Page 95 of The Syndicater (Dark Verse 6)

Morana took a deep breath in. "Can we meet?" It was the same question she'd texted him but never got a reply to.

"I think it's time," he agreed. "Meet me at the same place we met here."

The public pier. "When?"

"An hour."

"Should I come alone?"

"If you want us to work together, yes."

Morana hesitated.

"Don't worry, Miss Vitalio. You'll be safe. You're myalmostsister-in-law after all."

With that, the dial tone came. Morana stared at her phone, wondering what she should do. She could go alone, but that would be stupid, especially after being shot. But she couldn't take security because he'd told her to come alone. She took a deep breath because he'd told her she would be safe, and she wasgoing to take his word for it. For a smart person, she was highly stupid sometimes.

She sent out a text in the girl's group chat, knowing they were going to rally and get shit done in case they didn't hear from her within the next hour.

And with that, she pulled out of the compound.

***

It was deja-vu standing on the pier with a coffee in her hand. Though last time, it had been the middle of the afternoon and crowded, this time, it was early morning and pretty abandoned, with shops closed except for one tiny cafe and only local workers cleaning up the area. Morana sat on a bench facing the river, taking a breather and enjoying the balanced weather.

Awareness of being watched prickled the hair on her neck. She kept her right hand on the gun in her pocket, not knowing how much of a shot she would be with one hand and her left pretty useless for balancing, but it would be better than nothing, just in case.

A body sat on the bench next to her, leaving some space in between.

For the first time, he didn't tell her not to look, so she did, and for the first time, she saw him.

Damn, Luna.

He washot, in a very dark, very intense type of way, his stare direct and focused, his eyes almost hypnotic. He didn't do anything to her, though, but she could appreciate his form like she appreciated Dante's extraordinary looks or Alpha's massive size—with feminine appreciation and a cheer for her girls for bagging such hotties. If she had to associate one word with them,if Tristan wasintenseand Dante washandsomeand Alpha washuge, this man wasdark.

"Good to finally see you, Mr. Blackthorne." She greeted him. "Or should I say the Shadow Man?"

His lips turned up in a way that didn't reach his eyes. "Have you told anyone else yet?"

She shook her head. "I will. We don't keep secrets."

He chuckled. "Everyone keeps some secrets, but very well."

"They already know you," she pointed out. "Dante and Tristan from before. Tristan will come after you." She remembered how pissed he'd been.

Ducks quacked on the waves in the river. The sun got a bit warmer. More people went into the cafe behind them.

The man looked out at the river, his body language relaxed. But she knew a hunter when she saw one, and knowing who he was, it was evident he was the most dangerous kind.

"He can," the Shadow Man permitted. "I might even let him get a hit in so he can get it out of his system and make my wife happy."

He called herhis wife.

"But if he ever tries to intimidate her again—" something hard entered his voice "—brother or not, I will end him." He turned to spear her with a look, the closest thing to death she had seen on a face, and it hit her that this man had killed more terrible, powerful people than she could count. He actually meant what he said.

Morana felt her heart begin to pound with a little fear, realizing that this wasn't a man she had any control over, who could actually threaten her and her family.

"You wouldn't do that to Luna," she told him, her voice coming out shakier than she'd wanted.

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