All Chapters of Beneath The Steel And Silk: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

Sage’s world had transformed into a chessboard, each day marked by moves and countermoves. The shadow of danger loomed over her every step, and Damian’s influence—both protective and overbearing—seemed inescapable. The next morning, she found herself back at Bluebird earlier than usual, hoping to find a shred of normalcy.The café was quiet, the hum of the espresso machine a comforting constant. Sage moved between the tables, wiping them down and adjusting chairs. For a moment, it felt like the old days before Damian and his world of high-stakes power plays.But her peace was short-lived.The chime of the doorbell announced Olivia’s arrival. Sage turned to greet her best friend, only to freeze when she saw the worried look on Olivia’s face.“Sage,” Olivia began, closing the door behind her, “there’s something you need to see.”“What is it?” Sage asked, setting the rag down.Olivia pulled out her phone and handed it to her. On the screen was a news article with a headline that made Sag

The days following Sage’s meeting with Victor Bancroft felt like a countdown to an unknown detonation. Each minute ticked by with an unbearable weight, and Sage couldn’t shake the feeling that every decision she made was pulling her deeper into quicksand.Damian’s dossier on Bancroft had left her shaken. The man wasn’t just ruthless—he was methodical, willing to use threats, blackmail, and even violence to eliminate obstacles in his path. Yet what struck her most was a series of transactions tying Bancroft to a shell company involved in funding illegal land grabs overseas. If this information got out, it could ruin him.“What’s the plan?” Sage asked, pacing in Damian’s office.He leaned against his desk, calm as always, though she could see the sharp focus in his eyes. “We leak just enough to shake him. If Bancroft realizes he’s being watched, he’ll start scrambling to cover his tracks. That’s when we strike.”“And how does this help me keep my café?” Sage demanded.“It keeps Bancroft

The night air was crisp, the hum of the city muffled as Sage, Damian, and Elias made their way to the meeting location. It was an unassuming warehouse on the edge of town, nestled in a maze of industrial lots. The place felt isolated, forgotten, the kind of spot where secrets were traded, and plans unraveled.Kyle had arranged everything, choosing the location after encrypting several messages to their mysterious source. According to Kyle, the informant had insisted on secrecy, a condition Damian had reluctantly accepted.As they approached the warehouse, Sage’s nerves were on edge. Damian had insisted she come despite her protests, saying her presence might keep the informant honest. It hadn’t made her feel better about walking into what could very well be a trap.“You’re sure about this?” she whispered to Damian, her breath visible in the cold air.“No,” he admitted, his eyes scanning their surroundings. “But if this person has what we need, it’s worth the risk.”Elias stepped ahead

The morning broke with a dim, gray light filtering through the thick canopy of trees surrounding the cabin. Sage hadn’t slept a wink. Every noise—the rustling of leaves, the faint creak of the wooden beams—kept her on edge. Damian, on the other hand, seemed to have thrived in the chaos. He was already up, standing at the window with a steaming mug of coffee, his posture tense but composed.Elias sat at the kitchen table, cleaning his gun with meticulous care. His focus was sharp, as though preparing for the next wave of chaos. Martin, on the other hand, was still asleep—or pretending to be. He hadn’t spoken much since they left the motel, and Sage didn’t blame him."Do you ever sleep?" Sage asked Damian, breaking the silence."Not when there’s a target on my back," he replied without turning around.Elias chuckled dryly. "Damian sleeps with one eye open. Part of his charm."Sage managed a weak smile. She admired their calmness, though it felt unattainable to her. Her nerves were fraye

The cabin was alive with tension. The air felt electric as Damian, Sage, Elias, and even Martin pored over the documents and files they had retrieved from Bancroft’s safe house. They worked in near silence, the faint hum of Damian’s laptop breaking the quiet as he decrypted files. Sage sat cross-legged on the couch, her fingers brushing over the edge of a page she had read for the third time. It was all damning. Every line, every note, every recorded conversation tied Victor Bancroft to a web of illegal dealings—money laundering, bribery, and worst of all, multiple assassinations.Damian pushed back from his laptop with a sharp exhale, running a hand through his hair. “We’ve got him.”Sage glanced up from the folder she was reading. “How sure are you? Because I’m not risking my life on a ‘maybe.’”Damian gave her a sharp look. “We’ve got bank transactions showing he funneled millions to a shell company directly linked to Venari Global. Contracts for hired hits disguised as consulting