Twenty minutes.
Twenty minutes of watching her drive like she’s got all the time in the world.
She thinks she’s safe.Mily.
The highway stretches behind her, fading into narrow streets, and then she takes a sudden turn—one that leads to a dirt road lined with thick trees and overgrown brush. It’s a hidden path, one people only take when they don’t want to be found.
Ah, Clara, you think this little hideaway will save you?
“Boss,” my man’s voice crackles through the earpiece. “She’s turning onto a private road. No cars in sight. If we follow her straight in, she’ll know.”
I smirk, leaning forward, fingers tapping lightly on the desk.
“Let her think she’s in control,” I say, the thrill building. “It’s a dead end. She’s not going anywhere.”
The hum of the motorbike fades as my man slows down, staying hidden in the tree line.
“Hide the bike,” I order. “Stay put until she makes a move. No contact until I give the word.”
There’s a beat of silence, then a sharp “Copy that.”
Just as the last order slips from my lips, the heavy wooden door to my office swings open. I don’t even need to look.Maksim.
“Got some good news, boss,” he says, strolling in like he owns the place. Dmitry follows, all 6’8” of him, taking up space without saying a word, his usual intimidating presence settling in beside Maksim. They don’t wait for permission—never do. That’s not how we work.
I don’t look up from the screen. “What?”
Maksim grins, the sound of his boots thumping against the floor before he drops into the chair across from me. He leans back, feet casually propped up on my desk like he’s lounging on a Sunday afternoon.
“Maxwell Caldwell. Fucking drunk. Worse than we thought.”
My eyebrow lifts, interest piqued. “Go on.”
“He’s losing everything—properties, businesses, the whole empire’s slipping through his fingers. The bastard’s trying to sell off assets, but it’s all being snapped up by some corporate front. ‘Vortex Industries.’ Can’t trace shit—whoever’s behind it, they know how to stay invisible.”
That catches my attention.
A shadow player?
I flick my gaze to Maksim, and I can see the smug satisfaction on his face. He knows this is worth something.
“And the other good news?” I ask, my voice steady but sharp.
Dmitry, who’s been silent up until now, leans forward, placing his massive hands on the table with a grin that’s more sinister than reassuring. “Our men are ready. Just say the word, and we’ll move.”
“Let’s give our little mouse a midnight surprise,” I say, my voice dropping low. “Let her think she’s safe.”
My lips curl into a dark smile as I tap my fingers again. “Then we’ll close the net.”
forty
Clara
Stephan's not answering his phone.
Goddamn it, Stephan.
I toss the useless device onto the creaky wooden table, biting back another curse. The guy’s supposed to be worried, but he’s nowhere to be found. Not exactly comforting when you’re on the run with a 4-year-old who’s already had a lifetime’s worth of danger thrown at him.
