The weight of the threatening message still hung in the air.
"You chose the wrong side, Isla. Now, you’ll pay the price."
Lucas stood beside her, his green eyes dark with barely contained fury as he stared at the words glowing on her phone screen.
His entire body was tense, radiating the kind of silent rage that made men afraid of him in boardrooms and back-alley deals alike.
"We need to leave," he said, his voice low and controlled, but Isla could hear the deadly edge beneath it.
She swallowed hard. "I’m not running, Lucas."
His jaw clenched. "This isn’t running. This is being smart. Someone is watching us. They’re waiting for the perfect moment to strike."
She turned to him, anger simmering beneath her fear. "And you think hiding will change that?"
Lucas exhaled sharply, dragging
