Silent Storm

Some battles are fought in silence, but the war is never quiet.

Celete.....

The air outside the FBI office was cold, a stark contrast to the chaos burning inside me. I pulled my coat tighter around my body, the weight of my conversation with Sienna pressing against my chest. There was a leak—someone inside Adrian's world, and possibly inside mine.

And I had no idea who to trust anymore.

I made my way back to the car, but my fingers hovered over the ignition, hesitant. For the first time in a long time, I didn't have a clear path forward. Every instinct screamed at me to walk away, to let Adrian handle his own mess. But that was the problem, wasn't it? I wasn't just an observer anymore.

I was in too deep.

The drive back to the estate was slow, each mile filled with memories I refused to entertain. When I arrived, I wasn't surprised to see Dante waiting for me outside.

"Took you long enough," he muttered, arms crossed as he leaned against the doorframe. His sharp gaze swept over me, searching for something. "You look like you've been running from something."

I gave him a dry smile. "Maybe I have."

His jaw ticked, but he said nothing. Instead, he pushed off the wall and gestured for me to follow. "He's asking for you."

I froze for a second. "Adrian?"

"Who else?"

Dante led me down the hall toward Adrian's room, but before we entered, he stopped me with a firm hand on my arm. "I don't know what's going on between you two, but whatever it is, don't let it cloud your judgment."

I pulled my arm free, meeting his gaze head-on. "I don't need a warning, Dante."

He sighed. "Maybe not. But he does. He doesn't just takes bullet for anyone."

With an irritated tone I replied, "then shouldn't you be asking him the question rather than interrogating ?"

"I don't question him. I protect him and if I feel like he is in danger, I can take care of the danger. Be it someone that he even takes bullet for."

With that, he pushed open the door, leaving me standing there, heart hammering against my ribs.

I stepped inside, the dim lighting casting long shadows over Adrian's still figure. He was awake now, propped up against the pillows, his usual arrogance dulled by exhaustion but still very much present. His eyes met mine the moment I stepped closer, dark and unreadable.

"Took your time, Ogonëk," he murmured.

I rolled my eyes, ignoring the warmth that settled under my skin at the nickname. "You were unconscious. You don't get to complain about time."

His smirk was lazy but sharp. "Yet, here you are. Again."

I exhaled slowly, keeping my tone steady. "I came to make sure you weren't dead."

Adrian studied me, his gaze searching for something I wasn't ready to name. "And?"

"And now I know you're not." I turned to leave, but his voice stopped me.

"Why did you stay, Celeste?"

I hesitated at the door, fingers tightening around the handle. "I don't know."

It was the closest thing to the truth I could admit. Dante's warning and Sienna's word were still going through my mind. Why do I have to remind myself most of the times that it's just a mission. Adrian's safety is not my priority. Fuck safety it's his downfall that I want. I wanna see him and his empire broken and scattered into so many pieces that no one could ever put them back togather. So why did I stay? Why did it feel like the bullet didn't just hit him but, it also did some damage to me. 

The night air was thick with tension when I stepped outside again, but this time, it wasn't just in my head. Something was coming. Something I couldn't yet see.

I pulled my phone from my pocket and dialed Sienna. She picked up on the second ring.

"Tell me you have something," I said.

There was a pause, and then a heavy exhale. "Celeste... I found something. And you're not going to like it."

My pulse quickened. "What is it?"

"I cross-checked the leaked intel with our internal communications. The same encryption was used in both the mansion attack and the ambush. Whoever tipped them off had access to both sides."

A chill ran down my spine. "You're saying it's not just Adrian's people?"

"No." Her voice was grave. "Someone inside the FBI is working with them. And if they knew where you were once... they'll know again."

My stomach twisted. The walls were closing in, the lines between enemies and allies blurring faster than I could keep up with.

"Then we don't have much time," I whispered.

"No, we don't."

I ended the call and stared out at the dark sky, my mind racing.

Someone was playing both sides. Someone who wanted Adrian dead.

And if I wasn't careful, they'd take me down with him.