Page 14 of Veil of Shadows

I stand at the window now, watching the city flicker beneath me like a thousand blinking lights, but they feel as cold and distant as the people I’ve left behind. I’m frozen here, caught between two worlds—the man I’ve built, and the woman who’s shaking it all apart.

Alyssa.

I can’t stop picturing her—standing tall, daring me to do something I can’t bring myself to do. She doesn’t understand what she’s getting into. She’s stubborn, sure, but she doesn’t get the rules. She’s not supposed to question the world she’s stepped into. She’s not supposed to be in my head like this.

And yet, she is.

The frustration claws at me again. I pace the floor, the soft tap of my shoes on the polished wood the only sound, and I wish, for just a second, that I could stop thinking. But even as I try to push her away, something in me pulls her back, like gravity, like a force I can’t escape.

My mother’s voice again, cutting through the haze. *Viktor, you can’t afford to care about people. They’ll only bring you down.*

But I feel the pull, the one I tried to ignore, the one I didn’t think was even there. Her face, her challenge, her kiss—it all crashes into me, and I know it’s dangerous. **I can’t let it be.** But I also know I won’t walk away from it. Not without tearing something apart inside myself.

I run a hand through my hair, dragging my fingers through the mess. The weight of this—of her—feels heavier by the second, pressing down on me, pulling me in a direction I don’t want to go. And yet, I can’t stop.

I shouldn’t be thinking about her. She’s a complication. But the more I try to push her away, the more I find myself tangled in her defiance, in her courage, in the wreckage she might bring.

Her image flickers, vivid and alive, taunting me. **Damn it**, I can’t stop.

Chapter Nine – Alyssa

The hum of fluorescent lights buzzes overhead as I stare at the files scattered across my desk. They blur, the words becoming meaningless as my mind drifts back to Viktor Volkov. It shouldn’t matter. He shouldn’t matter. But every time I try to push him away, his dark eyes, that searing grip, and the way he kissed me—recklessly, intensely—creep back in. It’s like he’s burned himself into my thoughts, refusing to leave.

I press my fingertips to my temples, willing the images away, trying to focus. There’s work to do. Victims to identify, a case to solve. But every time I touch a file, Viktor’s face is there. His words echo. The way he looked at me like he saw straight through the walls I’ve spent years building.

I slam my pen onto the desk. I’m better than this. I’m not some girl who gets caught up in emotions, especially not for a man like him. He’s dangerous. A threat. But that kiss—no. It was a mistake. A distraction. It won’t happen again.

I stand up, needing to move, to shake off the restless energy building inside me. “Focus, Alyssa,” I mutter, my voice tight as I glance out the small window. Below, the lab is empty. Cold. It’s a reflection of the detachment I try so hard to hold onto. But right now, it’s crumbling. That single encounter, that kiss, has shaken something in me that I don’t know how to fix.

I can’t afford this. I need to dive into these files. To find answers. The victims, the neurotoxin, the syndicate behind it all. The Bratva. The shadows Viktor warned me about. I’m diggingtoo deep, I realize. It’s bigger than I thought. And Viktor might be right—this isn’t just a case. It’s a war I’m walking into.

My fingers hover over a file, the one that started it all. A businessman, dead with a puncture mark in his neck, paralyzed when the authorities found him. Then another victim—just like him. A journalist. Frozen, terrified. A pattern. But nothing solid to connect it to the Bratva. Just rumors, whispers. And the neurotoxin? It’s rare. Too rare. Everything points to something darker, more dangerous than I’d imagined.

I’m about to dive back in when the sound of footsteps catches my ear. Nina. She appears in the doorway, holding a coffee cup, concern etched on her face.

“Thought you could use this,” she says, setting the coffee down on my desk. “You look like you’re about to strangle those files.”

I take the cup, grateful for the break, and sip it in silence. The warmth helps, but not enough to ease the tension winding through me. “You have no idea.”

Nina watches me for a beat before leaning against the desk. “You want to talk about it?”

“Talk about what?” I glance at the files again, hoping she’ll take the hint. But Nina knows me too well. Her eyebrow arches as she crosses her arms.

“Alyssa, don’t play coy. Is it the case, or is it… him?”

I freeze. The words hit harder than I expect, twisting a knot in my stomach. “It’s the case,” I lie, my voice too tight. “There’s just a lot to figure out.”

Nina’s gaze softens, but she doesn’t push. “Well, whatever it is, I’m here for you. Even if you just need to scream into the void for a minute. I’ll be your person.”

I manage a smile, appreciating her support, even if I can’t talk about it yet. “Thanks, Nina. I really appreciate it.”

She squeezes my shoulder, then retreats, leaving me alone with my thoughts. The weight of them crashes down again. Viktor, his kiss, his words. The way he made me feel like I was both in control and completely powerless. A game I’m not sure I can win.

I force myself to focus. I need to read these files, piece together the clues. The victims, the toxin, the connection to the Bratva. But each page feels like it’s taunting me, reminding me of the darkness I’m stumbling into. The phone buzzes on my desk, and I glance at the screen. Unknown number. My heart skips.

I answer. “Alyssa Hall.”

A pause. Then his voice—low, dangerous, and laced with something that makes my pulse quicken. “Alyssa. It’s Viktor.”

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