Page 39 of Cruel Knots

Lucia is a drug to him. He knows she’s bad for him but he’s still obsessed with her.

Leaving him to watch the CCTV feeds, I walk out of the surveillance room.

We’re done ruining Lucia’s innocence but our revenge isn’t truly complete without Callum finding out about it. Slipping the envelope inside my jacket, I make my way to the underground garage where we keep our rides.

For tonight’s job, I choose my favorite midnight-black Kawasaki Ninja. The engines are powerful and come with excellent suspension and tire pressure, making it a high-speed beast but a very quiet one.

Grabbing a helmet and a pair of leather gloves, I stride toward the bike.

Swinging my leg over the side, I seat myself securely and depress the clutch before starting the bike. The engine purrs like a satisfied kitten and shoots forward.

Riding out of the underground garage, I drive through the acres of wooded land surrounding our home to reach the main gates of the estate.

The guards on duty step aside as the gates slide open automatically for me. I breathe in the cold night air deeply and enjoy the freedom of my speed.

A sickle moon hangs over me as I drive at top speed through a nearly-empty highway, making my way toward Ashville’s most posh suburban area. Soon, villas and well-lit homes pass me by as I speed toward the luxurious mansion that belongs to the Baldwins.

I park my bike on a different street. This way, I won’t get caught on any of the surveillance cameras near Baldwin Mansion.

Since it’s close to 2 AM, the streets are deserted, making it easy for me to creep among the shadows as I head toward Lucia’s home.

Being able to move undetected in the dead of night is my specialty. This is the reason they call me a shadow. Damien chose me for my ability to get this job done.

Reaching Lucia’s home, I skirt around the wall fencing the luxurious villa.

Big mansions like these usually have different entrances for guests and servants. Having been here several times previously, I know the exact spot where there’s a small, unguarded wire gate. It’s mostly used by the gardener to cart away weeds and rubbish and is ignored.

As usual, no one is guarding it tonight. Quietly pushing it open, I enter the grounds of the mansion.

Having spent over three years living here, me and my brothers figured out all the ways we could enter the house without anyone noticing us. We even learned our way around the heating and ventilation vents running across the mansion.

It wouldn’t be a brag to say we knew more about Baldwin Mansion than the family residing in it.

There were nights I sneaked inside to keep a watch over the occupants and keep a tab on what they were up to. At least, that’s the excuse I gave Damien.

Most nights, though, I just came to watch Lucia sleep. There was no need to even squeeze through the vents and the ducts to reach her.

Lucia’s bedroom window has a long, winding thunbergia bush growing around it. She probably enjoys the trumpet-shaped blossoms and allows them to grow on the outer wall.

I’m able to scale the wall by using the thick, sturdy branches to reach the outer ledge of her window. It’s a comfortable perch, allowing me to watch her sleep without any interference.

I hated her for betraying me and my brothers but something kept drawing me back to her. It was dangerous to lurk around her but I was a moth and Lucia, my flame. Even though she could burn me again, I couldn’t stay away.

She’s all mine now. The thought flashes across my mind, making me grin.

There’s no need for me to venture into her bedroom today.

Tonight, my mission is to drop the envelope with all our sinful photographs on Callum’s office desk and leave without being detected.

The house is quiet at this hour, giving me the freedom to creep around the hallways. Hurrying forward, I reach the vast room on the third floor which is used by Callum as a residential office.

Opening the door, I quietly slip in.

The room looks the same as always but something seems off. Placing the envelope on Callum’s desk, I carefully gaze around the corners, wondering why my senses are getting triggered.

My gaze soon falls on the fireplace. There’s a dark, hollow space right underneath the mantle. Looking closely, I realize the grate is missing from its usual place.

The dimly lit room conceals the spot very well. Walking closer, I lean under the mantel and find a wide opening there.

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