Into the Fire

Sometimes, the only way to catch a traitor is to become the bait.

Celeste....

There was something about the silence that unsettled me.

Even after the gunshot had faded, leaving only the lingering scent of blood and gunpowder, the room felt frozen in time. The body at my feet was still warm, his final words dying in his throat before they could betray whoever had been pulling his strings. Whoever had just made sure the truth was buried.

Adrian stood beside me, his expression cold, controlled—but I could feel the fury rolling off him in waves. He wasn't just angry that Marco was dead. He was angry because he had been outplayed.

So was I.

Dante and Lorenzo had already begun sweeping the area, barking orders at the men outside. No one left the estate without Adrian's approval. No one.

I exhaled slowly, forcing my pulse to settle. "They were watching us."

Adrian didn't look at me right away. His fingers curled at his sides, the tension in his jaw a sign of just how dangerous he felt right now. "Obviously."

"No," I said, turning to face him. "Not just watching. Anticipating. This wasn't about silencing Marco. This was about showing us that we're always one step behind."

His dark gaze locked onto mine, something unreadable flickering behind those cold, calculating eyes. "Then let's fix that."

One Hour Later – The Strategy Room

The map of the city stretched across the long oak table, markers pinpointing every possible weak spot in Adrian's network. If the traitor was on the inside, there had to be a pattern—a connection we hadn't seen yet.

I leaned over the table, scanning the placements. "The warehouse attack. The estate bombing. Now Marco. All connected."

Lorenzo scoffed from the corner. "That's not exactly groundbreaking."

I shot him a look. "No, but what is interesting is that each hit happened right after a major shift in power. Someone isn't just feeding information to your enemies, Adrian. They're controlling the board."

Dante rubbed his jaw, considering. "You're saying the attacks weren't just opportunistic?"

I nodded. "They were timed. Whoever is behind this isn't just leaking information—they're choosing when to strike based on how vulnerable we are."

Adrian's fingers drummed against the table. "Then we make them think we're vulnerable again."

Silence fell over the room.

I met his gaze. "You want to set a trap."

His smirk was dark, sharp. "No. I want to set a fire."

Lorenzo whistled lowly. "That's a hell of a risk."

"So is letting them stay in the shadows," Adrian replied. "If they want to control the game, let's force them onto the board."

I hated that he was right. The only way to catch the traitor was to force them to move.

"Fine," I said, crossing my arms. "What's the plan?"

Adrian's smirk deepened. "We make them think I'm about to fall."

Later That Night – The Setup

The plan was simple: spread false intel about Adrian's next major deal—one that would put him in a vulnerable position. A position that would tempt the traitor to make their next move.

I adjusted the strap on my thigh holster, my mind running through every possible scenario. This was dangerous. It could go wrong in so many ways.

Adrian stepped up beside me, adjusting the cuff of his suit. "Second thoughts?"

I scoffed. "You wish."

He chuckled, low and dark. "Ogonëk, you really do thrive on danger, don't you?"

I glanced at him, my pulse betraying me for just a second. "And you don't?"

Adrian's smirk didn't fade. If anything, it deepened. "I enjoy control."

"And yet, here we are," I murmured.

Something flickered in his eyes—something unreadable, dangerous. Something that made my stomach tighten.

"Here we are," he echoed, his voice lower now.

For a second, the mission, the danger, the lies—all of it faded.

There was only him. And me.

The moment was gone as quickly as it had come. Adrian stepped back, breaking whatever had just passed between us. "Let's get this over with."

I swallowed hard, forcing myself to focus. This wasn't the time for distractions.

If we were going to survive this game, we needed to be smarter. Faster. And more ruthless than the people hunting us.