I didn't lower my gun.Not even a twitch.
Vale thought he had me cornered—thought dangling another girl's life in front of me would break me.But he forgot one thing.
I'd already lived through hell.And I don't break. I burn.
"You're really gonna pull the 'hostage' card?" I said, voice cold as a winter grave. "That's beneath even you."
Vale swirled his scotch. "Beneath me? Darling, this is who I've always been. You just finally took off the blindfold."
I kept my gun trained on him while my eyes flicked to the screen—VIXEN 02. Young. Bound. Tear-streaked. I saw myself in her. Not just the fear… but the fight trying to claw its way out.
"Let her go, and maybe I won't shoot you in the groin," I said flatly.
He laughed. Actually laughed.Like this was foreplay.Like this was all just some twisted game we'd been playing for fun.
"You're bluffing," he said. "You don't want more blood on your hands."
"No, Vale," I stepped closer. "I just want the right blood this time."
And then—click.Behind me.Gun cocked.
"Step away from Mr. Vale," a voice barked.
His private guard. One I hadn't accounted for.
Shit.
Liam's voice crackled through my earpiece. "You've got a tail. Back hallway. Fifteen feet. I can take the shot if you stall him."
"Do it," I whispered.
Vale noticed the flicker in my eyes, the shift in my breath. He narrowed his gaze. "Who's in your ear, darling?"
I smiled sweetly."Just the angel of your death."
CRACK.The guard behind me dropped like a sack of regret.
I spun and shot the camera screen. Sparks exploded—VIXEN 02's feed went dead.
Vale lunged.I fired.The bullet grazed his arm—he screamed, stumbled back, and slammed his palm on a panic button under the desk.
Alarms screamed to life.
"Time to go!" Liam shouted through the comms.
I bolted, vaulting over the desk as Vale clutched his arm and roared like a wounded beast.
"This isn't over!" he bellowed.
I didn't look back. "Oh, I know. That was just the foreplay."