THE DEVIL YOU KNOW

The Blue Haven Bar was not the kind of place you went for a quiet drink. It was the kind of place where darkroom deals were made, where shadows stretched long and where people like me, people who asked too many questions stood out like a bloodstain on white slate.I pulled my coat tighter as I walked inside, shaking off the last traces of rain. The air was choked with cigarette smoke and the scent of aged whiskey. Dim, flickering lights barely reached the corners of the room, where figures ducked over drinks, speaking in hushed tones one to another.I spotted Ethan Voss almost immediately. He was seating at a small booth near the back, the dim lighting casting shadows across his sharp features. He wasn't watching the door, but something told me he had knew the moment I had walked into the bar.Taking a deep breath, I crossed the room and slid into the seat across from him. "You're late," he said smoothly, swirling the drink in his hand.I ignored the comment. "I looked through the folder." "And?" he said. I leaned in, lowering my voice. "Where did you get those pictures? The level of detail contained doesn't come from casual surveillance. You were close to Cross, too close."Ethan smile. "Smart girl." He responded. I narrowed my eyes. "Don't patronize me. Who are you really, Voss?". He dropped his glass down with a quiet clink, studying me with an intensity that made my skin goosy. "I used to work for him." I froze "What?" "Nathan Cross." Ethan leaned back, his fingers tapping against the table. "I was his fixer, his cleanup crew. If someone had dirt on him, I made it disappear. If someone crossed him, I made sure they regretted it."A chill settled in my chest. I had expected him to play me around the truth, to give me half-lies wrapped in clever wordplay. But this? This was a confession. "You're telling me you were one of his cold blood dogs?". His gaze was unreadable. "I was a lot of things." The weight of his words sank in. If what he was saying was true, then Ethan Voss wasn't just some informant. He had been part of Cross's inner circle. Which meant he was either my greatest asset or the most dangerous man in my life. "Why did you leave?" I asked with curiosity. His smile faded and was replaced by something colder. "Because I saw what happened to people who tried to walk away." I thought of Jordan Hale; Of the way his car had blown up in flames. "Cross doesn't let people quit," I said slowly. The air between us grew heavier. I should have gotten up and walked away or disappear into the air. Whatever Ethan Voss was tangled up, I didn't want to become collateral damage. This would be the form of damage control I would be able to systematically introduce before things got out of hand. But I didn't move. Instead, I asked the questionthat had been burning in my mind since the moment he first approached me. "Why are you helping me?" For the first time, something changed in his expression. Regret? Guilt? It was gone before I could name it. "Because I owe someone," he said finally. "Someone who didn't deserve what happened to them."His voice was quiet but there was an edge to it, a darkness that told me there was more to the story. I could push and Demand answers, But I had learned long ago that some wounds weren't meant to be opened once dried.Instead, I exhaled slowly and reached for my bag, pulling out a small recorder. "Tell me everything you know about Cross. Names, locations, weak spots. If we're doing this, I need it all." Ethan stared at me for a long moment before letting out a soft chuckle. "You're either the bravest or the most reckless person I've ever met, Lily Morgan." "Probably both," I admitted with all the boldness I could summon.He reached into his coat pocket, pulling out a folded piece of paper. "Here's your next lead. You might want to start with this."I unfolded it carefully. A name was scrawled in bold ink. "Marcus DeLuca". The paper read. My stomach tightened. I knew that name. A former senator's son, a high-profile investor, a man with rumored connections to everything from drug trafficking to illegal arms deals.If Cross was working with DeLuca, then this was bigger than I had imagined. I met Ethan's gaze. "Are you sure about this?" A muscle ticked in his jaw. "You wanted to bring Cross down?"I nodded in agreement instantly. "Then buckle up, sweetheart," he said. "Because you just stepped into a war."The name Marcus DeLuca sat in my hands like a loaded gun. I had spent years chasing men like him, figures who operated just outside the law, their hands in everything from politics to organized crime. DeLuca wasn't just powerful; he was untouchable. The kind of man who smiled for cameras while bodies piled up in his shadow.I glanced up at Ethan, his expression unreadable. "How involved is he with Cross?" I asked. Ethan exhaled, leaning back. "Let's put it this way Cross may have the money, but DeLuca has the power. Political connections, law enforcement in his pocket, even international ties. If Cross wants something done without leaving a trace, DeLuca makes the call." I cracked my knuckles. "So, he's the key."Ethan nodded. "If you can prove Cross and DeLuca are in business together, you won't just be exposing a corrupt billionaire, you'll be unraveling an entire network of criminals who've been operating under the radar for years."The weight of it settled on my shoulders. This wasn't just about Cross anymore. It was about how deep this rabbit hole really went. I glanced around the bar. There was no one was paying us any attention, but paranoia was second nature to me by now."How do I get to him?" I asked with coldness and anguish. Ethan studied me for a moment before sliding another paper across the table. This was an invitation that had an address. "He's hosting a private event tomorrow night. High-profile guests only." He smirked a little. "Good thing you clean up well, Morgan."I twisted my eyes, but my mind was already working. If DeLuca was hosting an event, that meant two things, Security would be tight, also he wouldn't be expecting me. This was an opportunity, a very risky one, but I'd learned long ago that risks were the only way to get real answers to pressing issues.I pocketed the invitation and stood. "I'll find a way in". Ethan's smirk faded. "Be careful.""I always am." His eyes darkened. "That's what they all say. Until they're not." I didn't respond, Instead, I turned and walked out of the bar into the cold night air hitting me like a warning.