Haven?

Lina’s POV

I didn't blame him.

The more I thought about Mr. Collins's pure terror and his choice to face hell instead of their wrath, the more it actually made sense. I still knew very little about this Eve Wolfgang, except for the fact that she was just as shameless as the devil himself. Still, it was incredibly easy to tell she was dangerous.

She was the daughter of Principal Wolfgang, a man I had already heard so much about. Yet, she performed an explicit act right in the middle of a campus office. It wasn’t even just about the disrespect; there was something unsettling in her eyes. Something dark and daring.

"Yeah. I'd choose hell too," I muttered in a quiet groan, stretching my arms over the back of my chair.

Once I sat up straight again, my attention drifted across the room, moving from one uniform-clad figure to another. My internship was officially taking place in a police station, and I absolutely loved it. It wasn't just because the position gave me direct access to files that could help me find Riven's stolen watch. The station simply carried an air of real accomplishment, even if I was the only one breathing it in alongside the heavy scent of brewing coffee and fresh paper.

For as long as I could remember, I wanted to become someone who genuinely helped people. Life seemed to aggressively push me toward that path after my father was murdered. I still had no idea who could commit such a sickening crime, but eventually, I was going to find the bastard and serve them some real justice.

"Hey, intern kid! Are you done with those files yet?!" A sharp yell shattered my train of thought, and I snapped to attention.

"Y-yes, Chief!" I called back, bending over my desk to gather a massive stack of paperwork together.

I rushed across the floor, muttering quick apologies as I navigated through the crowd of police officers while cradling a mini-mountain of paper. The station was as busy as a beehive. People were constantly moving, and the endless blaring of desk phones was nearly deafening. I loved every second of it. This was my temporary sanctuary. Ever since I stepped through the doors this morning, I hadn't been forced to think about—

"Riven Rykerthrone!"

The name rang loudly across the open bullpen. My body instinctively locked up, and in my sudden distraction, I collided hard with another body.

"Ah!" I gasped as a literal rain of paperwork exploded into the air.

Once the air cleared, I found myself looking straight into a pair of striking emerald eyes.

"I'm so sorry!" the guy said, immediately dropping to his knees.

As he began gathering the scattered sheets, I let out a quiet breath. "No, I should be the one apologizing."

I knelt onto the floor across from him. Our gazes locked as we quickly cleared the mess, and once we stood back up, neither of us broke eye contact.

"These are for the Chief, right?" he asked with a chuckle. A faint scent of mint drifted between us.

I simply nodded, watching his lips stretch into a warm smile. He had a slight, faded scar near his mouth that made him look remarkably handsome.

"This paperwork was completely useless," he added, stepping a bit closer. He towered over me, those bright green eyes crinkling at the corners. "The Chief always dumps the busywork on the new interns. So, I guess that means I'm your official guide."

I nodded again, a bit slower this time.

"Are you mute, Ryba?" he asked, his tone low and soothing.

"You're Slavic?" I countered, matching his stare.

A cute squint entered his eyes. "And she can talk!"

His brief laughter was easily drowned out by the noise of the station, but it rang perfectly clear in my ears. He turned on his heel and started walking down the hallway. "C'mon!"

My feet automatically moved to follow him, but then the word finally registered in my brain. "Wait!" I called out, my voice fighting against the office din. "Did you just call me a fish?"

He didn't turn around, but he raised an arm and snapped his fingers over his shoulder.

"Hey!" I barked, quickening my pace to catch up.

★

Thirty minutes later, we were sitting across from each other in a booth at a nearby cafe.

"I never knew rybas loved red velvet cake," Nikolai said. His voice was incredibly pleasant, almost matching the sweetness of the pastry on my plate.

I cocked an eyebrow before taking another bite. The gold badge pinned to his chest glinted in the sunlight as he leaned back casually in the booth. "That's because I'm not a fish, Mr. Guide."

"Really? I was completely convinced."

"I'll take that as a compliment," I replied with a shrug, causing his smile to widen.

He leaned forward to grab a fry from his plate. My own smile faded as I remembered the walk over here. "I'm sorry for freezing up back in the bullpen. I heard that name and just had a moment of pure panic."

My gaze drifted toward the glass window. I hated how much the clear blue sky reminded me of Riven's eyes. It completely sucked that something so beautiful belonged to a monster.

"Don't apologize. That was a perfectly valid reaction to the name Riven," Nikolai said, his expression darkening as the cheerfulness left his face. His posture went rigid, his jaw tightening. "The bastard openly rules the Black Reapers, and yet he roams around the city completely free. It's absolute bullshit."

He chewed on the fry with a violent amount of frustration.

"Does anyone actually know anything about the Reapers? Even the police?" I asked, my grip tightening around my fork as he shook his head.

The Black Reapers were part of the notorious Big Three—three massive crime syndicates that had managed to remain completely in the shadows for decades. Nobody knew the true depth of their operations.

"But who knows?" Nikolai's tone suddenly shifted back to a more cheerful note, breaking the heavy silence. "With the great Miss Lina West on the case—the top criminology student in the entire country—we might actually catch them."

He gave me a playful wink, and a genuine chuckle escaped my lips.

"You really think so?" I dropped my fork, leaning across the table until our faces were only inches apart. "You really think so, Mr..."

I intentionally trailed off, and a smirk played on his lips.

"Mr. Nikolai, ryba."

★

"For interns, the shift at the station ends by nine. For officers in training? Never!"

A young cadet had told me that joke right before I logged out, and I was still smiling about it as I drove down the dark streets. The entire afternoon with Nikolai had gone incredibly smoothly, and the thought of returning to the station tomorrow left a warm, fuzzy feeling in my chest.

Cheesy, I know. But the precinct was quickly becoming my actual safe haven. It was a place where I could look for answers about Riven's watch and my father's murder, while completely escaping the toxicity of the mansion.

A sharp flash of movement caught my attention, cutting off my thoughts. I wished it had just been a loud car horn. Honestly, I wished it had been the trumpet announcing judgment day.

Instead, it was a sight that made my blood run cold.

"You've got to be kidding me," I murmured, quickly swerving the car toward the curb.

I pulled over right at the mouth of a dim alleyway. The harsh glow of the streetlights cut through the darkness, illuminating a very familiar figure. Even while slumped against the brick wall, his wet hair covered his face and his head tilted weakly to the side, he still carried that same arrogant smirk.

Oh, my fucking God.

"Is this heaven?" Riven’s sleek, annoying voice drifted through the open car window.

He groaned heavily, dragging himself up against the brick, and my eyes locked onto his left side. His arm hung uselessly from his shoulder, covered in a thick layer of dark, dripping blood.

"I must have just seen an angel," he muttered, lifting his head slightly to look at me.

"Even hell would reject you, Riven. Why would heaven do any different?" I said, stepping out of the car and moving closer.

The metallic stench of blood was overwhelming, coming from a deep wound in his abdomen and the slash on his arm. Of course a notorious gang leader would end up bleeding out on a random sidewalk. And of fucking course I was stupid enough to walk straight toward him to help.

Fuck.