Xavier leaned back in his chair, swirling a glass of whiskey, watching me with that insufferable smirk-the kind that made my skin crawl. His gaze pinned me down like a predator who had already devoured his prey.
I stood in front of him, every muscle tensed, my fingers itching to throw something, anything, just to wipe that smug expression off his face.
“Ethan’s arrest… you planned it, didn’t you?” I finally asked, my voice sharp, slicing through the silence.
He didn’t even try to deny it. A lazy grin tugged at the corner of his mouth. “Of course, I did. Ethan was becoming a liability. It was only a matter of time before the FBI caught up with him.”
My heart pounded against my ribs, anger and panic swirling inside me. “You tipped them off.”
Xavier raised his glass in a mock toast. “And they took the bait. Simple. Efficient. Now, Ethan is exactly where I need him-out of our way.”
Our way? I almost choked on the words. As if this was some twisted partnership. I felt the walls closing in around me. Xavier wasn’t just ruthless-he was dangerous, and worse, he thought he’d won.
“You can’t just… erase people, Xavier.” My hands clenched into fists at my sides, my voice trembling with frustration. “He was-”
“He was never anything more than a distraction, Alyssa.” Xavier’s voice was calm, as if he was explaining the weather. “And distractions get people killed.”
I wanted to scream. I wanted to hit him, break something-anything to cut through this suffocating sense of inevitability. But that would only give him the satisfaction of knowing how deeply he’d gotten under my skin.
I needed to think. I needed a way out-a real way out. I thought of the envelope tucked into my coat pocket, the damning evidence Isabella had given me. She was my last hope now. I had to get Ethan out before Xavier tightened his grip any further.
I gave Xavier a tight smile, forcing my expression to remain neutral. “You’re right. Ethan is gone. It’s just us now.”
His eyes gleamed with satisfaction, as if I’d finally fallen into place. But I had no intention of staying there.
The moment I was alone in my room, I grabbed my phone and called Isabella.
“It’s Alyssa. I need your help.”
There was a pause on the other end before Isabella’s voice came through, low and cautious. “I wondered how long it would take before you called. What’s happened?”
“Ethan’s been arrested. Xavier set him up,” I said quickly, my voice a hurried whisper. “We have to get him out. Xavier thinks he’s won, but if I can get Ethan free…”
“You’re playing a dangerous game, Alyssa.” Isabella’s voice was calm, but there was a hint of something else-concern, or maybe warning.
“I don’t have a choice,” I replied, pacing the length of my room. “If I don’t get Ethan out, Xavier will have complete control. I can’t let that happen.”
There was a pause, and I could hear the faint shuffle of papers on Isabella’s end. “I’ll make some calls. There are people who owe me favors, people who can grease the right wheels. But it won’t be easy, and it won’t be cheap.”
“Just tell me what I need to do.”
Hours passed in a blur as I waited, every minute feeling like an eternity. I kept checking my phone, praying for a message from Isabella, anything to let me know she had found a way to help Ethan.
Finally, a text came through. It wasn’t from Isabella. It was from Ethan.
The message was a series of strange symbols and numbers-a code. My pulse quickened. He’d managed to reach me, even from inside a federal prison.
It took me a moment, but I deciphered the message:
Don’t trust anyone-not even Isabella. She’s working both sides. Stay alert. I’ll contact you again soon.
The phone nearly slipped from my hand as the meaning of Ethan’s message sank in. Not even Isabella? My stomach twisted into a knot. I’d put my trust in her, thinking she was my lifeline-and now Ethan was warning me that she wasn’t who she seemed.
My heart raced as the pieces of the puzzle shifted in my mind. Isabella had known too much about my father’s dealings. She’d been conveniently placed, ready to help me at just the right time.
Was Ethan right? Had Isabella been playing me all along?
I sank onto the edge of the bed, my hands trembling. Who could I trust?
I was trapped between two ruthless men and a woman who might be manipulating me. No one was what they seemed. And now, with Ethan locked away and Xavier tightening his grip, my choices were growing more dangerous by the second.
I stared at Ethan’s coded message, my mind spinning. If Isabella really was working both sides, then I was in more danger than ever.
And I was running out of time.
A knock on the door jolted me from my thoughts. I quickly locked my phone and slipped it into my pocket.
Xavier’s voice came from the other side. “Alyssa, dinner’s ready. Don’t keep me waiting.”
I took a steadying breath, plastering on a calm expression before opening the door. Xavier stood there, his sharp gaze sweeping over me, as if searching for any sign of betrayal.
“Coming,” I said, forcing a smile.
His lips curved into that dangerous, knowing grin. “Good girl.”
As I followed him down the hallway, my mind raced. I had to figure out my next move-fast. The walls were closing in, and if I didn’t act soon, I’d lose everything.
As we reached the dining room, my phone buzzed again. I glanced down discreetly and saw a second message from Ethan, even more cryptic than the first:
They’re coming for you tonight. Be ready.
My heart stopped. They?
I looked up at Xavier, who was watching me with that same predatory smile.
Who the hell was coming-and what would be left of me when they did?