Page 74 of Falling for the Grump Billionaire

“Adrian, we need that data now,” she says, her voice sharp.

“Almost there,” Adrian replies, his tone tense.

Another guard appears, and I take him down with a swift shot. The third catches me off guard, his fist connecting with my side as I turn.

The impact knocks the wind out of me, but I recover quickly, slamming him against the wall. He slumps to the ground, unconscious.

“Data’s secured,” Adrian says finally. “Get out of there.”

The Escape

We move quickly, the weight of the flash drive in Eva’s hand feeling like a victory and a curse. The building is alive with activity now, guards flooding the lower levels as alarms blare.

Adrian’s team covers our exit, their precision providing just enough distraction for us to slip away. By the time we reach the getaway vehicle, my adrenaline is still surging.

As the car speeds away, Eva hands me the flash drive, her expression unreadable. “We did it,” she says softly.

“For now,” I reply, my focus already shifting to the next move.

The Cliffhanger

Back at the penthouse, we plug the drive into Adrian’s system, the data spilling onto the screen. Names, accounts, communications—all of it points to one thing.

“Falcon’s network,” Adrian says, his voice filled with awe and dread.

Dominic leans closer, his blue eyes scanning the screen. “We have them.”

But before we can celebrate, the screen goes black. A single message replaces the data:

“You’re playing with fire, Dominic. And fire always burns.”

The room falls silent, the weight of the message pressing down like a final warning.

Eva breaks the silence, her voice steady. “Then let’s burn them first.”

The black screen taunts us, the ominous message hovering like a phantom in the dim light of the penthouse."You’re playing with fire, Dominic. And fire always burns."

Eva sits beside me, her fingers gripping the edge of the table so tightly that her knuckles turn white. Her green eyes are locked on the screen, defiance warring with unease.

“This wasn’t just a taunt,” she says quietly, breaking the silence. “They’re warning us. They know we’re close.”

“They know more than that,” I reply, my voice low and taut. “They wanted us to see this. To know they’re watching.”

I push back from the desk, the chair scraping against the floor, and begin pacing. The air feels heavier, as though the walls are closing in. Adrian’s voice crackles over the speakerphone, cutting through my thoughts.

“They’re trying to rattle you,” Adrian says. “But the data is still intact. We pulled everything before they triggered the override.”

“Then we’re not finished,” I say, stopping mid-step. “What did you find?”

Adrian pauses, the silence on the other end stretching uncomfortably long. “It’s not just Falcon,” he says finally. “The network connects to multiple high-level players—shell companies, government contractors, even private security firms. This isn’t just about Reyes or Conrad anymore. It’s bigger than we thought.”

“How much bigger?” Eva asks, her voice steady despite the gravity of Adrian’s words.

Adrian exhales sharply. “We’re talking global reach. Whoever Falcon is, they’ve built an empire. And you, Dominic, just became their primary target.”

Tensions Rise

The weight of Adrian’s revelation settles over the room like a storm cloud. Eva rises from her seat, crossing her arms as she stares at the darkened screen. “If this is as big as you’re saying, how do we even begin to fight it?”

---