Page 19 of His Dark Pull

But curiosity and a nagging sense of obligation win out. I answer, my voice trembling. “Hello?”

“Ava, are you okay?”Tyler asks.

“Why wouldn’t I be?”I reply, forcing a nonchalant tone.

“There was another robbery,”he says, his voice tense. This time, it was near your apartment building, one of themainstoresthere. It was the Veles Network. It had the same signature as the other robberies.”

The Veles Network. The name is familiar. Slavic?Veles. I recall stories about Veles from school when I was a child. Its roots in Eastern European folklore. The new mafia of the city—everyone knows that—but these robberies are new.

“Is it connected to the crime ring of the city?”I ask.

“We don’t know yet,”Tyler replies. “But my father is working on it, and we’re working on it at the law office, too. Just be careful, okay?”

I nod, even though he can’t see me. “I will,”I say, my voice weak and unconvincing.

I end the call, my mind reeling. This is too close to home—another robbery, the third in just two weeks. They’re escalating, becoming bolder and more ruthless. And now, with Alexander back in my life, I can’t shake the feeling that I’m somehow caught in the middle of something I don’t understand.

Alexander’s hand reaches out, his gripstrongand steady as he takes mine. His eyes, usuallysocold and guarded, hold a flicker of worry. “Are you okay?”he asks.

I nod. “I’m fine,”I lie, the words tasting like ash in my mouth.

He squeezes my hand. “Let’s get you inside,”he says, leading me towards my apartment building.

As we reach my door, my breath catches in my throat. The air feels thick, charged with an energy that makes my skin tingle. Every nerve ending seems aware ofhispresence.Say something, my mind screams,do something, but my feet are rooted to the spot.

He stops before me, his eyes piercing into mine, searching for something I can’t quite decipher. He leans in, his lips brushing against mine in a tender, lingering kiss.

“I have to go. I’ll be right back,” he says, his voice hoarse, as he pulls away.

“What is it, Alexander?”

“Nothing,”he says, stroking my lips with his thumb, making me tremble.

“Be careful,”I whisper. “There was a robbery near here.”

He freezes, his expression hardening. “What?”he asks, a hint of alarm in his voice.

“Tyler called me just now,”I explain. “They don’t know much yet, but it was some criminal gang again. The Veles Network.”

Alexander nods, a strange expression crossing his face.It’sas if he knowssomething,something he’s not telling me.

“Can’t you stay?”I ask, the words escaping before I can stop them. The thought of him leaving, of being alone, is unbearable.

He shakes his head. “I can’t,”he says, his voice filled with regret. “But I’ll be back.”

And withthat, he turns and walks away, his tall figure disappearing into the city’s shadows. I watch him go–love, fear, confusion, and a desperate longing for answers swirl in my mind.

* * *

As I lie in bed that night, sleep eludes me. My mind replays the events of the day.Alexander’stouch, his kiss, his body against mine in the back of the car— it all feels likea dream,an exhilarating dream.

My breath quickens, and my heart pounds against my ribcage as I think about the man who has re-entered my life. He’s a puzzle I’m desperate to solve.

I rise from bed, restless and unable to quiet the storm of thoughts swirling within me.Slipping into my sweatpants, I make a cup of tea and sitdownat my desk, determined to findsomeanswers.

I open my laptop and type the name “Veles Network”into the search bar. Page after page of results appear, eachonepainting a grim picture of a ruthless criminal organization that has been terrorizing Port Haven for weeks. Their crimes are brazen, their methods violent, and their true motives remain a mystery.

As I scroll through the articles, a chilling realization strikes me. Many of the robberies have taken place near locations that hold significance in Alexander’s life – his childhood home, his former office, the restaurant where we had our first date. Was it a coincidence?

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