THE ART OF THE HUNT

Milan leaned back in his leather chair, the dim light from his desk lamp casting sharp shadows across his face. The scent of whiskey lingered in the air, mingling with the faint trace of Chloe's perfume still clinging to his shirt. He had left her wanting, frustrated, caught in the delicate web he was weaving.

It was amusing. And dangerous.

He tapped a finger against the crystal glass in his hand, watching the amber liquid swirl. She was different from the others. Most people showed their true selves when tempted, yet Chloe had held back, concealing whatever secret she carried beneath that composed façade.

A puzzle. One he intended to solve.

He reached for the folder on his desk—the one containing everything he knew about her so far. Not much. Too little, in fact.

A promising journalist with a relatively clean past. No ties to the underworld, no affiliations that screamed "enemy." Yet there was something off. Too much coincidence in their meetings. Too much ease in how she had slipped into his life.

Milan didn't believe in coincidences.

A knock at the door. He closed the folder, setting it aside. "Enter."

Luca stepped in, his usual smirk absent. That meant business. "We found something."

Milan arched a brow. "About her?"

Luca nodded, tossing a flash drive onto the desk. "You were right to be suspicious."

Milan took his time picking up the drive, turning it between his fingers. Anticipation curled in his chest, dark and thrilling. If Chloe was lying to him, if she was a threat…

Well.

He always did enjoy a good hunt.