her—Eve had been her source of joy but she had been distant from her for some time now, she just had not had the time to check on her friend, she had such much going on that she had not contacted her friend for days, and Sasha had been growing worried. But when she answered the call, it wasn’t Eve’s voice on the other end. “Hello?” she said, expecting to hear her friend’s familiar voice. A man’s voice came through, low and serious. “Is this Sasha Brooks?”Sasha’s heart sank, her grip tightening around the phone. “Yes, this is Sasha. Who is this? Why are you calling from Eve’s phone?”There was a pause, and Sasha could hear muffled sounds in the background—the wail of sirens, the crackle of police radios. “I’m sorry,” the voice said, a note of regret bleedin
The night was silent when Sasha arrived at the hideout, a secluded warehouse on the outskirts of town that Big Tom used as a base for operations that needed to stay off the radar. Her heart pounded as she climbed out of the car, her mind still reeling from the events of the past day. She hadn’t slept since she saw Eve’s lifeless body on the cold ground. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw her friend’s bruised and bloodied face, and it only fueled her anger.Big Tom was waiting for her, arms crossed and a grim expression on his face. He nodded as she approached, gesturing for her to follow him into the building.“You got it?” Sasha asked, her voice steady but laced with fury.Big Tom nodded. “I did. It took some work, but I managed to pull the footage from the club’s security system. We’re the only ones with it now. No one else will see this—especially not the cops.”“Good,” Sasha replied, her voice cold. “I don’t want anyone else involved. This is personal.”He led her into a smal
Carlos sat slumped against the cold metal chair, his wrists and ankles raw from the restraints. The dim light overhead barely illuminated the room, but even in the shadows, he felt the weight of her presence—Nyx. She’d left him alone for hours, and in that silence, his mind churned with dread. How could this have happened? How could Eve, a girl he’d thought of as disposable, have led him to this moment?Nyx and Eve were friends. That fact stunned him. He’d knew first hand of Nyx’s ruthlessness, her ties to Hades, her mysterious network of loyalty and violence. But never in his wildest dreams had he imagined that one of her close allies was Eve. Now he understood the darkness he’d seen in Nyx’s eyes when she confronted him. This was personal.His gaze fell to his bare finger, where the Axe Gang leadership ring had once been. She’d taken it, along with the stamp that symbolized his power over the gang. But what did Nyx want with those symbols? Did she mean to take over the Axe Gang, to
Rico squinted against the early morning light as he arrived at the beach. The police had already cordoned off the area, yellow tape fluttering in the breeze. A small crowd of onlookers had gathered, murmuring to each other, but the officers kept them at a distance. As he stepped out of his car, one of his men approached.“Boss, you’re not gonna like this,” his lieutenant muttered, a grim look in his eyes.Rico frowned, feeling a knot tighten in his stomach. He had been following Carlos’s movements for weeks, hoping to get answers about Jack’s death and uncover any link to Hades. But now, seeing the grim faces of the officers and the morbid curiosity of the onlookers, he knew something had gone very, very wrong.“Where is he?” Rico asked, his voice low.The lieutenant gestured toward the edge of the tape. “They’ve got him laid out by the shoreline. He washed up earlier this morning. It’s… bad.”Rico nodded, then approached the cluster of police officers who were discussing the case amo
The lights of Ethan's mansion shone dimly in the misty night as Sasha drove up the long driveway. Her hands gripped the steering wheel, knuckles white, her heart pounding as she replayed the events of the evening. Rico’s dying words echoed in her mind, haunting her with every breath. She could still feel the coldness of the gun in her hand, the heaviness of the glass she had forced him to drink. Her best friend, the person who had once shared her innocence, was gone, and it was by her own doing.Trembling, she stepped out of the car and approached the door. It was late, but Ethan had always told her that she was welcome at any hour. She barely noticed the warmth of his mansion as she stumbled through the doors, a shivering mess of guilt and sorrow. One of his guards led her to his study, where Ethan was waiting, his expression immediately darkening as he saw the tears streaking down her cheeks."Sasha," he said, standing up quickly, his voice filled with concern. "What happened?"She
The night was cold as Sasha drove down the empty streets, the city lights flickering in her rearview mirror like fading stars. She had always been careful, had always walked the line between who she once was and the life she’d been pulled into. But Rico was closing in, his relentless pursuit drawing closer to truths that could ruin everything she’d built with Ethan. And now, she was at a crossroads she never imagined she’d face: she would have to kill him.As she reached the Miller mansion, her mind was clear, cold as steel. She pulled on a pair of black gloves, knowing every step would need to be precise, leaving nothing behind. She climbed the stairs to her bedroom, opened the hidden compartment in her closet, and retrieved a small vial of poison. She had kept it for years, a tool she hoped she’d never need. But Rico had left her no choice.Her fingers grazed over the gun in the drawer. It felt heavy, both in weight and in purpose. Rico was her friend—a part of her past, her childh
The morning sun was filtering through the high windows of her office when Sasha’s phone buzzed on her desk. She reached for it, glancing at the unfamiliar number on the screen. Frowning, she answered. “Sasha Brooks.”“Miss Brooks,” the voice on the other end was firm and professional. “This is Agent Wyatt with the Secret Service. We need you to come down to our office for questioning.”Sasha felt a wave of unease wash over her. “Questioning?” she asked, forcing her voice to stay steady. “Can you tell me what this is about?”“I’m afraid we can’t discuss the details over the phone,” Agent Wyatt replied. “Please come in at your earliest convenience.”The line went dead before she could ask anything more. Sasha lowered the phone, her heart pounding. She’d known that Rico’s investigation wasn’t over, but she hadn’t expected him to summon her like this. She took a deep breath, steadying herself. If Rico wanted answers, she’d give them—but only what she wanted him to know.An hour later, Sas
Ethan was still savoring the aftermath of his election victory as he reclined on the leather sofa in his penthouse office. The city stretched out before him through the glass wall, lights glittering like stars. The high of winning still coursed through him, though Sasha’s words kept gnawing at the edges of his mind. But before he could dwell on her warning, his phone buzzed in his pocket. The number on the screen made him sit up instantly—one of his contacts at the SSS.He answered, keeping his voice low. “What’s going on?”The voice on the other end was brisk and to the point. “Mr. Leo, we just received word that Rico Morales obtained a warrant to search the Vegas Casino. He’s on his way there with his team.”Ethan’s heart skipped a beat. For a moment, he stared out the window, feeling a cold, creeping dread settle in. If Rico was coming after the Vegas Casino, it wasn’t a casual inspection. Rico had been investigating Jack and Carlos’s deaths for months, desperate to connect the dot
Rico leaned back in his office chair, rubbing his tired eyes. It had been over six months since he began his relentless pursuit of the shadows that haunted the city—the figures known only as Nyx and Hades. Six months of dead ends, sleepless nights, and watching blurry surveillance footage. Jack and Carlos were dead, their bodies leaving behind a silence that demanded justice. Yet every lead felt like sand slipping through his fingers.Jack had been his friend, someone he’d trusted. And Carlos, despite his flaws, had once been a key figure in the city’s underworld. Both men were gone now, and Rico knew that somewhere out there, someone was responsible. Someone powerful, calculating, and ruthless enough to cover their tracks perfectly.He switched on his laptop and resumed scrolling through the mountain of footage. Security footage from street corners, ATMs, storefronts—anything that might reveal even the faintest hint of Nyx or Hades. He was chasing ghosts, but his gut told him that pe
Ethan’s words hung in the air, a confession raw and vulnerable, stripped bare of any pretense. Sasha’s breath hitched, her mind racing to process what he had just said. She searched his face, seeing the weight of years of torment etched into his eyes.“Bipolar?” she whispered, her voice barely audible, as if saying it too loud would shatter the fragile honesty between them.Ethan nodded, looking away, unable to meet her gaze. “I didn’t know for a long time,” he admitted, his hands clenching and unclenching as he tried to steady himself. “There were… signs. But I didn’t want to believe it. I thought I was just… intense. Driven. I’ve always felt this… voice inside me, pushing me to take control, to act without thinking.” He paused, his voice trembling. “It’s not just a voice. It’s me. It’s a part of me that I can’t seem to silence.”Sasha felt her heart break for him, realizing how much he’d been struggling, even before they’d met. She wanted to reach out, to hold him, but she knew he n
Sasha leaned against her car, her arms wrapped tightly around herself as she waited outside the police station. The last few hours had been a blur of emotions she could barely process—anger, sadness, and betrayal. Ethan’s confession replayed in her mind over and over, a loop that tightened her chest with every repetition. She wasn’t ready to face Chris. Not after what she’d learned about Ethan, about the accident that had torn her family apart without her even knowing it. But her brother needed her, and right now, he was all she had. She had promised him he wouldn’t be alone, and she intended to keep that promise. When Chris finally stepped out of the station, his expression softened as he saw her. For a moment, they just stood there, the weight of everything unspoken pressing down on them. Sasha took a shaky breath, then walked toward him, her eyes filling with tears she hadn’t even realized she was holding back. it felt good, it felt good to have him out of cell. She could not be
The world came back to Ethan slowly, like rising from the depths of a dark ocean. His eyelids felt heavy, and his entire body ached as if he’d been hit by a train. He blinked, trying to focus, and the sterile white walls of a hospital room gradually came into view. The dim light of early morning filtered through the blinds, casting soft shadows across the room. He turned his head, wincing as a sharp pain shot through him. But when he looked to his left, his heart softened. There, slumped over in a chair by his bedside, was Sasha. Her face was pale, and there were dark circles under her eyes, evidence of sleepless nights. She had one hand resting near his on the bed, as if she’d fallen asleep holding it but eventually drifted off from sheer exhaustion. He gently reached out, brushing his fingers against her hand, too weak to do more. Sasha stirred, blinking her eyes open as she processed what she was seeing. When she realized he was awake, her eyes went wide with relief and joy. “
Sasha stormed into the police station, her mind a storm of fear, fury, and confusion. She hadn’t even had time to process Ethan’s condition at the hospital before she found herself here, chasing the need for answers, for justice. She marched up to the front desk, trying to keep her voice steady.“I need to see the person you arrested for the hit-and-run on Ethan Leo,” she said, her tone as firm as steel.The officer behind the desk looked up, recognizing her from media appearances as well as from the sheer power of her name. He gave her a nod. “Right this way, Miss Brooks.”Sasha followed him through a dimly lit corridor, her heart pounding harder with every step. She felt an almost dizzying mix of dread and anger as she walked, but she pushed it down. She had to stay focused. Whoever this was… she needed to see them, to understand why they would do something so reckless, so cruel.When the officer finally stopped outside a cell, Sasha’s breath caught in her throat. Her whole world ti