LOGINI watched her through the grainy surveillance footage Ledger had hacked into. On screen, the detective moved through the Philadelphia precinct with the kind of sharp efficiency that set my teeth on edge.
Mid-forties, dark hair pulled into a tight bun, eyes like flint even in low resolution. This was the woman who’d dismantled the Delmonico cartel with nothing but a notepad and a Glock.
And now she was hunting me.
Jake leaned over my shoulder, his breath hot with yesterday’s whiskey. “She doesn’t look like much.”
“That’s what the Delmonicos thought, Ledger muttered, tapping his keyboard. A new window popped up — Ryan’s service record. Marksmanship awards. Letters of commendation. A fucking medal of valor. “She’s thorough. And she doesn’t quit.”
The seagulls screamed like the world was ending, their shrill cries drowning out the silence that had settled between Talon and me. We sat on the patio, the morning sun already oppressive, sweat clinging to the back of my neck as I sipped lukewarm coffee.Talon’s phone sat on the table between us, dark and lifeless, but its absence of updates felt heavier than any call could.It had been two weeks since Viktor’s last contact, and the waiting was carving hollows in both of us. Talon’s jaw was perpetually tight now, his green eyes always scanning the horizon as if he expected trouble to come crawling out of the sea.He was restless, pacing the villa like a caged animal, while I tried to keep Scarlett’s days filled with enough sunshine and sandcastles to distract her from the tension thickening the air.Suddenly Talon&rsqu
LauraWe’d been in Cuba for almost two weeks before Talon received any word from home.The call came just after midnight, Viktor's voice cutting through the dark bedroom. I watched Talon's face in the glow of the moonlight, saw the way his jaw tightened with each word. His free hand found mine beneath the sheets, squeezing hard enough to hurt.“When?” he asked, his voice rough with sleep and something darker.I couldn't make out Viktor's response, but Talon's expression told me everything. Whatever news had arrived from home, it wasn't good.My other hand drifted to my belly, a protective gesture that had become second nature these past weeks. The baby rolled beneath my palm, restless.“Yeah… Yeah. I understand.” Talon ended the call and set the phon
I stood on the edge of the patio, watching Laura rub sunscreen on Scarlett’s arms. The air was heavy and hot, and the sun was beating down on the white sand. Scarlett giggled as Laura tickled her belly, her laughter blending with the crash of the waves.Viktor’s villa was secluded, tucked away from prying eyes and with its own private beach. It was peaceful, in a deceptive kind of way. Beneath the surface, tension coiled tighter with each passing day.Laura looked up, catching my stare. Her blonde hair was loose, falling in waves down her back, and her skin had a deepening tan from the Cuban sun.“You gonna join us, or just stand there looking broody?” she teased, her smile lighting up across her face but tinged with concern. She’d been watching me closely lately, her eyes always searching mine for signs of the storm brewing beneath the surfa
I leaned my forehead against the cool glass of the patio door. Outside, the first gray light of dawn crept over the trees. I’d been up since 4 AM, wearing a hole in the floor between the living room and the kitchen.I needed to hold off until at least 9 o'clock to call Kat. Waking her up with an early phone call would only piss her off.The coffee in my hands had gone cold hours ago, but I kept sipping it anyway — anything to keep my hands busy, to give my mind something to focus on besides the slow, creeping dread tightening around my ribs.Scarlett was still asleep upstairs with her tiny body curled around her dragon. Laura was zonked, too, her breathing steady and deep, one hand resting protectively over the barely-there swell of her stomach.I should have been in bed beside her, soaking in every second of peace I could get. But
I watched her through the grainy surveillance footage Ledger had hacked into. On screen, the detective moved through the Philadelphia precinct with the kind of sharp efficiency that set my teeth on edge.Mid-forties, dark hair pulled into a tight bun, eyes like flint even in low resolution. This was the woman who’d dismantled the Delmonico cartel with nothing but a notepad and a Glock.And now she was hunting me.Jake leaned over my shoulder, his breath hot with yesterday’s whiskey. “She doesn’t look like much.”“That’s what the Delmonicos thought, Ledger muttered, tapping his keyboard. A new window popped up — Ryan’s service record. Marksmanship awards. Letters of commendation. A fucking medal of valor. “She’s thorough. And she doesn’t quit.”
TalonIt was two months since my trip to Philly before we felt the first aftershock. I was at the clubhouse, going over paperwork with Jake and Ledger, when Viktor’s call came in. His voice was calm as always, but there was an edge to it that made my blood run a little cold.“Talon,” he said, his tone measured. “We need to talk. I will be at your clubhouse in fifteen minutes.”I ended the call and glanced at Jake, who was leaning back in his chair. He raised an eyebrow at me, sensing the tension. “Everything alright?”“Not sure,” I said, standing and grabbing my cut from the back of my chair. “Viktor’s on his way here.”Jake’s expression darkened as he pushed away from the desk. “What the hell does he want?”







