All Chapters of COLLATERAL DESIRE : Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

The gunshot echoed through the corridor, sharp and violent, bouncing off the high ceilings of the mansion like a warning. For a moment none of them moved.Ylva tightened her grip on Lance’s shirt, her fingers twisting into the fabric as if letting go might make him disappear.“Was that downstairs?” Jason whispered.Lance shook his head slowly, his eyes fixed down the hallway ahead of them. “No.”It was closer.Much closer.The long corridor that had once been part of an elegant estate now felt like a trap. The expensive paintings along the walls suddenly seemed meaningless against the tension thickening the air. Somewhere deeper in the mansion, footsteps echoed faintly, followed by distant shouting.The fight wasn’t over.Lance gently pulled back from Ylva, placing his hands on her shoulders so he could look at her properly. Her makeup had smudged from crying and a strand of her hair had come loose from the careful style she’d worn for the party.“You need to get somewhere safe,” he

Lance found himself standing in his old bedroom.The walls were exactly the same as he remembered them, faded blue paint, a slightly crooked shelf above the desk, and basketball posters covering most of the ceiling. The same ones he used to stare at every night before falling asleep.For a moment he just sat there on the bed, blinking.Then he let out a long breath.“It was all a dream…”Relief washed through him so suddenly that he almost laughed. His hand ran through his hair as he looked around again, taking in the familiar space. The room felt warm, safe, untouched by violence or blood or gunshots.None of it had happened.No mafia.No Ragnar.No mansion attack.Just a nightmare.Slowly he stood up and walked toward the door, his bare feet hitting the floor the same way they used to when he lived here.The house smelled the same too. Home.As he stepped into the dining area, he saw Tamera sitting at the table with her drawing book spread open in front of her. Her small legs swung

Night had settled heavily over the Zorin estate.Lance sat on the edge of his bed, elbows resting on his knees.The room was dim, lit only by the soft glow of a lamp on the bedside table. He hadn’t bothered turning on the main lights.Sleep wasn’t coming anyway.His fingers absently traced the edge of the bandage wrapped tightly around his stomach. The wound still throbbed if he moved too suddenly, but the pain had dulled compared to the sharp agony he had felt earlier.What hurt more was the waiting.Waiting had always been the hardest part.Waiting to know if he did the right thing.And most of all…Waiting to see Tamera.Just thinking about her made something tighten in his chest. He hadn’t seen his little sister properly in weeks. Every time he asked about her, he got the same cold answer, she was safe, she was being looked after, and that was all he needed to know.But safe didn’t mean free.It meant she was still a prisoner here.Just like him.Lance dragged a hand down his face

Ragnar didn’t respond to Lance’s last comment.He simply stood there for a moment, watching him carefully as if making sure he wasn’t about to do something equally stupid again. Once he seemed satisfied that Lance had stopped trying to tear his stitches open, he returned to his desk and sat down.“Stay seated,” Ragnar repeated calmly as he picked up his work again.Lance leaned back into the couch cushions with a quiet sigh. The pain in his stomach had dulled again, leaving behind that familiar tight ache that reminded him not to move too quickly.“Bossy,” he muttered.Ragnar ignored him.For a few minutes the room returned to its quiet rhythm, the soft clicking of Ragnar’s keyboard, the faint hum of the air conditioner, and the distant sound of traffic far below the building.This time Lance actually tried to behave.He folded his arms behind his head and stared up at the ceiling, though every now and then his eyes drifted back toward Ragnar without him meaning to.It still felt stra

Tamera sat cross-legged on the carpet, surrounded by toys that looked like they had slowly taken over the entire living room. Colorful blocks, stuffed animals, puzzle pieces, half of it was scattered around like a tiny battlefield of childhood chaos.Lance sat across from her, holding a stuffed dinosaur she had forced into his hands.“No, Lance!” she giggled. “The dinosaur can’t fly!”“Why not?” Lance argued dramatically. “Maybe he believes in himself.”“That’s not how dinosaurs work.”“You’d be surprised.”Tamera laughed and grabbed the toy from him, pushing one of her dolls forward instead.“This is the princess and the dinosaur is protecting her.”“Oh,” Lance said seriously. “So the dinosaur is the bodyguard.”“Yes!”Lance glanced briefly toward the other side of the room.Ragnar was still there.He stood near the large window, arms folded loosely across his chest, his posture relaxed but watchful. He hadn’t spoken since they arrived. If anything, he seemed perfectly content to re