Caught in the Lion’s Den

Theodore Graves stood in the doorway, his polished shoes gleaming under the dim office light. His sharp eyes, dark as midnight, flickered between Daphne and Elias, his gun held steady in his hand.

Daphne kept her face neutral, but her pulse thundered in her ears. There was no use in reaching for a weapon—Graves wasn't a fool. He was a predator, and she and Elias were trespassers in his den.

"Care to explain why I just caught you snooping through my things?" Graves' voice was smooth, but there was a razor's edge to it.

Elias, ever the smooth talker, smirked. "Well, Theo, let's not jump to conclusions. Maybe we got lost on our way to the restroom?"

Graves didn't look amused. "You have exactly ten seconds to give me a real answer before I put a bullet between your eyes."

Daphne stepped forward, keeping her hands visible. "We're not your enemies, Graves. But we needed that ledger."

His jaw tightened. "That so? And who sent you?"

Silence stretched between them. The real answer would only make things worse.

Graves' lips curled into a humorless smile. "Let me guess—Alaric Voss?"

Daphne didn't flinch, but Elias stiffened ever so slightly. It was enough.

Graves let out a bitter chuckle, shaking his head. "Of course. That snake finally sent someone to twist the knife." He leveled his gun at Elias' chest. "Tell me, does Alaric plan to kill me, or is this just a warning?"

Daphne took a careful breath. "We're just here for the ledger. Nothing more."

Graves studied her, tapping his finger against the trigger. "You think I don't know what that book means? If Alaric gets his hands on it, I'm finished. He'll own me."

Elias sighed. "Then maybe don't get in bed with the devil, Graves."

A flash of anger crossed Graves' face, but instead of firing, he lowered the gun slightly.

"You want the ledger? Fine. But I want something in return."

Daphne narrowed her eyes. "What?"

Graves smirked. "I want protection. If I hand this over, I need assurance that Alaric won't put me in the ground the second he gets what he wants."

Elias exchanged a glance with Daphne. This was dangerous territory—promising Graves something they weren't sure they could deliver.

But they didn't have a choice.

Daphne stepped forward, her voice steady. "You help us, and we'll make sure you walk away from this alive."

Graves studied her, then laughed. "You have nerve, I'll give you that." He tucked the gun into his jacket and walked over to the safe.

Pulling out a second ledger, he tossed it onto the desk.

"This is the real one," he said. "The one you took? Just a decoy. Alaric would've known in seconds."

Daphne exhaled, barely hiding her relief. She grabbed the real ledger and tucked it under her coat.

Graves folded his arms. "Now get the hell out of my office before I change my mind."

Daphne nodded. "Pleasure doing business with you, Graves."

Elias smirked. "Try not to die, yeah?"

With that, they slipped out of the office and into the chaos of the casino floor.

The Trade-Off

The drive back to Blackthorn Manor was silent. Daphne's grip tightened around the ledger.

Elias finally broke the silence. "You trust Graves to stay quiet?"

Daphne exhaled. "Not even a little."

Elias chuckled. "Good. Keeps things interesting."

By the time they reached the manor, the moon was high, casting eerie shadows against the estate. Celeste was waiting for them in the grand hall, a glass of wine in hand.

"You have it?" she asked, bored but expectant.

Daphne handed over the ledger. "All yours."

Celeste flipped through the pages, then smirked. "Impressive. Alaric will be pleased."

Daphne tensed. "And Graves?"

Celeste's smirk widened. "Oh, darling. You didn't really think we'd let him walk away, did you?"

A cold dread settled in Daphne's stomach.

She had just sentenced Theodore Graves to death.

And there was nothing she could do to stop it.