The drive sat on her desk like a loaded weapon.
Selene didn't touch it. Not yet. She stared at it like it might blink or explode. Every second of silence between her and Darius stretched tighter.
He finally spoke.
"What is that?"
She didn't blink. "A file. About you."
His shoulders squared. "From who?"
"A man with a scar and too many answers." Her voice stayed cold. "He claims you've got orders. A mission."
Darius didn't move.
Selene didn't either.
"I want to believe he is lying," she said. "But then you've lied before."
His jaw ticked. "You said you don't trust people easily."
"I said I don't trust you easily."
A beat passed.
Then another.
"I won't open it," she said. "Not yet."
"Why not?"
Her eyes narrowed. . "Because I can't hide what I discover once I do."
"And if it turns out that I'm not who you want me to be?" Darius asked, taking a step closer.
"She swallowed. "Then I do what I always do."
He looked at her directly. "Which is?"
"Burn the problem to the ground."
His face didn't flicker. No fear. No guilt. Just that unreadable calm that made her feel crazy.
But before either of them could speak again, her phone lit up.
It was Cam.
She answered fast. "Talk."
"We've got movement," he said. "North docks. Two black SUVs. They've been parked for an hour."
Her eyes narrowed. "And?"
"No logos. No ID. Not buyers. anr not ours."
"Stay sharp," she ordered. "Do not engage. I'll handle it."
She ended the call and looked at Darius. "You staying or running?"
He stepped forward. "I told you. I'm here until the walls cave in."
Selene grabbed her coat. "Then let's see who's knocking on them."
The docks were silent when they arrived.
Too silent.
Even the water seemed to hold its breath. Two SUVs sat by the far containers, lights off, engines running. Like wolves in the dark.
Selene scanned the shadows, every nerve alert.
"You got my six?" she asked Darius.
"Always."
They moved closer, slow but steady. Selene's heels made no sound. Darius walked like a man who'd seen too many exits blocked.
Then a figure stepped out.
A male.
Black suit. Clean shave. Government cold.
Selene stiffened. "I know that face."
"DEA," Darius muttered. "High level."
The man smiled. "Miss Vale."
Selene didn't smile back. "Can I help you?"
"You already have," he said. "You've made this so easy."
Two more agents stepped from the SUV.
Weapons holstered. Badges visible.
But not drawn. Not yet.
"I don't remember inviting you to my dock," Selene said.
"We're not here for a raid," he replied. "We're here to talk."
"Talk fast."
He stepped closer. "We know about the pipeline. The clients. The covers. Velvet Vice isn't just a club. It's a distribution machine."
Selene didn't flinch. "If you had enough to shut me down, you'd already have done it."
The man smirked. "Yeah True."
"Then what do you want?"
He glanced at Darius.
Selene caught it.
Her stomach turned.
"I see," she said. "This isn't about the business. It's about him."
The agent nodded. "He was ours. Embedded. Clean slate. New identity."
Darius didn't move.
Selene's heart dropped into her boots.
The agent kept talking. "But somewhere along the way… he went quiet. Vanished. Now he's here. With you."
Her voice cracked, but only once. "He's not yours anymore."
The agent tilted his head. "Is that what he told you?"
Selene looked at Darius.
He met her gaze.
No lies.
No mask.
Just him.
"What's your name?" She asked.
"Darius vex," he said softly.
She stepped closer. "And before that?"
He hesitated.
Then whispered, "Isaac Crane."
The name hit like a punch.
Selene turned back to the agent. "So what? You want him back?"
"We want him alive," the agent said. "He's seen things. Too much."
Darius finally spoke. "I left your world because it broke me."
"You were supposed to infiltrate," the agent snapped. "Not fall for her."
Selene's throat tightened.
"You used me," she said. "From day one."
Darius did not deny it.
"Did you even ever want to be here?" He asked. "With me?"
He stepped closer. "I didn't plan on this. But it stopped being about orders a long time ago."
She wanted to scream. Instead, she turned to the agent.
"What now?" she asked.
"You turn him in," he said. "We walk. Quiet. Clean. No heat."
"And if I don't?"
The agent smiled. "Then we burn everything."
Selene nodded slowly.
She said, "Give me time to think. You have twenty-four hours."
They left without another word.
The SUVs disappeared into the night.
Back at her penthouse, silence reigned.
Selene poured herself a drink.
Darius stood across the room, his hand in his pocket, like he belonged in a confession booth.
"You should have told me," she said.
"I didn't know how."
She laughed—sharp, bitter. "That's rich, coming from a man trained to talk."
"I was ordered to get close," he admitted. "But I stayed because of you."
She downed the drink. "You don't get to rewrite history."
"I'm not trying to."
She looked up.
"Why me?"
He didn't pause. "Because you're the only real thing I ever touched."
The words hurt more than they healed.
"I don't know what to do with you now," she whispers.
"You don't have to decide tonight."
She looked at the flash drive still in her hand.
Maybe it held everything.
Or maybe she already knew.
"Get out," she said.
Darius flinched but nodded.
He walked to the door, paused.
Then he looked back. "I'm not running. I'll be wherever you need me to be."
He left.
And Selene?
She stared at the drive.
Then plugged it in.
The screen lit up.
Files.
Photos.
Voicemails.
And one word folder.
OPERATION SILKTRAP
She opened it.
What she saw made her stomach turn.
Darius—no, Isaac—standing next to the same agent from the docks.
A mission report.
Target: Selene Vale. Alias: Boss Lady. Objective: Secure, extract, dismantle.
But it didn't stop there.
Below the last entry, another appeared.
Amendment: Operation compromised. Agent Vex terminated protocol. Asset not neutralized.
The date was two weeks ago.
Selene's blood turned cold.
He had orders to kill her.
And didn't.
She closed the laptop slowly.
Eyes dry. Voice numb.
She reached for her gun.
And the phone.
Cam answered. "Yeah, Boss?"
"Get me eyes on Darius Vex."
"Why?"
"Because if I see him before you do… I might shoot first."