Chapter 6: A Trap Set in Blood

Elena stood on the balcony of her penthouse, the wind teasing the silk of her robe as she clutched the note Killian had left on her bed.

Her home—the one place that was supposed to be untouchable—had been breached.

Not by assassins. Not by rivals.

But by Killian Graves.

Her pulse pounded in her ears as she reread the words scrawled in his unmistakable, arrogant handwriting:

"Nice try, sweetheart. But you’re walking straight into my trap."

A trap.

Her grip on the paper tightened.

She hated how he did this—how he always made the first move, always got under her skin. But what she hated more was the fact that a part of her… liked it.

Liked the danger.

Liked him.

Her phone vibrated, and she grabbed it from the table. Another message from an unknown number.

Are you scared yet?

She let out a slow breath, willing her heartbeat to steady. She wouldn’t give him that satisfaction.

Instead of replying, she deleted the message and tossed the phone back onto the table.

If Killian thought she was going to play by his rules, he was dead wrong.

Because this time?

She was going to rewrite the entire game.

Across the city, in a high-rise office filled with floor-to-ceiling windows, Killian lounged in his chair, a whiskey glass dangling between his fingers.

His gaze was fixed on the live surveillance feed on the monitor in front of him.

Elena.

She was still standing on her balcony, her jaw tight with fury.

Good.

Let her be angry. Let her stew. Let her plot.

Because no matter what she planned, he already knew how to counter it.

Axel, his right-hand man, stepped into the room, arms crossed.

“She’s meeting with Langley tomorrow night,” Axel said. “She’s making her move.”

Killian smirked. “Of course she is.”

Axel hesitated. “This is dangerous, Killian. Langley doesn’t play games. If Elena aligns with him, it could tip the scales in her favor.”

Killian sipped his whiskey, his expression unreadable.

“Then we’ll make sure that doesn’t happen.”

Axel exhaled sharply. “You’re playing with fire.”

Killian’s smirk deepened.

“Then let’s burn.”

The warehouse on the docks was bathed in shadows when Elena arrived the next night.

Marcus Langley had requested a private meeting, and though she didn’t trust him, she needed him.

She stepped out of her car, her black stilettos clicking against the cold concrete, her silk dress clinging to her curves as she approached the entrance.

The air was heavy with salt and oil, the distant sound of water slapping against the docks filling the silence.

Something felt… off.

She slowed her steps, her instincts screaming at her.

Too quiet. Too empty.

Her fingers slid toward the small dagger strapped to her thigh.

Then—

A click.

The unmistakable sound of a gun cocking.

She turned sharply, her pulse spiking—

And found herself face-to-face with Victor DeLuca.

A cold smile stretched across his lips.

“You didn’t really think you could walk away from me, did you?”

Elena’s mind raced, calculating her options.

Victor was alone—but that didn’t mean much. His men had to be nearby.

“You shouldn’t be here,” she said coolly. “This meeting was arranged by Langley.”

Victor smirked. “Langley didn’t set this meeting, sweetheart.” He took a slow step closer. “I did.”

Her blood turned to ice.

A setup.

She had walked into a goddamn trap.

Her grip tightened around the hidden dagger at her thigh.

“You betrayed me first, Elena,” Victor murmured. “Did you really think you could cut ties and walk away clean?”

She kept her face blank, refusing to let him see even a flicker of fear.

“You were sloppy, Victor,” she said. “I don’t do business with sloppy men.”

His expression darkened.

“You were mine,” he growled. “And now? You’re trying to crawl into bed with Killian Graves?”

Her lips curled into a smirk, even as adrenaline coursed through her veins. “Jealous?”

Victor’s face twisted in rage. He lunged—

But before he could reach her, the warehouse doors slammed open.

Gunfire exploded through the air.

Elena ducked as Killian’s men stormed in, their weapons drawn, moving with deadly precision.

Victor’s men fired back, but they were outnumbered—outgunned.

The fight lasted seconds.

And when the dust settled, Killian Graves stood at the center of the chaos, untouched.

His dark suit was crisp, his gun still smoking.

His gaze found Elena instantly.

Something flickered in his eyes—something dangerous.

“You set me up,” she breathed.

Killian’s lips curled in amusement. “No, sweetheart. I saved you.”

She glared at him. “I didn’t need saving.”

Killian took a slow, deliberate step toward her.

“Then prove it,” he murmured.

His voice was low, a challenge laced with something deeper.

The tension between them was thick, electric.

He was too close. She could smell his cologne—dark, intoxicating.

She hated how her pulse reacted.

She hated him.

But when he reached out, fingers brushing against her chin, she didn’t pull away.

Instead, she whispered, “You think you’ve won?”

Killian smirked. “Haven’t I?”

Her breathing was uneven.

He was so close now.

Her body was betraying her, reacting to his presence in a way that made her want to scream.

And then—

Killian’s fingers curled around her waist.

And before she could think—before she could stop herself—

She grabbed his collar and crushed her lips against his.

The moment their lips met, it was fire—raw and consuming.

Killian didn’t hesitate. His hands tightened on her, pulling her flush against him as he deepened the kiss.

It was a battle.

A war neither of them wanted to win.

Her nails dug into his shoulders as his fingers tangled in her hair, their breaths mingling, their bodies pressed together in a way that felt too right.

But then—

Reality crashed back in.

Elena shoved him away, her chest rising and falling rapidly.

Killian smirked, his breathing just as uneven. “Now, that’s more like it.”

She wiped her lips, glaring at him. “Go to hell.”

He chuckled, dark and amused. “Sweetheart, I’ll see you there.”

And as she stormed past him, she knew—

This wasn’t the end.

It was just the beginning.

To Be Continued…