Beautifully dangerous

The Hunter

Dante's POV

Rain hammered against the windows of my office as I studied the reports spread across my desk.

Another shipment.

Another successful deal.

Another day my empire continued to grow.

Yet none of it held my attention.

My thoughts wandered somewhere they shouldn't.

To a girl with fiery red hair and eyes too honest for this world.

A sharp knock interrupted my thoughts.

"Come in."

Marco entered carrying a thick brown file.

"Boss."

He placed it on my desk.

"I thought you should see this."

I raised an eyebrow.

"What is it?"

"You asked us to look into Ethan Brooks."

The name immediately caught my attention.

I opened the file.

A photograph stared back at me.

A man around Ivy's age.

Dark brown hair.

Athletic build.

Blue eyes filled with determination.

He wore a police uniform.

I frowned.

"A cop?"

Marco nodded.

"Detective Ethan Brooks."

"He graduated top of his class."

"Three years with Major crimes."

I continued reading.

Then one sentence caught my eye.

Lead investigator assigned to the Moretti Crime Task Force.

My jaw tightened.

"So…"

I closed the file.

"The man who lives Ivy has been chasing me."

Marco crossed his arm.

"It gets worse."

He slid another document toward me.

Ethan's investigation board.

Photographs.

Warehouse raids.

Shipping records.

Names of Moretti associates.

And in the very center….

A photograph of me.

Connected to dozens of red strings.

"He believes you're responsible for at least seventeen murders."

"He can't prove any of them."

"He won't stop trying."

A slow smile appeared on my face.

"I admire persistence."

Marco looked confused.

"You aren't angry?"

"I'm interested."

I tapped Ethan's photograph.

"This man has spent years trying to destroy my empire."

"And now…"

"He suddenly has a personal connection to my house."

The irony wasn't lost on me.

Marco remained silent.

"Boss..."

"Do you think Miss Carter knows?"

I leaned back.

"No."

"If she did…."

"She would've reacted differently."

I closed the file.

"Keep watching him."

"Every move."

"I want reports every morning."

Marco nodded.

"What if he gets too close?"

My expression turned cold.

"He won't."

"And if he does..."

I paused.

"We'll deal with it."

Across the city…

Detective Ethan Brooks stood before an investigation board covered in photographs.

His tired eyes studied the face he'd spent years chasing.

Dante Moretti.

The ghost.

The king.

The man who always stayed one step ahead.

His captain walked into the office.

"Still here?"

Ethan nodded.

"I know he's dirty."

"So does everyone else."

"But knowing isn't enough."

His captain sighed.

"You've been after Moretti for three years."

"And for three years he's slipped through our fingers."

"One mistake."

Ethan stared at Dante's photograph.

"That's all I need."

"One mistake."

His phone buzzed.

He glanced at the screen.

No new message from Ivy.

His heart sank.

Something wasn't right.

The girl who used to tell him everything...

Was suddenly hiding her entire life.

He remembered the voice he'd heard on the phone.

"Miss Carter… Mr Moretti is looking for you."

The name had sounded familiar.

Too familiar.

His eyes slowly widened.

He turned back towards the investigation board.

His gaze settled on the photograph in the center.

Dante Moretti.

A chill ran down his spine.

"No…"

He whispered.

"It can't be."

His fingers moved quickly across the keyboard.

Searching.

Cross-checking.

Property records.

Business registrations.

Company ownership.

Then…

A single address appeared on the screen.

The Moretti Estate.

The same address connected to the phone number Ivy had called from.

His blood ran cold.

"No.."

His voice was barely audible.

"Ivy…"

"What have you gotten yourself into?"

Without another thought, Ethan grabbed his jacket.

"I'm coming for you."

Back at the estate….

I stood on the balcony outside my office.

The rain had finally stopped.

Lightning flashed in the distance.

Something felt…

Different.

Danger was approaching.

I could feel it.

Marco stepped beside me.

"Boss."

"What?"

"The men have confirmed it."

I looked at him.

"Detective Ethan Brooks has reopened your case."

A cold smile spread across my face.

"Good."

Marco frowned.

"Good?"

"I was beginning to think he'd given up."

I looked towards the city lights.

Toward the place where Ethan was undoubtedly planning his next move.

"Tell the men something."

"What?"

"If Detective Brooks comes anywhere near this estate…."

My voice became deadly quiet.

"Do not touch him."

Marco blinked.

"…Boss?"

"I said don't touch him."

"Why?"

I thought of Ivy.

The way her eyes softened whenever she spoke about her childhood.

The way she smiled when she mentioned Ethan's name.

Then I answered.

"Because if he dies…"

"….she'll never forgive me."

For the first time in years…

I was choosing mercy.

And I wasn't sure whether that made me stronger…

Or weaker.