Caspian
The director of the bureau stepped out of the BMW, his polished shoes crunching against the gravel with a quiet finality.
I couldn't help the smirk that tugged at the corner of my mouth.
Remember when I said I was both surprised and not so surprised to see him? Yeah, this was one of those moments.
I'd always suspected he had something shady going on with Dario De Luca, but I hadn't expected this. Not what I'd just laid my eyes on.
The truck that pulled ahead of him groaned as one of Dario's men unlocked the back.
The metal doors creaked open, and out came a line of young women.
They stumbled forward in silence, eyes glassy, their steps unsure.
The sight of them made my stomach twist.
Most wore mismatched clothes, torn, oversized, or dirty.
Their hair was matted, faces hollow.
One of them tripped and hit the ground hard.
The guard behind her barked something and yanked her to her feet like she was a rag doll.
Sebastian reached out and clamped a hand on my forearm. "Now's not the time, Caspian. We can't act rashly."
I clenched my jaw, barely able to contain the fury boiling beneath my skin.
The rage I carried wasn't new. I'd lived with it since I was a kid, since the day I watched my mother crumble under the weight of what a man had done to her. I was too young when I took matters into my own hands, but I never regretted it.
Not once.
Seb knew that.
He always had.
It's why he was more than just my right hand.
We'd both grown up in chaos, clawed our way out, and promised never to look away when it came knocking again.
"Well, well, well," I called out, stepping out of the shadows. "Look who we've got here, the fucking Director of the Bureau."
My voice dripped with sarcasm, each word cutting like a knife. He turned toward me sharply, and for a second, all the color drained from his face.
"You?" he stammered. "What are you doing here?"
"Me?" I tilted my head, folding my arms. "Just thought I'd have a little chat with Dario. Catch up on business."
He spun to Dario, panic rising in his eyes. "What the hell is going on here?"
Dario stood a few feet away, his crisp button-down too white for the filth he dealt in. He didn't answer.
Just looked off toward the vineyard, like the scene unfolding before him was beneath his notice.
I turned to Seb. "You get all that?"
Sebastian lifted his phone, casually swinging it from its strap. "Crystal clear. Every word. Every face."
Director Marco expression twisted. "Wait. We can talk. No need to be enemies here. If that footage gets out—"
"You're finished," I finished for him. "Yeah, I know."
"We can make a deal—"
I didn't let him finish. "You made your deals already. With the devil. Now live with the cost."
Seb waved cheerfully. "Hope you've got a good lawyer."
We turned and headed back toward the car, the compound shrinking behind us as the engine roared to life, no one said a word for a long time, the weight of what we'd seen sat between us, heavy as concrete.
Eventually Seb broke the silence. "This is bigger than we thought."
"Yeah," I said. "It always is."
"We've got him by the throat now."
I nodded, but my mind had drifted far from leverage and blackmail.
I was thinking about her.
Later that night, I sat on the edge of my bed, a tumbler of whiskey in my hand, watching the ice melt.
The room was quiet, too quiet.
The air conditioning hummed, the shadows stretched long across the floor, and still, my thoughts wouldn't settle.
She was in my head.
The girl in the car.
I didn't even know her name, but I couldn't shake the memory of her face.
Raven-dark hair, flawless skin, and those piercing blue eyes that had locked onto mine like a shot to the chest.
It was just a moment, just a glance—but it had burned itself into me.
She'd looked away first. But not before I saw something in her expression.
Not just fear.
Defiance.
A flicker of resistance buried beneath layers of pain.
I downed the drink in one swallow, set the glass aside, and cursed under my breath.
I didn't have time for this.
Too many plates spinning. Too many enemies. I couldn't afford distractions.
Especially not beautiful ones.
A knock pulled me from my thoughts.
I frowned and stood, opening it to find my mother standing there, smiling.
She looked as young and radiant as ever. Most people didn't believe she was my mother. Her youthful appearance was almost unnatural, short and slender with flowing blonde hair, large green eyes that missed nothing. I looked nothing like her, except maybe the shape of our mouths.
I had my father's face. Bastard that he was. Handsome, yes. Dangerous, more so. That was what trapped my mom in the first place. His charm, his looks... and eventually, his fists.
But at least he gave me this face. A tool I'd learned to use well.
"Hey, Ma. Didn't know you were around."
She stepped in, holding a tray with covered bowls. "I came this evening. Figured you'd be working late. I made a few dishes, your favorites. Ended up dozing off waiting for you."
I grinned. "Ma, I've told you a hundred times, you don't have to go through all that trouble. I've got a private chef now."
She rolled her eyes and walked in, setting the tray down on the table. "Is the private chef your mother? No? Then hush. I gave birth to you, I know what you like. Not those tiny fancy dishes that wouldn't fill a damn chicken."
I laughed. "Thanks, Ma. Always looking out for me."
She smiled, brushing her hand along my jaw. "So… what's new, Cas?"
"Things are moving," I said, glancing at my whiskey. "Had a bit of trouble with a land acquisition. Some… complications. But it's turning around. Let's just say, I've got a little leverage now."
She studied my face with that same perceptive look she always had.
She didn't press.
She never did.
"Don't let the past make you reckless, Cas," she said. "But don't let it make you blind either."
"Well, I'll let you rest. Don't forget to eat something. It's all on the tray."
Then she was gone.
I sat back down and opened the tray. The food smelled like home. But the bite I took tasted like ash.
Because I couldn't stop thinking about her.
There she was again, in my head.
The dark-haired girl
And I knew, deep down, I wouldn't rest until I found out who she was.
And why the hell Dario De Luca was keeping her hidden behind locked doors and guarded gates.