a Monr

wasn't just fear; it was something worse, something far deeper. The way the man had acted, the calmness with which he'd threatened us-it was as if he'

e air around us. The two men flanking the man in the shadows hadn't moved a muscle, their faces masked with

eat, loud and fast. The silence s

oice cold and mocking. "Do you rea

ite the fear that threatened to swallow me whole. "I don't

I wasn't sure what I expected him to say in response, bu

he said simply. "You

e was something different about this man-he wasn't like the people we had dealt with before. There w

or out of my voice. "Tell me what

owing as if weighing his options. Then, slowly, he

said. "I want control. And

comprehend what he was im

n us, his stance rigid, ready for an attack. The man's eyes flicked back to me, and for a moment,

he nodded toward one of his men, and the other two move

r more sinister at play-something that was still just out of reach, hidden behind layers of secrets I wasn't yet able to un

asper muttered, hi

tated. I wasn't ready to walk away from this, not yet. There were too many unansw

at statement didn'

" I said suddenly

and turned to face me, his

ated, more firmly this ti

ith me, might try to push me into the safety of the car and drive off. But he didn't. Inste

etly. "But you're n

m this either. It wasn't just about the answers anymore. Something

s seemed to close in around us as we moved, every step echoing in the hollow emptiness of the place. I couldn't sh

t me like a slap to the face. I took in a shaky breath, t

d, he pulled out his phone and typed so

is," he s

I didn't recognize-someone whose face was partially obscured by shado

he?" I w

"He's the one pulling the stri

ng together. The name meant nothing to me at first, b

" I asked, my

. "He's dangerous, Valeria. Trust me, I've dea

h bigger. And if Victor Calloway was truly behind everyth

s. I could feel the pulse of the city around us, the noise of life carrying on w

?" I finally asked, my vo

narrowed. "We

y. We were standing on the edge of something far more dangerou

r Kan

t different. Valeria wasn't just a witness to something sinister; she was a part o

ft in her-she wasn't just scared anymore. She was determined. And

asked, my voice low as we w

expression unreadable. "You thin

for what we were about to uncover, and I was pretty sure she wasn't either. But we

ers," I said quietly. "And the

This was it-the point of no return. If we were going to s