Page 108 of Silence and Surrender

“The art division audit,” I suggested. “After my...disappearance, it would be natural for Colton to investigate irregularities in authentication procedures.”

“Good. That explains both the server access and our frequent consultations.” She gathered her tablet, her eyes lingered on me with unmistakable relief. “I should go. Being seen here too long would raise questions.”

Colton escorted her to the elevator while I remained in the study, already turning my attention to the monitoring systems. By the time he returned, I had all feeds active, the bank’s external cameras already providing data on security patterns.

“Well?” I asked, watching as Colton leaned against the doorframe.

“She’s good,” he admitted. “Smart. Focused. And genuinely committed to taking them down. But do you trust her?”

I considered the question carefully. “More than most. We worked closely before all this happened. Her reaction to seeing me alive was genuine, she couldn’t have faked that.”

Colton nodded, coming to stand behind my chair. His hands settled on my shoulders, then he bent down and placed a soft kiss on the top of my head.

“Tomorrow it begins,” he said quietly. “I become their counsel again. Their solution to messy problems.”

“While gathering everything we need to destroy them.” I leaned back against him, drawing strength from his solid presence. “Just be careful. They’ll be watching you closely after your absence.”

“Let them.” His voice held a dangerous edge I was still getting used to—the sound of the corporate lawyer becoming something far more deadly. “They won’t see what matters.”

Outside, London’s rain continued to fall, washing the city in shades of gray. But here, in our fortress high above the streets, we had created something neither of us had dared hope for after everything we’d been through.

A plan. A purpose. A future.

Now we just had to survive long enough to claim it.

Chapter Forty-Two

Isabella

“It has to be me,” Colton said as we stood by the penthouse windows the next morning. His reflection in the window showed the tension in his jaw, the way his shoulders had gone rigid with resolve. “I’m the only one who can access certain servers without raising alarms. There are files that even Sari can’t gain access to.”

“I know.” Part of this was my fault, if I hadn’t lost that thumb drive during my capture, this might not have been necessary. But there wasn’t time for guilt. I kept my voice steady despite the fear clawing at my chest. The thought of him returning to the bank each day, of being separated after everything we’d been through, made my heart race. We knew crucial evidence about the trafficking operation was stored on internal servers. Evidence we needed to take down the entire network.

Evidence we could only get from inside.

“The board expects me back anyway,” he continued, moving to stand behind me. “My sudden departure for a ‘family emergency’ was already pushing the limits of believability. Any longer and they’ll start digging.”

I leaned back against his chest, letting his solid frame ground me. Through the glass, I could see the bank’s tower looming over the city, a monument to power and corruption disguised as modernism and progress.

“Rodger will be watching you,” I said softly. “After the rescue, after everything...he’ll know something’s wrong.”

“Let him watch.” His tone was harsh, absolute—that quiet danger that still thrilled me. “I’m not the same man who left. He’ll learn that soon enough.”

I turned in his arms, needing to see his face, needing the reassurance that only he could provide. I traced the prominent line of his jaw with my fingertip, enjoying the shudder that went through him. “And what about me? I’m supposed to just stay here? Hide while you walk into danger?”

“You’re supposed to stay alive.” His hand covered mine on my stomach. “Both of you. If they discover you survived...”

The words hung between us, heavy with the implications of discovery. My survival would destroy their trafficking empire, expose their lies.

Put our child in danger.

“This is unbearable,” I whispered against his chest. “Being helpless. Being hidden.”

“Not helpless.” He tilted my face up, making me meet his dark eyes. “Each night when I return home, you’ll review everything I bring back, analyzing the data with Interpol. Building our case.” His thumb traced my cheekbone. “And keeping our baby safe while I dismantle their empire from within.”

The mention of our child made something fierce rise in my chest. After weeks of uncertainty, after the joy of confirming Colton was the father, after finally feeling whole again...now we had to separate. Had to return to danger and deception.

He had to become their man once more.

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