The truth, once spoken, settles between us with an almost audible thud. Those chocolate pools of hers soften as she looks at me.
“You don’t get to hide behind strategy,” she whispers. “Not right now.”
But I do. Strategy is the only constant left.
I open my mouth to reply, but the lights flicker. The monitors go black, their sudden silence deafening.
A blackout.
The air stills in the dark as the room dissolves into shadow. I should call for Kiro. I should check the fuse routing to see if someone triggered the power grid externally.
I do none of that.
Because Harper is close enough for me to touch and the darkness makes the distance between us disappear entirely.
My breathing sounds too loud. Hers too soft. She smells like that sweet scent of coffee and the memory from that night inthe car crashes into me again. I feel the warmth radiating from her, feel the tension vibrating in the small space between us.
“We should—” she begins, her voice barely a whisper.
Neither of us move, the air thick enough to drown in. An instinct I’ve caged for years strains toward her, rattling its bars now with dangerous persistence. I can tell she feels it too in the way her breath hitches, in the way her silhouette trembles almost imperceptibly.
A knock explodes against the door. Harper jerks back like she’s been burned
The sound cleaves the moment cleanly in half. My fists clench reflexively, nails biting into my palms. The lights stutter back on, harsh and blinding as reality reasserts itself.
Kiro pushes into the room, carrying urgency like a shadow thrown over his shoulders.
“Boss,” he says, breath uneven. “We have a problem.”
I look at Harper once before refocusing. Her eyes flick away immediately, as if punishing us both for what almost happened in the dark.
“What kind of problem?” I ask.
Kiro hesitates, and I know instantly the news is bad.
“It’s a leak,” he says. “Anton’s people dumped files across three channels—anonymous forums, encrypted chains, even a private intelligence feed. They’re claiming Harper was an informant. That she fed intel to outside agencies years ago.”
Harper stiffens beside me.
I go very, very still.
Kiro continues, voice tight. “They included fabricated logs, falsified transcripts… Someone put real time into making the accusations look credible.”
My vision narrows. My anger burns cold this time, fury blurring my vision.
Of all the angles Anton could have attacked, he chose her reputation and her credibility. Her place under my protection.
“This is meant for me,” I say, every word sharp. “He’s using her as a door.”
“Seems so,” Kiro says quietly.
The room feels smaller now. Harper crosses her arms, the movement defensive but steady. She looks at Kiro, then at me, chin lifted with defiant calm.
“I’m not staying locked away because Anton wants to provoke you,” she says.
“Yes,” I answer, already deciding. “You are.”
Her eyes flash.
