Ethan watched as Sasha lay on his bed, her body curled up, her breathing uneven as she slept. She had been crying for hours, and even now, in sleep, her face was etched with pain. It hurt him to see her like this. He had never wanted her to bear this weight.He sat at the edge of the bed, running a hand through his hair, his mind replaying everything she had told him. Sasha had killed Jack—her childhood friend—all to protect him. She had crossed a line, a line that no one should have to cross. And then, as if to mock her sacrifice, she had walked in on him in bed with another woman.Ethan felt disgusted with himself. How had things gotten so out of control? How had he let this happen?His phone buzzed, breaking the silence. It was Rowan. Ethan hesitated for a moment before picking up."Boss," Rowan began, his voice urgent. "The Hell’s Gang leader in Tempa was gunned down at an abandoned café. We need to retaliate. I suspect it was the Axe Gang. We can’t let this slide."Ethan rubbed h
Sasha walked through the quiet, dimly lit hallway of her apartment building, her mind still reeling from everything that had happened. She felt numb, her body moving on autopilot as she replayed the events of the night in her head. The guilt of killing Jack weighed heavily on her chest. Every time her phone rang, she jumped, knowing it was Rico trying to reach her, but she couldn't bear to answer. What would she even say?She reached her floor, her footsteps slowing as she approached her door. But then she froze. Rico was standing there, leaning against her door, his phone pressed to his ear. He looked tired, worried, as if he had been there for a while.As soon as Sasha stepped into view, her phone rang loudly in the silent hallway. Rico looked up, his eyes locking onto hers. The phone in his hand lowered slowly as he stood up straight, surprise and relief flooding his face."Sasha?" Rico said, his voice rough, filled with concern. "Why haven’t you been picking up? I’ve been calling
Carlos paced back and forth in his office, his mind racing with the recent news of Jack’s death. The dimly lit room, filled with cigar smoke and the faint sound of traffic outside, felt suffocating. Jack was dead. The weight of that truth settled over him like a heavy fog. "Jack’s dead," Carlos muttered under his breath, running a hand through his hair. It wasn’t supposed to end this way. Jack had been his closest ally in the mission to find out who Hades was—the ghost pulling the strings behind Hell’s Gang. Jack had been one of the few who could move through Hell's Gang unnoticed, especially since he was their regional leader in Tampa. He had a way of keeping his head down, of blending in, all while sniffing out the dirty secrets no one else could.But now he was gone.Carlos dropped into his chair, eyes fixed on the map pinned to the wall, each dot representing known Hell’s Gang territories. Jack had been on the cusp of something big—Carlos could feel it. He had been helping him cl
Ethan sat at his desk, the late afternoon sunlight slanting through the large windows of his office, casting sharp angles of light and shadow across the room. The air was thick with tension, though you wouldn’t know it from Ethan’s calm exterior. His mind was occupied with thoughts of Sasha, her grief, and the threat that still loomed over her, especially if it’s found out that she killed Jack, his biggest fear is what the outcome would be since she did it to protect it. For the past seven days he has been anxious and worried about Sasha since Jack’s death, and he had kept his distance, allowing her time to mourn. He was very relieved to hear she left her apartment to go to her father’s place hopefully it means she is feeling better about everything but the one thing he did not like was hearing that Hue Conner was in the Brooks mansion with her and he wondered what he was there for, hopefully he was not there for Sasha. He had learned long ago that people close to you could quickly be
Rico sat at his desk inside the bustling Special Security Service (SSS) headquarters, his eyes fixed on the computer screen in front of him. The hum of conversation, the clatter of keyboards, and the soft buzz of fluorescent lights filled the air, but Rico’s mind was elsewhere, laser-focused on the task at hand. He couldn’t get Jack’s death out of his head. They had been friends, brothers, even. The last few days had been a whirlwind of unanswered questions, dead-end leads, and a growing sense of frustration.They had tested the clothes Jack had been wearing the night he died, hoping for fingerprints or any clue that might lead them to the killer. The results, however, were disappointing. Whoever had killed Jack had been careful—too careful. The murderer had worn gloves. No fingerprints, no DNA. Nothing.“Damn it,” Rico muttered under his breath, running a hand through his short hair. He leaned back in his chair, staring up at the ceiling for a moment, trying to figure out his next mo
Ethan rushed through the hallway of Sasha’s apartment building, his heart pounding in his chest. His mind raced as he replayed the events of the day, the confrontation with his father, the lies Helen had spun, and now he is an engaged man. He had to see Sasha. He had to explain everything before anyone else does or uses the situation to poisoned her mind against him and by anyone else he mean Jonathan.When he reached her door, he knocked, expecting to see Sasha’s face, but instead, Jonathan appeared in the doorway. A cold, knowing smile spread across Jonathan’s face, and in that instant, Ethan understood. Jonathan had already planted the seeds of doubt.“What the hell are you doing here?” Ethan’s voice was low, but the threat in his tone was unmistakable.Jonathan shrugged, leaning casually against the doorframe. “Why does it matter? Sasha and I were just having a conversation.”Ethan stepped forward, his eyes blazing with anger. “It matters because you’re standing in my woman’s apa
Ethan sat alone in Sasha’s living room, the weight of the evening pressing down on him like a vice. His mind replayed their conversation over and over, each moment of her pushing him away like a knife to his chest. The sight of her tears, the fear in her eyes—it was something he wasn’t prepared for, something he hadn’t meant to provoke.But she would come back. She had to. He couldn’t let her go, not when she was the only thing keeping him grounded in the chaos of his life.Ethan exhaled slowly, trying to steady his emotions. His phone buzzed me, pulled out his phone, and the caller ID was Peter."Peter," he said as he picked up “Have you done what I asked you about?.”"Yes, I get two tickets to Ibiza. First-class, leaving tonight. Also, I got the best couple’s vacation package. You can find—private villa, the works. And got it all done within the hour." Peter said from the other end of the phone."That's great Peter, you exceeded my expectations" Ethan replied efficiently, his voice
Rico sat in the driver’s seat of his car, drumming his fingers against the steering wheel as he pulled up outside the darkened warehouse where Carlos had agreed to meet him. It wasn’t exactly neutral ground, but this wasn’t a formal interview—this was off the record. Rico had to tread carefully, as Gang members are not known for being forthcoming or cooperative with federal agents, and Carlos from their call was especially slippery.Jack’s death had been weighing heavily on his mind, and Carlos was one of the last people Jack had been in contact with before his death. The problem was that every lead kept circling back to a dead end. No fingerprints, no solid evidence—just whispers in the wind.Rico stepped out of the car, adjusting his jacket as he approached the entrance. Two men, heavily armed, stood guard outside. They exchanged looks as Rico neared."I'm here to see Carlos," Rico said, his voice steady. "He knows I’m coming."One of the guards grunted and stepped aside, allowing R
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