KNIVES AND HEARTSTRINGS

CHAPTER 11:ANDRONIKOS

Sitting in the study, surrounded by sheets of paper and books, my attention couldn’t help but wander— not to the myriad problems we were solving, but to Adira. With dark braids that framed a sharp, expressive face and eyes that shone with a mix of brilliance and calculated fury, she was a vision I could spend the entirety of my life admiring. As she worked through the complexities of Abara Inc. with a precision that would make most CEOs weep, I came to the realization that my little captive wasn’t just beautiful but formidable also.

But as she rattled on about distribution logistics, my thoughts were drawn back to this afternoon’s activities. The room dissolved into the sticky glow of the warehouse, and the phantom smell of blood and sweat clawed at my memory. If I thought hard enough, I could still hear the guttural, pleading cries of the Aslan brothers—screams that spurred me on as I tortured them mercilessly for their insolence. Removing their fingernails, one by one, was almost… poetic. What went down in that warehouse was as much an interrogation technique as it was a punishment for them daring to cross me.

“She’s coming for her,” the eldest, I presume, had spat through his missing teeth, his defiance admirable yet utterly pointless.

They gave me little else besides vague threats and confessing to destroying my club. Like I didn’t know it was them that did so. The very thought of their disrespect stoked the embers of my anger and I regretted spending less time with them. Pain is the best teacher, and clearly, I hadn’t taught them enough.

“Andronikos!” Adira’s sharp voice cut through the fog of my murderous thoughts, snapping me back to reality. Her brows were furrowed in concern.

“I’ve been calling your name for a while now. Were you even listening to me?” I shook myself out of my thoughts, trying to center my mind before turning to address her.

“Yes,” I lied smoothly, though my distraction must’ve been obvious cause she didn’t seem to believe me. “I was just lost in thought.” I leaned back in my chair, smirking. “Your beauty tends to do that to me.”

She rolled her eyes so hard at that, I worried she’d hurt herself, but the blush I caught creeping up her neck betrayed her. I was markedly aware of the way Adira looked at me, her gaze lingering a second too long and the subtle heat that radiated from her body. She was intoxicating, and I found myself drawn to her in inexplicable ways.

“Focus, Andronikos,” she remarked in exasperation. “We need to work out how to use my company for your plan.”

“Our plan,” I corrected, enjoying the way her jaw tightened in annoyance.

‘’No,” she replied flatly. “Your plan. Don’t try dragging me into your shit.”

But I already had, hadn’t I?

Deciding to spare her further frustration, I dropped the subject and leaned forward, resting my elbows on the desk. “Fine. Let’s talk business. What’s the plan?”

Adira let out a heavy sigh, muttering something about having to deal with a man child while she was on vacation.

“Abara Inc. specializes in real estate, finished vehicle logistics, and global life and health insurance. It’s how we became part of Fortune 500 and stayed there for 8 years and counting. Our greatest asset, however, is our automobile distribution network.” She slid her phone across the desk, showing me a detailed plan of the inner workings of the distribution network.

“If we can manipulate that, we can create a channel to smuggle your goods into the U.S—discreetly, of course.”

“And by ‘goods,’ you mean drugs and weapons, right?” I asked innocently, earning a glare that could kill from her.

Getting her riled up at this point was my favorite past time. I chuckled, nodding for her to go on.

“The elephant in the room now is customs. Do you have a plan concerning them?”

“Ah, a good question,” I replied, leaning back into my seat. “It’s all about connections and a little bit of charm. I have a good number of people who owe me favors that I intend to collect. It’s all under control.”

“Under control? Says the person who couldn’t keep my ‘snooping ass’ under control.” She replied snarkily. A flicker of irritation passed through me at the reminder, but I pushed it aside.

“Touché. This time, however, I have a well-thought-out plan.”

“Good. We can’t afford any slip-ups,” she said, her tone serious again, but I could see the amusement that lingered in her eyes, “Or else we might end up on the wrong side of a federal investigation and my father would not appreciate that.”

“Your father sounds like a tough man,” I said, interested in the man that raised Adira. “But I’m sure he’s proud of your entrepreneurial spirit.”

“Proud or furious, depending on how he deems fit and what he can dig up about you.” She replied with a grimace. “You hid all incriminating things about you right? You know what, forget I asked, he’ll figure it out either way. God, I’m so fucked.”

“If anyone should be scared of the other person in this situation, it should be your father. I know how to deal with men like him. No need to worry.”

“Worried about you? I’m more worried about my hide when my father finds out who you are.” She exclaimed, shooting a glare my way. “I lied to him for f**k’s sake. I don’t do that.”

“Adira, look at me,” I stepped closer, tilting her chin so her eyes met mine. “No one’s touching you. Not your father, not anyone. I’ll make sure of it.”

She blinked, startled, but didn’t pull away. For a moment, the air between us grew charged, heavy with something neither of us wanted to name. Then she broke the spell, stepping back and clearing her throat.

“Umm… right. Back to business,” she said, regaining her composure. I clenched my fists tightly, reining myself in before I grabbed her and started something I wouldn’t be able to stop.

“Disguising the shipments as auto parts will most likely prevent customs from looking twice. The drugs can be hidden in engines; weapons can be disassembled and packed into crates. But your men need to be stationed strategically at the ports. A single screw up, and this whole thing falls apart.”

“Brilliant,” I said, genuinely impressed. “We can map out the routes, and I can handle the logistics. You just focus on the paperwork and connections.”

We stared at each other, for a silent moment—something we seem to be doing a lot now— before Adira broke off her gaze.

“Thanks for calming me down earlier. You didn’t need to since you kind of brought me into this mess but thanks.” She said, fiddling idly with the papers on the table, not looking at me.

“Only for you,” I said, the words slipping out before I could sto myself. I could see her shock reflected in her eyes at my statement. I was shocked I’d said that out loud too.

Adira’s gaze held mine for a moment longer, and I could feel the rising heat between us. It was dangerously intoxicating, and I was perilously close to losing myself in the moment. But I couldn’t let that happen— not now, not when there was so much at stake. She is a distraction I cannot afford.

“Why don’t we focus on the plan?” I said, effectively breaking whatever it was that was happening between us.

“Right, the plan,” she replied, her cheeks flushed. “let’s focus on that.”

We worked late into the night, the graveness of our task hanging above us like a dark cloud. Hile drafting our plan, I couldn’t help but feel an unexpected sense of camaraderie with her. It was refreshing really. Eventually, we settled on our strategy, and I leaned back in my chair, surveying the papers strewn across the desk.

“Not bad for a night’s work,” I said, a wave of satisfaction washing over me. Adira grinned; her eyes bright with excitement. “You have quite a knack for this, you know—almost like you’re enjoying yourself. If I hadn’t already threatened you into working for me, I’d have hired you on the spot.” She shot me a withering look but, otherwise, didn’t deny it.

“We’ll round up tomorrow. I have some… personal matters to attend to.” She raised a brow, her interest piqued.

“You mean like torturing some poor, unsuspecting soul?” she quipped, her tone light while her eyes searched mine, seeking a truth I’m sure she’s not ready to discover. I chuckled darkly. “No, I think I’ve had my fill of that for a while. Just some… family business.”

“Oh, okay.” As she quickly organized the remaining details, I found myself watching her again, inexplicably drawn to her. Adira was a temptation I was dangerously close to yielding to.

After she’d left, the study felt emptier without her presence, the silence pressing in like a weight. This was never supposed to happen. The plan, after I’d uncovered her existence, had always been simple. Steal the girl, blackmail her father, dismantle her family’s empire, and dispose of her when I was done. That was the plan. But now, the lines were blurring.

Adira wasn’t a pawn anymore. In a short amount of time, she’d become something far more dangerous—a wildcard in this game I couldn’t afford to lose. And as the shadows whispered in my mind reminders of my past, of the revenge I was meant to be exacting upon her family, I wondered just how far I’d go before everything shattered into a million irreparable pieces.