Chapter Fourteen

~ Elena ~

I didn't get any sleep. Not by any means.

As though it had its own pulse, the envelope burned against my skin where I had tucked it inside the clutch's lining. I was tense at every change in the wind outside and every creak of the penthouse. I kept playing back the words from the rooftop, wondering if I had just entered a trap or an alliance.

However, there was no doubt in my mind that I could no longer afford to hesitate. Alexander's suspicion tightened around me like a net, and if I didn't initiate contact first, I would eventually suffocate.

I was still sitting at the window at dawn, watching the city come to life. I carefully unfolded the envelope. One piece of paper. A name. A time. A warning. My breath caught, sharp and shallow.

Whoever gave me this….they weren’t bluffing.

I folded it again quickly and shoved it deep into the lining. My heart beat steady now, a different rhythm than fear—it was resolve.

Today, I would have to play better.

~ Alexander ~

She hadn't s