Adrian's pov
The file sat heavy in my hands as I left Adrian's office, the names inside burning into my mind. But one target stood out—clear, cold, and final.
Kill.
The word echoed in my skull. It wasn't just a mission—it was a sentence. My sentence.
Adrian's voice lingered in my ear, low and relentless: "No questions. No mistakes."
The city's neon lights blurred as I made my way to the abandoned warehouse on the edge of town. The air was thick with fog, the perfect cover for what I had to do.
Heart pounding, every nerve screaming, I slipped inside.
The target waited—a man with a crooked smile and eyes that promised trouble. I raised the gun, hands steady despite the storm raging inside me.
But just as I pulled the trigger—
A sharp noise behind me.
A shadow lunged, knocking me off balance.
I hit the ground hard, breath knocked out of me.
Struggling, I caught a glimpse of the attacker's face—someone I never expected to see.
Then the world spun into darkness.
---
Hours later, I woke in a dimly lit room, bruised and bleeding, the scent of damp concrete and danger thick in the air.
A figure stepped into the light—Adrian.
His eyes darkened with fury and something else I couldn't place.
"You're reckless," he said, voice low but laced with concern. "Almost lost you tonight."
I swallowed hard. "I did what you asked."
He knelt beside me, fingers brushing my cheek—a dangerous closeness.
"This isn't just a game, Laila. It's survival. And if you fail again... I won't be able to save you."
His words hung between us, heavy and threatening.
The door behind him slammed open suddenly.
Rafe stood there, eyes blazing.
"You're playing with fire," he growled. "And it's going to burn us all."