Chapter 37: Garrett's POVThe private jet touched down onto the tarmac with ease, but my mind was elsewhere, far away from the business deals I had just closed. As the wheels touched down in New York, I leaned back in my seat, blowing a sharp breath out. One person consumed my thoughts, and that was Thorne.I'd confirmed Thorne was back in the city hours ago through my men, but the usual pull to rush back to the villa and see him was noticeably absent. Or perhaps I was deliberately fighting it. My emotions had become this volatile storm of anger and longing and something treacherously close to hurt.Instead of going back home, I instructed my driver to take me to the bar I frequented. It was among the very few places I would successfully drown the noise in my head, however temporal the distraction was.The bar was dark, except for the hum of music or the murmur of strangers. The minute I stepped inside, eyes turned my way, faces tinted with interest. Some of them were bold enough to m
Chapter 38: A Surprise for GarrettThorne's POVMorning light filtered through the wide windows of Garrett's family villa in New York and spread a warm glow over the richly decorated room. It was eerily serene compared to the tension that had plagued me for days. I stood by the kitchen counter, my sleeves rolled up, chopping vegetables under the watchful eye of Garrett's mother. Her elegance was understated yet commanding, much like her son."You're holding the knife wrong, dear," she said softly, easing in to fix my grip."Ah, sorry," I mumbled under my breath, coloring slightly. The thing was, cooking wasn't really my thing, but for tonight, I wanted to be spotless-perfect. Tonight wasn't any meal; this was Garrett's birthday meal.She smiled warmly. “It’s fine. You’ll get the hang of it. Garrett always used to hold the knife wrong too. Once, he insisted he’d make breakfast for me when he was six, and he ended up nearly burning down the kitchen.”I chuckled, imagining a mischievous,
Chapter 39: Garrett's POVThe voices around me at the party faded into a constant hum of background noise, grating on my nerves. I held my phone in the palm of my hand, staring at the now blank screen; Thorne had already hung up. In my head, I could still hear the warmth of his tone-a stark juxtaposition to the inane conversations buzzing around me. People came forward to congratulate me or worm their way into my good books with empty pleasantry. None of it mattered.The party, the lavish arrangements Donovan had prepared, the endless chatter of influential figures—I wanted none of it. My only thought was to leave, to see Thorne.His knife-sharp eyes followed me until I set my glass down on the nearest table and beyond. Not a word fell from his lips, but the weight of his gaze could speak volumes. I strode by him, purpose in my stride. I was prepared for him to stop me, perhaps chide me for disrespecting an effort he went out of his way to create. Instead, he was mute, only watching m
Chapter 40: Thorne's POVThe silence in the room was deafening as Garrett stood frozen, his eyes glued to the woman before him. His face was unreadable-a mask of shock and vulnerability that had my chest constricting. He wasn't saying a word, but I did notice how his eyes didn't leave hers. It was as if he wanted to absorb every detail of her face, like he needed reassurance this wasn't some cruel joke.I did not know what to do, so I sat with him and allowed him to process. It wasn't until his mother, in her soft, quivering voice, called his name that brought a flash of recognition to his eyes. It wasn't instantaneous; as the minutes ticked by, I could see him start piecing things together.I also was quick with feelings of relief and my heart ached as he stepped forward and into the waiting arms finally. It had been a very telling moment for Garrett-it was a juncture that he needed, hoped for, and prayed would go at least this good.I stood to the side, silent, as his mother held hi
Chapter 41: The Return Of HappinessGarrett's POVThe sun had just started to rise as I stood at the airport terminal and watched my mother disappear into the security checkpoint. Neither of us had slept that night. We had spent hours catching up on all that we had missed over the years. It was a sad feeling, watching her leave this way, but I knew it had to be done. She couldn't stay long without drawing the Cullens' attention, and I couldn't risk her safety in my selfish desire to keep her near.The instant she was out of view, I wheeled around and was off towards the car. My head was such a jumble of feelings-gratitude and longing and exhaustion. My driver caught my eyes in the rearview mirror but said nothing. He must have seen the circles under my eyes, the weight of my shoulders.The villa was silent as I went back inside; the house was deathly still. Upstairs, to the bedroom I went, each step creaking out unusually loudly. Thorne lay across the bed, sleeping peacefully. His fac
Chapter 42: Gentle FlamesGarett’s PovThe soft light of the bedside lamp shone golden into the room and onto Thorne, who stood by the window. His shirt was loose on his lean frame, his hair tousled from his sleep. He was effortlessly beautiful, he usually was, but tonight, there was just something about him that cut a little deeper.I leaned against the doorframe, my gaze tracing every inch of him. There was no denying it: Thorne had become my haven, my source of joy, and my most significant vulnerability."Thorne," I whispered his name low.He finally turned toward me, his eyes locking on mine with this curious, tender expression. I moved closer to him, another step, until I could touch him. My hand reached out and gently cupped his cheek. He didn't pull away, just leaned into my touch and let the trust and the warmth of his wash away the walls I didn't even realize I was still nursing."You've given me so much more than I ever thought I deserved," I murmured, my thumb brushing agai
Chapter Forty-Three: In Search of AnswersThorne's POVThat confirmation of our relationship had brought a temporary sense of peace, the first glimmer of stability in my mind. Garrett's love felt like an anchor in the storm, but the gaping void of my past continued to torment me. I couldn't ignore it anymore. If I was to be his-to give myself to him fully-I needed to know who I was. Fully.But intertwined in that need to uncover my past was a bitter element: feeling guilty for keeping secrets from Garrett-for hiding my pursuit of answers from the man who'd been my one constant in this uncertain existence. Yet, as much as I loved him, with each passing day the questions just boomed louder in my mind.Garrett had been slackening the reins on me of late. Perhaps it was a sign that he trusted me, or perhaps he felt I needed to become autonomous; whatever the reason, I quietly set about finding. well, finding whatever I found.Contacting GavinGavin had once been a good, trustworthy friend
Chapter Forty - Four: A Dangerous FavorThorne's POV:The ring of the telephone had come too damn early in the morning, shrill as it sliced through my restless sleep. Rubbing my eyes to shake off the fogginess, remnants of a night plagued with nightmares, the sight of that unknown number flashing on the screen sucked a cold knot into my belly. I knew it wasn't good.Thorne ," I replied, trying to keep my voice from betraying the anxiety creeping up my spine.The voice on the other end was cold, impersonal, and unmistakably familiar; Donovan's subordinates."You want to prove yourself to the Cullen family, don't you?" the voice said, getting to the point without mincing words. "Donovan's been keeping a close eye on you. And if you want his approval-if you want him to support your relationship with Garrett-then you'll need to show your loyalty.My heart skipped a beat. This wasn't an offer; it was a condition. One I couldn't ignore, no matter how much I despised being manipulated by Don
Chapter 102: Feelings Thorne's POVGarrett dropped in front of me, his form crashing onto the ground with a nauseating crunch. Time slowed down as I stood there rigid, observing the crimson pool of blood spreading on the ground, the dark red staining the pavement like a jesting reminder of all that had transpired to lead to this. My lungs froze as I breathed in, my body unable to move.I had waited years for this—to finally kill Garrett and to bring an end to the Cullen family.But now, standing over him, watching his blood seep into the ground, I felt no victory. No victory at all.Only a burning, intolerable pain.Garrett's breathing was shallow, his chest rising and falling in slow, irregular motion. His lips trembled as he tried to talk, and I found myself leaning forward, straining to hear what he would say."I'm sorry…"His voice was barely audible, little more than a whisper.I bristled.His eyes, cold and sharp as ever, were unfocused, filled with something indistinguishable.
Chapter 101 : The Plan Thorne's POVThe plan was underway. All was set.I was standing in the shadows, watching as my guys got into place. The rundown warehouse before us was the perfect place for an illegal transaction—remote, dimly lit, and out of prying eyes. Garrett and his men thought they were safe here, that no one would ever bother them. But they were wrong.Tonight, I was going to take them down.I gripped my gun tight, my heart beating normally but my mind in the heightened state. Every breath that I took was like it was burdened with my past and the mission that was before us. It took me weeks to prepare for this, to gather information, observe movements, and wait. And now that we were here, the time had come.The Cullen regime had held the city for too long, in the shadows, pulling the strings. I used to reside in their world. I used to witness the extent of their corruption. But I was no longer the man that I once was. I could get things back to the place they had to be,
Chapter Fifteen: The TrapThorne's POVThe soft glow of my laptop screen was the only light in the room as I scoured page after page of files. My eyes ached with exhaustion, but I didn't stop. I couldn't. The truth was buried somewhere among these files, and I was determined to find it.For days, I'd been piecing together the clandestine activities of Garrett's family, searching for something—anything—that would expose their sins. Every trail I chased ended in a dead end, another obstacle constructed to keep people like me away from seeing the truth. But I was better than any other outsider.I knew Garrett. I knew how he operated, how secretive he was. But even the best crooks make mistakes.And tonight, I'd finally found one.I scanned a document into my computer, a document I'd been assigned to delete later—a confidential order that lay encrypted within the folders. My heart pounding, I tried to decrypt it, fingers flying across the keyboard. Try and try, and on my third attempt, I
Chapter Ninety EightThorne's POVThe rain poured down in sheets as I stepped out of my car, the weight of my decision bearing down on me like the storm itself. I stood outside the FBI headquarters, looking up at the skyscraper building that had been home once but now felt like a reminder of everything I had lost.This was it. The moment where I finally quit looking back and started moving forward.I clenched my fists, my breath regular but racing. I had stayed too long in between my past and present, at war with who I used to be and who I needed to become. The days of hesitation were over. Garrett and the Cullen clan had to go down, and I was the only one who could make them fall.I had existed in their realm, learned their secrets, viewed their shadows up close. I understood how they operated, how they erased their trails. That made me the most effective weapon against them. And now I was going to use all of that to destroy them.It wasn't revenge anymore. It wasn't even about what
Chapter 97: The one I met at the OperationGarett’s Point Of ViewMy mind would not take it initially. My grip on my gun tightened, and my eyes were on the man struggling with my men. He wore no mask, no disguise. Just him—Thorne.I felt as if the ground below me had disappeared. My whole body went rigid, my chest barely rising for air. I had a mask over myself, my identity hidden, but my hands shook.What the hell is he doing here?Thorne marched across the room with the stealthy, unaccustomed grace of a specter. Each step was precise, calculated, and deadly. He battled with every ounce of strength he had, sending my men crashing down with quick, killing punches. He had ever been skilled, but now he was more powerful, more ruthless.I should have reacted. I should have ordered my men to kill him. But I couldn't.My brain yelled at me to move, to do something, but I stood there, paralyzed, and watched him.And then one of my soldiers raised his weapon, pointing it directly at him.My
Chapter Ninety Seven : The Unexpected FaceGarrett’s POVThe night was thick with tension, the kind that settled deep into your bones. The air smelled of gunpowder, damp earth, and the unmistakable scent of blood waiting to be spilled. My fingers flexed around the grip of my gun, steady and controlled. I had done this a hundred times before. Maybe more.This was supposed to be simple. A mission like any other.Donovan had everything planned down to the last detail. He had personally overseen the setup, making sure the men were ready, the information was solid, and the execution would be flawless. The target was dangerous, but nothing we couldn’t handle. I didn’t ask questions. I didn’t need to. That wasn’t how this worked.I stayed at the back, letting my men go in first. They knew their roles, moving in perfect sync, taking their positions, and striking with practiced efficiency. The first round of gunfire echoed through the night, sharp and relentless. Shouts followed—some from my m
Chapter 96 : Operation After A WhileGarrett's POVThe underground bunker smelled of gunpowder and metal, a scent that had once exhilarated me. Now it was the only thing reminding me of what kept me grounded. I'd spent too long locked within my own head, drowning in thoughts of Thorne, and letting my emotions take control. It had made me vulnerable. I'd let myself fall, and Donovan reminded me I hadn't forgotten.But tonight was different.Tonight, I was in charge again.I moved through the base, watching the men getting ready. Some were checking their guns, loading bullets into magazines, fitting silencers. Some were tightening gear, donning bulletproof vests and checking gloves. The air was heavy with tension, but I loved it. This was what I had been thirsting for. A mission. A purpose.I pushed my hair back, breathing out slowly. It had been far too long since I'd run an op myself. For months now, I'd been in the shadows, allowing others to handle it while I worked on my own issue.
Chapter Ninety Five : The Ultimate BetrayalLena's POVThe room felt stifling.I could hear the muffled hum of conversation in the distance, a reminder that we were not alone. But in this cold, dingy room, it felt like the world had narrowed down to the two of us—me and Damian. Or me, Damian, and the traitor.Damian's face was unreadable. His jaw was set, his fists buried at his hips. But his eyes—those dark, black eyes—reflected an emotion I had never witnessed.Betrayal."You?" His voice was smooth, deadly almost, but I could sense the storm brewing beneath it.The man standing before us—**one that Damian had trusted, one with whom he'd been friends for years—**shifted awkwardly. But their eyes didn't show any remorse. No guilt. Just cold calculation."You shouldn't be surprised, Damian," said the traitor."This was always going to happen."My stomach tightened. I had witnessed Damian rage on numerous occasions previously, but this. this was different. It was the kind of silence tha
Chapter Ninety Four : Insisting Chapter 94Garrett's POVI swore to myself I was not going to do this. I want to avoid him. Leave him to live his own life. But I couldn't.Each day, I caught myself seeking him out, yearning for just a glimpse of him. At first, it was little things—glancing around where I knew he would go, walking by the coffee shop where he always stopped to buy his morning beverage. At first, I kept my distance, just observing. Just seeing he was still there, still alive.Then I moved in closer.I started to show up where he was, as if by chance. Bumping into him at a coffee shop, acting like I was in shock that our bodies had collided. The initial few times, he barely even looked my way. His expression remained unreadable, and he never even nodded my way. But I saw the way his fingers curled into his hand. I saw how he drew in a little bit harder of a breath when he saw me.He noticed me.And that was enough to get me back.It rained one day—one of those sudden,