Dawn fell over Las Vegas like a black pall. Sin City was dark just hours before dawn, and inside Spencer's office it was no different.The inspector paced back and forth, and nearly pulled out the hairs on his own head. Nervousness was rumbling through his mind, and all he could do was relax and think.And that was when the door to his incredibly disorganized office opened. Colton entered the space, dressed differently. His usual uniform had been exchanged for pants and a sweatshirt. The agent looked at Spencer with nothing less than irritation and curiosity. Because, to call him in the middle of the night and ask him to come to the police department, the inspector would need to have a good reason.- "What there was?"- "The recording... the recording," Spencer muttered, completely stunned.- "Recording?"- "There was a microchip inside the watch. It took me a few hours to access the information, but I managed to do it."- "There was an engraving on the microchip," Colton stated.The
The inspector walked over to the whiteboard he had filled with notes. He arranged the photos, placing George Banks, Ethan, Benedict Brian, and Rivera in the same shot. Colton just watched his boss put the scheme together.- "George and Benedict were friends. I bet they were working together against Volkov," Spencer guessed, pinning up the pictures of Benedict and George side by side.- "Volkov wanted to eliminate George, but something made him choose Benedict," Colton added.- "George helped Volkov kill Benedict. It would be better to lose his friend than his own life."The agent got up from his chair and walked over to the inspector. He picked up Connor Rivera’s photo and pinned it below the photos of George and Benedict. Colton quickly read the montage and described it perfectly:- "Rivera could be next. Maybe he knew he was on Volkov's list, so he decided to take out an insurance policy."- "Ethan took over his father's place to play a perfect role. He wouldn't let mistakes happen
- "Alcohol, alcohol and alcohol," Joseph said, without preamble.Ethan rolled his eyes at his friend, who looked more like an alcoholic in withdrawal than a lawyer. Blair, in turn, smiled. She looked at Ethan, still with that smile on her lips, and let her companion know that she found Joseph funny.- "I'm fine, thanks," Blair told the blonde.- "Some juice to mix with the alcohol that this reckless person ordered," Ethan said, making Joseph smile.When the blonde walked away, Joseph gave Blair a not-so-subtle look. The truth was, he was assessing the redhead, analyzing every single one of her attributes. And how she had them. It didn't take Carter long to realize that this was the most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes on.- "I don't think I've had the pleasure of introducing myself. I'm Joseph Carter," he extended his hand to the redhead.- "I'm Blair Collins," she accepted the outstretched hand.Blair wasn't expecting it, but Carter held her hand for a few seconds longer. He wa
The man's eyes were cold, showing no emotion. He didn't want to have to worry about Joseph's reckless behavior, but he had to. Blair's eyes, on the other hand, spoke volumes about her anger. She couldn't believe that Ethan was trying to mold her into being like the women he dated.- "Do you want to share me?" she asked, directly.- "No"- "Do you want to see me with another man?"- "Fuck no." Ethan frowned.- "Would it be enough if just someone else could touch me?" the redhead insisted, tempted to make Ethan as uncomfortable as she was.- "Angel, stop. No, I don't want this shit with you."Banks was being more honest than he thought possible. With Blair, he could say categorically that there would be no divisions. She was too exclusive to be touched by other fingers. The way she behaved should not be a delight to another man, not in this life.- "Really? Because it seemed like you wanted to. What are we doing here, anyway?" the woman raised an eyebrow, with evident mockery and irony.
- "Someone's love life needs to work." Drake winked.Blair pulled her hair up into a high bun. Her friend was still watching her closely. The truth was that Drake was afraid of being happy in a relationship and making things worse for Blair. Because years ago, he had seen his friend spiral into depression, and he was afraid that something similar would happen again.- "I have a serious matter, babe. First of all, you received two packages. One is worrying, the other is actually funny," he said, changing the subject.- "Worrying?" a small crease formed on the woman's forehead as she asked.- "Yes. You received another bouquet of flowers, the same flowers. I asked the delivery man to return them. We don't need this shit."- "Did you have a card?"- "Yes. He said disjointed things. It was a request for you to be careful about the preferences of the people around you."Blair began to think about the possibilities surrounding the message. The preferences of the people around her. That very
- "You didn't answer my calls, I missed you"- "I'm counting," Banks said, tapping his index finger against the watch on his wrist.Joseph laughed, pleased with his unique ability to irritate Banks. At least he was sure he wouldn’t lose his head, or his job. Ethan’s cell phone began vibrating on the table before Carter could make another joke, and he answered it before he could even look at the caller ID.- "Banks," the man's tone was serious, filled with barely contained irritation. He would not have the patience to deal with trivial matters if that were the case.- "Hi... hi, Ethan" and then that voice rang out and resounded.That voice; the velvety voice that made the man imagine an entire scenario. He felt the bad mood leave his body effortlessly. She was able to make everything seem good, even his jokester friend. The sound of the woman's voice was soothing, so much so that the man could swear he felt her presence.- "Hello, Angel"- "Are you busy?"- "No. Is there a problem?" Et
- "An angry man is always a problem," Ethan commented, almost as a threat. Something both men in the car understood were threats.- "Not a corpse"- "Rivera is dead, but the watch is still missing," Banks muttered, and then looked back out the window. By now, not even the absence of his tie could keep him from feeling suffocated.- "You don't seem to be worried," Volkov pondered.- "The house will not fall, Volkov. It will collapse. And I am prepared for that."In fact, Ethan was not afraid of the consequences that awaited him. He knew that his secrets had too high a price, and that they would be paid at some point. You could say that Ethan Banks was eagerly awaiting the day when he would be free of the weight on his shoulders; the guilt he carried.- "I think you gave the watch to Rivera, and then set him up to escape. I think you protected him and his daughter all this time," Volkov guessed, but he could just as easily have been asserting.- "Why would I do that?"- "To ensure he co
The streets of Las Vegas were more beautiful than any other day. Sin City was lit up, although many things were kept in the shadows. The redhead looked out the window, glad that Ethan was by her side.He had looked for her, he had searched for her, he had spent time figuring out where she was. And from the way he looked at Drake and Daliah, it was clear he knew who she would be with.The only thing that could distract Blair was Ethan's hand on her leg, where the fabric of her dress ended. She looked up at him, and found his blue gaze fixed on her. That look said more than words could ever say.The truth was that, after the conversation with Volkov, Ethan couldn't breathe without first knowing where Blair was, who she was with. He was relieved to know that the redhead was at the movies, accompanied by a couple of friends. However, the man still decided that he wanted to see her.Ethan’s tourmaline eyes were like her religion, and the symmetry of his face was her faith. That gaze seemed
There’s a pause, and in the silence I feel the weight of everything he’s not saying. The desperation of searching for someone the whole world said was lost. The crushing hope, followed by the crumbling, each time he thought he’d found me only to discover it was someone else. The pain of living between belief and resignation, over and over again.His fingers, still hovering in the air, finally move. They touch my face, light and hesitant, as if he fears I might disappear at any moment. The touch is warm, but his fingers tremble, and it breaks something inside me.He's trying to be strong, but he can't hide the vulnerability that pulsates beneath the surface."It's you now," he says, and the certainty in his voice is almost palpable. As if, after so long, he can finally breathe.He smiles, but the smile isn’t what I remember. It’s not confident or charming. It’s small, fragile, and so full of sadness that it stings my eyes.There's something devastating about seeing him like this. That
My head moves slowly, against my will, as if an invisible thread were pulling me towards him. I don't want to look. I don't want to see. But fear and curiosity push me towards the inevitable realization that he is there, real, so close that even the air seems charged with his presence.My gaze first drops to the floor, to his shoes. A pair of casual sneakers, simple but they bring back memories that refuse to stay buried. Then my eyes move up to his legs. Black jeans, fitted, worn at the knees as if they’ve survived more than just time.My heart races, but I keep going. I glance down at his torso, noticing the dark sweater he’s wearing, elegant but in a casual way that only Ethan can pull off. He never had to try so hard to look… dangerous and attractive at the same time. He just was.It takes me longer than it should to look up at his face. As if my subconscious knew that this would be the point of no return. When I finally allow myself to look, I feel my heart almost stop.His beard
BLAIR'S POVI walk quickly through the parking lot of the building, rummaging through my bag for my car keys. The dim light from the overhead lights creates shadows that dance on the floor, but my attention is completely focused on finding the keychain.If the traffic is okay today (a miracle, considering the time of day) I can still make it to school in time to pick up Miguel and take him home. He hates it when I'm late, and he doesn't spare me the frustrated look, but maybe I can make up for it with a pizza for dinner. That usually works.Finally, my fingers touch the cold metal of the key, and a relieved sigh escapes my lips. I continue walking, my thoughts already moving on to what Miguel might choose as a topping for the pizza this time… pepperoni, perhaps?But as I turn the corner where my car is parked, something makes the world around me slow down.There’s my car, exactly where it should be. But next to it, taking up my parking space, is a black SUV that immediately catches my
"You were out of your mind that night." He looks at me now, his gaze a mixture of anger and pity. "And that's what happened. It was your car that hit her, Banks."The revelation hits me like a punch to the chest. “What?” I repeat, louder this time, my disbelief boiling over. “My car? Carter, my car?!” My voice rises, wavering between anger and desperation.“She would never feel safe with you again,” he says, his words cutting like knives. “After this, how could she?”My breathing quickens, and for a moment I feel like the world around me is falling apart. The air seems to escape my lungs, my mind in absolute chaos. Carter takes a step back, but I follow him, staring at him as if he’s the only thing still solid in my reality."What the fuck are you saying, Carter? My car…?" My voice breaks, begging for an answer I don't want to hear.I fall to my knees on the sidewalk, as if my legs can no longer support the weight of this revelation. My fingers tangle in my hair, pulling hard, as if t
When I finally stop, my body is panting, my hands shaking from the impact. I look at Carter, who is on the ground, his face swollen and blood dripping from his lips.He doesn't move.He doesn't say anything.He just stands there, staring at me with a look of sadness, of regret.“I… I knew it,” he says, his voice weak.I don’t answer, I have no words. The anger that consumed me before fades, and in its place comes a deep emptiness, as if the world has lost all meaning. I stand, looking at Carter on the floor. Each breath feels harder, heavier.What do I do now?I feel my body weaken. My legs shake, and the pain in my hand from punching so much spreads through my body. I try to breathe, but the pressure in my chest won't go away. And the only thought that runs through my mind is the emptiness of knowing that Blair is still alive, and I don't know what to do with that.I don't know what to do with the rest of my life.Carter struggles to his feet, running a hand over his jaw with a paine
I saw Blair. Or at least, I think I did. My mind no longer knows how to distinguish what is real from what is not. And while I stand there, lost in my own memories and hallucinations, Carter remains silent, his gaze fixed on me, unable to find words that could bring back what is already lost.He knows what's going on, but he doesn't know how to deal with it.He lowers his head, as if the very idea of saying the words is an unbearable weight. His voice is low, barely audible, but still, it seems to cut through the air between us, making everything around us disappear. "She's alive," he says, so quietly that for a moment I wonder if it's me, in my shattered sanity, who's imagining it all."What?" My voice is hoarse, a reflection of the disbelief that begins to take hold of me.He doesn't look at me, his eyes fixed on the floor, as if the words that just left his mouth were a condemnation. "You're not crazy, brother," he says with the same seriousness, but with a tone of regret. "Blair i
The valet hesitates, looking at the now-gone car, and shakes his head, clearly confused. "I... I'm not sure. No one important, sir."Nobody important?“No,” I breathe deeply, trying to control the rising panic. “No, I know what I saw. She was important.” The emptiness of the street around me seems to grow, to swallow me. I no longer know if I’m speaking to him or to myself."Ethan!" Carter is behind me now, his voice full of concern and something else. He reaches out to me, taking my arm. "What are you doing? What's going on?"I look at him, my face tense, anger and fear mixed together. "She was here. She was here," I hiss, unsure if he'll understand the depth of what I'm saying."Who?" Carter asks, his voice low, full of confusion and concern.He cups my face in his hands, as if trying to check if I'm feverish, if my mind is somewhere far away. His fingers press against my skin, but I barely feel them."Blair," I whisper, almost as if my voice is a distant memory, an attempt to captu
She finishes the glass in a single gulp, her gaze fixed on the horizon, as if she were losing herself in the lights of the city below. I follow her, drinking in her image, still immersed in my own thoughts."Good wines are not wasted," she murmurs with a seductive smile, her red lips almost provocative. The flirtation is clear, and for a moment, I find myself contemplating whether this is what I really want. But soon the answer comes silently: I am no longer the man who fell for this kind of game.When was the last time I was with a woman? The question resurfaces in my mind, and I know the answer. I know Blair was the last. There has never been another after her, despite the attempts, the distractions. No woman has been able to replace the space she left, not even for a moment. It grips me, swallows me, in a way I don't know how to escape."It's not wasted," I confirm, more to myself than to her. The sound of my own voice seems distant.The blonde steps forward, her plunging neckline
“I’m developing a new sparkling wine brand,” says Cortez, a big-time alcoholic entrepreneur, in a tone of voice so enthusiastic that I almost feel guilty for not showing the slightest interest. “You know, I’m not new to the business. I thought we could do a campaign together. Something big.”I feign interest, crossing my arms and smiling, even though my mind has already begun to wander away from the conversation. “What were you thinking about?” I ask, my tone calculated with curiosity, so as not to seem disinterested.“Something you could incorporate into racing, you know?” Cortez continues, his voice growing even more animated. “Like, throwing champagne in the air when you win a race. That classic gesture, but with our own brand.” He smiles, pleased with the idea, as if he’s offering me a golden opportunity.I watch him intently for a few seconds, but soon I start to let his words fade into the background of my mind. He keeps babbling, but his words are like distant noises now. I'm n