006

ARI’s POV

My hands trembled as the weight of the truth crashed down on me. The Stranger—the man I had kissed, trusted, and even helped—was Cross Margiello.

The infamous Mafia Don who had evaded the police for years. My stomach churned as I remembered his warm smile, his teasing words, and the trust he claimed to have in me.

How could I have been so blind?

“Ari, are you okay?” Gina asked, touching my arm lightly. Her voice pulled me out of my spiraling thoughts.

“Y-yeah,” I stammered, my voice barely audible. I forced a weak smile, but my mind was racing. I couldn’t let anyone know what I had done. Not yet. I needed time to think, to process everything.

Gina’s eyes narrowed. “You look pale. Are you sure you’re alright?”

“I just... I think I left something important at home,” I said quickly, grasping at the first excuse that came to mind. “I need to go back and grab it.”

Her brows furrowed. “Now? Ari, this is huge! We’ve been chasing Cross for years, and you’re leaving?”

I nodded, keeping my face neutral even though my insides felt like they were twisting into knots. “I know, Gina, but I won’t be long. I’ll be back before anything major happens, I promise.”

She still looked skeptical but didn’t argue further. “Alright, but don’t take too long. We need all hands on deck.”

I nodded again, grabbing my bag and heading toward the exit. Each step felt heavier than the last, my guilt growing with every moment. I couldn’t believe what I’d done—or who I’d let into my life.

Once I was outside, the cool air hit my face, but it did little to calm me. My head was a storm of emotions—anger, confusion, guilt, and something else I couldn’t quite place. I couldn’t believe I’d been so reckless. How had I not seen the signs? The way he spoke, his confidence, the ease with which he handled danger—it all pointed to someone like him.

I hailed a cab, giving the driver my address. As we drove, I stared out the window, my mind replaying the events of the past 24 hours. His smirk, his voice, the way he had looked at me like I was the only person in the world.

“Damn it,” I muttered under my breath, clenching my fists. How could I have let this happen?

Back at my apartment, I locked the door behind me and leaned against it, letting out a shaky breath. The room felt emptier than it had this morning, and I couldn’t shake the memory of him sitting in my chair, his blood staining the fabric.

I paced the room, my thoughts spiraling. What was I supposed to do now? Tell my boss? Tell the entire force? But then what? They’d ask questions—how I knew him, why I was involved.

And then there was the biggest question of all: why hadn’t he hurt me? He could’ve killed me, left me to bleed out like the others. But instead, he’d saved me, trusted me. He’d kissed me.

I groaned, running my hands through my hair. None of this made sense. Cross Margiello wasn’t supposed to be kind or protective. He was a ruthless criminal, the head of a crime empire.

Yet, when I thought of him, all I could see was the man who had looked at me with warmth and honesty.

The rest of the day passed in a blur. I couldn’t focus on anything—my mind kept drifting back to him. Every time I tried to push the thoughts away, they came back stronger.

By evening, I couldn’t take it anymore. I needed answers. If I didn’t get them, I’d drive myself insane.

I pulled out my phone, hesitating for a moment before dialing a number. It wasn’t his, of course—I didn’t have that—but I knew someone who might help.

“Gustav,” I said when the line connected. My voice was firm, though my hands shook.

There was a pause on the other end before a gruff voice replied, “Who is this?”

“Ari Santiago. I was with him last night.” I didn’t need to say his name—Gustav would know who I meant.

Another pause, longer this time. Then, “What do you want?”

“Answers,” I said, my voice trembling despite my effort to stay calm. “I need to know who he really is. Why he’s doing this.”

Gustav let out a low chuckle. “If you’re smart, Officer Santiago, you’ll leave this alone. Walk away while you still can.”

“I can’t,” I said, my voice firmer now. “I’ve already gotten involved. I need to know the truth.”

There was a sigh on the other end. “You don’t know what you’re asking for, officer. Cross doesn’t trust easily. If he trusted you, there’s a reason for it.”

“What reason?” I demanded, but Gustav hung up before I could get an answer.

I stared at the phone in frustration, my chest tightening. What did he mean by that? Why would Cross trust me? None of this made sense.

I sank onto the couch, burying my face in my hands. I was in over my head, and I didn’t know how to get out.

The next morning, I returned to the precinct, trying to act normal. But it was impossible to ignore the tension in the air. Everyone was talking about Cross—about how close we were to catching him.

I kept my head down, avoiding Gina’s questions and focusing on my work. But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t shake the feeling that someone was watching me.

By midday, I couldn’t take it anymore. I needed to do something—anything to clear my head.

“Gina,” I said, approaching her desk. “I’m taking my lunch break early. I need some air.”

She frowned. “Again? Are you sure you’re okay?”

“I’m fine,” I said quickly, forcing a smile. “Just need some time to think.”

She nodded reluctantly, and I headed out, my heart pounding in my chest.

Outside, I leaned against the wall of the building, taking deep breaths. I needed to calm down, to think clearly. But no matter how hard I tried, my mind kept drifting back to him.

“Officer Santiago,” a voice said, making me jump.

I turned to see a man in a dark suit standing a few feet away. He wasn’t someone I recognized, but there was something about him that set me on edge.

“Who are you?” I asked, my hand instinctively moving toward my gun.

The man smirked. “Let’s just say I’m a friend of a friend.”

My heart skipped a beat. “What do you want?”

“Just a message,” he said, his tone casual. “Stay out of this, Officer Santiago. You don’t know what you’re dealing with.”

Before I could respond, he turned and walked away, disappearing into the crowd.

I stood there, my mind racing. What was I supposed to do now?

Back at my apartment that evening, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was being watched. Every noise made me jump, every shadow seemed to move.

I locked the doors and windows, double-checking everything before sitting on the couch. My phone buzzed, and I picked it up hesitantly.

It was a text from an unknown number.

I didn’t know whether to feel relieved or terrified. All I knew was that I was in deeper than I’d ever imagined—and there was no way out.

“Be careful, cara. You’re playing with fire.”

My heart pounded as I stared at the screen. There was no doubt in my mind who it was from.

Cross.