I sit in the dim light of my apartment, the clock ticking louder than it should. Time’s slipping away, and I know it.
The weight of Xavier’s ultimatum presses down on me like a noose tightening with every passing second. Deliver Ethan, or face his wrath.
But I didn’t come this far to be anyone’s pawn-not Xavier’s, not Ethan’s. If I’m going down, I’ll make damn sure I take them both with me.
I tap my fingers against the table, the rhythmic beat the only sound keeping me grounded as I pull up Isabella’s number. This has to work. If it doesn’t, I’m out of options.
The call connects after two rings.
Isabella: “You’re cutting it close, Alyssa.” Her voice is sharp, edged with anxiety. “Do you have a plan, or are you just stalling Xavier until he decides you’re more useful dead?”
Alyssa: “Both.” I lean back, closing my eyes for a second to quiet the chaos in my mind. “I told Xavier I’d deliver Ethan, but I’m not handing him over. I need your help.”
Isabella sighs, a mixture of frustration and concern. “You’re still playing with fire, Alyssa. What exactly do you want from me?”
Alyssa: “Evidence.” My voice is low but firm. “Enough to burn both Ethan and Xavier to the ground.”
There’s silence on the other end. I know what I’m asking isn’t simple. Isabella has skin in this game too, and helping me means putting herself in the crosshairs. But it’s the only way.
Isabella: “And what makes you think the authorities will care? Men like Xavier and Ethan-they don’t just fall because someone hands over a few incriminating files.”
Alyssa: “They will this time.” I lean forward, gripping the edge of the table. “Because if I go down, I’ll drag them both with me-and I have just enough dirt on each of them to make sure they never see daylight again.”
Isabella exhales sharply on the other end. “Fine. I’ll see what I can dig up, but you know this won’t be easy. Xavier has people everywhere, and Ethan isn’t exactly trusting these days.”
Alyssa: “Just do what you can.”
We both know this alliance is tenuous at best-trust is a luxury neither of us can afford.
As I hang up, my phone vibrates with a new message. I glance at the screen, and my heart skips a beat.
It’s from an unknown number, the kind of message that sends a chill down your spine.
FBI Agent:
“Offer still stands, Alyssa. Help us take down Ethan and Xavier, and you walk away clean. But we need something concrete. Fast.”
I stare at the message, rereading it until the words blur together. It’s a lifeline, a way out. But it’s also a trap, wrapped in promises of immunity that could unravel the second I stop being useful.
A call from the FBI doesn’t come without strings. They’ll use me until there’s nothing left to squeeze-and if I slip, they’ll hang me out to dry.
I pace the room, phone clenched in my hand. I could take their deal, turn on Ethan and Xavier, and finally be free.
But freedom has its price. And I know better than anyone that nothing comes without consequences.
My thoughts race. If I align with the FBI, I lose any leverage I have left. But if I don’t… I might not survive long enough to regret it.
I dial Isabella again, biting my lip as the phone rings. She picks up instantly.
Isabella: “Change of heart already?”
Alyssa: “Not exactly.” I pace the length of the room. “The FBI reached out. They’re offering me immunity if I help them bring down Ethan and Xavier.”
Isabella’s silence on the other end is thick with tension. She knows the risks as well as I do.
Isabella: “You really think you can trust them?”
Alyssa: “No. But I don’t think I have a choice.” I stop pacing, my mind spinning. “The walls are closing in, Isabella. I need an exit strategy-and this might be the only one I’ve got.”
Isabella exhales, the sound laced with resignation. “Fine. But if you’re doing this, you need to be smart. Don’t let them box you in.”
Alyssa: “I don’t plan to.”
I disconnect the call, my chest tightening with the weight of the decision I’ve just made. The FBI’s deal is a gamble-but it’s one I have to take.
Another message buzzes on my phone.
FBI Agent:
“We need proof. Ethan and Xavier are only the beginning. There are bigger players involved-players tied to your father’s past. Give us something we can use, or the deal’s off.”
The real game is finally showing its face. And suddenly, I realize… this was never just about Ethan or Xavier. This is about my family’s legacy-one that runs deeper and darker than I ever imagined.
I inhale sharply, the pieces falling into place in my mind. The third player was right-Ethan and Xavier are just pawns in a much bigger game. And if I don’t act fast, I’ll be swallowed whole.
I sit down, my mind racing. If the FBI knows about my father’s past… what else are they hiding from me? The strings attached to their deal suddenly feel tighter, more suffocating.
I open my messages and type a reply:
“I’ll deliver what you need. But if you screw me over, you’ll regret it.”
Just as I hit send, another message pings on my phone. It’s from Xavier.
Xavier:
“Tick tock, Alyssa. Don’t make me come looking for you.”
I throw the phone onto the table and press my palms against my temples. I’m running out of time, and I have no idea who to trust.
And somewhere in the back of my mind, a small voice whispers the one truth I’ve been trying to ignore all along:
In the end, the only person I can rely on is me.