POV: Emily
The adrenaline from the kiss hadn't worn off by the time we reached Jake's car. My heart still raced, my mind buzzing with everything that had just happened and what it meant for us. But as soon as we were inside, the reality of our situation came crashing back.
Marcus Hall was coming for us. And if Victor was right, it wasn't a matter of "if" but "when".
Jake slid behind the wheel, his face a mask of concentration, his jaw set in a hard line. He hadn't said much since we pulled apart, but I could still feel the tension in him, the silent weight of everything hanging between us. Part of me wanted to talk about what had just happened between us, to understand it, but I knew now wasn't the time.
We were headed for a war. And no matter how deep my feelings for Jake were growing, I couldn't let myself get distracted. Not when everything was at stake.
The ride back to his apartment was quiet, the air between us thick with unspoken words. I stared out the window, watching the city pass by in a blur of lights and shadows. My thoughts raced as I tried to wrap my head around the fact that Marcus Hall was after me.
How did I not see it coming?
The car came to a smooth stop outside Jake's building, pulling me from my thoughts. I exhaled slowly, trying to push down the fear gnawing at the edges of my mind. There was no time to panic. I had to stay in control, even if it felt like everything around me was spiraling out of it.
Jake got out first, walking around the car to open my door, but I stepped out before he could reach it. His eyes flicked to mine, and for a brief moment, I saw a flash of concern, maybe? Or regret?
We didn't speak as we walked inside, his presence steady beside me, grounding me. The elevator ride felt like it took forever, the tension between us almost unbearable. When the doors finally opened to his penthouse, I felt like I could breathe again.
But not for long.
As soon as we stepped inside, Jake's phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out, his brow furrowing as he glanced at the screen.
"What is it?" I asked, already feeling the shift in the air.
"It's Carter," he muttered, his tone serious. "He's downstairs."
The knot in my stomach tightened. Carter,Jake's right hand man, the one he trusted with everything. If he was here, it wasn't for a social visit. Something was wrong.
"Do you think it's about Marcus?" I asked, my pulse quickening.
Jake didn't answer right away, but the grim look in his eyes told me everything I needed to know.
"We're about to find out," he said, his voice hard as he turned and headed back toward the elevator.
Downstairs – Confronting the Danger
Carter was waiting in the lobby, his expression as grim as I'd ever seen it. His usual calm, controlled demeanor was gone, replaced by a cold urgency that sent a chill down my spine.
He looked at Jake first, then me. "We need to talk. Now."
"What's going on?" Jake asked, his tone sharp, but controlled.
Carter glanced around the lobby, his eyes scanning for potential eavesdroppers. "Not here. Let's go upstairs."
We followed him back to Jake's penthouse, the tension in the air palpable. My mind raced with a thousand possibilities, each one worse than the last. Had Marcus already made his move? Were we too late?
Once we were inside, Carter didn't waste any time.
"Marcus Hall knows," he said, his voice low but firm. "He knows about Victor, about the meeting tonight. He's already taken steps to neutralize anyone who could help you."
My stomach dropped. "What do you mean, neutralize?"
Carter's eyes flicked to Jake, then back to me. "Victor's dead."
The words hit me like a punch to the gut. For a moment, I couldn't breathe. My mind spun as I tried to process it to understand how everything had gone wrong so fast.
Jake's face hardened, his eyes narrowing. "When?"
"Just after you left," Carter said. "Marcus had people watching the restaurant. As soon as Victor gave you Marcus's name, he became a liability."
A cold shiver ran down my spine. We had barely escaped.
"What now?" I asked, my voice trembling despite my best efforts to keep it steady. "If Marcus knows, what does that mean for us?"
Carter's expression didn't soften. "It means you're next."
I felt like the ground had been pulled out from under me. Victor had been our only lead, our only chance at stopping Marcus before he made his move. Now he was dead. And we were out of options.
But Jake didn't flinch. His face was a mask of determination, his voice calm but steely. "We need to act fast. We can't wait for Marcus to come to us. We have to strike first."
Carter nodded, his expression grim. "I've already started putting together a plan, but we need to move quickly. Marcus isn't going to sit back and wait. He'll come for both of you sooner rather than later."
My heart raced as I tried to process what this meant. We were running out of time, and now that Marcus knew we were coming for him, it was only a matter of time before he made his next move. We had to stay one step ahead.
"What's the plan?" I asked, my voice stronger now, despite the fear tightening in my chest.
Jake turned to me, his eyes dark and determined. "We're going after Marcus. But we're going to need help. Carter has some contacts,people who aren't exactly fans of The Syndicate. We can use them to hit Marcus where it hurts."
"And how do we know they won't turn on us the minute they get the chance?" I asked, crossing my arms. "These people you're sure we can trust them?"
"We don't have a choice," Jake said, his voice hard. "It's a risk we have to take."
I looked at him, my heart pounding. Everything inside me screamed that this was insane, that going after Marcus Hall with nothing more than a few questionable allies was suicide. But at the same time, I knew Jake was right.
We didn't have a choice.
"Alright," I said, my voice steady. "Let's do this."
Later That Night – On the Edge
I stood by the window, staring out at the dark city below. My mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, fears, and the growing certainty that I was stepping into something far bigger than I could handle. Marcus Hall had already shown us how dangerous he was. And now, we were about to go after him.
The sound of footsteps behind me pulled me from my thoughts. I turned to see Jake, his face still shadowed with tension, but his eyes soft as they met mine.
"You okay?" he asked, his voice quieter now, almost gentle.
I nodded, even though it was a lie. "I will be."
He stepped closer, and I could feel the warmth of him, the steadiness he brought with him even in the middle of this chaos. For a moment, neither of us spoke, the weight of everything hanging between us.
"This is crazy," I said finally, my voice barely a whisper. "We're going after a man who could crush us without blinking."
Jake's hand brushed against mine, and I felt that same electricity between us, the pull that had only grown stronger since that kiss. "I know. But we don't have a choice."
I turned to face him fully, my heart racing for a completely different reason now. His dark eyes were locked on mine, filled with intensity, and the air between us felt thick, charged with all the things we hadn't said.
"Jake," I started, but I didn't get to finish.
Before I knew what was happening, he closed the distance between us, his lips on mine again, just as intense, just as consuming as the first time. I kissed him back, my hands reaching up to grip his shirt, pulling him closer.
For a moment, I let myself get lost in him, in the heat of his touch, the way he made me feel like nothing else mattered but us. But when we finally broke apart, breathless and tangled in each other, the reality of our situation hit me like a bucket of cold water.
"We have to be smart," I whispered, my forehead resting against his. "We can't let this… whatever this is, distract us."
Jake exhaled, his breath warm against my skin. "I know. But it's too late for that, Emily. I'm already in too deep."
My heart twisted painfully, and I knew he was right. I was in too deep, too. But for now, all we could do was focus on what was ahead. On the danger that was closing in.
"We'll figure this out," he said softly, his hand still holding mine.
I nodded, my voice barely a whisper. "We have to."