Beneath HIS EMPIRE

Chapter 2

The SUV cut through the rain. Nobody spoke. Not Lucien. Not the guards. Not the driver. The silence felt heavy. Like everyone knew something I didn’t.

I stared at the blood on Lucien’s hand. Not his blood. “Stop looking at it,” he said. “You shot someone.” “He tried to kill you first.” His voice was flat. Cold. Like we were talking about traffic.

I turned to the window. Rain blurred the city lights into smears of gold and white. My hands still shook. From the gunfire. From the body hitting pavement. From how Lucien never lost control for one second. His calm made my skin crawl more than the shots did.

My phone buzzed. Mason. I answered fast. “Where are you?” “You sound terrible.” I let out a breath. “You’re okay?” “Should I not be?” My stomach dropped. I gripped the seat. My knuckles went white. If they found Mason, I was too late. “Just answer me.” A pause. Then his voice dropped. “Selene… there are people here.” My fingers froze on the phone. “Where?” “At the apartment.” I sat up. “Who?” “They said they need to speak with you.”

Lucien held out his hand. “Give me the phone.” “No.” It came out too fast. Too sharp. His face didn’t change. That made him worse. “Selene.” “I said no.” The SUV jerked. My shoulder hit the door. A hand caught my arm—Lucien. He steadied me before I fell. Another black car blocked the road ahead. Three men got out into the rain. Dark suits. Sharp moves. The kind of men who looked dangerous standing still.

One walked up and tapped Lucien’s window. Lucien lowered it halfway. “You’ve been hard to reach tonight,” the man said. His accent was clipped and unfamiliar. Lucien leaned back. “You blocked my road for conversation?” “You took something valuable.” The man’s eyes slid to me. Not curious. Like he was deciding how much trouble I was worth. “I’m not part of this,” I snapped. His mouth curved. Lucien spoke before the man could answer. His voice was low. The air felt thinner. “Watch your tone.” Quiet words. Sharp enough to cut.

The stranger reached into his coat. Every guard tensed. He pulled out a photograph. Not a gun. Lucien took it. I leaned closer before I could stop myself. My breath caught. I caught only a glimpse before Lucien folded it in half. Two men stood beside a marina. One of them looked painfully familiar. Before I could make out the face, the photograph disappeared into his hand.

My hands shook. “What is that?” Neither man answered. The stranger kept watching me. “Your father caused serious problems before he died.” Lucien folded the photograph once. Calm. Controlled. “You should leave.” “The girl deserves honesty.” “She deserves survival.” The air shifted. The stranger studied Lucien, almost amused. “You care about her.” Lucien didn’t answer. He didn’t need to. Something dark moved behind his eyes. His jaw ticked once. That was all he let show. The stranger noticed. “You’ve changed,” he murmured.

Lucien stepped out into the rain. Everything about him felt different outside the car. Inside, he looked distant. Out here, he looked dangerous. The guards moved around him instantly. Rain soaked his black coat. The stranger’s men shifted their stance. Nervous. Lucien stopped inches from the man. "Come near her again, and no one will remember your name." No yelling. No drama. Just certainty.

The stranger stared at him before giving a slow nod. “This won’t end well.” Lucien’s face stayed unreadable. “It rarely does.” The road cleared minutes later. The SUV started moving again. I turned to him. “Tell me the truth.” Silence. Then—

"Your father left something behind."

The words landed hard between us.

"What?"

Lucien adjusted the cuff of his sleeve.

"That's what everyone is trying to find."

"I don't have anything."

"They won't care."

Streetlights faded behind us. Giant iron gates appeared ahead. The gates opened on their own. The estate beyond looked massive. Dark stone walls. Security lights. Armed guards near the entrance. Not a home. A fortress. “You live like someone expects war,” I muttered. Lucien looked ahead. “Sometimes war arrives anyway.” The SUV stopped under the entrance. Before I could step out, Lucien caught my wrist. His grip was warm. Steady.

“Listen carefully,” he said. His voice got colder. “If anyone questions you about your father, say nothing.” I pulled my hand free. “Stop treating me like a child.” “You don’t understand the people involved.” “I understand enough. My father lied to everyone around him.” His jaw tightened. “No,” he said quietly. “You understand almost nothing.”

The words hit harder than I expected. Before I could answer, headlights flashed behind us. Another car sped through the gates. Too fast. Guards rushed forward immediately. A woman stumbled from the backseat wearing a white dress soaked in blood. Not hers.

I froze. The woman looked directly at Lucien. Fear twisted her face. Then she screamed— “They found him.”