Chapter Four
2103 Words
The city blurred past as Damian weaved through traffic, his grip firm on the steering wheel. The tension in the car was suffocating, thick with unspoken thoughts and the weight of what they had just uncovered.
Selene sat in the passenger seat, her body still trembling from the aftermath of her escape. Elliot had let her go, but it hadn’t been a favor. It had been a warning. If she didn’t move fast, she’d end up just like Adrian.
Her fingers curled into fists. No. She refused to let that happen.
“Talk to me,” Damian said without taking his eyes off the road. “What the hell did you find?”
Selene inhaled sharply. “Roger Stanton. He visited Adrian in prison a week before he died. He wasn’t his lawyer, Damian. He was there to make sure Adrian stayed quiet.”
Damian’s jaw tightened. “And now we know who ordered the kill.”
Selene shook her head. “No. Stanton isn’t the one at the top of the chain. He’s just another piece on the board.”
Damian stole a glance at her. “You sure?”
She exhaled. “The email I found… it was from Stanton to an unknown sender. The subject line was clear: ‘Ensure Hale does not speak.’”
Damian let out a low whistle. “So Stanton was taking orders from someone else.”
“Exactly.”
Selene leaned forward, pressing her fingers to her temples. Who was the unknown sender?
She didn’t get a chance to dwell on it.
Because at that moment, Damian slammed the brakes.
The tires screeched against the pavement as he yanked the wheel, narrowly avoiding an SUV that had cut across their lane.
“s**t!” Damian growled, gripping the wheel tightly.
Selene’s pulse roared in her ears. “What the hell was that?”
Damian didn’t answer. His eyes flicked to the rearview mirror.
Selene turned in her seat, her stomach lurching at the sight of two black SUVs speeding toward them.
Her blood ran cold.
“They found us.”
The Chase
Damian didn’t hesitate. He floored the gas pedal, the engine roaring as their car shot forward. The SUVs followed, weaving through traffic like sharks honing in on their prey.
“Hold on,” Damian muttered.
Selene barely had time to brace herself before he took a hard right, nearly clipping a fire hydrant. The streets blurred past, neon lights flashing in her peripheral vision.
The SUVs didn’t slow down.
“Who the hell are these guys?” she gasped.
Damian clenched his jaw. “Victor’s men. Or Stanton’s. Doesn’t matter. They want us dead.”
Selene’s stomach twisted. She reached for her phone, but Damian’s voice stopped her.
“Don’t call the cops.”
She looked at him sharply. “Are you serious?”
Damian’s grip on the wheel tightened. “You really think the cops aren’t already on Langley’s payroll? Or Stanton’s?”
She bit back a curse. He was right. If they got caught, there was no guarantee they’d make it to a holding cell alive.
Selene turned her focus back to the chase. “We need to lose them.”
Damian smirked. “Working on it.”
He cut down a narrow alley, barely squeezing between two parked cars. The SUVs didn’t hesitate—they followed, one of them clipping the side of a dumpster, metal screeching against metal.
Selene’s heart pounded.
Then—a gunshot.
The back windshield exploded.
Selene ducked instinctively as glass shattered around her. “They’re shooting at us?!”
“Seems that way,” Damian muttered, his voice unnervingly calm.
Selene twisted in her seat, scanning the glove compartment. “Do you have a gun?”
Damian grinned. “You’re gonna love this.”
He reached under his seat, pulled out a sawn-off shotgun, and tossed it into her lap.
Selene stared at it, then at him. “Are you insane?”
“Just returning the favor,” he said, eyes gleaming.
Selene swallowed hard. She had never fired a gun before. But if she didn’t now, they wouldn’t make it out alive.
She shifted in her seat, gripping the shotgun. The SUVs were still close.
She inhaled sharply, took aim, and pulled the trigger.
The blast was deafening.
The nearest SUV swerved violently, its front tire bursting from the impact. It spun out, crashing into a row of parked cars.
“Holy s**t,” Damian laughed. “Not bad, sweetheart.”
Selene barely had time to process what she had done before the second SUV pulled up beside them.
A figure leaned out the window. Gun in hand.
Selene barely had time to react.
Damian swerved. The gunman missed.
Selene gritted her teeth. One shot left.
She aimed.
Pulled the trigger.
The blast hit the SUV’s driver-side window. The glass shattered, the driver losing control. The vehicle skidded before slamming into a streetlight.
Silence.
Selene’s chest heaved as she gripped the empty shotgun. Her hands trembled.
Damian let out a low chuckle. “Not bad for your first time.”
Selene shot him a glare. “Just drive.”
A Safe House and a Deal
Damian pulled into an abandoned warehouse on the city outskirts. The adrenaline was still coursing through Selene’s veins as she climbed out, her legs unsteady.
Damian pulled a flask from his jacket, took a sip, then handed it to her.
She drank without hesitation, the burn of whiskey grounding her.
Then, she turned to him. “What now?”
Damian exhaled. “Now? We find Stanton before he finds us.”
Selene nodded. “I have his office address.”
Damian smirked. “That’s cute. You think he’s still there?”
Her stomach sank. He was right. Stanton would be on the move.
“We need leverage,” Damian continued. “Something to make him talk.”
Selene thought for a moment. Then, an idea struck her.
“What about Elliot?”
Damian raised an eyebrow. “The guy who just kidnapped you?”
“He let me go,” she said. “Which means he’s in too deep, and he’s scared.”
Damian tilted his head. “You think he’ll flip?”
Selene met his gaze. “If we push him hard enough.”
Damian considered that, then smirked. “I like the way you think.”
Selene took a deep breath.
Adrian had been silenced.
She and Damian had just barely escaped with their lives.
But now?
Now it was their turn to start hunting.
Selene leaned against the warehouse wall, heart still hammering in her chest. The adrenaline from the chase had faded, leaving exhaustion in its wake. But there was no time to rest.
Elliot was the key to unraveling this mess. He had let her go, which meant he was wavering. And if she and Damian could get to him before Stanton did, they might have a shot at exposing the truth.
Damian checked his phone, jaw tightening. “I’ve got a contact tracking Elliot’s movements. If he hasn’t gone into hiding, we’ll find him.”
Selene nodded. “We can’t give him time to run. If Stanton suspects he’s a liability—”
“He’s dead,” Damian finished grimly.
A silence stretched between them, the weight of reality pressing down. Elliot wasn’t an innocent man, but he wasn’t their biggest enemy either. If they played this right, he could be their way in.
Selene straightened. “Let’s move.”
Damian arched an eyebrow. “You sure you’re up for this? You barely got out alive back there.”
Selene smirked despite herself. “You getting soft on me?”
Damian chuckled. “Not a chance. Just don’t slow me down.”
Selene rolled her eyes and followed him to the car. Time to hunt.
Tracking a Traitor
Damian’s contact had been thorough. Elliot was holed up in a luxury penthouse downtown, likely trying to decide his next move.
Selene’s stomach churned as they pulled up to the building. “He’ll have security.”
Damian smirked. “Good thing I don’t play fair.”
They entered the lobby, blending in with the late-night stragglers. Damian nodded toward the elevator. “Penthouse is on lockdown. Keycard access only.”
Selene exhaled. “Then we need a key.”
Damian scanned the room, then nudged her. “Bingo.”
A suited man, likely part of Elliot’s security, was chatting near the bar. His keycard hung from his belt.
Selene gave Damian a pointed look. “You better not be suggesting—”
“Relax,” Damian murmured. “Just follow my lead.”
He approached the bar, flashing a cocky grin. “Hey, buddy, you got a light?”
The guard barely spared him a glance. “Don’t smoke.”
“Shame.” Damian glanced at Selene. “Looks like we’ll have to find another way to entertain ourselves tonight.”
Selene barely kept from groaning. But the guard’s attention flicked toward her, and she saw an opportunity.
She smiled, stepping closer. “We were hoping to check out the penthouse bar. You know, get a taste of the high life.”
The guard smirked. “Sorry, private access.”
Selene tilted her head, resting a hand on his arm. “Are you sure? Just a quick look?”
The guard hesitated. Good.
Selene leaned in. “Maybe I can convince you.”
The guard opened his mouth—to say what, she didn’t care.
Because in the next second, Damian slammed his fist into the guy’s jaw.
The guard crumpled.
Selene sighed. “Was that necessary?”
Damian shrugged. “Quicker.” He yanked the keycard off the guy’s belt. “Let’s go.”
Selene followed, stepping into the elevator. “You really are impossible.”
Damian smirked. “You love it.”
Face to Face with a Liar
The penthouse was dark when they entered. Expensive furniture, city views—but no Elliot.
Damian tensed. “Something’s off.”
A shadow moved.
Selene barely had time to react before a gun c****d behind them.
Elliot stepped forward, aiming a pistol at Damian’s head. “I should have killed you when I had the chance.”
Selene’s pulse pounded. “Elliot, wait—”
His eyes burned with anger. “You think you can waltz in here and what? Get me to turn on Stanton?”
Damian didn’t flinch. “That’s exactly what we’re here for.”
Elliot scoffed. “You have no idea what you’re dealing with.”
Selene took a careful step forward. “Then tell us.”
Elliot’s grip on the gun tightened. “You think I want to be involved in this? You think I had a choice?”
Damian arched an eyebrow. “You always have a choice.”
Elliot exhaled sharply. “Not when the people at the top have dirt on you.”
Selene narrowed her eyes. “What kind of dirt?”
Elliot hesitated.
Damian smirked. “So, there is something. If Stanton’s holding something over you, that means you’re just as screwed as we are.”
Elliot looked away.
Selene took another step. “You don’t have to go down with them, Elliot. You can still make this right.”
Elliot let out a bitter laugh. “And what? Run for the rest of my life?”
Damian tilted his head. “Depends. What exactly does Stanton have on you?”
Elliot hesitated for a long moment. Then, finally, he whispered, “A murder.”
Selene’s stomach dropped.
Elliot’s eyes were distant. “Not just any murder. My brother.”
The room fell silent.
Selene felt her breath catch. “What?”
Elliot’s jaw clenched. “I thought it was an accident. Years ago. But Stanton had evidence. Proof it wasn’t.” He exhaled shakily. “And he made sure I knew—if I didn’t fall in line, that proof would disappear, and I’d never find out who really killed him.”
Damian’s expression darkened. “So he’s been playing you.”
Elliot nodded. “And now, if he finds out I let Selene go… I’m as good as dead.”
Selene met his gaze. “Then help us bring him down before that happens.”
Elliot’s eyes searched hers. For a moment, she thought he would refuse.
Then, slowly, he lowered the gun.
“I don’t trust either of you,” he muttered. “But I want Stanton dead more than I want to kill you.”
Damian smirked. “Good enough for me.”
Selene exhaled. “Then let’s end this.”
- Writer
