로그인Damien POVThe night sky blurred past as I drove, the car cutting through traffic with purpose. I welcomed the darkness and the aggressive honks thrown at me. My phone rang. I glanced at it once before putting it on speaker."Son," Mr Vance said, his voice tight, worried. "Don't tell me you're actually going there.""I am," I replied evenly. "If Alessandro's report is correct and a high-ranking Raven official is at the Yinn Hotel, then I can't afford to waste time.""Damien, wait for backup," he said urgently. "You're the target. If they realise you're there, you won't make it out alive."I removed one hand from the steering wheel and opened the compartment beside me, pulling out a compact black pouch."I have a disguise," I said calmly. "If I'm seen, they won't know who I am.""Disguises can be removed," Mr Vance snapped. "If they catch you-""They won't," I cut in.My grip tightened on the wheel as images crossed my mind-Rachel, Leo, the Raven spy who had come dangerously close to
Rachel POVI left the hallway and re-entered the main room, rubbing my wrist but refusing to look back.My mind was still racing, replaying the look of confusion on Eli's face when I slapped him. I hadn't meant to do it.It just... happened.I let out a quiet sigh and made my way back to Damien. He was probably already wondering why I took so long.When I reached our spot, I found him sitting stiffly on the couch, irritation written plainly across his face. Henry sat beside him, chatting and drinking, completely unfazed by Damien's short, unresponsive replies.I couldn't help the small smile that tugged at my lips. Damien, being painfully antisocial, would never stop being oddly amusing.He noticed me immediately and stood, relief flickering across his face as he stepped closer."Thank the gods," he muttered. "You took far too long."Before I could answer, his hands closed gently around my wrist, his gaze sharpening."Did something happen?" he asked quietly."Nothing to worry about,"
Rachel POVWe just stared at each other for a moment, neither of us saying anything.The silence pressed in, awkward and heavy. I finally averted my gaze, deciding it would be easier to just walk past him."Hey."His voice stopped me.He was leaning against the wall now, arms folded, posture relaxed, like this was casual.I froze, then turned back, forcing politeness. "Hi.""How are you enjoying the party?" he asked, trying to sound easygoing. But I could hear the tension underneath it.I blinked, already irritated. "It's good. Loud.""Yeah," he said, nodding. "Makes sense. It's quieter in here-"I cut him off. "We've been practically ignoring each other for weeks. And now you're here acting like we're cool?"Eli sighed and pushed off the wall, taking a step closer. "I... I've had some time to think."I waited, genuinely expecting an apology.Instead, he said, "About you cancelling our date. It was sudden. Especially considering how excited you were about it."My brows knit together.
Chloe dragged Mark toward the kitchen counter.“I can’t drink. I’m working,” he said for the third time, his voice flat, standing stiffly beside her as he’d rather be anywhere else.Chloe sighed dramatically, dropping his hands. “You’re at a party, not a military base. Why are you standing there looking all stiff—and handsome—for no reason? There’s beer!”Mark gave a low exhale, refusing to look at her. “You’re going to get me in trouble.”“How?” Chloe asked, genuinely confused.“You just dragged me away from my post. My boss is strict. He won’t like that I left his sight.”Chloe leaned in, lowering her voice playfully. “Don’t worry. Mr Daniel seems like a total sweetheart.”Mark’s brows lifted slightly, but he didn’t correct her.Damien might appear calm—almost polite—but Mark knew better than to mistake that for softness. The man noticed everything. Missed nothing. And he didn’t need to raise his voice to make his expectations clear.Mark had been assigned to Rachel for a reason. He
Rachel POVWe found a spot at the far corner of the room-a long couch and a low table set a little distance away from the crowd.Damien immediately sank into the couch, arms folded, jaw tight, his attention fixed on the party like he was observing it rather than part of it.I sat beside him, offering a small smile in an attempt to ease his tension, while my friends hovered close by.Mark stood a few steps away, leaning against the wall, quiet and watchful."Well, this is boring," Chloe said, her gaze bouncing between Isabella and me. "Are we really just going to sit here?""I'm going outside for a bit... Hopefully, the crowd isn't as bad out there." Isabella said.Chloe hummed, unimpressed. "Boring."Before any of us could react, she looped her arm through Mark's like it was the most natural thing in the world."Come on," she said brightly. "You look like you need fresh air. Or a drink. Or both."Mark stiffened.I felt it before I saw it.Damien's head turned sharply.Not anger, but s
Rachel POVI sat in the passenger seat, adjusting the simple sleeveless short blue dress I'd chosen. It wasn't flashy-just neat, comfortable. Still, my fingers kept fidgeting as I held up a small mirror, fixing my makeup and smoothing my hair for the third time.Damien drove in silence beside me, one hand steady on the wheel as the city passed beneath the night sky. The dashboard lights cast a soft glow across his face, calm and unreadable as always."We're picking up your friends first, right?" he asked, glancing briefly at me before returning his eyes to the road.I nodded. "Yes. They should be waiting at their apartment." I hesitated, then added, "Are you uncomfortable meeting them?"He answered without missing a beat. "Why would I be? They're your friends."His gaze shifted to the rearview mirror, briefly acknowledging the car following us-Mark driving behind, keeping a careful distance."But," Damien added casually, "I am a little surprised you made the bodyguard dress up too."I
The cold night air did nothing to clear the ringing in Damien’s ears. It was a high-pitched whine, a relentless chorus to the pounding in his skull and the sharper, burning ache along his ribs. He leaned against the sedan. The warehouse behind him was a silent tomb now, the echoes of gunfir
Rachel POVThe day passed in a blur of avoidance, my heart still pounding a frantic, irregular rhythm whenever the memory of today surfaced.I'd been avoiding him all day. Avoiding the ghost of his fingers brushing my lips, the solid warmth of his hand on my hip. And his confess
Damien POV I sat behind my desk, Vance a silent, watchful presence at my side. The file before me was a monument to frustration: The Raven. No leads. No trace. Just ghosts and setbacks. They were a poison in my operations, a slow bleed of money and influence. And after the attack on
Rachel POVI woke to Leo’s excited squealing from outside the door."PAPA! PAPA! IS TODAY THE DAY?!"I sat up, my body stiff from sleeping in the chair beside Leo’s bed. The memory of last night washed over me —the blood, the weight of Damien’s head on my shoulder, the look in his eye







