The Safehouse
The room was quiet.
Too quiet.
Theo was asleep on the couch, one arm draped over his face, the exhaustion of the day finally pulling him under. Kade was knocked out in the chair across from him, arms crossed, his breathing steady.
Evelyn sat on the edge of the bed, staring at them.
Her heart pounded against her ribs. I shouldn't do this.
But she was going to.
Because Theo's plan? It was smart. It was strategic.
But it wasn't fast enough.
And if she'd learned anything about Elias… it was that he wasn't a man who could be outplayed with logic alone.
He needed to be outsmarted
She exhaled slowly.
Then, without a sound, she moved.
She grabbed her coat, slipped her gun into the waistband of her jeans, and pulled the hood over her head. Her fingers hesitated on the doorknob.
Her gaze flickered to Theo. His face was peaceful in sleep, but even unconscious, there was tension in his jaw, like he was still fighting battles even in his dreams.
Her chest tightened.
"I'm sorry," she whispered.
Then she left.
---
Elias's Penthouse
The elevator doors opened with a soft ding.
Elias was already waiting.
Dressed in black slacks and a crisp shirt, he leaned against the marble counter, a smirk curving his lips as he swirled a glass of whiskey in his hand.
"Well, well." His voice was smooth. "Look who finally decided to be interesting."
Evelyn stepped inside, her heartbeat steady. Don't show hesitation. Don't show fear.
Elias gestured toward the empty seat across from him. "Come. Sit."
She didn't move. "I'm not here to drink."
Elias chuckled, taking a slow sip before setting the glass down. "Of course not. You're here to make a deal."
Her fingers curled into fists. "I want you to back off."
He raised an eyebrow. "Bold."
"I mean it, Elias." Her voice was sharp. "Let this go. Leave Theo alone."
Elias exhaled a soft laugh. "Oh, Evelyn." He took a step closer, voice dropping to something almost… amused. "Do you think I'm the kind of man who 'lets things go' just because someone asks nicely?"
She knew he wouldn't.
But she also knew something else.
"You want Theo dead but," she said, tilting her head. "You want me too so it's me and leave theo as he is ."
Elias's smirk deepened. "Now you're catching on."
Silence stretched between them.
The air was thick, charged.
Evelyn exhaled slowly. Then, with deliberate precision—
She stepped forward.
And extended her hand.
Elias's gaze flickered to it.
A slow, knowing smile spread across his lips.
Then he reached out—
And shook it.
"Now, this," he murmured, his grip firm around hers, "is interesting."
---
The Safehouse
Theo woke with a start.
Something was wrong.
His hand instinctively reached for his gun as he sat up, eyes darting around the room. Kade was still asleep, but—
His stomach dropped.
Evelyn.
She was gone.
Theo was on his feet in an instant, his pulse a violent roar in his ears. He grabbed his phone, fingers moving fast.
Three missed calls.
His blood turned to ice.
Then—his phone vibrated.
A message.
From her.
His breath caught.
He opened it.
One picture.
A single image that sent his world tilting.
Evelyn.
Standing in Elias's penthouse.
Shaking his hand.
Theo's grip tightened around the phone. His vision blurred with rage.
Kade stirred. "What's going on—"
Theo didn't answer.
Didn't breathe.
Didn't think.
Because the only thing he could hear was the deafening echo of his own heartbeat.
And the only thing he could feel—
Was betrayal.
---
End of Chapter 49