CHAPTER 57

A New Mission

Julian lay on the cold concrete, his breath ragged, his bruised face twisted in a mixture of pain and satisfaction. My grip on the gun tightened, my finger hovering over the trigger. I could end it right here. One shot. One less problem.

But his eyes, sharp despite the swelling, gleamed with something far more dangerous than fear—certainty.

"Killing me won't bring her back," he rasped, blood coating his lips. "But if you go after her… The Oath will never stop hunting you."

His words slid under my skin like a blade. My pulse pounded in my ears, the weight of my past, my failures, and my rage clashing against the one truth I couldn't ignore.

I had a daughter.

She was out there. Alive.

And every second wasted brought her closer to slipping beyond my reach.

My breath came out slow and controlled as I lowered my gun. Not because I forgave Julian. Not because I didn't want to pull the trigger. But because right now, vengeance meant nothing if it kept me from finding her.

"You better run while you can," I muttered.

Julian coughed out a chuckle, wincing as he struggled to sit up. "You'll regret this, Nathan. You always do."

Maybe I would. But not today.

I turned away as he disappeared into the shadows. The weight in my chest didn't lighten, but my path was clear. No more distractions. No more second-guessing.

Then I heard the quiet shuffle of boots on the ground behind me.

Riley.

She stood there, arms crossed, her expression unreadable. But I didn't need to guess what she was thinking. She had seen the worst parts of me. She had seen what I was capable of. And now, she had to decide if she could live with it.

"You let him go," she said, her voice even. But I could hear the tension beneath it.

I met her gaze. "Killing him wouldn't have gotten me any closer to her."

Her shoulders stiffened. The silence between us stretched, thick with unspoken words.

"So what happens now?" she finally asked.

I didn't hesitate. "I go after her."

She blinked. I saw the flicker of emotions behind her eyes—anger, hurt, maybe even something close to understanding. But it wasn't enough.

"And me?" she asked.

Her words hit me harder than Julian's threats.

She wasn't just asking if I needed her help. She was asking if I wanted her at all.

I exhaled sharply, running a hand down my face. "You don't have to do this, Riley. You don't owe me anything."

Her lips pressed together in a tight line. "That's not what I asked."

Damn it.

I looked away, my thoughts racing. I could barely make sense of the storm in my head, let alone the way she made me feel. I needed to focus. I needed to be ruthless. But Riley…

She was the one person who saw through my walls and refused to back down.

And now, I was pushing her away.

Again.

"I can't ask you to follow me," I said, my voice quieter than I intended. "It's not fair."

She let out a bitter laugh. "That's the problem, Nathan. You never ask."

She turned, the cool night air catching the ends of her hair as she walked away, each step echoing in my chest like a slow, painful countdown.

I clenched my fists. I should stop her. I should say something—anything—to make her stay. But what could I give her? A man too broken to promise anything more than war? A future built on blood and vengeance?

I had nothing to offer her but chaos.

So I let her go.

For now.

I swallowed the bitter taste in my mouth and turned toward the city stretching before me. The skyline burned with neon lights, hiding the rot beneath. Somewhere in the tangled streets, in the shadows of The Oath's empire, my daughter was waiting for me.

And I would tear the world apart to find her.

---

I didn't waste time.

The moment I left the warehouse, I was already making calls.

By the time the sun rose, I had gathered enough intel to confirm my worst fears—The Oath wasn't just keeping her hidden. They were moving her.

Location unknown. Timeline unknown.

And that meant I had to act fast.

I parked outside an old diner on the outskirts of town, my contact already waiting at a booth near the back. He was a wiry man with shifty eyes and nicotine-stained fingers tapping restlessly against his coffee cup.

"Nate," he greeted with a wary nod. "Didn't think I'd be hearing from you again."

"Wish I could say the same," I muttered, sliding into the seat across from him. "What do you have?"

He hesitated, flicking his gaze around the diner before leaning in. "Word is, The Oath's getting nervous. Something big is going down, and they don't want loose ends. Your kid? She's leverage. Insurance."

My jaw tightened. "Against who?"

His Adam's apple bobbed. "Against you."

The world tilted for a moment, a red haze creeping into the edges of my vision.

"They know I'm coming," I said, more to myself than to him.

He nodded. "And they're ready."

Of course, they were.

I took a slow breath, forcing my pulse to steady. "Where are they keeping her?"

"That's the part you're not gonna like," he said, rubbing the back of his neck. "They've been moving her between different locations. But the last known spot? Some kind of offshore facility. High security. Military-grade defenses."

I exhaled through my nose, gripping the table edge until my knuckles went white.

They weren't just hiding her.

They were preparing for war.

"Any way in?" I asked, already calculating.

He hesitated. "There's a supply drop scheduled in two days. Limited window, but if you time it right…"

It was a risk. A big one.

But I had no choice.

I shoved a stack of cash across the table and stood. "Find me a name. Someone on the inside. Someone I can turn."

He nodded quickly, stuffing the money into his jacket. "Got it. And Nate?"

I glanced back.

"Be careful," he said. "You're not the only one hunting."

I left without another word.

---

Back at the safehouse, I packed light—weapons, ammunition, and just enough supplies to get me through the infiltration. I was securing my gear when I heard the door creak open behind me.

I didn't turn. "Changed your mind?"

Riley's voice was tight. "You think I was just going to walk away?"

I let out a slow breath, my shoulders loosening just slightly. "Would've been the smart choice."

She stepped further into the room, and I finally turned to face her. Her gaze was sharp, searching. "You really think you can do this alone?"

"No," I admitted. "But it's my fight."

She lifted an eyebrow. "And you think I don't have a stake in this?"

My lips twitched. "You looking for a thank you?"

She scoffed. "I'm looking for a plan that doesn't get you killed."

I watched her for a long moment, then nodded toward my gear. "Then you better start packing."

A flicker of something passed through her expression—relief, determination, maybe even trust.

And for the first time in a long time, I realized I wasn't alone in this fight.

But The Oath would never stop hunting me.

I just had to make sure I got to them first.