The Web Tightens

Blair stared at the message on her burner phone, her mind racing. Someone knew. But how? And who?

Jax leaned over her shoulder, reading the screen. "This isn't good."

Blair clenched her jaw, her fingers tightening around the phone. "No kidding. Someone's either trying to scare me off, or they know exactly what I'm doing."

"Do you think it's Leo?" Jax asked.

Blair shook her head. "It doesn't sound like him. If Leo suspected me, he'd confront me directly—or worse, tell Vincent. This is someone else. Someone who knows enough to be dangerous."

Jax frowned. "We need to move carefully. If the Syndicate's onto us—"

"They're not," Blair interrupted. "Not yet. But this means we're running out of time."

She deleted the message and tossed the phone onto the table. "We stick to the plan. The warehouse is our best shot at getting the leverage we need."

The night of the operation arrived quickly, and Blair felt the familiar mix of adrenaline and dread as she and Jax prepared to infiltrate the Syndicate's warehouse.

They'd done their homework—mapped out the security, timed the guards' shifts, and identified the blind spots in the camera coverage. But even with all their preparation, Blair knew there was no such thing as a perfect plan.

As they approached the warehouse in a nondescript van, Jax glanced at her. "You sure about this? We can still pull back."

Blair gave him a tight smile. "We've come too far to back out now. Let's do this."

The plan went smoothly at first. They slipped past the outer perimeter undetected, using the shadows to stay out of sight. Inside, the warehouse was a maze of crates and shipping containers, the air thick with the scent of oil and metal.

Jax quickly hacked into the security system, looping the cameras to give them a window of time to work.

Blair focused on the task at hand, locating the crate containing the Syndicate's latest shipment. It was filled with weapons—high-end military-grade gear that could only have been acquired through illegal channels.

"This is it," she whispered, snapping photos of the contents.

Jax nodded, his fingers flying over the keyboard of his tablet. "I'm planting the tracker. Once they move this shipment, we'll know exactly where it's going."

Blair felt a flicker of satisfaction. This was the kind of evidence they needed to build their case against the Syndicate.

But then, a noise behind them shattered the silence.

Blair turned, her heart pounding, as she saw the silhouette of a man standing in the doorway.

"Blair," Leo's voice cut through the tension, calm but edged with steel.

Her stomach dropped. How had he found her?

Jax froze, his hand hovering over the tablet. "Uh, Blair?"

"It's fine," she said quickly, holding up a hand to stop him.

Leo stepped closer, his expression unreadable in the dim light. "You've been busy," he said, gesturing to the crate.

Blair forced a calm smile, though her pulse was racing. "I could say the same about you. What are you doing here?"

Leo tilted his head, his eyes narrowing. "Funny. I was about to ask you the same thing."

Blair crossed her arms, feigning confidence. "Maybe I got curious. Your father's business is… fascinating."

Leo's smirk returned, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Curiosity killed the cat, Blair."

Jax glanced at her, his unease palpable. "Blair, we need to go," he whispered urgently.

Leo's gaze flicked to Jax, then back to Blair. "I'd listen to your friend if I were you. You're in way over your head."

Blair felt a surge of frustration. She couldn't afford to let Leo derail their mission, but she also couldn't let him suspect the truth.

"Maybe you're right," she said smoothly, stepping toward him. "But if I were you, I'd be careful. You never know who's watching."

Leo's smirk faltered for a moment, and Blair seized the opportunity.

"Come on, Jax," she said, grabbing his arm. "We're leaving."

As they slipped past Leo and out of the warehouse, Blair couldn't shake the feeling that the game had just shifted.

Back at the safehouse, Jax was visibly shaken. "That was too close. Leo's onto us, Blair. We can't keep doing this."

Blair paced the room, her mind racing. "We don't have a choice. If we stop now, everything we've done will be for nothing."

Jax frowned. "And if Leo tells his father?"

Blair hesitated. That was the risk she couldn't ignore. Leo was a wild card, unpredictable and dangerous.

But he hadn't stopped them. And that meant something.

"He won't," she said finally. "If he wanted to turn us in, he would've done it already."

Jax looked unconvinced. "And what if you're wrong?"

Blair didn't answer.

Later that night, Blair received another message on her burner phone.

"You've been warned. Stop now, or you'll regret it."

Her blood ran cold as she stared at the screen.

This time, the message was signed.

"L."

Blair's breath caught in her throat.

Leo.