21. Walls Crumble

Roman

I meet Kaden in a dimly lit bar that we both know is frequented by people who mind their own business. He’s already there when I walk in, nursing a glass of whiskey, his face veiled in seriousness. The moment I sit down, he puts a sealed envelope on the table between us.

“Roman, the Ladrón cartel is back on the radar, and this time they’re not just playing around. They’re circling Aella.”

I feel my fist clench involuntarily, my jaw tightening as I process the words. Kaden pushes the envelope closer to me. “Read it. It has everything we could gather in a short period.”

With trembling hands, I rip open the envelope. Photos, transcripts, and more. The bastards have been scoping out Aella’s workplace, her apartment. I’m there too, right from the first day I walked into that cafe.

My vision blurs as a haze of red descends, fueled by anger, possessiveness, and an emotion I dare not name—fear for her safety. The bar, the envelope, Kaden—everything fades away.

“I don’t know how they cou