HARVEY.

"Harvey! You are mischievous."

Audrey's laugh echoed in my ears as we stepped out of the gala, the chatters of the other attendees fading behind us. Two weeks. That's all it took for her to feel like the sister I never had, her warmth slipping past the cold walls I'd built over years of hostile foster homes and lonely nights. If I weren't here to dig into her company, to peel back the layers of their billion-dollar tech empire, I might've let myself believe we could be real friends. But the truth was, I needed this story. My mortgage was due, and only a big win of another career-defining exposé would keep the roof over my head.

My mind drifted to Noah. He'd taken down that thug with a brutal efficiency that should've scared me, but instead, my pulse had raced for reasons I didn't want to name. Fear, sure. But attraction, too. His warning to drop my investigation into Atlas had been laced with a threat, but those eyes of his held something else. It made me wonder if he was protecting more than just his company's secrets.

Audrey hugged me goodbye, her perfume lingering as she slid into her car. "Once I sorted out this new vacant role. I will have enough time to unwind. Call me tomorrow, Harper. We'll do lunch." Her smile was bright, genuine, and it twisted something in my gut.

"Sure thing." I nodded, waving as her taillights disappeared, then turned to my own sedan. Alone now, I let my thoughts spiral.

Noah knew who I was and that I was digging into Atlas. And why did he care enough to step in? The questions gnawed at me, but so did the lead Audrey had unknowingly dropped earlier about a former Atlas employee who might crack open the truth about Atlas and its ties to the cartel. I had looked up the address, ready to chase for my information.

I drove through the city with Noah's warning echoed in my head that I was in over my head. I gripped the wheel tighter. Maybe I was. But I'd been in over my head my whole life as I shuffled through foster homes, fighting for scraps of stability. I wasn't backing down.

The parking lot was half-empty when I drove in. I scanned the lot, my pulse ticking up. I parked, my eyes flicking to my rearview mirror. I grabbed my bag, tucked my pepper spray into my pocket, and stepped out.

Inside, I knocked on the room on the left with the number on the address. Nothing. I knocked a few more times before my phone buzzed a notification. I reached into my bag for my phone and swiped over the screen to see it was a text from an unknown number.

With shaky fingers, I opened it and read out the contents. "Stop digging, or you won't like what comes next."

A cold threat that sent a shiver down my spine. I deleted it and set the phone in my bag. This wasn't the first time a threat text popped up whenever I was chasing a story.

I knocked on the door again, and this time it was flung open, and a wiry man in a faded jacket appeared. His eyes were darting nervously before he stepped aside, making room for me to come in.

"You Harper?" His voice was low, like he hadn't slept in days.

I nodded, leaning forward. "You said you had something on Atlas. Talk."

He glanced over his shoulder, then pulled a folded piece of paper from his pocket. "I worked in their logistics division. Two years. I saw things off the books. I traced one to a warehouse in Tijuana. Cartel territory."

"You have proof?"

He nodded and walked to a table stand. He picked up an envelope and brought it to me. "This is all I got before they fired me. Said I was 'unreliable.' But I know what I saw."

I tucked the paper into my bag. "Why'd you trust me with this?" I asked, studying him.

He shrugged, his eyes hollow. "You're the only one asking the right questions."

A phone rang in the room, and my source tensed. "You have got to go," he muttered. Before I could talk, he went to the door and gestured for me to leave.

"Thank you," I said, stepping out. He didn't answer as he yanked the door closed after me. My instincts screamed to move as fast as possible, and I did, running out of the building. There was an SUV in the lot when I stepped into the garage outside, its engine rumbling. I walked to my car, my hand on the pepper spray. The SUV's headlights flicked on, blinding me for a second. Then it peeled out of the lot, tires screeching. My breath caught, but I didn't wait to see if it would circle back. I slid into my car, locked the doors, and gunned it out of there. A car appeared behind me, driving too close and in an aggressive manner.

I noted it wasn't the SUV, I took a sharp turn, then another, weaving through side streets. The car followed, matching my moves. Noah's warning rang louder now, his voice in my head. I cursed under my breath, my hands on the wheel. I didn't know if this was his doing or someone else's, but either way, I was in trouble.

I spotted a busy intersection ahead, lights and traffic offering cover. I floored it, cutting through a yellow light just as it turned red. The car behind hesitated, then stopped, blocked by oncoming traffic. I didn't look back, didn't stop until I was miles away. They wanted me scared? Fine. But I wasn't stopping.

֍

The next morning, I hit the gym, needing to burn off the adrenaline still coursing through me. My gym buddy, Joe, was already there, his hair swinging as he pounded the treadmill. He spotted me, waving me over with a grin. "You look like hell, Harper. Rough night?"

I forced a laugh, stepping onto the treadmill beside him. "You could say that." My muscles ached, but the rhythm of running steadied me. Joe was the closest thing I had to a friend outside of Audrey, and even that was new. Growing up, I'd learned to keep people at arm's length, hostile foster homes didn't exactly breed trust. But Joe's easy chatter, his no-nonsense vibe, made it hard to stay closed off.

"Spill," he said, slowing his pace to match mine. "You've got that look again."

I hesitated, my eyes on the digital display. "Remember I said I was working on a story," I said finally "Big one. You know Atlas Group. They're... not what they seem."

Joe's eyebrows shot up. "The tech giant? What'd you find?"

I shook my head, my hair brushing my shoulders. "Enough to know I'm on the right track. But someone's trying to scare me off. Followed me last night. Got a threatening call, too."

Joe stopped his treadmill and turned to face me. "Harper, that's dangerous. But if you need to publish what you've got, get it out there before they come for you."

I slowed my pace, meeting his eyes. "I can't. Not yet. It's not enough. I need the whole truth, not just pieces."

He frowned, his hands on his hips. "You're stubborn as hell, you know that? At least tell me you've got someone watching your back."

Noah's face flashed in my mind again. "Not exactly," I said, my voice quieter. "There's this guy who is tied to Atlas. Warned me to back off. But he also saved me from getting roughed up the other night. I don't know what to make of him."

Joe's eyes narrowed. "Sounds like he's playing both sides. Be careful, Harper. Guys like that? They're trouble."

I nodded, but my thoughts were already spiraling. "Let's burn it off," I said, picking up a dumbbell to work with.

"About time," Joe cheered, picking up his pace on the treadmill. Joe was right about one thing, I needed to get my piece out before they killed the story. I was going to start my draft the second I got back to my apartment and have it published during their threat.

֍

I couldn't shake the feeling of being watched. The hairs on my neck prickled after I left the gym. It was late, and I needed air to clear my head. I grabbed my jacket and headed to the roof of my building.

I heard footsteps coming from the stairwell. My hand went to my pocket, reaching for the pepper spray still there, but before I could turn, a voice cut through the dark.

"Harper."

I froze, recognizing the voice. Noah. He stepped into the moonlight, his eyes glinting with something unreadable about him that made my skin hum.

"What the hell are you doing here?" I demanded,

He stepped closer, his hands in his pockets, casually. "Checking on you. After last night, I figured you would do something stupid."

I laughed. "Stupid? Like chasing a story that could bring down Atlas? Or stupid, like trusting a guy who breaks into my office and follows me around?"

His jaw tightened, but his eyes didn't leave mine. "You're still digging even after the chase today. You don't learn, do you?"

"How do you know about the car chase?"

He didn't answer, just held my gaze, "You're tailing me. Watching me. Why? What's Atlas hiding that's worth all this?"

He took another step, close enough now that I could feel the heat in him, smell the faint cedar of his cologne. "You think you're after the truth, Harper, but you're chasing a death wish. You don't know what you're up against."

"Then tell me," I shot back, my voice rising. "Tell me what's so dangerous that you're stalking and threatening me."

"I didn't threaten you," he cut in, "That wasn't me."

I blinked, caught off guard. "Then who did or still is?"

He looked away, "Just drop it, Harper. For your own sake."

I stepped closer, "I don't run from the truth, Atlas is dirty, and I'm going to prove it."

His eyes snapped back to mine, and for a moment, I saw something raw. "And it's going to get you killed."

"Then why do you care?" I asked, searching his face. "Why are you here, Noah?"

He didn't answer right away. Then, slowly, he reached out, his fingers brushing my arm, "Maybe I don't want to see you get hurt."

My breath caught, and for a second, I let myself feel the weight of his words. "I can take care of myself," I said,

He smiled, "I know you can. It doesn't mean you have to."

"Go home, Noah," I said finally, stepping back, breaking the moment. "I've got work to do."

He nodded, his eyes still on me, like he was memorizing every detail. "Be careful, Harper. I mean it."

He turned and disappeared into the stairwell, leaving me alone with my racing heart. I didn't know what to make of him, or any of it. But one thing was clear: I was going to publish the story the second I finished the draft.

DAMIAN.

I sighed with impatience as I kept my eyes fixed on the studio's door, like the building was magically going to vanish before my eyes. Ava's modeling shoot was supposed to wrap an hour ago, but she was still inside, probably laughing with those unbothered colleagues of hers. She should know better than to hang around after her shoot.

I stepped out of the car, the evening air cool against my skin, and leaned against the hood. The studio door swung open, and Ava stepped out, her hair catching the last of the studio light's glow behind her. She was in a loose sweater and jeans now, the kind of casual that made her look like she'd stepped out of a dream. But she wasn't alone. She was chatting away with a colleague, her laughter making me jealous of what was so funny. The guy stood too close, his smile all teeth and charm. I clenched my jaw, getting pissed as he whispered something to her, and she tossed her head back, laughing again. The sound twisted something in my chest, one I knew I didn't like at all.

"Damian!" Ava's voice snapped me out of my haze. She waved, breaking away from him and jogging toward me. Her bag bounced against her hip, and her smile was so bright I got lost staring. "You're early."

"Am I?" I said, I shoved my hands into my jacket pockets, trying to shake the image of the guy's hand grazing her elbow. "Looked like you were having fun."

Her brow quirked, and I could tell she had caught the edge in my tone. "Jake? It's just work, Damian. You know that." She stopped a foot away, close enough that I could smell her perfume.

"Yeah," I muttered, opening the passenger door for her. "Let's go."

She slid into the seat, her eyes lingering on me. I didn't meet them. I couldn't. Not when my head was a mess of jealousy and things I couldn't say.

The drive to her apartment was quiet, as I intentionally let the radio hum some of the pop songs she liked. She tapped her fingers against the window, her nails clicking softly. I kept my eyes on the road, but my mind was on her, taking in how her sweater slipped off one shoulder, on the way she hummed under her breath, oblivious to the war raging inside me. I wanted to ask her about Jake, to ask if there was anything more. But what right did I have? She had the right to warm up to any guy; I had made my choice, and perhaps to my dismay, she was making hers too.

When we got to her place, she didn't let me off the hook like I'd expected. I had planned to drop her off, make sure the locks were secure, and head out. Do my job. Keep my distance. But as I turned to leave, her hand caught my wrist.

"Stay," she said. "Just for a bit."

I should have said no and pulled away, perhaps mumbled some excuse about checking the perimeter. But the way her eyes were on me made my excuses crumble. "Fine," I said, stepping inside. "Just for a bit."

Beaming her smile at me, she walked to the mini-bar and retrieved a bottle of champagne. She poured us both a drink. I took the glass she offered, our fingers brushing for a split second. My pulse kicked up, and I cursed myself for it.

We settled on the couch as we sipped the drink silently. She tucked her legs under her, facing me, her glass cradled in both hands. The silence wasn't awkward, but it was oddly weird. It was loaded with things neither of us were saying. I took a sip, then another, trying to drown the thoughts clawing at me.

"So," she said, breaking the quiet. "You going to tell me why you looked like you wanted to punch Jake earlier?"

I froze, the glass halfway to my mouth. She'd seen it, then. Of course, she had. Ava always saw through me, even when I wished she wouldn't. I set the glass down, buying time. "Didn't like the way he was looking at you," I admitted. "Too... familiar."

She laughed, a soft, throaty sound that sent heat curling through me. "Damian, it's just work. He's a photographer. He's supposed to look at me." She tilted her head, her eyes glinting with mischief. "You're not jealous, are you?"

The question hit as precisely as she had wanted. I wanted to deny it by laughing it off, but the truth was burning in my chest. "Maybe," I said, the word slipping out before I could stop it. Her eyes widened.

"There's nothing between us," she said. "You know that, right?"

I nodded, my throat tight. "Yeah. I know." And I did. I believed her. But believing her didn't erase the ache of the part of me that wanted to pull her close and claim her as mine.

We drank more, the wine loosening the edges of my restraint. She shifted closer, her knee brushing mine, and the contact sent a jolt through me. I let my hand rest on the couch between us, inches from hers.

"Damian," she said. "Do we have a chance?"

The question landed like a blow, stealing my breath. I'd known it was coming, someday, but I wasn't ready. Not now, not with her so close, her scent wrapping around me like a memory. I stared at the wine in my glass, the dark liquid catching the lamplight. "You know why not," I said finally.

"That's not the whole truth," she pressed, leaning forward. Her hair fell over one shoulder, and I fought the urge to tuck it back. "Would you, for once, stop with the excuses and give me an answer, Damian?"

"I am scared," I admitted, the words tearing free like they'd been caged too long. "Scared of how much I wanted you. Scared of what it'd do to me if I let myself have you and then lost you."

I looked away, clenching my hands into fists. "I think pushing you away is the only way to keep you safe. From me."

She was quiet for a long moment, and I braced myself for her anger. But when she spoke, her voice was gentle, almost tender. "You idiot," she said, and there was a smile in her words. "You don't get to decide what's safe for me."

I looked at her then, and the sight of her eyes, soft and parted lips undid me. She set her glass down and slid closer, her hand finding mine. I didn't pull away.

"I'm not that girl anymore, Damian," she said. "I'm not fragile. I don't need you to protect me from yourself."

My heart pounded in a wild, desperate rhythm. "Ava," I started, but the words died as she leaned in, her breath warm against my cheek.

"Hmmm," she whispered, her hand tightening on mine. "But what about you? What about what you want?"

I wanted to tell her it didn't matter, that my wants had no place here. But her eyes held mine, and the truth spilled out. "You," I said. "I've always wanted you."

Her breath caught, and for a moment, the world stopped. Then she moved, closing the distance between us, her lips finding mine in a fierce kiss. Her warm mouth tasted like coming home. I kissed her back, my hands sliding to her waist, pulling her closer.

My fingers tightened around her neck, then I moved fast. When my mouth slammed into hers, she instinctively pressed her free hand against my chest. Either to push me away or pull me closer, I couldn't tell at that moment. When her tongue sweeps into my mouth, all common sense vanishes from my mind.

Having Ava kiss me at that moment was the last thing I expected, and it was too overwhelming to process anything.

Her tongue massaged mine in a way that made tingles engulf my entire body. Her lips nipped at mine, leaving me completely breathless. Just as quickly as she initiated the kiss, she pulled away from me. She lifted her hand slowly to my face until her fingers brushed over my tingling lips.

When we pulled apart, her forehead rested against mine, her breath uneven. "Damian," she murmured, her voice trembling with something that mirrored the ache in my chest. "Don't push me away again."

I swallowed hard, my hands still on her, grounding me. "I won't," I said, and it was a vow, not just to her but to myself. "I'll keep you safe, Ava. From everything, even me."

"Show me, Damian," she winked at me, leaning further away.

That was a challenge, one I had no intention of not winning. Desire bleeds through my veins, and it makes me grab hold of her hips. I lift her from her feet, and as my mouth takes her prisoner, I stalk to her bed, where I slam her down onto the couch.

A shocked breath explodes from her, and I drink it like the sweet nectar it is.

When my body covered hers, Ava's hands pressed against my shoulders. I grabbed her wrists and pinned her arms down on either side of her head, and she had no choice but to spread her legs so she could accommodate my hips.

I fucking feasted on her mouth, my mind quickly clouding with a hunger I had never felt before. It was fucking insatiable and dangerous. Dangerous because this woman already had a hold on me. I couldn't shake. She was beneath my skin and crawling into my chest where my heart was supposed to be.

My tongue lashes against hers, memorizing her mouth and her sweet, sweet fucking taste. My hands move down her arms and over her sides. When my palms found her ass, I rubbed my aching cock against the scorching heat coming from her pussy. We both groaned, and I almost lost my fucking mind.

The kiss turned wild, and with zero control, I started to thrust against her pussy, my hard-on rubbing her clit through the fabric.

"Damian," she moaned into my mouth. She took her hands to my jaw, and then she started to kiss me back with so much passion that stars exploded behind my eyelids.

My hips continued to move, and I rubbed her pussy raw, my cock fucking desperate for every bit of friction I could get. When Ava lifted her hips, and she began to meet my thrusts, gasps spilled from her lips. "Da...Da...Damian."

Her body strained against mine, and I broke the kiss to watch her face as she came apart beneath me. She looked fucking angelic, her swollen lips parted, and her eyes clouded with pleasure. There's no stopping me as I move down her body. Grabbing her jeans, I ripped them down her legs.

"Take off your sweater," I ordered, my tone way too fucking harsh with impatience. My eyes burned over every inch of her skin as she carried out the order, and when she lay naked on the white couch, something shifted in my chest. She's fucking perfect.

I shove my sweatpants down, and Ava's eyes widen when they land on my cock. She remembered it. The words drifted somewhere in the back of my mind as I crawled back over her sweet little body that was trembling from the pleasure she had just experienced.

The thought fleeted as I pressed a kiss to the valley between her breasts before my mouth found her nipple. I sucked it into my mouth while my hands feasted on her soft, as fuck skin. My touch grew rougher as my palms burned a path from her sides to her breasts. I kissed my way up her throat before taking her mouth again.

Ava wrapped her arms around my neck, and when I felt her fingers twist in my hair, my body shuddered with satisfaction. My hands moved down, and I positioned my oversensitive cock at her soaked entrance. Fuck, it's been too long.

I freed her mouth and locked eyes with her. As I stared down at Ava, her hands slipped over my shoulders and down my chest before moving back up to settle on the sides of my neck. I should be gentler. I should ask if she's ready.

There's a lot I should do, but I have zero self-restraint when it comes to Ava. I braced a forearm beside her head, and my free hand gripped her hip tightly. I thrust again, managing to force myself a couple of inches into her wet heat.

I felt her breasts against my chest as I thrusted deeper, and this time, she clenched her jaw to keep from making a sound.

I braced her leg over my ass to open her wider. When I slammed into her, she pulled her arms away from me to cover her mouth as a cry was torn from her.

"Breathe," I grind the word out.

She gasps, and I take hold of her wrists and pin them on either side of her head. I kissed a tear away from her temple, and not able to keep still for much longer, I pushed an arm beneath her and held her to me.

"Hmmm," I growled right before I started to move.

The pleasure of being inside her becomes an inferno that engulfs my entire being. I felt like a possessed man as I hammered into her, and I couldn't control the pace at all.

Fuck.

I heard the sounds of our bodies colliding as mine claims hers. I heard her gasps and pain-filled whimpers, and I sealed my mouth to hers because each one belongs to me.

AVA.

"Uhmmm D..." I whispered, as I leaned in to give him a peck on his jaw. The air in the room was thick with the lingering warmth of our closeness, the kind that made the world feel soft and safe for a fleeting moment. Damian and I were snuggled on the old leather couch, my head nestled against his bare chest, his heart beating slowly beneath my ear. His boxers were the only thing he wore, just like me. After the blissful moment we shared, he had kept whispering promises we both knew might be tested soon. But who cares? I only wanted the moment to last longer.

Damian's fingers traced lazy patterns on my back, his touch sending a shiver through me, reminding me yet of the cartel's threats. I could feel the weight of it in the tension in his shoulders too, even now, when we were supposed to be lost in each other.

A sharp knock at the front door pulled me back to our reality, ruining the moment at once. My body stiffened, and Damian's hand paused mid-stroke.

"Expecting someone?" Damian asked, his tone hinting at his guard.

"That's probably the food delivery," I murmured, trying to sound casual as I untangled myself from him. "I ordered some jewelry for my Paris trip, a few days ago."

Damian sat up, his eyes narrowing toward the hallway. "I'll come with you," he said, already shifting into that protective mode. He stood, the morning light catching the lean lines of his body, his boxers riding low on his hips. That made my breath catch at the sight of his beautiful body.

"You don't have to," I said, but he was already leaving for the door. I followed. My heart thudded, not just from the knock but from the way Damian scanned the windows, his posture alert.

What if it wasn't just a delivery? What if the cartel had found us? Stop it, Ava. It's just jewelry.

At the door, Damian peered through the peephole, his shoulders relaxing slightly. "Can't see the delivery guy," he said, but he stayed close as I unlocked the door and swung it open.

But before I could swipe my key card, the door clicked and it chimed unlocked. My stomach dropped in fear. Damian's hand had tightened on my arm too. When the door swung open, my breath stilled, seeing who was standing before us.

It was Zane, my brother, his broad frame filling the doorway. He had a duffel bag slung over one shoulder. Beside him was Sienna, his fiancée, her eyes bright with excitement, her mouth opening to shout, "SURPRISE!"

The word died in her throat as Zane's gaze landed on Damian, who was shirtless, in boxers, standing in my house. His face darkened, and I could see a storm brewing in his eyes. Sienna's smile faltered immediately, her hands fluttering as she sensed the shift.

I opened my mouth to explain, but Zane moved faster than I could think, his fist swinging toward Damian's jaw.

"No!" I screamed. Damian staggered back, catching himself against the wall. Zane rushed in, raining more blows on Damian until blood trickled from his lip, and he raised a hand to touch it.

"Zane, stop!" I threw myself between them, my hands on Zane's chest, pushing against him. "Calm down! I can explain!"

"Explain?" Zane yelled, his voice echoing in the hallway. He loomed over me, glaring at Damian. "He's half-naked in your house, Ava! What the hell's going on?"

Sienna grabbed Zane's arm, her voice high and panicked. "Zane, let's just talk..."

"Stay out of this, Sienna," he snapped, not taking his eyes off Damian. "You got some nerve, man, prancing around my sister's place like you own it."

Damian straightened, wiping the blood from his lip with the back of his hand. His voice was controlled, but I could hear the edge in it. "You wanna hit me again, Zane? Go ahead. But maybe listen to Ava first."

I turned to Damian, my heart pounding. I could see the tension in his jaw, the way his hands clenched at his sides. He was holding back, for me.

"Let's take this inside," I said, grabbing Zane's hand and ushering everyone into the house. Zane stormed in, tossing his duffel onto the floor, while Damian lingered by the door, his posture guarded expecting another attack.

֍

The air in my sprawling living room hung heavy with the scent of leather and the faint metallic tang of blood from Damian's split lip. The floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked the glittering city skyline, but right at that moment, it all felt like a fragile facade. Zane, my brother, the cartel leader whose name sent shivers through underground circles, had finally uncoiled from his rage. His massive frame slouched in the oversized armchair, the kind I had bought during a Milan fashion week splurge, his tattooed knuckles no longer clenched into fists. Sienna, his fiancée and co-leader of the cartel, perched on the armrest beside him, her lithe body pressed close, one hand resting possessively on his shoulder. Her nails, painted blood-red, drummed lightly against his collarbone, a subtle signal of her readiness to unleash the brutality she was known for orchestrating hits with a smile that could charm and chill.

I stood by the bar cart, pouring myself a glass of scotch with hands that trembled slightly, the amber liquid sloshing against the crystal. God, I wanted nothing more than to cross the Persian rug and sink into the couch beside Damian, to feel the heat of his body against mine, his arm draping over my shoulders like a shield. His love had thawed the ice in him, turned the cold-blooded enforcer I had fallen for into something almost tender. But Zane's dark eyes, like our father's, tracked every movement. One wrong step, one brush of my fingers against Damian's, and he would erupt again, his cartel instincts kicking in.

He's always seen me as the little sister to protect,

I thought, bitterness twisting in my gut. Even now, with my face on billboards from New York to Tokyo, billions in the bank from endorsements and my own line, he treats me like I'm still the girl hiding behind him from bullies.

I chose the chaise lounge across the room instead, far enough to keep the peace, but close enough to catch the subtle hitch in Damian's breathing. He sat on the edge of the couch, still in those damn boxers from our stolen moment earlier, his muscled chest rising and falling with controlled restraint. The bruise on his jaw bloomed like a dark flower, a mark from Zane's earlier punch, but his eyes were cold steel, the kind that had earned him a reputation for brutality, now held a flicker of the softness only I saw.

Zane cleared his throat, the sound rough like gravel under boots, breaking the stifling silence. When he spoke, his voice carried the authority of a man who'd built an empire on loyalty. "Alright, since we've all cooled our jets," he said, glancing at Sienna with a nod. She leaned in, her lips brushing his ear in a whisper I couldn't catch, her eyes flicking at me with a mix of sisterly concern and cartel wariness. "Sienna and I didn't come here to start a war in your fancy pad, Ava. Though walking in on... that," he gestured vaguely at Damian, "didn't help."

Sienna's lips curved into a sly smile, she was as brutal as Zane, co-running operations with a ruthlessness that had expanded their territory. She personally handled interrogations, leaving no loose ends. "We were worried, Ava," she added,

"Zane's been hearing things on the streets. With the wedding coming up, we thought a drop-in might clear the air. Show you the invites, talk dresses." Her hand slid down Zane's arm.

I nodded, sipping the scotch, "It's good to see you both. Really."

Good to see them, but not the storm they brought.

Damian shifted, his bare feet planted firmly on the rug, his posture straightening into that cold, unyielding stance I knew too well, the same one he had used to dismantle rivals before we met. "Zane, I got the surprise visit. But let's cut off the bullshit. You want to know why I didn't loop you in on the threats against Ava."

Zane's eyes narrowed, leaning forward, elbows on knees. Sienna mirrored him, "Damn right. She's my only blood left, Damian. After what happened to our parents..." His voice roughened, "You know the score. Threats on her? That's Cartel business."

Damian met Zane's gaze without flinching, his voice dropping to that icy timbre that had once commanded fear in boardrooms and back alleys alike. "I kept it quiet to protect her. You and Sienna, you're swamped with wedding prep. Venues, security details for the event, all that. Last thing you need is this blowing up, pulling resources from your operations."

Sienna's laugh was low, "Protect us? Sweet, but cliché, Damian. The cartel's our life. If threats are circling Ava, they're circling us. And I don't like loose ends." Her fingers tightened on Zane's shoulder.

Zane nodded, "The wedding's important. Yes, Sienna's making it a fortress affair but family's priority. You've gone soft, Damian. That cold side of yours, the one that used to gut rivals without blinking? You're becoming a shield instead of a sword."

Damian's eyes flashed as he replied, "I haven't gone soft," Damian growled, his voice low and lethal. "I'm strategic. The company's under threat from Vanessa Kane or some other rival sniffing for weakness. I'm protecting Ava by handling it my way."

Zane leaned back, a predatory smile curling his lips. Sienna mirrored it, her eyes gleaming with approval. "Your way? Hiding like a rat. No. It's time we bring in Liam, Ethan and Noah, the whole crew. Draw up a plan. Eliminate the threats. Whether it's Vanessa Kane or another cartel pushing boundaries. We end it. Brutal, clean."

I set the glass down with a clink, my voice steady despite the storm inside. "Zane, wait..."

But Damian cut in, standing now, his body taut with restrained fury. The boxers did nothing to diminish his presence; he looked like a predator ready to strike. "I think we can handle it between us. Why involve the others? You're talking escalation, Zane. If Vanessa or whoever hits full force, we'd be ready. But your bloody plan? I won't risk Ava like that."

Zane surged to his feet, Sienna rising with him, her hand slipping to her waist. "Risk? You're the risk, Damian! Keeping secrets, playing house while rivals' circle. Ava's a target because of you, her fame makes her visible, but your softness makes her vulnerable."

Sienna's voice sliced in, her eyes locking on mine. "He's right, Ava. We love you, but this? The cartel's no place for half-measures. We have to bring in the brothers."

Damian stepped forward, "You forget who I am, Zane. Before Ava, I was the one leaving bodies in alleys, building this company on broken bones. But now? I protect what's mine. Full force from Vanessa means war, yes but your way invites it home."

Zane's face twisted, "Vanessa has to die, or whoever. End it!"

I couldn't stay silent any longer. "Stop treating me like a prize to protect! Zane, Sienna, you're both right, these threats need ending. But Damian's worry is real too. We have to handle this wisely, or we lose everything!"

Zane turned to me. "Ava, that's why we act! Once they see our empire's weakness, we are done. We've eliminated the worst anyway."

Sienna nodded, "For Atlas, we would burn it all."