The Competition

Chapter 6: Gabriel'

As Sean guided the car down the quiet morning streets, he reached into the glove compartment, pulling out a slim file. “Alynna,” he said, handing it to me with a steady expression, “this file contains the latest intel on the Blackwood family heir. Your brother Alexie was able to secure some crucial information.”

I took the file, my curiosity sparking. I flipped it open, and the name on the front page caught my eye.

Gabriel Blackwood.

My breath hitched, a cold ripple spreading through me. Gabriel? The name sounded eerily familiar, but as I scanned the profile photo, a wave of confusion settled over me.

The man in the picture looked nothing like the rider I had just spent the night with. The photo showed a man in his late twenties with striking, angular features and an intense, calculating gaze. His wavy blonde hair was grown long, brushing down to his neck but swept back in a careful, deliberate style that added to his air of self-assurance. Thick, expressive eyebrows framed his sharp eyes, which seemed to observe with cold precision. His jawline was strong and defined, giving him an aura of quiet authority, and a faint smirk hinted at a confidence bordering on arrogance. He looked like someone accustomed to control—and used to getting what he wanted. The two shared the same first name, but the person I met… He felt worlds apart from this man.

“Something wrong, Alynna?” Sean asked, noticing my reaction.

I shook my head, trying to mask my unease. “No, it’s just… nothing.” I took a breath and focused on the details in the file, setting aside my uneasiness.

Sean continued. “Alexie believes Gabriel Blackwood’s movements are key to understanding their family’s larger ambitions. There’s a plan involving a high-profile bar event in Los Angeles. It seems the Blackwoods are trying to forge a connection with a major investor—someone influential enough to help them secure control over a casino bar in the city.”

“Another Blackwood takeover,” I murmured, thumbing through the document. This wasn’t anything new; their family was known for grabbing power, expanding their influence, and controlling every piece of property they set their sights on. But an exclusive bar in LA meant something larger was at play—a public establishment where influence and money could flow under the radar. Still, my lack of information as to why my Family is in a long time rivalry with them remains incompletely hanging behind my thoughts.

Sean glanced at me as he drove. “Alexie’s sources indicate that the Blackwoods want to quietly gain control of the venue while staying close to major investors. If they succeed, it could give them unrestricted access to a prime network in the city.”

“Do we know the time and place of this event?”

Sean nodded. “Tomorrow evening. It’s invite-only, so I’ve already arranged access for you under a secure alias. But be prepared; it’s bound to be heavily guarded.”

I closed the file, my mind still reeling with questions. Was it just a strange coincidence that the rider I met last night was also named Gabriel? Or was there a connection I was missing? Either way, I’d have to tread carefully.

“Alright,” I said finally, forcing myself to focus on the task. “I’ll be ready.”

Sean gave a curt nod, his gaze focused on the road ahead. As we drove in silence, I found myself staring out the window, unable to shake the lingering memory of Gabriel’s warm kitchen, the way he’d looked at me as if I were someone worth trusting. But with everything I was learning now, I knew better than to let my guard down again.

As we stepped into the apartment, Sean gave me a long, searching look, clearly trying to piece together the story he hadn’t yet been told.

“Alynna, if I may,” he started, setting his coat on a nearby chair. “How exactly did you end up spending the night at… someone’s house? And how did you meet this rider?”

I paused, glancing away as I crafted a response that would satisfy him without giving too much away. “I met him at the bar,” I said casually, hoping my tone was convincing. “I might have had one too many drinks, and he helped me out.”

Sean studied me, clearly skeptical, but he didn’t press the matter. Instead, he moved to the living room, where stacks of papers were scattered across the coffee table. He began gathering them, absently adjusting files and documents with the sharp precision that came naturally to him.

As I watched him shuffle the papers, a question of my own rose in my mind. “And what about you, Sean?” I asked, crossing my arms as I leaned against the doorway. “You were still up late last night when I called. What’s keeping you so busy?”

Sean hesitated, carefully stacking the papers before he met my gaze. “It’s… family business,” he replied, his voice steady yet vague. “Your father and your first brother asked me to handle a few things.”

“Things like what?” I pressed, curiosity getting the better of me.

He shook his head, offering a polite but firm smile. “I’m afraid I can’t share the details with you yet, Alynna. But I promise, you’ll know soon enough.”

I felt a prickle of frustration, the familiar ache of secrets kept in our family’s web. Whatever Sean was handling, it was important—important enough to keep him up through the night, important enough that I wasn’t meant to know until the right moment. I took a breath, swallowing the instinct to ask more, and simply nodded.

“Alright, I'll wait,” I said, holding back my questions for now.

As he continued organizing the scattered papers, I couldn’t help but wonder just how much of my life was being managed behind closed doors—and just how much of it I might have to start uncovering on my own. I leaned against the counter, pulling out a small wad of bills from my pocket and holding it up with a grin.

“See this? I actually made something out of that tiny allowance you handed me,” I said, fanning the money playfully.

Sean raised an eyebrow, giving me a puzzled look. “And how did you manage that?”

“Few rounds of drinking challenges at the bar,” I said with a smirk, tucking the bills back in my pocket. “Turns out, some people can’t hold their liquor as well as I can.”

Sean looked torn between disapproval and reluctant amusement. “That’s hardly the safest way to earn extra money.”

I shrugged, unfazed. “Gotta make it worth my while somehow. And I’d say it was. Came back with a lot more than I went in with.”

He sighed, shaking his head as he straightened a stack of documents. I could tell he was biting his tongue, probably wanting to lecture me on priorities, but he stayed silent, focused on organizing the papers.

Finally, he looked up and asked, “But this rider… You really trust him?”

“I trust myself to get home in one piece,” I replied casually.

Sean still looked unconvinced, glancing back down at the papers as he shuffled them one last time. “Well, if that’s how you handle things…”

Curiosity still lingered, but I let it go for now, catching the way his expression softened before he added, “But just be careful, alright?”

I nodded at him as I sat on the couch.