Burn for Me, Devil Rider

Chapter 5 The Missing File

Reagan’s Pov...

The room felt smaller, tighter, like the walls were closing around us. Enough to suffocate us while Dominic stood in front of the system, unmoving, just still and too quiet.

That alone told me everything I needed to know.

"Open it!" I said without hesitation. My voice was deadly calm, like the kind of stillness before something dangerous comes. My patience is barely holding on and I might pull the trigger, already annoyed.

Dominic exhaled slowly, running a hand through his hair like he was buying time and that's his second mistake.

"You're making this bigger than it needs to be." He muttered.

"No!" I replied, taking a step forward. His jaw tightened, but still he didn't move. Behind me, I could feel her waiting and watching closely. Breathing heavily as if every second mattered.

I let her watch even though I smelled betrayal.

"Dominic." This time I didn't raise my voice.

I don't need to.

"Open now." He sighed, then a soft click tick. Finally, the system lit up. He started navigating through the files but his fingers were slower than usual. So careful... Too careful but the tremor was still there and I saw it.

"Search the Cruz case." I ordered. He froze for a second before typing. Then the screen flickered, loading, then the file appeared.

CRUZ FAMILY INCIDENT — CLASSIFIED

Something inside me went cold the moment the file appeared because I've never seen the file before.

Not once!

"Open it now." Dominic didn't respond, didn't move and held his breath. That's the third time he hesitated. I stepped closer and grabbed his wrist hard, ordering him to open. My tone becomes lethal enough to shake the room.

He finally clicked.

The file opened showing the images, reports, the coordinates, dates, details, but too many details, fire damage, casualties and then my eyes stopped at the witness status...

Witness: 1 (Status — Unconfirmed)

I tilted my head slightly before slowly looking at her. My chest tightened not because of guilt but from something worse. This never follows my rules and I never break my own rules no matter what.

"Scroll!!" I said masking my anger. Dominic hesitated again but I tightened my grip.

He obeyed.

Then the final page slowly appeared showing the execution order authorized and stamped by me.

Reagan Vallenti

The room went silent, and not the normal kind but a suffocating one, making it claustrophobic. "That's impossible!" I said, still staring at my name. But even my ears didn't sound convincing.

"I told you!" She said. Her voice was soft but sharp enough to cut like a blade.

I looked at her and saw no fear, no hesitation, just a raw burning pain. "You watched them die!" Each word landed heavier than the last time.

"You did nothing." Something twisted in my chest. Annoying but unfamiliar and unacceptable.

"I don’t remember this." I said shaking my head.

"That doesn’t change the truth that you were there." She shot back.

My jaw clenched because she was right and at the same time wrong. One thing I don't tolerate is contradictions especially if it's involving me.

"Get out!"

Her brows furrowed. "What?"

"Leave!" I repeated but colder and more dangerous. Dominic looked at me sharply. "Reagan you can't be serious-"

"I'm not talking to you!" I cut him off and looked at Nyla masking my emotion, just showing the real Reagan. The silence enveloping us was too thick and dangerous.

Then locking gaze with her again. "You came for justice!"

"Now you got your answer."

Her expression hardened, like saying are you kidding me? "That's not justice." She spat, shooting daggers at me.

"No!" I agreed quietly.

"But it's the truth!" It's like a thunderous clap knocking the room but she didn't move or leave.

"Do you think this will change anything?" She shot back in disbelief.

"It changes everything." I replied. Because this isn't just a war but mine.

"You're still the man who killed my family!" She retorted.

"And you're still alive!" I countered.

She paused. That hits her harder again because only a smart person could realize that something went wrong that night, and it was bigger than we thought.

And in the middle of that we are standing with it.

"Get out!" I growled. This time she listened

She walked toward the door steadily and controlled but when she passed by me, she slowed just slightly, close enough that her shoulder almost brushed mine.

Not quiet almost, but I felt it anyway, like a spark that shouldn't exist. "You don't remember?" She whispered. This time not accusing, not angry but something else. Something softer but more dangerous.

I turned my head slightly, and our eyes met again. Closer this time and too close. "If I did." I said quietly and paused a bit. "You wouldn't be standing this close to me now."

Another thunderous punch. Her lips parted not to speak but caught. Then she stepped away and moments broke down, but not completely, because something in the air remained unfinished.

When the door shut, I slowly turned to Dominic. He was already looking at me, calculating enough and carefully.

Actually, too careful!

"You want to explain?" I asked. He didn't answer immediately and that was enough for me.

"You said every operation under my name was accounted for." I continued, stepping closer.

"It is!" He replied still holding the lie. Still choosing the wrong side.

"Then tell me why is this the first time I am seeing this file?" My patience is already on the edge. It's ticking faster and almost breaking.

"Reagan-"

I tilted my head already on the edge, grabbed his collar and slammed him against the desk hard. The system shook and the screen flickered.

"You lied to me!" I growled, alerting my men.

"I protected you." He snapped back. That made me pause, but I didn't let him go yet.

"From what?" I asked, almost losing my patience and sanity. Dominic hesitated differently, not fear or guilt but something else.

Something darker!

"From the truth." He sighed.

My mind went blank and something inside me knotted and twisted. Realizing this wasn't just a m******e or a missing memory or about the girl who should have been dead.

This was far more dangerous and something bigger than my empire and something I was never meant to uncover.