It was still raining. Apparently, it never happened in this city. Isabella was standing at the window, the glass reflecting faintly in the skyline's radiance.
The lights below were obscured by the storm, but she wasn't paying attention to the scenery. It was playing back the exchange with Steele from the previous evening, including his facial expression, his remarks, and the way he had allowed something to elude his uncontrollable control. I also lost people. She didn't think he would be...human. At risk, even for a single pulse.
And she was more concerned by it than she should have been. She shouldn't give a damn. Not about him. It had nothing to do with the pain he carried beneath that stronghold he called control. It was a mission. Look for the leak. Save lives.
And yet— She was brought back to the here and now by the sound of the door behind her opening. Entering in another immaculately fitted charcoal suit, Alexander Steele looked like the kind of man who never lets his guard down.
However, she had now noticed that crack. Even though he was attempting to conceal it once more, he knew it existed. He stopped to observe her. The way she stood with her arms folded and her eyes fixed intently. Her hands on the windowsill, however, showed how tense she was.
He said, "Captain Reyes," in a composed tone. managed. Always under control. "Steele," she said icily, not letting her emotions get in the way. Not with him. Not with anybody. Not even with herself. Today, the tension felt different. Not as confrontational. More...unspoken. With a folder in his hand, Alexander moved. "I had Harris expand the security filters further. You should have the access you requested." She furrowed her brow.
"What made you change your mind?" As though considering what he was going to say, his eyes narrowed just enough to resemble a scary predator. "You were right. Someone covered their tracks too perfectly. I don't like being lied to." She briefly believed that was all he would say.
However, then— "And...you were right about the cost too." It was an unexpected admission. He was not a man who gave in easily. His jaw tensed as though the words were strange coming from him, and she could see it. She gave a nod, but the discussion felt more burdensome than necessary.
With a gentle thud, the folder fell onto the table between them. "Three flagged shipments. One disappeared entirely off the grid for 36 hours before resurfacing. That's where you should start." She took it up and scanned the papers. He was correct. Something was going on here—delivery reroutes, inconsistencies. But she didn't pause for that reason.
It was that he had put his trust in her. No filtering. No obstacles. Why? Alexander was still observing her as she raised her head. Assessing. As usual, they were calculating, but there was more to it. Something she was unable to pinpoint. "Thank you," she said, her words unfamiliar but sincere. Silence for a beat.
Then, too quietly— "Don't make me regret it."
The moment was over as fast as it had arrived, and the steel wall separating them was back in no time.
Isabella, however, couldn't get rid of the sensation that something permanent had just changed between them. She wasn't sure if that made her want to breach those boundaries even more or if it scared her.
Unaware that she had just crossed a line, she said "thank you," something she hadn't
done in years.