The second Xavier’s men surrounded me, I knew I had made a mistake. I shouldn’t have come. I should’ve listened to my instincts and stayed far, far away from these men.
My breath quickened as the reality of the situation sank in, the gravity of what was happening pulling me down into an ocean of fear. But I couldn’t show weakness. Not now.
Xavier’s gaze lingered on me, cold and calculating, as if he were toying with his prey, savoring the moment before the kill.
“You have no idea what you’ve gotten yourself into, Alyssa,” he said smoothly, his voice laced with dark amusement.
“You think you can just walk away from all of this? From him?” He nodded toward Ethan, who stood rigid next to me, his jaw clenched.
“Ethan’s not the savior you think he is. He has secrets, ones that’ll drag you into a darkness you won’t escape from.”
“Stop it, Xavier,” Ethan growled, taking a step closer to him. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Xavier chuckled softly, shaking his head. “Oh, but I do. In fact, I know more than you want Alyssa to know. Should I tell her, Ethan? Should I tell her the truth about who you really are?”
The tension between them crackled like electricity in the air, heavy and dangerous. I felt like I was standing on the edge of a cliff, teetering, unsure of which way to fall.
My mind raced, trying to piece together the fragments of information Xavier had hinted at. Dark secrets? What was he talking about?
I glanced at Ethan, searching his face for some kind of reassurance, but his expression was hard, unreadable. My stomach twisted. There was something he wasn’t telling me.
“I don’t care about your games,” I said, forcing strength into my voice, though my hands trembled at my sides. “I’m done. I’m not a part of this-whatever this is. I want nothing to do with either of you.”
I turned to walk away, my heart pounding in my chest, but before I could take more than two steps, Xavier’s men moved in closer, forming a tight circle around me.
One of them, a hulking brute with a scar running down his face, blocked my path, his expression menacing.
“Let her go,” Ethan snapped, stepping forward, but Xavier raised a hand, stopping him.
“Not so fast,” Xavier said, his voice dropping an octave. “I don’t think you quite understand the situation, Alyssa. You don’t get to just walk away. Not now. Not ever.”
My throat tightened. Fear clawed at my chest, but I wouldn’t let him see it. I had to stay calm, had to keep control.
“I’m not your pawn,” I said, trying to stand tall, even though I felt like I could crumble at any moment.
Xavier’s lips curled into a smile, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “That’s where you’re wrong. You don’t get to choose when you’re part of this game. You’ve already been drawn in.
Ethan made sure of that the second he stepped into your diner. Whether you realize it or not, your life was never going to be the same.”
“What the hell do you mean?” I demanded, my voice rising despite the fear coursing through me.
Xavier’s gaze shifted to Ethan. “Go on, Ethan. Tell her. Tell her why you’re so interested in a simple waitress.”
I turned to Ethan, my heart racing. “What is he talking about?”
Ethan’s jaw tightened, his eyes flashing with something I couldn’t quite place-guilt, maybe? Or anger? But he didn’t speak. Instead, he stared at Xavier with a hatred so intense, it was palpable.
“You see,” Xavier continued, his voice dripping with amusement, “Ethan isn’t just some billionaire with a dark side.
He’s been working with me for years, tied to this criminal underworld more deeply than he’ll ever admit.
And you, Alyssa, you’re the key to something much bigger. He doesn’t just want you, he needs you.”
I took a step back, my heart thudding in my chest. “What… what are you talking about? Why would Ethan need me?”
Before Xavier could respond, Ethan cut in, his voice low and filled with barely-contained rage. “Enough, Xavier. This isn’t your game to play.”
Xavier’s men shifted uneasily, sensing the rising tension between the two powerful men. I felt trapped, like a caged animal with no escape.
“I think it’s time you left, Xavier,” Ethan said, his voice cold and deadly. “Before things get… messy.”
Xavier raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. “Messy? You’re not in any position to make threats, Ethan. You know how this ends.”
“I’m not afraid of you,” Ethan spat, his fists clenching at his sides.
Xavier’s smile widened. “Maybe you should be. Because if you think for one second I’m letting Alyssa walk out of here without ensuring she understands what’s at stake, you’re even more foolish than I thought.”
I opened my mouth to say something, to demand answers, but before I could get a word out, one of Xavier’s men grabbed me by the arm, yanking me backward. Panic surged through me as I struggled against his iron grip.
“Let her go!” Ethan roared, taking a step toward us.
But Xavier didn’t budge. “Not until she understands.”
“Understands what?” I shouted, trying to wrench my arm free, but the man holding me tightened his grip, his fingers digging painfully into my skin.
Xavier’s gaze shifted back to me, and the amusement in his eyes darkened. “Understands that this is bigger than her. That she has no choice in the matter anymore. She’s already in too deep.”
I glared at him, adrenaline coursing through my veins. “I won’t be your pawn. I don’t care what this is about-I’m not playing your game.”
Xavier’s smile faltered, and for the first time, I saw something dangerous flicker in his eyes. He took a step closer, his towering presence looming over me. “You don’t get to decide that, Alyssa.”
The tension in the air was so thick, I could hardly breathe. Ethan moved forward, but Xavier’s men tightened their formation around me, blocking his path.
And then, before anyone could react, Ethan lunged.
It happened so fast that I barely registered the chaos unfolding around me. Ethan slammed into one of Xavier’s men, sending him crashing to the ground.
Shouts erupted from the group as the men scrambled to restrain Ethan, but he fought like a man possessed, his movements swift and lethal.
I struggled against the man holding me, adrenaline fueling my desperation. If I could just get free, I could-
A deafening sound cut through the chaos.
Bang.
My blood ran cold as the sound of the gunshot echoed in the air, piercing the tension like a knife. Time seemed to slow, and for a moment, everything was still.
I froze, my breath catching in my throat.
And then I saw it-one of Xavier’s men crumpled to the ground, his body limp, blood pooling beneath him. The gun, still smoking, lay on the floor beside him.
My heart pounded in my ears as I stared at the lifeless figure, my mind struggling to comprehend what had just happened.
Ethan stood a few feet away, his chest heaving, his eyes wide with shock. But he wasn’t the one who had fired the shot.
Slowly, I turned my head.
Xavier stood there, his arm outstretched, the look in his eyes colder than I had ever seen.