Fabian paced nervously outside the old warehouse, his mind racing with possibilities. Crystal was late too late. His gut had been screaming at him for days, warning him that something was wrong. He had tried to push the feeling aside, hoping his instincts were just playing tricks on him, but the deeper they got into their plan, the more uneasy he felt.
A crunch of gravel underfoot alerted him. He turned to see Crystal approaching, her movements slow and deliberate. She was smirking an expression that immediately put him on edge. Fabian felt a cold chill wash over him.
“What took you so long?” Fabian asked, trying to keep his voice steady.
Crystal tilted her head slightly, her smirk widening. “Traffic,” she said lightly, but there was something chilling in her tone.
Before Fabian could reply, a shadow emerged from behind her. His heart sank as he saw Tania step into the dim light. Her once-pristine appearance was now disheveled her eyes wild and dark, her clothes wrinkled as though she hadn’t slept in days. She stared at Fabian with such intensity that it sent a shock of fear through him. He realized, too late, that he had walked into a trap.
“Surprised to see me?” Tania’s voice was venomous, her lips curling into a sneer. “You didn’t really think you could betray me, did you?”
Fabian’s body stiffened, anger and shock battling for dominance. He glanced at Crystal, his eyes filled with hurt and disbelief. “You were in on this from the beginning?” he asked, his voice low with barely contained fury. “I knew something was off when you showed up at my door last week.”
Crystal’s smile only deepened as she casually pulled a gun from her coat, pointing it directly at Fabian. “You’re sharper than you look, Fabian,” she said, her tone dripping with mockery. “But not sharp enough.”
Fabian clenched his fists, his mind scrambling for a way out. He had been duped, and now, he was standing between two ruthless women who clearly had no qualms about getting rid of him. “What now?” he growled, his eyes darting between the gun and Tania.
Tania stepped forward, her gaze never leaving Fabian’s face. “I still have use for you,” she said coldly. “Both of you are the only ones I can trust now, even if I have to force that trust.” She tilted her head, her eyes glinting with malice. “You wouldn’t want anything to happen to Grace, would you?”
Fabian’s blood ran cold at the mention of Grace. Tania’s words weren’t a threat they were a promise. His love for Grace had always been his weakness, and Tania knew it. He glanced back at Crystal, who still had the gun trained on him, her expression unreadable.
Tania crossed her arms, her tone firm and commanding. “You’re going to continue working for me, Fabian. You’ll do as I say, or I’ll make sure Grace pays the price for your disobedience.”
Fabian’s jaw tightened, rage bubbling under the surface, but he knew he couldn’t act recklessly. He had no choice but to comply, for now. His gaze flicked back to Crystal. “And you?” he spat. “What’s in this for you?”
Crystal shrugged, her gun still pointed at his chest. “Survival,” she said simply. “Tania’s got the upper hand, and I’m not about to end up on the wrong side of that.”
Tania smiled smugly, satisfied with the display of loyalty from Crystal. “Good girl,” she cooed. Then, her eyes snapped back to Fabian, the smirk fading. “As for you, I don’t want to hear another word about betrayal. I’ll be watching you closely. And if you even breathe about trying to end me, I won’t hesitate to kill her.” She let the threat linger in the air, her meaning unmistakable.
Fabian’s heart sank as he realized he was trapped once again. But beneath his anger, fear, and frustration, a small flicker of hope remained. He had survived this long, and he wasn’t about to let Tania win he just had to play his cards right.