Sonia12

She was raised to bring justice. He was born to rule the underworld.

Detective Aria Voss has spent years chasing shadows—tracking the faceless crime lord known only as The Phantom. Ruthless, elusive, and always a step ahead, he is the mastermind behind the city's most untouchable criminal empire. No one has ever seen his face. No one knows his name. And Aria is determined to be the one who brings him down.

But she doesn’t realize the man she’s hunting has been hunting her for years.

Killian Dante is more than just the Phantom. He is the architect of Aria’s life—pulling the strings from the shadows, ensuring every case she solved, every lead she chased, was one he placed in front of her. He has shaped her into the perfect detective, the perfect obsession, without her ever knowing. And now, she’s getting too close to the truth.

When a single mistake forces Killian to step out of the darkness, their game of cat and mouse turns deadly. She should hate him. She should arrest him. But every moment in his presence shatters her resolve. Every glance burns hotter than the justice she once swore to uphold.

She thought she was hunting a monster. But what happens when the monster is the man who owns her heart?

Will she uncover the truth and destroy him—or will she fall so deep that she loses herself in his world forever?

Puppet Master's Obsession

The paper in Aria's hands felt heavier than it should have.

She hadn't seen that name in years—hadn't heard it spoken since the night her parents were murdered.

The police reports had classified him as a disappeared informant, a man who had been working with the FBI on exposing deep mafia ties before he suddenly vanished without a trace.

And now, Killian had handed her his name like a carefully placed puzzle piece.

Why would The Phantom lead her to him?

Aria sucked in a sharp breath, shoving the note into her pocket. One way to find out.

Back at her apartment, Aria worked through the night, searching every database, every archived file.

Nolan Graves didn't exist anymore.

No social security records. No bank transactions. No sightings. It was like he had been erased.

But Killian wouldn't have given her a dead end.

She leaned back, running a hand through her hair, frustration gnawing at her.

She needed something stronger than digital breadcrumbs.

She needed someone who knew the underworld.

Aria parked outside Ethan's club just as the neon sign flickered to life. The Black Viper.

A high-end establishment that doubled as a front for illegal dealings.

She entered without hesitation, ignoring the gazes that trailed her. Most of the patrons here knew who she was. A cop walking into a den of criminals.

At the back of the club, Ethan sat in his usual booth, sipping a glass of whiskey.

"You must be desperate," he mused as she slid into the seat across from him.

She placed the note between them.

Ethan glanced at it, then at her. "Where did you get this?"

"That's not your concern. I need to know if he's alive."

Ethan smirked. "And why would I help you?"

Aria met his gaze, unwavering. "Because if Nolan Graves is alive, he's sitting on information worth more than any deal you've made in this club."

Ethan studied her for a long moment before finally exhaling.

"I don't have much," he admitted. "But I've heard whispers. Some say he's dead. Some say he's living under a new identity."

Aria's fingers tightened around her glass.

If Nolan was alive, then he was in hiding for a reason.

A reason Killian wanted her to uncover.

As Aria drove back home, her mind was already racing through the possibilities.

Whoever had covered up Nolan's tracks had done a damn good job.

But she wasn't going to stop until she found him.

She pulled into her apartment's parking lot, stepping out—only to feel the unmistakable prickle of being watched.

A black envelope tucked beneath her windshield wiper.

She yanked it free, tearing it open.

"Careful, Detective. Some secrets aren't meant to be uncovered."

And he wasn't going to let her walk away from this.

Chapter 7 A Name From the Dead