THE WILD CAT

Chapter 14

Riley's pov

My stomach dropped.

Armani’s bloody hand gripped the finger like he’d rip it clean off himself, his sharp breaths cutting through the screams echoing around the hall. His glare swept the crowd like he was hunting prey, and for a split second, I thought it was me he wanted.

But then he shouted—voice booming, raw with fury.

“WHO TOUCHED MY MEN?!”

The entire room went silent. Music killed, laughter dead, just the sound of his rage filling the space.

My lips parted slightly. Oh… this isn’t about me.

But that relief didn’t last long, because his gaze landed on me anyway. Those dark eyes pinned me like I was guilty of something, like just breathing near him was a crime.

Quinn whispered quickly into my ear, “Don’t move. Don’t draw attention.”

Easy for her to say. Every girl in the room was already stepping back, creating space, and I was left standing at the edge of the circle—wide open, too obvious.

Armani stormed forward, blood dripping from his hand, and the crowd parted for him like he was Moses and we were the Red Sea.

I forced my shoulders straight, biting the inside of my cheek. If I flinched, he’d eat me alive.

When he finally stopped in front of me, his shadow swallowing me whole, I swallowed hard.

“You,” he hissed.

I blinked. “M–me?”

He smirked, cruel and sharp. “You walk in here like you belong, but you don’t. Maybe… maybe you know something. Maybe you saw something. Tell me, wild cat… who the f**k touched what’s mine?”

I froze. Everyone was staring at me, waiting to see if I’d talk.

The blood, the broken finger, Armani’s temper—it all had nothing to do with me. But somehow… somehow I was already in the middle of it.

The smell of blood was sharp in the air. Armani’s chest rose and fell as if he’d run a marathon, but his eyes—those burning, black eyes—looked empty, confused.

“You,” he spat at me again, his finger shaking as he pointed. “Tell me… what did I just do?”

I blinked, stunned. What he did?

Before I could even answer, one of his men—his actual victim—was clutching his broken hand, crying out in pain. The finger dangled at a wrong angle, useless now.

“You broke his finger, Armani,” Theo’s cold voice cut through the chaos. He stepped forward from the crowd, his tall frame radiating control. “Or don’t you remember?”

The hall froze. Every girl gasped, murmuring, some covering their mouths.

Armani’s nostrils flared. “Lies. I would never—” He stopped, clutching his head like something inside was tearing him apart. “I… I didn’t…”

“You did,” Theo pressed, tone flat, merciless. “In front of everyone.”

Armani’s gaze flicked to the crowd, panic in his face for a second before it twisted into rage again. “Shut your mouth, Theo. You’re just jealous I’ll crush anyone who—”

“Enough,” Lucas interrupted, his voice calm but filled with authority. He appeared at my side, his hand brushing my shoulder like he was staking a claim. “You’ve scared everyone enough for tonight, Armani. Walk away before you make it worse.”

Armani’s glare landed on Lucas, then slid down to me—lingering. His lips curled into a cruel smile.

“Ahh… so this is about her, isn’t it? Everything’s been about this little wild cat since she came.” His laugh was dark, broken. “First Theo, now you, Lucas. Maybe I should—”

Theo stepped forward in a flash, standing between Armani and me, his body like a wall. “Touch her, and I’ll break more than a finger.” His voice was sharp, low, a real threat.

The room pulsed with tension. Armani’s eyes darted between his brothers, then to me again. For a moment, I thought he’d snap—rip someone else apart. But instead, he staggered back, his chest heaving.

“I don’t… I don’t even remember doing it,” Armani muttered, his tone cracking with something raw. “I don’t remember…” He stormed out of the hall, leaving silence behind.

The whole room was buzzing in whispers now. Theo turned to me, his eyes narrowed like knives. “Stay away from him. Do you understand?”

Lucas placed his hand on mine, softer, but just as intense. “Don’t be afraid, love. I won’t let anyone hurt you.”

Both of them were looking at me—different, opposite, but equally suffocating.

And me? My heart wouldn’t stop racing. Not from fear this time… but from the way all three of these maniacs had my life tangled in their hands.

The party was a mess after Armani left. Everyone was whispering, the music had stopped, and the air felt so heavy like the walls themselves were holding their breath.

Skylar leaned close to me. “What just happened?” she whispered, eyes wide.

I shook my head slowly. “I… don’t know. But something’s wrong with that guy.”

Quinn nodded. “He looked like he didn’t even know what he did. That’s scary.”

“Tell me about it,” I muttered, looking down at my shaking hands. I was still trying to calm my heartbeat from how Theo and Lucas reacted. The way Theo’s cold stare pinned me, and Lucas trying to act all calm and protective — it was all too much.

I needed to breathe.

“Hey, I’ll be right back,” I said to the girls, forcing a smile before walking off. My heels clicked against the marble floor as I slipped away from the noise.

The hallways were quieter now, lit with soft golden lights. I could still hear faint music and laughter from afar, but here… it was almost peaceful.

Almost.

Something in me felt off, like I shouldn’t be there. But my feet just kept moving. Maybe I needed to clear my head — or maybe I was just curious about what the hell was really going on in this place.

I turned a corner and froze when I heard voices. Deep, low ones.

The triplets.

They were in a room with the door slightly open, their tones serious — not like before at the party. I moved closer, careful not to make any sound. My back pressed against the wall as I peered through the small space between the door and the frame.

Lucas was pacing. “We can’t just sit around. The men are already asking questions.”

Theo leaned against the table, arms crossed. His expression was sharp. “Then we handle it quietly. We don’t need another repeat of what happened to him.”

“Don’t bring that up,” Armani snapped, his voice colder than usual. “You know what happened that night wasn’t my fault.”

My heart started pounding again — not because of fear this time, but because I felt like I was hearing something I shouldn’t.

Lucas sighed. “Still… we need to find out if that man really had a daughter before he died. If he did, then she’s the one we need.”

Theo looked up. “You mean… Richard Hale’s daughter?”

I froze.

My breath caught in my throat so fast I almost gasped out loud. Richard Hale.

That was my father’s name.

Lucas nodded. “Yes. She’s the reason we’re here in the first place. Everything he hid — all the money, the files, the map… it’s tied to her bloodline. We find her, and we find it all.”

Blood drained from my face as I stumbled back quietly, my hands shaking. My chest felt tight — too tight to breathe.

My father? They’re looking for him?

No… not him. They said his daughter.

Me.

My heart was beating so fast I thought they would hear it. I took a step back, ready to run — but the sound of a door creaking stopped me.

Theo’s voice came sharp and low from inside the room.

“Someone’s outside.”

My eyes widened.

Crap.

Before I could even move, the door started to swing open — and I saw a shadow fall across the floor, reaching toward me.