Elijah’s POV“The surveillance is live,” Joe’s voice said through the speakerphone in my office. “We’ve got drones in the air and eyes on the docks. If Lennon’s hiding something, we’ll find it.”“Good,” I muttered, leaning forward. My fingers drummed against the desk as the satellite feed from the docks came into focus. The grainy image showed cargo containers stacked high, workers moving in synchronized chaos under the amber glow of floodlights.The private investigation firm I’d hired had already combed through the basics—shipping manifests, customs declarations, and transaction records. Too much of it didn’t add up. Confidential shipments. Redirected goods. And partnerships with shell companies linked to known mob fronts.“Any movement?” I asked.Joe’s keyboard clattered on the other end. “Not yet. But if Lennon’s got anything going on tonight, it’ll be here. These docks are his central hub for domestic shipments.”I rubbed my temples. “Keep me posted. I’ll head out soon.”It’s bee
Elijah’s POVJoe’s voice came through again. “Elijah, we’ve got movement. That SUV is circling back, and they’re unloading something heavy. You need to wrap it up.”I cursed under my breath. “Understood. Get me an exit route.”The PI beside me nodded sharply, sealing the crate back up with quick, practiced hands. My heart pounded as I scanned the area, my eyes locking onto the approaching headlights of a forklift. Its beam swept across the rows of containers, illuminating patches of the shadows we were hiding in. We crouched lower, pressed against the cold metal of a nearby container, holding our breath as the vehicle rumbled past, its operator none the wiser.“Exit to your left,” Joe said, his voice steady despite the tension in the air. “There’s a service road leading to a back lot. Minimal cameras. You’ve got a clear path, but move fast.”I gave a small nod to the PI, and we slipped out of our hiding spot, moving swiftly but quietly. Every footstep felt like it echoed in the oppres
Elijah’s POVI stretched out on the couch, letting out a slow breath as I stared at the ceiling. Saturday mornings were supposed to be a time to recharge, but my mind was a tangled web of doubts, plans, and suspicions. Between Lennon’s shady dealings and Sophia’s decision to work with Lucas, I felt like I was walking a tightrope, trying to balance everything without falling apart.The sound of laughter drifted in from the garden, pulling me out of my thoughts. The kids were giggling about something, their voices light and carefree. Sophia’s laughter mingled with theirs, warm and melodic.Maybe this is what I need. Just one day without suspicion or frustration. One day to relax and have fun with my family, just like before. Pushing myself off the couch, I headed toward the garden. The sight that greeted me made my chest loosen for the first time in days. Reese, Jared, and Roxy were seated around a small table, their hands smudged with paint as they worked on terracotta pots. Sophia wa
Sophia’s POVKayla and I settled into the plush chairs at the nail salon, the soothing melody of soft music blending with the faint scent of lavender in the air. It was a welcome reprieve from the chaos of life, and I could already feel some of the tension lifting from my shoulders.“This is exactly what I needed,” I sighed as the nail technician began working on my hands. “Just some peace and quiet with my best friend.”Kayla grinned from the chair next to me, her toes soaking in warm, bubbly water. “Tell me about it. Between Asha’s teething and Connor’s latest work crisis, I feel like I haven’t sat down for five minutes in days.”I chuckled. “Motherhood. Marriage. The joys of adulting, right? Remember when our biggest problem was whether our outfits matched for the weekend parties?”“Or whether that cute guy from history class would notice us,” Kayla added with a laugh. “Life was so simple back then.”We both laughed, and for a moment, it felt like we were back in those carefree day
Sophia’s POVThe dim glow of the club’s neon lights danced across our table as Kayla and I leaned in, laughing over the rim of our cocktail glasses. The music thumped in the background, a pulsing beat that seemed to sync with the energy of the room.“See?” Kayla grinned, tossing her hair back. “Aren’t you glad you came out?”I took another sip of my drink, nodding. “I’ll admit, this is fun. It’s been forever since I just let loose like this.”Kayla gave me a playful nudge. “Good. That’s the whole point. Forget your worries for a bit.”A few minutes later, we were on the dance floor, swaying to the music. The crowd around us moved as one, and for the first time in weeks, I felt free—untethered by work, responsibilities, and the heavy weight of my recent thoughts.As we returned to our table, a man approached Kayla, flashing a charming smile. “Hey there. Can I buy you a drink?”Kayla raised an eyebrow, her lips twitching with amusement. “Appreciate the offer, but I’m good, thanks.”He h
Sophia’s POV“I’m fine,” I said quickly, waving him off even though my legs felt like jelly. “Just a little dizzy, that’s all. Nice to see you, but I’m heading out now.”I took a shaky step forward, determined to get outside and wait for Elijah. But the room tilted again, and I swayed dangerously. Before I could catch myself, Lucas’s hands shot out, gripping my arms and balancing me. “You’re not fine,” he said firmly. His hands were warm against my skin, and I hated how grounded they made me feel. “Come on, let’s sit down. You need water. Let me help you.”“Lucas, no. I’m okay,” I insisted, trying to pull away, but my legs betrayed me, another wave of dizziness forcing me to lean on him. My heart raced, not just from the physical sensation but from the sinking fear of what Elijah would think if he walked in right now.“Stop arguing,” Lucas said, his voice soft but insistent. “You can barely stand. Just sit down for a minute. I’ll get you some water.”I had no choice but to let him gu
Sophia’s POVWe reached the car, and as soon as I settled into the passenger seat, I leaned my head back, pressing my fingers to my temples in a futile attempt to dull the pounding. Elijah slammed the door shut on his side, the sound making me flinch. He didn’t start the engine right away. Instead, he turned to face me, his jaw tight and his eyes blazing with fury.“You were meeting him,” he said, his voice low but sharp. “Weren’t you? After Kayla left, you knew he’d show up.”“What?” I snapped, sitting up despite the dull ache pulling at me. “Are you serious right now?”“I trusted you, Sophia,” he continued, his voice rising. “And you—what, you think I’m stupid? You think I wouldn’t figure it out?”My chest tightened, anger and disbelief surging. “If you trusted me, you’d believe me when I tell you the truth. I didn’t plan any of this. Lucas just showed up. What was I supposed to do? Ignore him and pass out on the floor?”“You could have called me,” he shot back. “Or Kayla. Hell, any
Elijah’s POVI leaned back in my chair, tapping a pen absently against the edge of my desk. My mind was a mess, tangled in thoughts of last night—of Sophia’s quiet, tearful face, of the widening gap between us.I shouldn’t have agreed to meet Camille today. Hell, I shouldn’t have even taken her call last night. But when she’d been crying on the phone, asking to meet, saying she wanted to quit modeling and come back to Sinclair Realty, I’d felt cornered. There was desperation in her voice, and while I didn’t trust her motives entirely, I didn’t feel right dismissing her outright.Still, I couldn’t ignore the nagging feeling that this was a mistake. Sophia must have overheard the call last night—I’d caught the faintest shift of movement in the hallway after I’d hung up. But she hadn’t said a word, neither last night nor this morning. We’d gone about our routines in silence, our conversations limited to the kids and logistics. A knock on the door pulled me from my thoughts.“Come in,” I
Sophia’s POVA hush of golden light slipped through the curtains, draping the room in warmth and calm. It felt like the kind of morning that only came after surviving the storm.Weeks had passed since the chaos faded, and for once, the quiet didn’t feel temporary—it felt earned. I stirred slowly, eyes drifting open to find Elijah beside me, his hand resting lightly over mine. I studied him in the silence, taking in the softened edges of a man who’d carried us through fire and finally found peace.I leaned over and pressed a kiss to his cheek. His eyes fluttered open, and when they focused on me, he smiled sleepily."Morning," he murmured."Morning," I whispered back, letting my fingers trace the line of his jaw. "Can you believe we actually get to wake up like this? No chaos, no danger—just us."He pulled me closer and kissed my forehead. "I could get used to this."Just as I was about to say something, the door burst open."Mommy! Daddy!" Reese called out, followed quickly by Roxy an
Elijah’s POVWe weaved through the cracked streets, deeper into a part of the city that felt like time had forgotten it. Boarded-up windows, rusted signage, buildings collapsing in on themselves. This was the kind of place where ghosts lingered, and today, we were chasing one of them."We’re close," Joe muttered from the front seat, his eyes scanning the GPS on his phone. "This is the last possible location that fits Hugo's hideouts."Antoine sat beside me in the back, silent but focused. His jaw was tight, hands clenched. I still didn’t know if I fully trusted him, but I couldn’t deny this: he was here, risking his neck like the rest of us. And right now, I’d take any edge we could get.I have to find Grandpa George. For Sophia.When we pulled up to the burned-out remains of what once looked like a chapel, a chill shot down my spine. The stone structure still stood, half-charred, the wooden beams above blackened and skeletal. Nature had tried to reclaim it—vines curling around scorch
Elijah’s POV“Sophia…”Her name was the only thing in my mind as I stormed through the decaying hallway, boots slamming against rotting wood, gun drawn. My pulse thundered in my ears. The floor creaked beneath every step, but I didn’t slow down. I couldn’t.Joe and his men fanned out behind me, covering corners, checking every room.We were running out of time.Then—A scream.My heart nearly stopped. It was her.I charged forward, slamming my shoulder into the door at the end of the hall. It burst open—and I saw red.Morgana was on the ground, gasping for air as Hugo’s hand squeezed her throat, and across the room, Sophia was trying to drag herself toward them, her face pale and streaked with tears.“NO!” I shouted, and without hesitation, I raised my gun.Hugo turned just as I fired.The bullet tore through his shoulder. He howled, stumbling back and releasing Morgana, who crumpled to the floor, coughing violently.I crossed the room in three strides and tackled Hugo before he could
Sophia’s POVThe first thing I felt was cold.A biting chill that wrapped around my arms and legs like a second set of restraints. Then came the pressure—tight, scratchy ropes cutting into my wrists. My head pounded like a drum, fog thick behind my eyes. Everything smelled like mildew and dust.My eyes struggled to make sense of the shadows.The room was dim, lit only by a weak bulb overhead that flickered like it couldn’t decide if it wanted to stay on. I was on a metal chair, hands tied behind my back, ankles secured to the legs. The air tasted stale and old, like the walls had been sealed off from the world for decades.Panic bloomed in my chest.My brother Chris. What had become of him?I jerked forward, straining against the ropes. “Chris!” I called, my voice hoarse and raw. “Where is he?!”I noticed some movement in the darkness. A shadow stirred in the corner of the room. I froze as a figure stepped out into the light. Tall. Gray-streaked beard. Sunken eyes like old coals. A d
Sophia’s POV“This is insane,” Elijah muttered, rubbing a hand over his face. “We’re relying on Antoine to lead us to Hugo. Does no one else see how crazy that is?”Joe, who had been checking messages on his phone, barely looked up. “We don’t have another choice.”I watched Elijah pace the room, his frustration clear. He wasn’t wrong, but I knew that if there was even the smallest chance of finding Grandpa George, we had to take it.Joe sighed and turned to Antoine. “You sure you can make him bite?”Antoine shrugged. “I know Hugo. He’s a cockroach—he won’t go down without a fight. But if he thinks his last hiding spot is compromised, he’ll make a move. That’s when we strike.”Elijah muttered something under his breath, but I didn’t catch it. Joe’s phone buzzed. As he studied the screen, he said, “We got something. Two possible locations.”Elijah straightened. “Then let’s move.”They all hurried out, and I had the sudden, overwhelming urge to call Elijah back—to make sure he’d pick up
Sophia’s POVMy mother sat on the couch, clutching Grandma Evelyn’s hands, trying to calm her down. My father stood near the window, staring out into the darkness, his face pale and unreadable.Chris and Connor were huddled over a laptop at the dining table, analyzing security footage.Joe was already there, speaking into his phone, barking orders to his contacts.But no one had any answers yet.And Grandpa George was still missing.I turned to my grandmother, kneeling in front of her. “Grandma—did you see anything? Anyone suspicious? A car, a stranger?”Her red-rimmed eyes filled with fresh tears as she shook her head. “No… nothing. I don’t know how this happened.” Her voice broke. “George was just in his study… and then he was gone.”Elijah placed a hand on my shoulder, grounding me, but I could feel the rage simmering beneath his calm exterior. He wasn’t just worried—he was furiousJust then, Chris snapped his fingers at the screen. “We’ve got something.”Connor turned the laptop t
Sophia’s POVWe had been trying to track down both Antoine and Hugo, but they had vanished like ghosts.No leads. No sightings. Nothing.Lucas had called me earlier, still searching, still digging. Even Elijah and his contacts have been working doubly hard. But so far, they’d come up empty too. It was frustrating—knowing the danger was out there, lurking, waiting for the right moment to strike.But tonight…Tonight, we weren’t going to think about it.Tonight, we were here to celebrate.After all, Lila and Adrian’s joint concert was finally happening. This was their moment, their dream unfolding before them.And for the first time in what felt like forever, we were all together, enjoying something good.Kayla was everywhere at once, her headset on, clipboard in hand, barking last-minute instructions into her earpiece. She was stressed, frantic… but glowing. Even though there could have been other people to take care of all this from her company, she wanted to be in charge, to personal
Emily’s POV“Walk away, Hugo,” Antoine said sharply, stepping in front of us as if to shield us from the strange man.The name triggered a memory.Chris had mentioned it just yesterday—Hugo Tournier. Suddenly, I remembered. It’s the name Sophia and Elijah had been trying to track down. The man who had supposedly changed Sophia’s life forever.And now he’s here. Why?!My hands instinctively balled up as my heart slammed against my ribs. Could this really be the same man?Hugo’s expression darkened with satisfaction as he took another step, exuding an air of quiet arrogance.“Well, well,” he drawled, his voice smooth but laced with something sinister. “You’re not as fun outside of prison, Antoine.”Phoebe’s grip on my wrist tightened. “Emily, let’s go,” she muttered under her breath.I wanted to. Every instinct screamed at me to turn and leave. But I couldn’t—not yet.Hugo came forward, his eyes staring straight at me. He gave a low chuckle, mocking. “It’s interesting to meet Sabrina Ba
Emily’s POVI refused to flinch. Even as Antoine stood in front of me, blocking my way, I forced my body to stay still, to stay firm.I squared my shoulders, my fingers curling into fists at my sides. “Move.”Antoine didn’t budge. His gaze shifted between me and Phoebe, like he wasn’t sure if I’d actually listen or turn and run.“I’m not here to fight,” he said, his voice calm. “I just want to talk.”Phoebe’s grip on my arm tightened, and her anger was immediate, sharp.“Oh, hell no,” she snapped. “What are you even doing here? Haven’t you caused enough trouble?”I inhaled slowly, forcing myself to stay calm. I wasn’t going to let him see me feeling nervous or affected by him. Antoine exhaled, his face unreadable. “I just wanted to talk.”Phoebe laughed coldly. “Talk? You took Jared, Antoine. Without permission. Do you have any idea what you put us through?”“I know,” he admitted. “I made a mistake.”Phoebe scoffed. “A mistake?”I stepped forward, my gaze hardening. “Please, Antoine.