Chapter 2

SUNESIS'S POV

I stood frozen against the cold brick wall. My heart beat wildly against my ribs. A few yards away, the three men in dark clothes moved like shadows.

The dim yellow alley light glinted off the cold steel of their silenced pistols. They did not make a single sound as they surrounded the sleek black car.

Inside that car, the passenger door began to open.

My breath caught in my throat. I knew who that car belonged to.

Everyone in the city knew the mark of the Vale Syndicate. It was a Mafia group run by Jaxon Vale, the most feared and ruthless man in the underworld.

I had heard about the man but he had and led a private life where only a few people knew him and what he looked like. His pictures were not on social media at all.

People also whispered that his enemies vanished without a trace. He was a monster. But as I watched the armed men raise their weapons, pointing them directly at the opening car door, my stomach twisted.

He might be a monster, but this was a cold-blooded trap. I could not just stand here and watch people get murdered. I needed to do something and I needed to do it fast.

I looked around the dark alley, my eyes desperately searching for anything to use. Near my feet sat a heavy wooden crate filled with empty glass liquor bottles waiting for the morning trash.

I did not stop to think. I dropped Blake's cash safely into the deep hidden pocket of my silk skirt. Then, using all the strength in my small body, I kicked the heavy wooden crate as hard as I could.

The crate tipped over, and dozens of glass bottles shattered violently against the concrete floor. The sound was deafening, echoing off the narrow brick walls like a bomb going off.

"What was that?” one of the hidden gunmen shouted, his head whipping around toward the noise. The distraction worked perfectly.

The men in dark clothes lost their focus for a split second, turning their guns toward the back exit where I stood. In that exact second, the black car door swung fully open.

A tall, massive figure stepped out into the dim light. He was incredibly tall, with broad shoulders that filled the space.

But he stayed flat against the side of the car, keeping his face completely hidden in the dark shadows where the alley light could not reach.

I could only see the sharp outline of his jaw and his expensive dark suit. He did not run. He did not hide. Even without seeing his face, his presence was terrifying. He just looked up, taking in the entire scene in less than a heartbeat.

"There's an ambush. Protect the boss," a loud voice roared from inside the car. Suddenly, the quiet alley erupted into total madness.

Three large men in heavy security suits poured out of the front doors of the black car, their own weapons raised. Gunfire echoed through the night, shattering the windows of the surrounding buildings.

I pulled myself tight against the brick wall, covering my head with my arms. Moisture blurred my vision, and my throat tightened with a suffocating sob.

I wanted to run back inside the club, but my legs felt like lead. The fight was over almost as fast as it had started. Jaxon Vale's security team moved with terrifying speed.

Within moments, two of the attackers were flat on the ground, and the third ran back toward the dark van, his tires screeching as the vehicle sped away into the night.

Silence fell over the alley again, broken only by the heavy breathing of the guards and the smell of gunpowder. I let out a shaky breath, slowly lowering my arms. I thought the danger was over.

But then, the massive leader turned around.

He walked slowly past his guards, stepping over the broken glass I had created. He did not look at his men. He did not look at the fallen attackers.

Even though the darkness completely hid his eyes and his face, I could feel his intense glare locked directly onto me. He stared at my silver mask. He stared at my long black silk gown.

The air between us grew thick and heavy. I could not move. I felt like a prey animal caught in the gaze of a wolf. He was completely silent, but his posture held a dangerous curiosity that made my skin prickle.

He started to walk toward me, his steps slow and measured. He looked like a predator circling his prey. I took one step backwards on instinct. "Wait," he said. His voice was incredibly deep, smooth, and chillingly calm.

The sound of his voice snapped me out of my trance. Fear flooded my veins, giving my legs the strength to move. I could not let him catch me. I could not let anyone know who I was.

I turned around, grabbed the heavy metal handle of the club's door, and pulled it open. "Stop right there," he commanded, his voice growing louder, sharper.

I heard his heavy shoes quicken against the pavement behind me. I scrambled inside the building, slamming the heavy door shut behind me.

I threw the iron lock into place just as a heavy fist slammed against the outside of the metal. "Open the door." A guard shouted from the alley.

I did not wait. I turned and ran down the dark, maze-like back hallways of Velvet Eclipse, my heart hammering in my chest. I turned corner after corner, completely out of breath, until I finally reached the quiet safety of my dressing room.

I locked the door and collapsed against it, my body sliding down to the floor. I pulled my knees to my chest, my hands shaking violently as I touched the cold silver mask on my face.

Suddenly, a sharp knock rattled the wood right behind my head.

Fear gripped my heart, freezing the breath in my throat. I squeezed my eyes shut, my entire body stiffening in pure panic. What if he had found her? What if the terrifying man from the alley had tracked me down through the corridors already?

"Sable? Are you in there?" a voice called out.

I let out a long, trembling breath. It was not the mafia king. I slowly stood up, wiped my face, and pulled the door open a few inches.

It was my manager. He was beaming, a huge, excited smile lighting up his face. "The customers loved your service tonight," the manager said, clapping his hands together happily. "You made a massive impression out there. Because of that, you have another shift tomorrow."

A wave of relief washed over me, replacing the terror. A genuine warmth settled into my chest, knowing the extra money would keep my grandmother safe.

I smiled and said, "Okay."

"Great. Rest up," the manager replied, nodding before walking away down the hall.

I closed the door gently, locking it once more. I had saved the most dangerous man in the city. And because his face was hidden in the dark, I did not even know what he looked like. But he knew Sable existed.