She smiled instead. Sweet. Dangerous.“Something wrong?” she asked innocently.“No,” he said, voice clipped. “Not at all.”In the van across the street, Julian, Jasper, and Liam sat in tense silence.“Did he notice the tracker?” Liam asked.Julian leaned forward, squinting at the monitor. “I don’t think so.”“Shut up,” Jasper muttered. “She’s talking again.”Back at the rooftop–Vivian leaned closer. “So? Are we partners now?”Adrian closed the laptop slowly.“Not yet,” he said. “You still have to prove you’re not a lying bitch.”Vivian laughed softly. “You’ll find I’m many things. Lying isn’t one of them. Not when I want blood.”He tapped his fingers against the table. “You’ll meet me again tomorrow. Same time. Same place.”She stood. “I’ll wear something darker.”As she turned to walk away, Adrian called after her.“Oh, and Vivian?”She looked back over her shoulder.“If this is a trap... I won’t kill you quick.”Vivian winked. “I’m counting on it.”She disappeared into the elevator
Clara hadn’t spoken a word to Liam since the conversation the day before.She hadn’t yelled. She hadn’t cried.She just… looked past him.A ghost in his own home.Liam stood by the kitchen counter that morning, watching her silently eat a bowl of cereal. She didn’t glance at him once.Not even when he said, “I’ll be out for a bit. Don’t open the door for anyone.”Not a nod.Not a blink.Just silence.***Later that Day at Jasper’s Apartment, The air inside Jasper’s penthouse was filled with beating heart beats and barely unopened motivesLiam walked in to find Julian lounging on the couch, legs crossed, scrolling through his phone like he wasn’t plotting someone’s downfall.Vivian sat in the corner, one leg thrown over the other, wearing a silky black blouse and red lipstick like she was about to seduce an empire.Jasper was pacing by the window.“Took you long enough,” he muttered when Liam entered.“Had to make sure Clara was good.”“She speak to you?” Julian asked without looking
“Oh fuck…” Liam groaned as Jasper’s fingers moved inside him. “That feels amazing…”Julian kissed him, deep and hard.Jasper added another finger, stretching him. Liam moaned into Julian’s mouth as Jasper’s fingers curled inside him, hitting that spot that made his whole body shake.“Are you ready?” Julian asked, breaking the kiss.Liam nodded, his eyes closed. “Fuck… yeah, I’m ready.”Jasper’s fingers pulled out and Liam heard him slicking his cock up. Then Jasper was pressing against Liam’s hole, pushing inside slowly.“Fuck… you’re so tight…” Jasper groaned.Liam gasped as Jasper’s cock filled him. “Oh shit… that feels so fucking good…”Julian stroked Liam’s cock as Jasper started to move, thrusting in and out of Liam’s ass.“Oh my god…” Liam moaned, his body trembling. “That’s so good…”Jasper’s hands gripped Liam’s hips, holding him in place as he fucked him harder.“I’m close…” Liam gaspedI’m so close…”Julian kept stroking him, his mouth on Liam’s as Jasper thrust into him fast
“No lectures?” Clara muttered.“I’m not a therapist, Clara. Just a doctor.”He pulled on gloves and moved closer, his voice clinical but calm. “May I?”Clara hesitated, then slowly nodded.Dr. Dan gently took Clara’s wrist, checked her pulse, then reached for her blood pressure.“All this stress is putting a lot of pressure on your body. But your vitals are stable.”Clara said nothing.“Do you feel nauseous? Any spotting?”“No. Just… tired.”“Good,” Dr. Dan said, jotting something down. “Lie back, I’ll check for the heartbeat.”Clara laid back. Dr. Nari placed the doppler on her belly.A moment passed.Then—Thump-thump… thump-thump…The tiny sound of a heartbeat echoed in the room.Clara’s eyes welled up.Dr. Nari didn’t say a word. She just packed up.“You’re around nine weeks,” she said, standing. “Baby’s heartbeat is strong. That’s a good sign.”Clara kept her eyes on the ceiling. “Thanks.”The doctor nodded and left.That was it.No advice. No questions.Just the facts.**Liam
The words echoed in his head as he rushed back to the guest room, checked again.Still no Clara.He opened the closet. Her coat was gone. Her shoes, gone.The knife from the kitchen drawer?Gone.He felt his chest tighten.His phone buzzed again from the floor.Another message:Julian: Tell me Clara’s with you.Liam picked it up, hands trembling.He couldn’t answer.Because she wasn’t.And now… he knew where she’d gone.Clara sat on a sidewalk bench near the edge of the river, barefoot and dazed, her hair tangled, blood dried beneath her fingernails.A woman passed with a dog, then slowed.“You okay?” the woman asked gently.Clara smiled wide. Too wide.“Never better,” she whispered.The woman stepped back instinctively, then hurried away.Clara looked up at the sky.The smoke in the air still clung faintly to her skin. Her eyes stung, but she wasn’t sure if it was the air or her tears Liam’s hands gripped the steering wheel so tight his knuckles turned white. He didn’t even remember
Liam grinned.Julian swirled his drink, eyes unfocused. “Great. So we’re dealing with a vengeful ex, a broken woman, and now a baby.”“She’s not just ‘a broken woman,’” Liam said sharply.Julian didn’t respond.Jasper finally spoke, his tone calm but clipped. “You handle that. The Adrian stuff. Because I’m dealing with something else.”“What?” Liam asked.“The old shit,” Jasper said. “His real name is Malcom. And I think he made a deal with my father years ago. A contract. A powerful one.”Liam nodded slowly. “You’re both being targeted.”“Yeah,” Julian said with a bitter chuckle. “Welcome to the family.”Jasper checked his watch. “We’re out of time. You told us. Now go back to Clara.”Liam stood, but paused. “She’s still my sister.”He turned and walked out of the lounge.***Clara stirred as the front door shut softly. She didn’t open her eyes all the way, just enough to confirm Liam had gone.She waited.Five seconds.Ten.Then, slowly, she sat up, her breathing steady but her eye