Page 48 of Dark Obsession

The detective crosses his arms once we reach the study, his eyes darting around like he’s expecting us to pounce any second. “You’d better make this quick. People are already asking why I’m sniffing around your place.”

Alexei leans against the wall, relaxed.“Come on, Barnes. You know you’re in deep with us. Don’t act like this is some one-time thing.” He chuckles, enjoying himself. “You’ve been on our payroll for years.”

Barnes's expression hardens, and I can tell he’s getting pissed.

"That was different. A favor here, a tip there but this?” He gestures around the room, shaking his head like he’s the one in a bind. “I’m not risking my career for your damn turf war.”

I take a step forward, my voice sharp, “You already are.” I stare him down, letting the words sink in. “You know the stakes, Barnes. You know what the Molinas are doing, pushing their way into Chicago. And you know what happens if they take us down.” I pause, just long enough to make sure he gets the message. “If you don’t want the cartel running your city, you’ll give us what we need.”

Barnes clenches his jaw, his face betraying the internal struggle. He knows I’m right, even if he hates it.

“What I need is for this war to end without half of Chicago going up in flames. Do you even realize what the fuck you’re upagainst?”

Alexei steps in, leaning close. “Enlighten us, Detective. Let’s hear what’s got you so rattled.”

Barnes swallows hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing. His eyes flick between us. “The Molinas are planning something big—something that’s going to make that hospital attack look like a goddamn picnic.” He lowers his voice, like someone might be listening. “They’ve got muscle coming in from out of the country. And Claudio? He’s not the head of this anymore.”

I freeze for a moment, my eyes locking with Alexei’s. Something dark passes between us.

“Then who is?” I demand.

Barnes wipes sweat from his forehead, looking more uncomfortable by the second. “I don’t have a name yet, but word is this new player is a ghost. No one’s seen his face, but they say he’s the one who put Claudio in charge. And now he’s coming to finish the job himself.”

I step toward Barnes, my eyes drilling into him. “Tell me everything you know right now.”

He shifts like he’s standing on broken glass and nervously runs a hand through his hair. “All I’ve got is that he’s coming in from New York City. That’s it.”

Alexei steps in beside me, eyes narrowing. “That’s all you’ve got?” His voice is a low growl, his disbelief clear.

Barnes raises his hands, almost like he’s surrendering. “Yeah, that’s it. If I had more, I’d tell you. Look, I’d rather be working for you guys than dealing with this cartel shit. This guy... he’s no joke.”

I’m already tired of this back-and-forth. It’s useless. “What about Sanchez? Any word?”

He shakes his head. “Not a damn thing. After the hospital attack, he’s gone underground, waiting for this new boss to come in and tell him what to do next while licking his wounds. But I’ll keep digging.”

I watch as he wipes a bead of sweat from his forehead, the reality of what’s happening hitting him hard. “Hell, I never thought I’d see shit like what happened at the hospital go down in Chicago. Felt more like Fallujah than home.”

I’m getting impatient but there’s no point in pressing him further. Barnes is dry for now.

“When you get more intel, you come straight to us. In person. No phone calls. You understand?”

He nods quickly, all too eager to get the hell out of here. “You’ll hear from me as soon as I’ve got something.”

As Barnes hurries off, practically tripping over himself to leave, I feel Alexei at my side.

“Spineless, but useful in his own way,” he says.

Alexei and I sit in silence, the weight of Barnes' information pressing down on us. "This war’s bigger than we thought," I mutter, already calculating the next move. "We need to bring everyone in. No one can be left in the dark."

Alexei nods, tapping his fingers against his leg. "Lev and the others are already on it. They’re making sure the soldiers are ready. If this new head of the Molina Cartel is the real deal, we can’t afford to get caught off guard."

I don’t respond right away. I’m too busy thinking about what’s coming. It’s always the same feeling—like the air’s about to change. The calm before the storm. I glance over at Alexei, about to say something else, but then I catch a glimpse of movement outside the room.

Elena.

She walks past, and for a split second, our eyes meet. She blushes, then hurries off, trying to escape the pull between us. It doesn’t matter how much I try to bury it; the tension is always there.

"Earth to Grigori," Alexei says, his voice cutting through my distraction. His smirk tells me he saw the whole thing.

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