Alyssa’s POV
The tension in the room was suffocating, a thick fog of suspicion and lies. My father sat across from me in his high-backed leather chair, swirling a glass of whiskey in his hand like this was just another day of business. His calm demeanor only fueled my rage.
“Stop pretending you don’t know!” I slammed my hands on the edge of his mahogany desk, the sharp sound echoing through the room.
He raised an eyebrow, unfazed. “Alyssa, darling, I don’t respond well to baseless accusations. Perhaps you’d like to try again?”
“Baseless?” I hissed, leaning in. “The FBI intercepted a leak from their own agency. Someone has been feeding you information. Don’t play coy with me.”
He took a slow sip of his drink, his eyes never leaving mine. “I don’t need a mole, Alyssa. If the FBI is as incompetent as you’re suggesting, then perhaps they’re just tripping over their own shoelaces. Blaming me for their failures? How predictable.”
“You expect me to believe that?” I shot back. “That this is just a coincidence? You’ve been ten steps ahead of me this entire time. How else would you know everything I’m planning?”
He leaned forward, placing the glass down with a deliberate motion. “Because you’re predictable, my dear. And because I taught you everything you know. But don’t mistake my knowledge of your actions as evidence of some grand conspiracy. You’ve made it easy for me.”
I clenched my fists, trying to rein in my frustration. His words were infuriatingly calm, calculated to chip away at my resolve.
“If you’re lying-”
He interrupted, his voice cutting like a blade. “If I were lying, Alyssa, you’d already be dead. I don’t need a mole to handle you. You’re doing a fine job of tearing yourself apart without my help.”
I stared at him, the weight of his words pressing down on me. He might not be lying. Or he might be spinning another web of half-truths to keep me in his grasp.
“You know what?” I said, straightening. “Believe what you want. But don’t think for a second that I won’t find out who’s helping you.”
He smirked, reclining in his chair. “By all means, try. But don’t forget, Alyssa-every move you make, every alliance you form, plays right into my hands. You can’t outmaneuver me because you’re still playing the game I created.”
I turned on my heel, storming out of his office before I did something reckless. His laughter followed me out, a haunting reminder of the power he held.
I barely had time to catch my breath when my phone buzzed. Ethan’s name flashed on the screen, and I hesitated before answering.
“What do you want, Ethan?” I asked, my voice cold.
“Relax, Alyssa,” he replied smoothly. “I’m not here to fight. In fact, I’m calling to offer an olive branch.”
I frowned, suspicion prickling the back of my neck. “An olive branch? From you? Forgive me if I don’t believe you.”
“Believe what you want,” he said. “But I think we both know that things have spiraled out of control. Xavier is gunning for both of us, and your father isn’t exactly the picture of trustworthiness. If we don’t work together, we’ll all end up dead.”
I snorted. “And let me guess, you have a plan to fix everything?”
“Not everything,” he admitted. “But I have a proposal. Let’s meet. Neutral ground. Just you and me.”
I didn’t answer immediately, weighing his words. Ethan was many things-manipulative, ruthless, arrogant-but he wasn’t stupid. If he was reaching out, it meant he needed me.
“Where?” I asked finally.
“St. Catherine’s Pier,” he said. “Tonight. Midnight. You know the place.”
“Why there?”
“It’s quiet, private,” he said. “And it’s close enough to the water that if either of us tries something, the other can escape.”
I didn’t trust him, not even a little, but I needed answers. “Fine. But if this is a trap-”
“It’s not,” he interrupted. “Just come. We’ll talk.”
The line went dead, leaving me with a gnawing sense of unease.
By the time I arrived at the pier, the moon was high, casting an eerie glow over the water. The place was deserted, save for the occasional sound of waves lapping against the wooden beams.
Ethan stood near the edge of the dock, his silhouette sharp against the moonlight. He turned as I approached, his expression unreadable.
“You came,” he said, his tone almost surprised.
“Let’s skip the pleasantries,” I said, stopping a few feet away. “What do you want?”
He sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Look, I know you don’t trust me-”
“Good instincts,” I muttered.
“But I also know you’re smart enough to see the bigger picture,” he continued. “Xavier is planning something big. He’s consolidating power, taking out anyone who stands in his way. If we don’t stop him now, he’ll be unstoppable.”
“And you care because?” I asked.
“Because I don’t intend to let him control this city,” Ethan said, his voice hard. “And because if he succeeds, he’ll come for you next. You’re a threat to him, Alyssa. Always have been.”
Before I could respond, a low sound caught my attention-a faint shuffle, barely audible over the waves.
I turned, my heart racing, just as shadows emerged from the darkness.
“Ambush,” I hissed, drawing back instinctively.
Xavier’s men stepped into the light, their weapons glinting ominously. There were at least a dozen of them, cutting off any escape.
Ethan swore under his breath, his hand darting to his concealed weapon.
“So much for neutral ground,” I said, glaring at him.
“This wasn’t me,” he snapped. “I told you, Xavier is playing us both.”
The men closed in, their leader stepping forward with a smug grin.
“Well, isn’t this cozy,” he said. “Ethan Harris and Alyssa Morgan, together at last. Xavier will be pleased.”
“Go to hell,” Ethan growled, raising his gun.
The leader chuckled. “Oh, you’ll be joining me soon enough.”
I scanned the area, my mind racing. We were outnumbered and outgunned, with no clear way out.
“Any brilliant ideas?” I asked Ethan, keeping my voice low.
“Working on it,” he muttered.
The leader raised a hand, signaling his men to move in.
“This is your last chance,” he said. “Surrender, and we might let you live.”
“Not likely,” I said, pulling a knife from my boot.
Ethan shot me a sideways glance. “You really don’t know how to make things easy, do you?”
“Wouldn’t be any fun if I did,” I shot back.
The men charged, and chaos erupted.
The fight was a blur of motion, the clash of weapons and the sound of gunfire echoing across the pier. Ethan and I moved in tandem, covering each other as we fought to hold our ground.
But it was clear we were losing.
Just as I began to think we were done for, a familiar voice cut through the chaos.
“Enough!”
Xavier stepped into view, his presence commanding instant silence. His men backed off, forming a tight circle around us.
“Well, well,” he said, his gaze flicking between Ethan and me. “This is quite the spectacle.”
“Go to hell,” Ethan spat, his gun still raised.
Xavier smirked. “Why, Ethan, I thought we were allies.”
“Allies don’t send death squads,” Ethan shot back.
“Touche,” Xavier said, his tone mocking. “But let’s not pretend this wasn’t inevitable. There’s no room for both of us in this game.”
His gaze shifted to me, and his smirk widened.
“And as for you, Alyssa,” he said, “you should’ve stayed in your father’s shadow. Now you’re just another loose end I have to tie up.”
I glared at him, my grip tightening on my knife.
“You think you’ve won?” I asked.
“Oh, I know I have,” Xavier said. “And by the time this night is over, you’ll see that too.”
The circle closed in, and I realized too late that we had nowhere left to run.