Chapter 9 - Lines that shouldn't be crossed

Cassidy walked back and forth in the beautiful living room of the safe house, pressing her fingernails into her arms as she tried to figure everything out. She thought she could handle things when she walked into Vaughn's world. That she could play the game the way she wanted. But Vaughn had already gone one step ahead. And Alexander Cross had been immediately behind her, dragging her out before she could really understand how close she had gone to disaster. Cassidy didn't like it. He hated that he had saved her. She hated that she needed him. She whirled quickly, and her eyes found him across the room. He stood by the security monitors with his suit jacket off and his sleeves rolled up to his elbows, showing off the corded muscle in his forearms. Be calm. In charge. Planning. Like this was simply another day for him. She despised that too. "I'm not going to hide," she said in a stern voice. "I'm going to finish what I started." Alexander didn't look up. "No one said you were hiding." Cassidy breathed out through her nose. "Then why the hell am I here?" You think that keeping me locked up in one of your fancy safe homes will stop Vaughn? He did gaze at her now. Slowly. Like she was the one who didn't see something clear. He said, "Vaughn isn't your only problem." "You made yourself a target as soon as you walked into that gala." Not just for him, but also for the individuals he works with. Cassidy put her arms across her chest. "And who are these people, exactly?" Alexander let out a breath, ran a hand through his hair, and then walked over to a sleek glass cabinet. He took a tablet, tapped the screen, and then gave it to her. Cassidy scowled as she looked at the picture in front of her. A list of people. Businesses. Some of them she knew were powerful corporations that were involved in politics, money, and worldwide markets. And then, down the line, something else. Black Sun Trading. Cassidy's blood ran cold. That name rang a bell with her. A private group that had been the subject of rumors among investigators for years. They worked in the darkest parts of the global economy, supporting wars, cleaning up money, and, if the stories were accurate, moving people around. "You mean Vaughn is involved in this?" She asked, her voice quieter and more deliberate now. Alexander's face stayed the same. "I'm telling you he works for them." Cassidy gulped and held the tablet a bit closer. She didn't know it was this huge. She thought she was exposing corruption in business. She thought she was following the money to a businessman who had gotten in too deep. Vaughn, on the other hand, wasn't just another corrupt billionaire. He was just a piece in a bigger game. She turned around and glanced at Alexander. "And where do you fit into all of this?" His jaw tensed, but his voice stayed calm. "I used to work with some of the same people Vaughn does." Before I knew who they truly were. Cassidy squinted. "Define work with." Alexander's lips turned into something that wasn't funny. "Let's just say that when you build an empire, you sometimes shake hands with devils without knowing what they are." A pause in the sound. Cassidy wasn't sure if she trusted him. And that was risky. Because a part of her wanted to. She put the tablet down. "So what? You're suddenly on a tour to make things right? You want to take down Vaughn and Black Sun because you have a conscience now? Alexander turned his head. "Do you want me to say yes?" Cassidy laughed. "I want you to tell me the truth." His eyes got darker. Vaughn knows something about me that I don't. Something that could ruin everything I've worked for if it got out. Cassidy blinked. She didn't think he would be that honest. She didn't know what to say. "So what?" she asked, keeping her voice level. "This is about keeping yourself safe?" Alexander's eyes got sharper. "It began like that." Cassidy's breath caught. He wasn't just playing defense anymore. He wanted more than just business from Vaughn. And she had to know why. She moved a little closer. "What does Vaughn really have on YouTube Alexander didn't respond right away. His quietness was heavy and full of energy. Then he eventually said, "A name." Cassidy seemed unhappy. "Whose name?" I couldn't read his face. "Someone I promised to keep safe." Cassidy's heart skipped a beat. "Who?" Alexander let out a breath and stepped back a little, as if he had already said too much. "You don't need to know that." Cassidy made fists. "Like hell I don't." I need to know everything if I'm going to work with you. His lips curled up in a gentle smile. "So now you're working with me?" Cassidy frowned. "That's not the point." Alexander looked at her and then chuckled softly. "You really can't stop yourself, can you?" She seemed unhappy. "Excuse me?" He moved closer, closing the gap between them. "You hate that you are beginning to trust me." Cassidy's breath caught. Because he was correct. She really hated it. She hated that a part of her was still pulled to him, no matter what. To the intensity he could control. To the steely look in his eyes. The way he looked at her made it seem like he could see through all the walls she had created. She swallowed and made herself keep looking at him. "Trust is a big word." His lips turned. "What would you call it then?" She didn't say anything. She didn't know. And that worried her more than anything else. Cassidy let out a short breath and took a step back. "You still haven't answered my question." Alexander's face went blank. "And I won't." She was angry. "Then how am I supposed to help you?" He spoke softly. "By putting yourself first." Cassidy's jaw was tight. "What does that mean?" Alexander's eyes were riveted on hers, full of intensity. "It indicates Vaughn isn't just after me anymore. "He's coming for you." A chilly fear settled in her stomach. Alexander went on, "You think he was just trying to show off his authority at the gala? No. He was putting you to the test. He was checking to see if you were a loose end that needed to be severed. Cassidy took a deep breath. She knew Vaughn was a threat. She had sensed she was walking into something bad. But now it was personal. And if she didn't hurry, she would lose more than just her story. She would lose it all everything. Cassidy stood up tall. "Then I guess I should go first," I said. Alexander's lips turned up. "Now you're thinking like I do." Cassidy glared at him. "Don't get used to it." He laughed. "I wouldn't dream of it." But there was something in his eyes that made him seem smart. Something that made her realize they had gone too far. One they wouldn't be able to cross again