로그인~ Dante's POV ~I couldn't fall asleep. Not after seeing that footage of Liam fleeing the mansion. I spent the rest of the dark hours pacing the floor of the guest room like a caged beast, my heavy boots thudding against the hardwood floor in a maddening rhythm. “Shit!” I punched the table again and the wood groaned under my fist. It was almost dawn as the little lights bled through the curtains, casting gray light over the room, but the darkness inside my chest only grew thicker.I stared at my clenched right fist, my knuckles white and trembling with a mix of rage and regret.“Fucking dummy!” I cursed myself under my breath, my voice a low, venomous rasp in the quiet room."Fool," I growled, slamming my hand down onto the desk one more time. The sharp thud echoed off the walls. "You pathetic, blind fool."What had I honestly expected?From the very first day Liam had walked into my world, I had known exactly what he was. I had known his real identity, his true allegiance, and the
Laurent let out a long, dramatic sigh, rolling his eyes as he extended his hand toward me, sticking out his small finger. "Fine, I promise. Look,” he gestured with his eyes towards his finger, “I'm giving you a pinky promise and you know it's the most sacred contract in existence,” I snorted as I rolled my eyes. “Really?”“Of course.” He nudged me. “Now spill it before I die of anticipation." I stared at his outstretched hand, hesitation gripping my chest. I knew telling him the truth was like walking onto a battlefield blindfolded. But I was out of options, and if I wanted to keep Steph safe, I had to lay my cards on the table."I'm a cop," I said softly, the words hanging heavy in the quiet room.Laurent’s hand froze mid-air. For a second, he just stared at me, his mouth slightly open. Then, a sharp, nervous laugh burst from his throat. "Oh, wow. Good one, Liam!” He patted my shoulder. “You really had me there for a second. What a hilarious joke. Next you're going to tell me you'
Laurent flinched, his manicured fingers tightening on the leather steering wheel until his knuckles turned white. “Are you going to pick up?” I asked.He glanced at the glowing screen, then shot me a wide-eyed, panicked look."Don't fucking breathe," he hissed under his breath. I turned towards Steph sitting at the back of the car and gestured for her to hush it too and she looked so confused but immediately covered her mouth with her palms. Laurent pressed the steering wheel control to accept the call, instantly switching his tone into a smooth, buttery purr. "Hey, baby. Good morning! I was just thinking about you." He was smiling all sweetly now. Marco’s deep, rumbling voice filled the cabin. "Hey, munchkin. I just wanted to check in and hear your voice before the morning shift starts. Are you okay?""I'm wonderful, baby," Laurent said effortlessly, his voice dripping with easy affection while his free hand gripped the gear shift so hard it trembled. "Just getting my day started
"Hello?"Laurent’s tone was filled with immediate confusion, clipped and guarded. A second later, realization seemed to dawn on him as he recognized my voice. "Liam? Is that you?” He asked. “Why are you calling me at... what time is it even?" A heavy sigh crackled through the speaker. "You're calling me at dawn, completely disrupting my beauty sleep.” He murmured. “This better be good.""I need your help, Laurent," I blurted out, my voice tight and strained, cutting straight through his complaints.On the other end, the casual annoyance vanished instantly and the background noise of rustling bedsheets stopped. Laurent’s voice dropped into a sharp, serious register. "Help? What kind of help? What happened?""I need you to promise me something first," I said, my knuckles turning white as I gripped the plastic handle of the landline. "You have to swear right now that you will not tell Dante.” I paused. “And you won't tell Marco either."A sharp intake of breath hissed through the earpie
The yellow taxi rattled down the deserted highway, its tires hissing against the damp asphalt as the first faint streaks of pale gray light began to bleed through the heavy clouds on the horizon. In the back seat, Steph was curled up tightly, her head resting heavily on my lap, but my emotions were all over the place.I looked down at her peaceful face, a lump forming in my throat. I stroked her tangled dark hair back from her forehead, my thumb tracing the gentle curve of her cheek. My mind was completely blank. Panic and exhaustion buzzed behind my eyes in equal measure. “Where were we supposed to go?” I thought. Our apartment was obviously compromised, the precinct was a den of murderers, and Dante’s mansion was a fortress I had just betrayed and fled from. I couldn't possibly go back.There was nowhere I could possibly go at this point. Knowing we needed shelter before the sun came up and the city fully woke, I tapped on the glass partition, instructing the driver to pull ove
My fingers were trembling so violently I could barely keep them on the keyboard. With a dry, painful swallow, I navigated the file directory, clicking on the sort-by-date icon. “This better not be what I'm thinking.” I swallowed hard. Then I typed in the exact date of my sister's murder, holding my breath as the screen refreshed.A single file blinked into view at the top of the list with the title, -Grim Evening-A cold sweat broke out across my back, as my stomach was churning with terror. I didn't want to click it. Every instinct in my body screamed at me to close the tab, to run away, and pretend I had never seen any of it. But I wanted the truth. The real truth. With a shaking hand, I clicked the file and hit play.The low-resolution surveillance footage loaded, casting a pale light over my face. It was that dark, rain-slicked alleyway I remembered perfectly. On the screen, my sister was cowering on the wet concrete, her small frame shivering as she clutched a greasy paper
Eve rolled her eyes in annoyance, then she reached down, her grip firm and surprisingly gentle as she hauled me to my feet. "Stop groveling, Zayn. It’s pathetic to see,” she scoffed. “Your wrist is turning a nasty shade of purple, and you’re clearly not dancing another set tonight so go home.”“Ev
"You have a nice name," I’d said.The words hung in the cramped air, sounding like a confession I wasn’t ready to make. For a heartbeat, the silence was absolute. Then, Zayn’s chest hitched, and a muffled, snuffling sound escaped him. He was laughing.I felt the heat rush to my ears, a deep, burnin
"It’s really going to be a bloodbath," I muttered. "I hope your Angel has insurance, because Rocco doesn't just get angry, he levels buildings. If he finds out he was lusting after a man, he’ll burn this club to the ground just to wash the memory from his brain."Eve just leaned back, blowing a per
Liam was finally all better and could be discharged. Marco had handled the discharge with his usual efficiency. He didn’t say much as he stood by the hospital bed, watching me carefully fold Liam’s few belongings into a duffel bag."I can do that, Dante," Liam had muttered, his voice stronger now b







