Jake’s POV
I stared at the map spread out in front of me, my fingers tracing the rough paper as I tried to focus. Damon’s territory was vast, deep in the heart of rogue land, surrounded by thick forests and treacherous terrain. It wouldn’t be easy to get in, and getting out with Reyna would be even harder.
My jaw clenched as my mind replayed the last few hours Reyna’s empty room, the lifeless sentinels, the destroyed security footage. Someone had helped them. Someone had made it easy for them to take her.
The door creaked open behind me, and I turned sharply, my eyes narrowing when I saw Stephanie walk in.
John, who stood on the other side of the table, straightened. “Steph,” he acknowledged, his tone neutral.
I wasn’t as polite. “What the hell are you doing here?” My voice was sharp, cutting through the tense air. “You should be in the dungeon, not roaming freely like nothing happened.”
Stephanie sighed, folding her arms. “I’m here to help.”
I scoffed. “Help? How do we know you’re not the one who tipped them off?”
She flinched at my accusation but held her ground. “I didn’t.”
I shook my head, stepping away from the map. “You’ve been lying since the moment you got here, Steph. First about who you are, and now this? For all we know, you knew this was going to happen.”
John exhaled. “Jake, we need to focus.”
“Focus? You want to trust her?” I gestured at Stephanie, my frustration boiling over. “Reyna’s gone! Diane’s missing! And we suddenly find a note saying Steph is hiding something?”
Stephanie’s face paled, but she didn’t back down. “I get it,” she said, her voice softer now. “You don’t trust me. And maybe I deserve that. But I’m not the villain here. I know it’s hard to believe, but I want to find Reyna just as much as you do.”
I clenched my fists, my heart hammering. Every instinct screamed at me not to trust her.
John ran a hand through his hair and turned to me. “Look, I don’t trust her completely either, but she does know Marcus. And Marcus knows Damon better than any of us.”
Silence stretched between us. My teeth ground together as I looked back at Stephanie. “If you betray us-”
“I won’t,” she interrupted firmly.
I studied her face, searching for any hint of deceit. Finally, I exhaled sharply and turned back to the map. “Fine.”
John nodded. “Good. Then let’s figure out how to get to Marcus. He’s our key to finding Reyna.”
___
Diane’s POV
I leaned against Damon’s desk, watching him with a satisfied smirk. He sat back in his chair, swirling a glass of whiskey in his hand, looking every bit like the rogue king he was. The scent of power and danger clung to him, and I knew I had made the right choice aligning myself with him.
“So,” I purred, tilting my head. “How soon do you want to marry Reyna?”
Damon chuckled, setting his glass down. “Eager, aren’t you?”
“Of course,” I said, rolling my eyes. “The sooner you take her and leave the country, the sooner I can have Jake and John all to myself. I’m tired of waiting.”
His eyes darkened with amusement. “You really think John and Jake will just forget about her?”
“They will if you make sure she disappears,” I said with a smirk. “And once she’s out of the picture, I’ll be the only option they have left.” I leaned forward, resting my hands on his desk. “I can’t wait for it to happen.”
Damon exhaled, a cruel smile tugging at his lips. “You really are something else, Diane.”
Before I could respond, my phone rang. I glanced at the screen-Marcus. A slow grin spread across my face as I picked up.
“What do you want, Marcus?” I asked, feigning boredom.
His voice came through the line, sharp and demanding. “You owe me your life, Diane. We need to meet. Now.”
I laughed, shaking my head. “Oh, Marcus, you still think you have control over me?” I glanced at Damon, who raised an eyebrow in question.
“I do,” Marcus growled. “You wouldn’t be alive if it weren’t for me.”
I rolled my eyes. “Well, times have changed. I work for Damon now, and if you have a problem with that…” I let my voice drop, my tone dripping with mockery. “You should take it up with him, not me.”
With that, I ended the call, tossing my phone onto the desk with a satisfied smirk.
Damon chuckled. “You love playing with fire, don’t you?”
I met his gaze, my eyes gleaming. “Always.”