Tous les chapitres de : Chapitre 71 - Chapitre 80

He adjusted the cuff of his tailored black shirt, the fabric clinging perfectly to his athletic frame. His sharp jawline, clean-cut dark hair, and dark eyes gave him a striking presence. His hair was neatly combed back, and a small earring glinted in one ear."Found him?" he said, his cold eyes resting on Asher."Deliver it," Silvio Kane’s voice crackled softly through the hidden earpiece beneath his collar. The call ended, and he slipped his phone into his trouser pocket. His lips curled into a faint, knowing smirk as he surveyed the ballroom.With lethal calm, he began to move through the crowd, his steps unhurried but sure. The chatter around him thinned as he passed, the weight of his presence drawing brief glances that quickly turned away. His suit was dark, perfectly cut, his face half-shadowed beneath the golden light.Asher’s gaze followed him steadily, the stem of the wineglass turning once between his fingers. The man stopped a few feet from the table, and for a moment, neit

✦THAT NIGHT✦◈FLATBUSH AVENUE◈ The black Valentino SUV tore down the near-empty stretch of Flatbush Avenue, its headlights slicing through the dark. Zeph glanced into the rearview mirror, a flicker of solitude in his eyes, before swerving toward the curb. The door burst open and Matteo was shoved out, wearing only his boxers, his clothes flung after him. The SUV roared away, swallowed by the night.******◈THOMPSON'S MANSION◈“You really need a proper bath, darling,” Caleb murmured, his voice low and steady as his arm found Asher’s waist. The faint scent of soap and warmth filled the air as he guided him toward the bathroom.“Here you go. The tub’s ready.” Caleb crouched, easing down Asher’s boxers. Asher lifted his legs without protest, quiet and obedient beneath his touch. Caleb hung the damp fabric on the silver rack before turning back, his gaze softening.The room was a haze of steam. The tub gleamed with warm, foamy water laced with sandalwood and lavender, the scent rising lik

◈THOMPSON'S MANSION◈“You’ve been thinking too much,” Caleb said quietly, his tone steady but observant. He rested against Asher’s chest in the sitting room, his head turned slightly as he listened to Asher’s heartbeat. Henry had been descending the stairs when he paused, one foot still on a step, drawn by the sound of their conversation.“I can tell when your mind drifts somewhere else,” Caleb added.Asher gave a soft laugh that didn’t reach his eyes. “You always notice.”He shifted a little, letting the silence stretch before he sighed. “It’s Henry. He’s been distant ever since we told him he couldn’t attend Halloween without Amanda.”Caleb looked up, his gaze steady on Asher’s. “I’m sure he knows you’re only trying to protect him. He comes from a family with dangerous attention around them, and he could be used against us."“Whoever touches him will answer to me,” Asher said with a faint smile that didn’t hide the worry in his eyes. “I just hope he understands. I can’t stand seeing

◈MINUTES LATER◈Henry caught sight of a boy about his age staring at him from within the crowd. He glanced at Tamara, then at Amanda, and when he turned back, the boy was already slipping away into the sea of people.A strange pull urged Henry forward. He looked again at Tamara and Amanda, who were distracted, chatting with a man dressed as a giant pumpkin vendor. Without a word, Henry stepped back quietly and began weaving his way through the crowd after the boy.“And Henry…” Amanda started to say, pausing when she realized he was gone. Her eyes widened, flicking toward Tamara, then scanning the crowd in alarm.Tamara’s pulse quickened. She grabbed her phone and called Zeph immediately.“Tamara,” Zeph’s voice came sharply through the line.“Zeph,” she gasped, trying to steady her breathing. Amanda was already pushing into the crowd, her face tense and eyes darting everywhere. “We can’t find Henry.”“What?” Zeph’s voice rose with panic. She could hear movement and a door slam from his

“No.” The word slipped out in a broken whisper before she spun toward the door and rushed out with trembling urgency. Ruby and Arman exchanged a shaken glance and followed her quickly, sensing the weight of what she had heard.******◈SILVIO'S EMPIRE◈A heavy thud echoed through the dim cell block. Henry raised his head at once and saw a man collapse beside the iron bars, a single shot lodged in the center of his forehead. A hand holding a gun appeared from the shadows, and the boy stepped forward slowly.He knelt beside the body, retrieved the keys and unlocked the cell with swift, nervous hands. The boy pushed the door open and looked at Henry with an unsettling mixture of fear and innocence.He reached out his hand. “Come with me.”Henry did not move. “Why would I accept your help?”“We have to go. You are not safe here.” The boy spoke fast, each word strained with urgency.“You brought me here. You led me to them. So why pretend you care now?”The boy released a shaky breath and l