The night was thick with the scent of whiskey and cigars, the air heavy with unspoken deals and hidden motives. As I adjusted the strap of my dress, I could feel Helios' gaze burning into my back. He didn't trust me—not fully. And I didn't blame him. Trust was a dangerous thing in our world, and I had learned long ago that giving it away too freely was a mistake.
We were deep in the underbelly of the city, where power was measured in blood and money. Tonight's mission was simple—extract information from a man who held secrets that could expose the traitor we were hunting. The stakes were high, and failure was not an option. The poker game was already in motion when we entered. I scanned the room, taking in the players—hardened criminals, wealthy businessmen, and a few dangerous faces I recognized from my past. My target sat at the far end of the table, his fingers idly toying with a stack of chips. His name was Viktor Petrov, a mid-level operative with connections to both the Moretti and Volkov families. I slid into the empty seat across from him, offering a small smile as I placed my bet. Helios remained close, his posture tense. He hated this plan, but he had no choice but to go along with it. This was my game, my way of doing things. The first few hands were easy enough. I played just well enough to keep Petrov interested, but not well enough to seem like a threat. We exchanged pleasantries, subtle jabs, and flirtatious smiles, all part of the act. The alcohol flowed, and soon, his guard began to drop. "You're quite the player, Miss...?" Petrov prompted, his eyes dark with curiosity. "Elena," I purred, taking a slow sip of my drink. "And you, Viktor, are quite the mystery." He chuckled, leaning back in his chair. "A mystery? Hardly. I'm an open book." "Is that so?" I leaned in slightly, allowing my dress to dip just enough to keep his attention. "Then tell me, Viktor, what do you know about the recent... disruptions in the Moretti family?" For a moment, his expression faltered. It was subtle, but I caught it. He knew something. But before he could answer, the atmosphere shifted. One of the players slammed a fist onto the table, drawing everyone's attention. Accusations flew, voices rising in anger. And then, just as quickly, the first punch was thrown. Chaos erupted around us. Chairs scraped against the floor, glasses shattered, and fists flew. Petrov took the opportunity to make his escape, but I was faster. I grabbed his wrist, twisting it behind his back as I leaned in. "Not so fast, darling," I whispered. "We’re not done talking." Before I could press him further, a strong hand gripped my arm, pulling me away. Helios. "We need to go. Now," he growled, his grip firm but not painful. I clenched my jaw but released Petrov, shoving him forward before turning to follow Helios through the chaos. We slipped through a back exit, emerging into the cool night air. The second we were alone, Helios spun me around, his jaw tight with frustration. "That was reckless," he snapped. "You could have gotten yourself killed." I yanked my arm free, meeting his glare with my own. "I had it under control." "Control? That wasn't control, Elena. That was gambling with your life." The tension between us crackled like a live wire. We were too close, our breathing uneven. His eyes searched mine, anger warring with something deeper—something neither of us was ready to name. For a brief moment, I thought he might say something else, something that would shatter the fragile balance between us. But instead, he exhaled sharply and turned away. "Next time, we do it my way," he muttered. I watched him for a moment before nodding. "Fine. But don’t ever pull me away again unless you’re ready to fight me for it." His lips curled into something that wasn’t quite a smile. "Deal." As we walked into the night, the weight of unspoken words hung heavy between us. The game we were playing was dangerous, and trust was a luxury we couldn't afford. But whether we liked it or not, we were in this together. And neither of us was willing to back down. --- As I slip into the backroom of the casino, my heart pounds against my ribs. The air is thick with the scent of expensive cigars and desperation. The man I’ve been tailing—Marco Ricci, a mid-level fixer with ties to both the Moretti and Volkov families—leans over a stack of poker chips, his fingers drumming on the felt table. I smooth down my dress, adjusting my posture as I approach. Confidence is everything in this game. “Mind if I join?” I ask, my voice sultry, calculated. Ricci barely glances up before waving at the empty seat beside him. “If you’ve got the cash, sweetheart, you’re welcome to try your luck.” I settle in, keeping my expression neutral. Helios is somewhere in the room, watching. I feel his presence like a shadow lingering behind me, and the thought irritates me. I don’t need a babysitter. The game begins, and I play my part perfectly—laughing at Ricci’s jokes, letting him think he’s in control. But just as I’m about to steer the conversation toward the information I need, one of his men leans in and whispers something in his ear. His expression darkens. “You’re not who you say you are,” Ricci mutters, his tone suddenly ice-cold. Shit. Before I can react, he grabs my wrist under the table, his grip like iron. I force a laugh, masking my nerves. “I don’t know what you mean.” “I think you do,” he counters, squeezing tighter. “And I think you’re going to tell me who you’re really working for.” The tension in the air shifts, and I can feel the weight of multiple sets of eyes locking onto me. My pulse quickens. I glance toward the bar where Helios had stationed himself, hoping he picks up on the shift in the mood. But I don’t have to wait long. A strong hand clamps down on Ricci’s shoulder, and Helios’ deep voice cuts through the haze of smoke and tension. “She’s with me.” Ricci releases me instantly, his expression flickering between recognition and fear. Helios leans down, his breath hot against my ear. “Let’s go,” he says, his tone leaving no room for argument. I bite back my frustration, but I don’t resist as he pulls me away. --- The moment we step into the cold night air, I yank my wrist free from Helios’ grip and whirl on him. “What the hell was that?” I snap, my breath visible in the chill. Helios narrows his eyes. “That was me saving your ass.” “I had it under control.” He lets out a short, humorless laugh. “Yeah? Because from where I was standing, you were about five seconds away from getting a bullet in your skull.” I exhale sharply, running a hand through my hair. “I was getting information.” “You were about to get caught.” He takes a step closer, his presence imposing. “Do you have any idea what would’ve happened if I hadn’t stepped in?” I clench my jaw, refusing to back down. “I don’t need you to protect me, Helios.” His gaze darkens, and for a moment, something unreadable flickers in his eyes. “Maybe not. But you sure as hell need someone watching your back if you’re going to pull reckless stunts like that.” We stand there, the tension thick between us. The streetlamp casts long shadows, making the moment feel heavier than it should. “Next time,” I say, my voice quieter but no less firm, “trust that I know what I’m doing.” He studies me for a long moment before finally nodding. “Fine. Just don’t make me have to drag your body out of a place like that.” The words linger between us, unspoken meaning settling in the space where neither of us is willing to acknowledge it. For now, the mission comes first. But I can’t ignore the way my pulse still thrums from the way he stepped in—like he would burn down the whole damn place if it meant keeping me safe.The cold night air bit at my skin as I pulled my coat tighter around me. The streets of New York never slept, but in this part of town, the shadows stretched longer, and the silence between them felt heavier. I had spent the past few days digging into the whispers circling the Moretti family, and finally, I had something solid—a lead that connected the traitor to someone high up in their ranks. The thought sent a shiver down my spine. If what I had found was true, then this betrayal wasn’t just an outside job. It was a cancer eating away at the family from within. Helios walked beside me, his presence a quiet storm. He had been tense ever since the poker game incident, and though he hadn't said much about it, I could feel the weight of his gaze on me every time we were in the same room. He thought I was reckless. I thought he was overbearing. But for now, we needed each other. “We’re meeting him in ten minutes,” I said, breaking the silence. “He won’t talk easily.” Helios snorted.
I could feel the tension thick in the air, an invisible force pulling me and Helios into yet another confrontation. The warehouse was dimly lit, the scent of damp concrete and aged wood surrounding us. We had just received word that the traitor we were hunting had moved again, slipping through our grasp like sand between fingers. And, as always, Helios had a different idea of how to handle it. “You’re not going in alone,” he said, his voice clipped, firm. It was the tone he used when he expected no argument. Too bad for him—I wasn’t the type to take orders. “You don’t get to decide that,” I shot back, crossing my arms. “I’ve been doing this for years, Helios. I know how to handle myself.” His eyes darkened, the storm brewing within them barely contained. “Handling yourself? Like you did last time?” His voice was sharp, cutting. “You almost got killed, Elena. Do you think I’m going to stand by and let that happen again?” I clenched my jaw, willing my pulse to stay steady. I hated
I should have seen it coming. The way things had been escalating, the unease that curled in my gut—it was a warning I should have heeded. But I’d been too focused on the mission, too wrapped up in the constant push and pull between me and Helios. And now, I was paying for it. The plan had been simple. Too simple, in hindsight. Helios and I had staged a meeting with a supposed informant, someone we suspected was connected to the traitor within the Moretti family. The warehouse was the perfect setting for the exchange: abandoned, dark, full of shadows where danger could hide. I should have known better. It happened fast. One second, I was pressing the informant for answers, and the next, a gunshot rang out. Chaos erupted. Helios shoved me behind cover, his gun drawn, firing at the figures emerging from the darkness. “Stay down!” he barked, voice edged with fury. I wasn’t one to follow orders blindly, but in that moment, I knew better than to argue. I pressed my back against the cold
The grand ballroom of the Moretti estate shimmered under the glow of an extravagant chandelier. Crystal glasses clinked, hushed conversations intertwined with soft classical music, and the scent of expensive perfume mingled with the delicate aroma of gourmet hors d'oeuvres. I adjusted the thin straps of my midnight blue gown, feeling the cool silk brush against my skin as I moved. The dress, though elegant, felt like armor—another disguise in a world full of deception. Helios stood beside me, impeccably dressed in a tailored black suit, his presence commanding attention even in a room filled with powerful figures. “You’re tense,” he murmured, leaning in so only I could hear. “I prefer clubs with bad lighting and cheap whiskey,” I replied, swirling the champagne in my glass. “Try not to look so miserable. You’re supposed to be enjoying yourself.” His smirk was infuriatingly charming, but I refused to let him see how much it affected me. “Remind me why we’re here again?” “Because
I move through the dimly lit alley, my pulse steady but my thoughts racing. The lead I found was too important to ignore. If I was right, someone I once trusted had been feeding information to the enemy—someone I never would have suspected. Helios had warned me against going off on my own, but I couldn’t wait for approval. I needed answers. The warehouse ahead is quiet, too quiet. I press against the wall, peering through the narrow space between rusted doors. Shadows move inside. A meeting. A deal. My gut twists. I was right. Taking a slow breath, I slip through a side entrance, staying low, my fingers brushing the knife strapped to my thigh. My instincts are sharp, honed by years of survival, but something about this feels wrong. Then I hear his voice. “—make sure the Morettis don’t see this coming.” I freeze. The voice is one I know too well. Adrian. My stomach drops. I inch closer, my mind warring with itself. Why would he do this? How deep is he in? I need more before I
I could still taste the metallic tang of fear in my mouth as I pressed my back against the cold warehouse wall, my breath coming in short, quiet gasps. The flickering overhead light cast eerie shadows on the cracked cement floor, each one a reminder of how close I had come to dying tonight. The ambush had been precise, calculated. Whoever set me up knew exactly where I’d be and when. And that terrified me. A hand closed around my wrist, warm and strong, yanking me forward before I could react. My instinct was to fight back, to shove my attacker away, but the moment I met Helios’ stormy gaze, my fight drained. His grip tightened slightly, his eyes raking over me, checking for injuries. “What the hell were you thinking?” His voice was a low growl, barely restrained fury vibrating through it. “You could’ve been killed, Elena.” I wrenched my wrist free, ignoring the lingering warmth his touch left behind. “I had a lead.” “A lead?” He let out a humorless laugh. “You call walking strai
The moment I stepped into my apartment, an uneasy feeling settled in my chest. It wasn’t the usual exhaustion from a long day—it was something else, something cold creeping along my spine. The air felt thick, like it had been disturbed. My instincts screamed at me to turn around, but instead, I forced myself forward, scanning the dimly lit space. Then I saw it. A single white envelope sat on my kitchen counter. I hadn’t left it there. I knew that for certain. My heart hammered against my ribs as I picked it up, fingers hesitating before sliding under the flap. The paper inside was crisp, untouched, as though it had been placed there with great care. I unfolded it slowly, my stomach twisting into knots as my eyes skimmed the words: Truth is never buried for long. Follow the path of blood if you dare. There was no signature, no indication of who sent it, but the message was clear—someone wanted me to go looking. And they knew exactly how to bait me. I grabbed my phone and called
The door to the safe house slammed shut behind us, the sound echoing through the small, dimly lit space. My heart was still racing, my skin still tingling with adrenaline. Helios and I had barely made it out of that underground fight club alive, and the reality of how close we’d come to death was finally hitting me. I exhaled sharply, running a hand through my hair as I paced the length of the room. "That was reckless. You should have just let me handle it," I snapped, my voice still shaky from the chaos of the night. Helios scoffed, leaning against the wall, arms crossed over his broad chest. "Let you handle it? You were about to get your head bashed in, Elena. I stepped in because you needed me." "I didn’t need you!" I shot back, my voice rising. "I had it under control. You stepping in nearly blew our cover." He pushed off the wall, closing the space between us in three quick steps. "You were losing, Elena. You don’t have to prove anything to me." His voice was lower no
The night air was heavy, thick with the scent of rain-soaked pavement and the distant hum of city life. I exhaled slowly, my fingers tightening around the grip of my gun as I watched Helios check the perimeter of the safe house. For the first time in weeks, we had a moment of stillness, a fragile semblance of peace. But I should have known better. Peace was never meant to last in our world. Helios turned to me, his sharp eyes scanning my face. "You're thinking too much again." I let out a small scoff. "Can you blame me? We’ve been running from one fire to the next." His lips pressed into a thin line as he walked toward me, his presence as steady as always. "We made it through the last battle, Elena. We’ll make it through whatever comes next." I wanted to believe him. I really did. But something inside me refused to let go of the gnawing unease building in my gut. Then it happened. A single shot shattered the silence. Glass exploded behind us, sending shards flying through the ai
The air was thick with tension as Isabella and Damian stepped into the dimly lit warehouse. I followed close behind, my heart pounding in my chest. The only source of light came from a single, flickering overhead bulb, casting long shadows on the cold concrete floor. A man stood in the center, his face obscured by the hood of his jacket. He was nervous, shifting from foot to foot as he eyed Damian warily. “You asked for a meeting,” Damian said, his voice sharp and commanding. “So talk.” The informant took a deep breath. “The people pulling the strings? They aren’t just after the Morettis or the Volkovs. They’ve been setting up a bigger game, one that spans beyond your families. Every war, every conflict? It’s been orchestrated. You were never the ones in control.” A cold chill ran down my spine. I glanced at Isabella, who remained impassive, but I could see the tension in her jaw. “Who are they?” she demanded. The man hesitated, then reached into his pocket, pulling out a
The decision to walk away from Helios had been the hardest thing I’d ever done. Every instinct in my body screamed at me to stay, to fight for whatever fragile thing had started between us. But I knew better. Helios deserved a life without the constant weight of blood and danger pressing down on his shoulders. If he stayed with me, he’d always be hunted. Always be looking over his shoulder. And I couldn’t live with that. So, I created distance. I stopped answering his calls. I avoided the places I knew he frequented. I let the walls around my heart rebuild themselves, brick by painful brick. But Helios wasn’t one to be ignored. He showed up at my apartment one night, pounding on the door like a storm battering against fragile glass. “Open the door, Elena,” he called out, his voice rough with frustration. I sat on the floor inside, my knees drawn to my chest, fingers gripping the fabric of my sleeves so tightly that my knuckles ached. “Please,” he tried again, softer this time.
The aftermath of the battle left a hollow silence in its wake. The Moretti estate, though still standing, bore the scars of the chaos that had unfolded just days before. The Volkovs had retreated, the syndicate had been dismantled, and the traitor had met his end. Yet, despite the hard-won victory, a sense of unease settled over me like a storm cloud waiting to break. Helios was recovering, but his wounds were deep. He had barely made it through the fight, and watching him slip in and out of consciousness in those first few nights had been unbearable. Now, as he sat on the edge of his bed, bandages wrapped around his torso and his face still bruised, I couldn’t shake the feeling that we were standing at the edge of something far worse than anything we had faced before. I stood by the window, arms crossed, watching the city lights flicker in the distance. The Moretti family had avoided war, but at what cost? Power vacuums never remained empty for long, and I knew better than anyone t
With the syndicate’s plan exposed and the traitor dealt with, the war between the Morettis and Volkovs is narrowly avoided. However, nothing is the same. Helios, recovering from his injuries, must decide if his loyalty still lies with the Moretti family or if his future is with Elena. As for Elena, she finally allows herself to acknowledge her feelings for Helios, but with everything they’ve been through, is love enough? I sat beside Helios’s hospital bed, watching the slow rise and fall of his chest. The beeping of the machines was steady, rhythmic, but it did nothing to calm the storm brewing inside me. The battle was over, the enemy had been defeated, but at what cost? Helios was barely alive when we got him here, and the sight of him bleeding out in my arms was something I’d never be able to erase from my mind. Isabella had left just moments ago, giving me space, but I wasn’t sure I wanted to be alone with my thoughts. Because my thoughts led me to questions I didn’t have answer
The air was thick with smoke and the acrid scent of gunpowder burned my nostrils as Helios and I pressed our backs against the cold, bullet-riddled wall. We had run out of places to retreat, and the enemy closed in around us like a tightening noose. My heart pounded, each beat hammering against my ribs like a war drum. Helios wiped blood from a cut on his forehead, his eyes scanning the room for any advantage. "We need to move, now," he said, voice tight with urgency. His body, coiled with tension, was ready for battle, even as exhaustion weighed him down. "Move where? We're boxed in," I shot back, gripping my pistol so hard my fingers ached. The magazine was nearly empty, and my muscles screamed from the relentless fight. "They've got us pinned." A dark chuckle echoed from the shadows, and Matteo stepped forward, the real traitor who had orchestrated this entire ambush. His smirk was infuriating, his confidence unwavering. "You should've stayed gone, Elena," Matteo sneered, his g
Darkness clung to the corners of the lavishly decorated room, the dim glow of a chandelier casting eerie shadows along the walls. The scent of expensive cigars and aged whiskey filled the air, a stark contrast to the stench of blood drying on my skin. My wrists ached from the tight restraints binding them behind my back, but I refused to show weakness. Across from me, lounging behind a grand mahogany desk, was the man I assumed to be the mastermind behind everything. He was older, perhaps in his late fifties, dressed in a perfectly tailored suit that barely wrinkled as he sipped his whiskey. His silver hair was slicked back, his dark eyes sharp and assessing. “Elena Carter,” he mused, swirling the amber liquid in his glass. “You are as stubborn as I was told.” I lifted my chin, despite the dull throbbing in my skull. “If you went through all the trouble of kidnapping me, I assume you already know that.” He chuckled, leaning forward. “Indeed. But I had to see it for myself. Aft
The dim light from the single overhead bulb flickered as Helios and I hunched over the worn wooden table, our fingers tracing the numbers and names sprawled across the yellowed pages of the ledger. The air in our hideout was thick with dust and tension, every breath heavy with the weight of discovery. “Look at this,” I murmured, tapping a name that had appeared too many times for it to be coincidence. “Payments funneled through offshore accounts, connections in both the Moretti and Volkov families…” My voice trailed off as the realization settled in. Helios ran a hand through his disheveled dark hair, his jaw tightening. “It’s bigger than we thought,” he muttered. “This isn’t just a power play between two families. Someone else is pulling the strings.” I exhaled slowly, my mind racing. “An international syndicate. They have people inside both families. They’ve been orchestrating the chaos, pitting them against each other while they move in the shadows.” Helios cursed under his bre
The safe house had become our temporary sanctuary. Helios was healing, though not as fast as I would have liked. He was restless, caged by his own body, the wound in his side keeping him from moving the way he was used to. I knew it frustrated him, but there was nothing he could do except wait. While he recovered, I kept myself busy. The attack at the stronghold hadn’t been random. Someone had known we were coming, and I needed to find out who. The deeper I dug, the clearer it became that there was something rotten within the Moretti family. I had always assumed their enemies came from the outside, rival families, old grudges—but this was different. Someone inside was working with an unknown force, feeding them information, pulling strings behind the scenes. And if I was right, they weren’t just looking for power. They wanted to take control. I pieced the evidence together slowly, through old contacts and whispered conversations. Bank transfers that didn’t make sense. Orders given