The phone rang at exactly 3:00 a.m.
Xander answered before the second ring.
"Elijah?" he said.
A sharp breath. Then—
"She's been compromised."
Xander was already on his feet, grabbing his pistol from the drawer.
"Who?"
"Aurora. There's chatter on a secure network. Someone sold her location to a name tied to Silas Knight. They're coming. Tonight."
Xander's blood ran ice cold.
"How long?"
"Ten minutes, maybe less. You need to get her out."
He hung up, storming into the bedroom.
Aurora sat up in bed, her hair tousled, eyes sleepy and perfect.
"We have to move," he said, already tossing clothes into a duffel. "Now."
She blinked, then snapped into motion.
"Silas?"
"No doubt."
She slid into black jeans, a fitted jacket, and boots — a side of her Xander hadn't seen before.
Professional. Tactical. Beautiful and terrifying all at once.
He threw the bag into his arm, grabbed the keys, and they slipped out the side stairwell.
Not a second too soon.
As they hit the underground garage, the main elevator dinged.
Aurora froze.
Xander saw the shadow moving behind the elevator glass — masked. Armed.
Not just one.
Three.
"Go," he whispered, shoving her behind him.
She didn't argue.
They sprinted to the car. He slammed the key in. The engine roared to life.
But as they pulled out, bullets rained down on the windshield.
Aurora shrieked as glass cracked beside her head.
Xander cursed, slammed the gear into reverse, then spun the car in a screeching arc and gunned it down the ramp.
Gunfire followed.
But they made it out.
Just barely.
Two hours later, they were deep in the countryside, driving through winding roads.
Xander finally pulled into a secluded stone villa, surrounded by forest.
No neighbors. No traffic. Just birdsong and danger humming in the air.
Aurora stepped out, trembling.
"Is this yours?"
He nodded. "Safe house."
She walked to the edge of the terrace, staring into the darkness beyond the trees.
"I never wanted to drag you into this."
He stepped up behind her, sliding his arms around her waist.
"I ran a criminal syndicate at twenty-two, Aurora. You think this is the worst thing I've faced?"
She turned in his arms, eyes brimming.
"Silas isn't just dangerous. He's vicious. And now he knows I'm with you."
"Let him," Xander growled. "Let him come."
She shook her head. "You don't understand. Silas will go after your people. Your empire. He'll destroy everything you built—just to make me bleed."
"Then we make the first move."
She frowned. "How?"
Xander didn't answer.
Instead, he kissed her.
Hard.
Claiming.
Demanding.
He lifted her, carried her through the villa like she weighed nothing.
When he reached the master bedroom, he didn't throw her down.
He placed her gently on the bed, pulled back to look at her.
"Tell me you're mine," he whispered, voice like thunder before the storm.
Aurora reached for him, pulled his mouth back to hers.
"I was yours the moment you caught me lying."
That was all he needed.
He stripped her slowly this time — worshipping every inch of her.
His mouth moved over her breasts, her stomach, the hollow of her hip.
She gasped, writhed, moaned — but he didn't stop.
His tongue found her center, and she shattered in his arms, crying his name.
Only then did he rise, unzipping his jeans, pushing inside her with one slow, deep thrust.
They moved together, breath for breath, pulse for pulse.
It wasn't just sex.
It was fury. Love. Possession. Desperation.
He held her like she might disappear.
She clung to him like he was the only anchor in a storm.
And when they came, it was together.
Loud. Long. Shaking.
Afterward, she curled into his chest, skin slick with sweat.
"I don't know how this ends," she murmured.
"With me," he said, brushing her hair back. "It ends with me."
She closed her eyes.
But sleep never came.
Because something in her gut twisted.
She didn't know it yet, but betrayal was already inside the house.
Not from Silas. Not yet.
But from someone far closer.
Someone Xander trusted.
Back in the city, Elijah stared at his screen.
He watched the live GPS ping blinking on Xander's car.
He hadn't shut it off like he was told.
And now Elijah had to make a choice.
Because he wasn't just Xander's tech guy.
He was also on Silas Knight's payroll.
And the order was simple:
Deliver Aurora. Or die.
Elijah swallowed hard.
Then typed a single message.
LOCATION CONFIRMED.