Chapter 3

Chloe Madden

I sat in the corner of the office, holding my head in my lap as I tried to calm my racing thoughts. My sister wasn’t answering my calls even though I sent her a thousand messages about how my father had just arrested Asher Lancaster’s girlfriend, Zara, on a trumped-up charge.

Zara's words spilled out in a flurry of nervous energy, her tone a mix of confusion and frustration. "I never did anything wrong," she protested, her voice rising slightly. "Is this about the dead rat I hid under Heather C’s car seat? It stank up so bad that she had to get rid of her car. But she bullied me throughout middle school, so I think I didn’t do anything bad. I just got even. This happened ten years ago!"

As Zara continued to speculate about the reasons for her arrest, I couldn't help but shake my head at her obliviousness.

This girl truly had a knack for incriminating herself without even realizing it.

With a subtle gesture, I pressed a finger to my lips, silently urging her to stop talking when my father wasn’t looking. To my surprise, she caught on, her eyes widening slightly before she shot me a thumbs up.

This girl is a riot.

“You are sleeping with one of the heads of the mafia? What’s his name? Asher Lancaster. Are you his whore?” My father spat angrily, his words causing Zara's face to fall in shock and hurt.

“Why are you being so rude? That’s not a nice thing to say,” Zara retorted, her tone offended. “I was being so nice to you.”

Before things escalated further, my sister barged into the room, her expression fierce and determined, “Commissioner Madden? Can I please talk to you for a second?” My father hesitated, but eventually left the room at her insistence. With just Zara and me left in the interrogation room, I leaned in close to her, sitting where my father was seated.

“Why haven't you called your lawyer yet? Call Asher Lancaster,” I whispered urgently as she looked at me confused.

“But I—” she started, but I cut her off.

“Please, just do it,” I urged softly before slipping out of the room, eager to distance myself from the volatile situation. I knew getting involved in mob cases could have dangerous consequences, and I didn’t want to be a target for Carter Gray or the Lancasters.

As I made my way through the station, the heated argument between my sister and father faded into the background. But just as I thought I was in the clear, a voice sent a chill down my spine.

“Detective Madden. How are you doing?”

I turned around slowly, my blood running cold as I heard Carter Gray’s voice, his presence casting a shadow over my already turbulent day.

I turned around to see Carter Gray, his imposing figure leaning casually against the wall. My breath caught in my throat, and my heart began to race as I took in his appearance. He was dressed in a simple blue sweater and jeans, yet he exuded an effortless charm that was impossible to ignore. Despite my best efforts to remain composed, my pulse quickened at the sight of him.

Summoning all the courage I could muster, I flashed him a small smile, though inwardly, I was anything but calm. My eyes traced the familiar contours of his handsome face, a sight I hadn’t forgotten since our last encounter.

“Uh, hi,” I stammered, my voice betraying my nerves. “What are you doing here?”

Carter's smile only widened, sending a shiver down my spine. “Oh, doll, I think you know exactly why I’m here,” he replied, his tone dripping with an undeniable allure that made it hard to resist him.

I couldn't help but wonder why bad people look so beautiful.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Gray. I’m not involved in any of your cases. They’re all big cases. I’m not allowed to be a part of it,” I stammered, my hands trembling despite my efforts to conceal my nervousness.

Carter regarded me with a curious expression, his gaze piercing as he studied me intently. “Why are you always so nervous around me?” he inquired, tilting his head slightly.

“Because you keep looking at me like that,” I muttered under my breath, immediately regretting my honesty as a chuckle escaped him, sending a wave of heat to my cheeks. “But, like I said, I should leave. You can go inside. You can find Zara Howard in there. She’s completely fine,” I added hastily, hoping to end the conversation before it veered into dangerous territory.

But from the subtle shift in Carter's expression, I could tell he was far from pleased, though he masked it with a disarming smile that sent a shiver down my spine. His words, though seemingly casual, held an underlying threat that both intimidated and inexplicably intrigued me.

“I miss your feistiness, but I like this obedient side of you as well,” he remarked, his voice low and deep as he began to approach me. Alarm bells rang in my mind as he closed the distance between us, his presence looming over me.

My heart pounded erratically as I struggled to maintain my composure. “T-T-This is a police station, and you cannot talk to me like this,” I warned him, though my voice faltered slightly.

“Aw my wild little kitten, of course, I can,” he countered, his words laced with a dangerous edge that sent a chill down my spine. “I can also take you home and do a few very bad things to you.”

My breath caught in my throat at his brazen remark, my eyes widening in shock. Despite my best efforts to push him away, his proximity was overwhelming, his masculine scent enveloping me as he towered over me.

“Anyway, your father refuses to call it a truce, so now I’m going to go in and get Zara out of here,” he continued, his tone growing colder as he spoke. “But I hope you know that he poked the lion. I’m not going to play games with him. I’m going to end it all. Once and for all.”

Shivers run down my spine knowing how Carter Gray operated. He gave one warning and then it was game set and match.

No second chances.

“My sister and I really tried to tell him not to mess with anyone’s family that’s innocent and hasn’t done anything wrong. But he wouldn’t listen,” I confessed, my voice tinged with frustration and concern. I couldn't bear the thought of my mother and sister being caught in the crossfire of my father's selfish ambitions.

Carter paused, his gaze flickering back to me, his expression unreadable. “If he can make it personal, I think he should also be strong enough to take it, right?” he mused, his tone laced with a hint of bitterness. “There's a price someone has to pay. Because of his dirty tricks, innocent women and kids suffered. I don’t think I can take this lightly anymore.”

“But I can't take it,” I confessed, the weight of my words heavy with desperation. Ethically, I knew I was treading dangerous ground, but the thought of my family facing the brunt of Carter's wrath was unbearable. “My father is arrogant and selfish. But please don’t punish my family because of it.”

Carter's response was callous, devoid of any hint of compassion. “Ah. That’s just sad now, isn't it? If you are trying to appeal to the human in me, that part died a long time ago. Sorry kid, it's just how life works,” he dismissed before disappearing into the depths of the station.

Anxiety gripped me in its suffocating embrace, each breath becoming a struggle against the looming threat that Carter represented.

I had read up too much about him. I knew what he was going to do. He was going to do something so severe that no one will dare to challenge him again.

I had immersed myself in the depths of his history, his methods, his ruthlessness. And now, with each passing moment, I felt the cold grip of certainty tightening around my heart.

I knew what he was capable of. The stories, the rumors, the whispered warnings—they all painted a chilling picture of a man who stopped at nothing to maintain his power and dominance.

Carter Gray was not one to be trifled with, and I had a sinking feeling that his next move would be calculated, merciless, and designed to send a message that echoed through every corner of the city.