HARPER.

"Hold on"

I sat frozen on the edge of the sagging couch, the USB drive clutched in my fist like a lifeline, because it actually was. The cold plastic in my palm was a contrast to the burning weight of what Noah had just unloaded. His confession played out on my laptop as he laid it all out. I had known pieces of their atrocities, but hearing it from him, being an accomplice, slapped harder.

The air in the room felt thicker, laden with the scent of his rain-soaked clothes. My heart pounded erratically, each beat a reminder of the chaos he had just invited into my life.

Shock had rooted me to the spot as he spoke. I had dug into Atlas myself, but that confessional would shake the tech world. Noah Bennett had turned on his brothers for... me? It was too good to be true, and it left me at a loss for breath.

By the time he hit stop on the recording, leaning back with a sigh that ruffled his damp hair, I was torn in ways I hadn't anticipated. Admiration for him swelled within me. He had chosen to speak up by handing me the weapon to resurrect my career from the ruins he had helped create.

I wasn't supposed to admire what he had done, knowing he had been the one to hack my files, twist my evidence into lies and stand by as Audrey spun the press narrative that painted me as unreliable. I was supposed to despise him as the enemy who had stolen my life's work. Yet, each second in his presence made my heart skip, a treacherous flutter that betrayed me especially seeing the way his wet shirt clung to his broad chest. I found myself following the rain lines on him with my eyes, remembering how those same lines had softened under my touch in quieter moments.

What was I to do with him?

The drive sat heavy in my hand, holding the power to ruin Atlas and everyone tied to it, including Noah. If I streamed it, his disloyalty would get him killed. I had written enough about cartels' modes of operations to know that men like Zane and the brothers would never forgive a betrayal like that. They would hunt him with the same cold efficiency they'd used on rivals.

And when the news hit the world? They would crucify him for his crimes, complicity in murders, too. There was no way out for Noah.

I held the cards to call the shots, but for the first time in my life, indecision paralyzed me. My fingers itched to plug in the USB drive and hit broadcast and watch my career phoenix from the ashes, yet my heart rebelled against me.

Noah watched me from across the couch, his dark eyes searching mine. He leaned forward, elbows on his knees, "Harper? You've been quiet. I know it's overwhelming, but this... this is your way back. Stream it. Let the world see the truth."

I swallowed hard, as I tried to talk. My voice came out quieter than the rain pattering against the window. "Overwhelming? Noah, you just dumped the underbelly of a cartel empire in my lap. I knew bits but hearing it from you... It's like staring into the abyss." I trailed off, shock still coursed through me, leaving my limbs shallow.

He nodded, "I know. I was part of it. Built the firewalls, erased the trails. But I'm done hiding. For you."

Again, admiration flickered in my gut. He had turned on his family and life, for me. My heart skipped a traitorous beat, as I met his gaze. "That's the problem. You're giving me this to salvage my career. It is admirable, really and brave. But I should hate you. You ruined me. Debunked everything I worked for. Yet..." I paused.

"Yet what?" He shifted closer, his thigh brushing mine, heat seeping through the thin fabric of my sweats. His woody cologne filled the space between us, making my pulse stutter.

I looked away, staring at the drive in my hand, turning it over as if it held answers. "Yet each second with you makes my heart race. I fell for you, Noah, even when I knew better. Now it too late to back off now. But using this drive means destroying you too. This will get you killed and the world will hang you for the crimes."

He exhaled slowly, his breath warm on my cheek as he took my hand, letting his fingers interlace with mine. "Then let them. I've lived in that world too long. ]I choose you, Harper. Let it ruin."

The words made my heart skipped again, pulling me under. What was I to do? Stream it and watch him face the consequences? Should I trade his life for my career? Justice demanded it for the crimes he had confessed were monstrous, lives lost in the shadows of Atlas's wake. For the first time in my life, each choice open to me would end up as a loss.

"Noah," I whispered, pulling my hand free to stand, the blanket pooling at my feet. The floor creaked under my socks as I paced to the window. "If I use this, you're done. Hearing what you say now, how can I let that happen?"

He rose, and approached me, his boots leaving faint wet prints. He stopped behind me, his hands resting lightly on my shoulders, "You can because it's right. I am owning up to my crimes, use it to salvage what I took from you."

I turned, facing him, our bodies close in the narrow space, I held my breath as I searched his eyes and saw it held no regret. "That's what confuses me. I admire you for speaking up and turning on them. It's... heroic, in a twisted way. But I can't. Not when being near you feels like this."

"Like what?" He cupped my face, his thumb brushing my lower lip, sending sparks down my spine. The touch was gentle, but it ignited something deep, my pulse quickening in readiness for more.

"Like my heart's betraying me," I admitted. "I fell for you, Noah Bennett. Too late to deny it. If I play the cards I am dealt, you die. If I don't, my career stays dead. Justice or mercy? For the first time in my life, I don't know to do."

He pulled me closer, his forehead resting against mine, his breath fanning my face. "Then don't decide alone."

My stomach twisted as I pulled back slightly, his hands dropping to my arms. "Noah, how can I not hate that part of you?"

"You can hate it," he said, "Hate the man I was. But see the one I'm becoming. For you."

I sighed, realizing the conversation did nothing but stretch my confusion more.

I moved to the kitchenette, as I poured water with shaking hands, the glass clinking against the faucet. "Tell me," I said, sliding him a glass, "Would you mind dying?."

He sipped, his throat bobbing with each swallow, but his eyes never left mine. "No. I would die knowing I chose right."

"But Atlas crashing would crash the stock market. Thousands and Millions would lose their jobs. And you... I can't let that happen. I hold the shots, but firing them feels like suicide."

He set the glass down, pulling me into his arms, "Then don't fire yet. Sleep on it. But Harper, whatever you decide, I'm here."

The embrace was a haven in the turmoil; his love had blurred the lines of justice, leaving me lost in the gray. A reminder that love had complicated everything.

FINALLY, I AM ONE OF THEM.

AVA

"Fabulous"

I smiled at the producer, a wiry Frenchman named Lucien with a clipboard perpetually tucked under his arm and a cigarette dangling from his lips even when unlit, who watched from behind the camera setup.

"Positions, everyone!" the producer, Lucien, called out, his voice cutting through the wind with that clipped French accent.

The Eiffel Tower loomed above me like a steel sentinel against the Parisian sky, its iron latticework catching the hues of the late afternoon sun. I stood at its base, the wind whipping my hair wildly, the luxury brand's silk gown clinging to my curves like a second skin.

The fabric shimmered in deep emerald, catching the light in ways that made me feel invincible, a part of the city's eternal romance. My heart raced with pure joy. That elation feeling that bubbled up from deep within, making my steps lighter and my poses sharper. This was my element, and that day, I was owning it.

Lucien's eyes narrowed in concentration, but a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as I struck another pose, my arm extended gracefully toward the tower with my chin up.

The photographer's shutter clicked in rapid succession, the sound blending with the distant hum of tourists and the occasional honk from the Seine traffic below. "Magnifique, Ava!" Lucien called out, his voice carrying over the wind. "Your aura is so electric today. Like the tower itself is bowing to you."

"You can say that again," I laughed, the sound light and genuine, feeling the compliment settle warm in my chest. I pivoted on my heel, the gown swirling around my legs, and shot him a playful glance over my shoulder.

"Love it" He called out

"You think so? Maybe it's the Paris air. Or the fact that I'm finally feeling like I'm on top of the world."

He stepped closer as the photographer paused to adjust lighting, his clipboard forgotten for a moment. Lucien was in his fifties but his vibrant energy matched mine.

"No, chérie, it's you. I've worked with models who pose, but you embody it. That glow didn't just come from the makeup or the dress. What's your secret today?"

I arched an eyebrow, holding the pose even as we talked, the wind tugging at the gown's hem. My mind flickered to my recent initiation with the cartel. The thrill of being "added" to the gang, as Zane had put it with that protective big-brother grin. Newly minted in their world, I was eager to prove myself, and show them I could handle the dirty work alongside the glamour.

But I kept that detail locked away, offering Lucien a coy smile instead. "Let's say it's a combination of new opportunities and power. Makes a girl shine, doesn't it?"

He chuckled, waving the photographer back into action. "Indeed. Keep that fire, it's selling the brand. One more set near the base, then we're golden."

I nodded, diving back into the shoot with everything I had. My A-game was amplified. Each click of the camera felt like a challenge I met with grace. The team scooped around me, my stylists adjusting my hair between shots, assistants holding reflectors, all murmuring their approvals,

"You're killing it, Ava," one stylist whispered as she touched up my lipstick, her brush feather-light on my lips.

By the time Lucien called wrap, I was starting to feel exhaustion tug at my muscles, but it was the good kind, the ache of accomplishment. The team gathered around, clapping lightly, Lucien leading with a dramatic bow.

"That was a triumph, mademoiselle. The campaign will be legendary because of you."

I curtsied in return, the gown pooling elegantly around me. "Couldn't have done it without this team. Paris magic, right?"

He kissed my cheeks in the French fashion, his stubble scratching me lightly. "Rest well special one, we'll review the shots tomorrow."

The walk back to the 5-star suite felt like a victory parade as the team flanked me. Lucien on one side, stylists chattering on the other as we walked the bustling streets, the Eiffel Tower receding behind us. Some of the tourists around the area whispered my name, and I waved with a practiced smile.

I had gone from Zane's protected little sister and international billionaire model to being one of them. I couldn't wait to get back to LA, to show Zane how capable I was. I would handle the cartel orders with the same A-game I had brought to that shoot to prove I was invaluable.

My suite at the Ritz was a haven of opulence, the scent of fresh lilies filling the air from a vase on the marble table welcomed me into the room. The team waited outside the door while Lucien escorted me in, lingering for final notes.

"Get some rest, Ava," Lucien said at the door, his clipboard finally stowed. "You earned it. Please keep that aura for tomorrow's edits."

I smiled, hugging the stylist's goodbye, their perfumes mingling in a floral cloud. "Thanks, everyone. Paris wouldn't be the same without you."

Once the door clicked shut, and silence enveloped me, I kicked off my heels, the cool tile soothing my aching feet, and padded to the balcony. I pulled out my phone, sinking into the velvet armchair, and FaceTime Damian.

The ringtone echoed softly, my heart quickening at the thought of his voice. He answered on the third ring, his face filling the screen. His dark hair tousled as if he had been running his hands through it. But something was off about the worry etched lines around his mouth, his brows furrowed in a way that made me realize he was up to something.

"Damian?" I leaned closer to the screen, the balcony breeze ruffling my hair. "You look like merde. What's wrong?"

He exhaled, rubbing his jaw, the stubble rasping against his palm. "Hey, beautiful. Good shoot?"

I smiled, trying to lighten the mood, twirling a strand of hair. "Amazing. The Eiffel Tower and it's magic. Lucien said my aura was electric. I felt on top of the world." I paused, tilting my head. "But you... talk to me. What's got you worried?"

He hesitated, glancing off-screen as if checking for listeners, then leaned in. "It's Noah. He quit Atlas. For good. Said he's done, and Zane's got us tailing him. He's at that journalist's hideout...Harper West. The one who tried to expose us. Zane thinks he's spilling everything. The crimes, the façade...all of it."

My elation faltered instantly, and a cold trickle seeped in. Noah quitting? As I am just joining? The team falling apart before I could even prove my value? I shifted in the chair, the velvet suddenly itching against my skin.

"Spilling? Like what? The investments as covers? The hits?"

What secrets was Noah sharing? I needed to know. "Tell me more. Is it bad?"

Damian nodded, his expression darkening. "Bad enough. Noah's been Zane's right hand for hacks. If he's talking, it's the whole operation. Zane's furious. Sent me to follow him. He's at her place now, probably confessing it all."

I leaned forward, "If Noah's spilling, does it tie in?"

He sighed, glancing away again. "Ava, Noah's off. He's gone rogue. For her."

The Brotherhood was crumbling as I stepped in. I couldn't let that happen. I had mapped out a way to keep the brothers from tearing each other apart. "We can't let this split us. I'm just joining; I want to help. Tell me about your day. Maybe it'll distract you."

He smiled faintly, the worry easing a fraction. "Rough. Tailing Noah, dealing with Zane's rage. But you, tell me about Paris. That aura Lucien mentioned? I can see it even through the screen."

I laughed softly, the sound lighter than I felt, leaning back to show the view. "The shoot was incredible. Can't wait to get back,"

His eyes softened, warmth creeping in. "I know you will. Can't wait to see you. Miss that fire up close."

"Me too."

We talked longer, our conversation flowing despite the undercurrent of tension. I listened to his talks, flirting with him, but in my mind, I was planning to talk to Zane and mediate with Noah. I had to save the Brotherhood...for Atlas's sake.

ZANE.

I stood in the heart of the showroom, the vast space echoing with an unnatural quiet that felt both luxurious and isolating. The air carried the faint scent of fresh polish on the marble floors and the subtle floral notes from the display cases, where diamonds glittered under strategically placed spotlights like stars trapped in glass. The entire building had been locked down the moment our convoy pulled up; my security teams had swept every floor and sealed off entrances.

Sienna moved beside me with that graceful stride of hers, her hair flowing over one shoulder, her hand slipping into mine as we approached the ring display. Her warm touch sent a storm brewing inside me.

Belinda followed beside us, her eyes wide with genuine delight, chattering endlessly about the planner's suggestions.

I squeezed Sienna's hand, forcing a smile that didn't quite reach the worry lines etching my face. The rings sparkled before us, each one a promise of forever, but my mind couldn't stop wandering if to the brotherhood that had been my foundation for years could stand the test of the ongoing chaos. The cartel couldn't afford weakness, not now.

Sienna's voice pulled me back, teasing as she pointed to a ring. A platinum band with an emerald-cut diamond flanked by sapphires. "This one, Zane. Strikes as bold and unbreakable. Like us."

I lifted her hand, sliding the ring onto her finger. Her eyes met mine, that mix of love and fire that had drawn me to her from the start, and for a moment, the worries receded.

"Like us," I murmured, my thumb tracing the band. "Can't imagine anyone else wearing it."

Belinda winked from the side, clapping her hands lightly, her delight as pure as her smile. "You two are too romantic! Sienna, it looks perfect. Try the matching earrings, oh, and the planner mentioned those pre-wedding bracelets.

Sienna laughed, leaning into me, her body fitting against mine like it always did, a perfect puzzle piece. "Okay Bel, let's see them."

While Sienna and Belinda were focused on the staff bringing out the trays of pre-wedding engraved cufflinks for me and a delicate anklet for her, the showroom's quietness amplified the knot in my gut. I stepped back slightly, pulling my phone from my pocket. "Excuse me for a sec," I said.

I needed to reach Noah; the cartel was dividing. My fingers dialed his main line, the ringtone buzzing in my ear as I paced the hallway.

No answer. I tried the burner line, too; it was dead. Was he pulling away? The empire needed him.

Begrudgingly, I scrolled to Damian's number. I still had not been able to overlook his overstepping the boundary by dating Ava, but I needed answers. I dialed him

The call connected, his voice coming through laced with the same rudeness I had picked up since our fight. "What now, Zane? Another lecture on family lines?"

I gripped the phone tighter, and lowered my voice to avoid drawing Sienna's attention. "Cut the bullshit, Damian. Noah's lines are down even the burners. Where is he? And we still need to talk about Ava..."

He interrupted quickly. "There you go again, like a broken record. Ava's my choice, Zane. Yours is to accept it or lose me. We're done talking about anything, not until you see reason with that."

The line went dead before I could snap back, the click echoing in my ear like a door slamming on our brotherhood.

Frustration boiled over me, I balled my free hand into a fist as I stared at the blank screen, the reflection of my tense face staring back. The cartel was fracturing, since my brothers had chosen to defy me when unity was our only strength. I couldn't let it fall. Atlas was the legacy protecting all of us.

I called the one I knew would stand firm among the brothers, Liam. He answered on the second ring. "Zane? What's the play?"

"I need you back in LA," I said, "Things are dividing. I cannot get hold of Noah and, Damian's pushing back. We need to deal with this now, together."

Liam paused, then said "Shit. On it. Private jets are always on standby anyway. I would be there by dawn. I have got your back, brother. Hang tight."

The call ended and I felt a thread of relief loosening the knot in my chest. Liam would come through; he always did.

I pocketed the phone, forcing the worries down as I rejoined Sienna and Belinda at the bracelet display. Sienna glanced up, her eyes softening as she read the tension in my posture. She slipped her hand into mine, her fingers intertwining with a gentle squeeze. "Everything okay, love?"

I nodded, pulling her close, my arm wrapping around her waist, feeling the curve there that always centered me.

Belinda hovered nearby as she watched us. "Zane? You look like you could use a break. Yes, wedding planning's stressful, but we've got this."

I managed a chuckle, kissing Sienna's temple, her hair soft against my lips. "Just business worries. Noah's still not reachable and Damian's... being Damian. But Liam's on his way back."

Sienna leaned into me, her body fitting perfectly, "They'll come around. You're the heart of this. We'll handle it together." Her hand rested on my chest, fingers tracing light circles over my heart, a romantic gesture that eased the weight of my worries.

Belinda nodded exchanging a glance with Sienna.

Sienna extended her wrist to me, and I fastened the bracelet, my fingers lingering on her skin, "Looks beautiful, Like you. Can't wait to see you in the dress, walking towards me. You and me against the world."

She turned her hand, the charms catching the light, her eyes meeting mine with that romantic glow. "Against the world. That's our promise, Zane. I love you for carrying it all, but let me share the load when necessary."

I pulled her closer, our foreheads touching as I whispered, "I love you more. For being my strength."

Belinda sighed dreamily, clasping her hands. "You guys are too cute. Okay, but we have to go, it's cake tastings next, the planner's waiting!"

Belinda and the planner, Eloise, with a tablet perpetually in hand, guided us to a private alcove where tasting samples waited. They had tiers of cake in flavors from vanilla bean to chocolate hazelnut, frosting swirled in elegant patterns.

"Oh wow" I said, wondering if I had seen such a number of cakes in one place before that day. Sienna laughter filling the space, as she spooned a bite for me. "Try this one. Bel, you have to taste. It's heaven."

I took the spoon from Sienna, our fingers brushing, her eyes twinkling as I sampled it. The sweetness burst on my tongue, but my mind wandered to the cartel again.

Sienna noticed, her hand on my knee under the table, she called to me. "Hey, come back to me. We'll fix the cartel. But right now, us."

I covered her hand with mine, squeezing gently. "You're right. Always are. I love these moments with you, planning our forever. I apologize for zoning out on you."

She smiled, leaning in for a quick kiss, her soft lips soft tasting of frosting. "Forever starts now."

Belinda grinned, raising a spoon like a toast. "Up next are the invitation cards. Should it be embossed or minimalist?"

"Remind me again why I have a word class planner on my payroll and still going through this much stress?"

"It is what we do, Zane. You have to personalize it. Sorry about it" Sienna said, as I sighed, shaking my head. I had successfully managed a multibillion-dollar tech company but with these two women dragging me through Los Angeles for the wedding shopping. I could never get anything done with the chaos going on in the cartel

But for the Calloways' bride, Sienna Cartel was worth every second of the moment of stress. "Lead the way, ma'am."