Burn for me

Chapter 5: The mansion

CARTER'S POV

Did he know? No. He could not have known.

"No, I did not," I say. My voice is steady. Too steady. "I was hammered. You know how I get when I am hammered, Wayne."

"That is exactly why I am worried, Carter," he says. His voice is soft, but there is a sharp edge beneath it.

"It was just a coincidence. I did not—" I exhale. "I DID NOT see him."

I cannot look Wayne in the eye. I try to look to the ground, searching for what I can never find. My eyes dart around the messy room, avoiding his gaze. I feel the guilt like a boulder on my head. Heavy. Crushing.

This is the first time I am lying to Wayne.

It hurts. It physically hurts. My chest is tight. My throat is dry. Every word tastes like ash on my tongue.

But I just cannot tell him. Especially because if yesterday happened again, I would do the exact same thing with no regret.

That thought terrifies me. What kind of person does that make me? What kind of monster am I becoming?

I look into his eyes. They are searching mine, looking for the truth. I can see the pain in them. The confusion. The love.

He forces a smile. It does not reach his eyes. "Okay," he says. His voice is shaky.

I look at him. At his lips. At the way they curve into that forced smile. I look up at him again.

I try to pull him in for a kiss. My hand reaches for his neck, pulling him closer. I need to feel him. I need to make this right.

He does not pull away surprisingly. For a moment, his lips press against mine. It is soft. Familiar. Safe.

But it does not feel right. It feels like a lie.

I pull back and look into his eyes. "Stay over," I ask. My voice is desperate. Needy.

He shakes his head. "I cannot. I need to leave, Carter."

He kisses my forehead. His lips are warm against my skin. He whispers, "I love you, Carter."

The words hang in the air. They should make me feel better. They should fill the emptiness in my chest.

But they do not.

He turns and walks out. The door clicks shut behind him.

Ugh. I hate this.

I stand in the middle of my messy apartment, my heart pounding. The silence is deafening. I look around at the chaos. The scattered files. The thrown clothes. The broken feeling in my chest.

But will he... no. Wayne would not do that.

I shake my head, pushing the thought away. Wayne loves me. He would never hurt me. He would never betray me.

Unlike me.

I look around, my eyes scanning the room. I go under my bed to look for my weapons. My hand reaches into the darkness, feeling for the familiar metal.

They are all still there. My guns. My knives. My backup pieces. Everything is exactly where I left it.

That is weird. Whoever came to my house was not interested in the weapons.

What did they want then?

I sit over at my desk to review the mission and the files the Lieutenant gave me.

The files are thick. Red. Heavy. I open the first one and start reading.

It is information about the Stephano family.

Rayne has siblings?

I flip through the pages, my eyes scanning the names and faces. Each of them are just as dangerous. Maybe even more.

Jeezzz. Talk about more Bratva. This is not going as I planned.

Why did the Lieutenant not give me these files until the exact day I have to go? Talk about walking into a boiling pan.

I sigh, running my hand through my curly hair. The weight of the mission settles on my shoulders.

But looking on the bright side, they are all hot. I guess it runs in the family. But each of them have unique features.

My target is Stephano Rayne. My mission is to go undercover to get as much information as I can about him and reveal the secrets the Stephano family keep locked inside their deadly chambers.

I look directly at Rayne's file first.

But something was wrong.

His information is empty. He barely has any criminal records. Unlike other members of the family, his file is practically blank.

That is weird. This has to be a joke.

But that is impossible. Because our encounter, his nature, and the letter he left me definitely confirmed he has killed people. I saw it in his eyes. I felt it in his touch.

So why is there no record? Why is his file empty?

I stare at the page, my mind racing. Someone is hiding something. Someone is protecting him.

And I am going to find out who.

---

Someone is definitely behind his clean records. Someone powerful. Someone who wants to protect Rayne.

But who? And why?

This is not enough information. The files are incomplete. They tell me nothing about his past, his crimes, his connections. It is like someone erased him from existence.

But I have to try. My undercover job is to be part of their gang and ask to be a part of their Bratva or even their underdog. I was hired to watch over Rayne's needs. What a joke that is.

The person who hired me is still unknown to me though. I do not know their face. Their name. Their motive. I only know they want me inside the Stephano mansion. And for that, I am grateful. But also terrified.

I pack my stuff and head to the Stephano mansion.

The drive is long. The streets of Talber blur past. The buildings get bigger, more expensive. The neighborhoods get safer, more guarded. This is where the rich live. This is where the monsters live.

I arrive at the gates.

It was like a castle. Probably because they were all like giants. The walls are tall, imposing, made of dark stone. Iron gates stretch across the entrance, intricate and deadly. Guards patrol the perimeter, their eyes scanning for threats.

I get out of the cab and walk toward the gates. My heart is pounding. My palms are sweating. This is it. This is where it all begins.

I head in, walking through the gates. The place is very dark. Typical.

The grounds are vast. Manicured lawns. Dark trees. Fountains that look like they have not been used in years. The mansion looms ahead of me, a dark silhouette against the grey sky.

I walk toward the entrance. My footsteps echo on the cobblestone path.

I met the driver that was in Rayne's car that day.

I panic. I freeze. My heart stops.

I bow to him. My body moves on instinct. I keep my head down, my eyes fixed on the ground. I cannot let him recognize me. I cannot let him know who I am.

But he looks like he has never seen me before. He walks past me without a second glance. He does not have much of a reaction.

That is sort of weird.

I slide past him, my heart pounding. Why did he not recognize me? Was he not there when Rayne took me to the hotel? Did he not see my face?

I do not have time to think about it. I keep walking.

The walls inside are painted mostly burgundy and black. Given its already creepy nature, it makes it more scary. The colors are deep, rich, like dried blood. The floors are marble. The ceilings are high, adorned with dark chandeliers.

It is like a ballroom we only see in movies. And the chandeliers are breathtakingly beautiful. Crystal and gold and glass, casting soft light across the dark walls.

They definitely have taste. But dangerous taste.

It is like a fancy cemetery with multiple rooms. The silence is heavy. The air is cold. Every corner holds a shadow.

The workers are few, and they all do not make eye contact or talk much. They move like ghosts, silent and efficient. They do not speak. They do not look up.

It is weird and blatant. But they definitely are not forced to work here. There is no fear in their eyes. Just... emptiness.

I walk further, waiting and looking for who will show me where to go or who to meet.

A man approaches me. He is a little bit taller than me, with sharp features and a stern expression. He has an accent. Russian maybe. He definitely is not part of Rayne's siblings.

"Are you the new employee?" he asks.

I look at him. His eyes are cold. Calculating.

"Yes," I answer. "My name is Carter."

He nods. "No need for formalities. You can call me zayne ." He gestures for me to follow. "I am the head of workers here."

I bow. "Thank you, sir."

He shows me to my room. The tour is brief. He walks quickly, his voice flat. He points out rooms as we pass them. The kitchen. The dining hall. The library. The east wing. The west wing. The basement.

He explains places I can go and places I cannot go. The west wing is off-limits. The basement is off-limits. The east wing is where the family lives. Stay out of their way.

And of course, some warnings. Do not touch anything. Do not ask questions. Do not make eye contact with the family.

Well, this is all expected. This is a criminal home. I was not expecting anything less.

I go to my room to settle down and keep my stuff. The room is small but comfortable. A bed. A desk. A closet. A window that looks out over the dark grounds.

I open my bag and start unpacking. My clothes. My weapons. My notes. Everything has a place.

I was not sure I remembered all the rooms, but I will get used to them with time. The mansion is a labyrinth. Endless hallways. Locked doors. Hidden passages.

I was not sure how I will be informed if I am needed. zayne did not say. He just told me to wait.

I lay there for now, staring at the ceiling. My mind is racing. My heart is pounding.

But my stomach will not leave me alone. I am hungry. I have not eaten since last night. My stomach growls, loud and insistent.

I look around. I did not bring any food. I do not think zayne showed me the kitchen.

I sit up, my heart pounding. I need to find food. I need to explore. This is my chance to learn the layout of the mansion.

I stand up and open my door.

The hallway is dark. Silent. Empty.

I step out and start walking.