“There are multiple access points,” Adrian replies. “He’s likely got hired security, but it’s nothing we can’t handle.”
I step forward, my voice steady. “Then we move now. If we wait, he’ll disappear again.”
Dominic turns to me, his jaw tightening. “It’s too dangerous.”
“I’m not staying behind,” I say firmly. “Not when we’re this close.”
His gaze bores into mine, frustration and something deeper flickering in his eyes. Finally, he turns to Adrian. “Prepare the team. We move in an hour.”
The SUV hums along the dark road, its interior tense with the silence of unspoken fears. Adrian reviews maps of the estate in the passenger seat, his face illuminated by the glow of his tablet. Beside me, Dominic is a wall of quiet intensity, his fingers tapping rhythmically against his knee.
“Do you think he’s there?” I ask, breaking the silence.
“He’s there,” Dominic replies, his tone hard. “He’s too arrogant to run yet.”
When we arrive, Adrian’s team is already in place, their vehicles concealed among the trees. A man in tactical gear approaches, his voice low. “Perimeter secure. Conrad’s inside with five others.”
Dominic nods. “We go in quiet. No mistakes.”
The estate is dark, its windows glowing faintly. Inside, the air feels heavy, charged with the inevitability of the coming confrontation. Conrad stands in the main room, his back to us, speaking to his men. When Dominic steps forward, his voice cuts through the room like a whip.
“End of the line, Conrad.”
Conrad freezes, then turns slowly. A sneer spreads across his face as his gaze locks onto Dominic. “Dominic Kane. You’re more predictable than I thought.”
“It’s over,” Dominic says coldly. “We’ve traced everything back to you—the sabotage, the blackmail. You’re finished.”
Conrad laughs, hollow and mocking. “You think this ends with me? You have no idea how deep this goes.”
“Then tell me,” Dominic challenges, his tone razor-sharp.
Conrad’s gaze flicks to me, his smile sharpening. “Ask Eva. She’s closer to the truth than she realizes.”
Before I can process his words, the sound of shattering glass fills the room, and chaos erupts. Gunfire cracks through the air, sending adrenaline coursing through my veins.
I duck behind a heavy desk, Dominic pulling me down just before a bullet splinters the wood where I’d been standing. “Stay down!” he barks, his voice sharp and commanding.
Through the chaos, Conrad’s voice rises above the din. “This is just the beginning, Kane! You can’t stop what’s coming!”
Dominic’s movements are swift and precise, but Conrad retreats through the chaos, disappearing into the shadows.
As the dust settles, one of Adrian’s team approaches Dominic with a tablet. “We found this,” he says. “Encrypted files tied to Reyes’s network.”
Dominic’s eyes narrow as he scans the screen. “We’re not done,” he mutters, his voice deadly calm.
And as I catch my breath, Conrad’s words echo in my mind:“You’re closer to the truth than you realize.”
What truth? And why does it feel like everything I know is about to unravel?
The room is suffocating in the aftermath. Smoke lingers in the air, curling around the wreckage like a ghost. Dominic moves like a shadow himself, barking orders to Adrian’s team, his tone clipped and decisive. I press my back against the desk, my pulse still racing, the remnants of adrenaline coursing through me.
“Secure the perimeter,” Dominic commands, his voice cutting through the chaos. “I don’t care if you have to search every inch of the estate. Conrad doesn’t leave this property.”
Adrian nods sharply, signaling his team to spread out. The sound of heavy boots on hardwood echoes as they disappear into the corridors. Dominic finally turns to me, his intense blue gaze locking on mine. “Are you hurt?”
I shake my head, finding my voice despite the lingering haze in my lungs. “I’m fine. Just shaken.”
“Good.” His jaw tightens, and he glances toward the shattered window where Conrad made his escape. “He planned this. Every last detail. And we’re playing catch-up.”