Chapter 26 Chapter 26
Damien’s POV
The captive’s blood was still on my knuckles when I walked back into the penthouse, dark and sticky against my skin.
I’d beaten him until he could barely speak, until every word was a gasping, broken confession that came out in choked syllables. The Morellis had been trailing me for days, watching my movements, cataloging my routines.
And I hadn’t noticed until tonight.
That fact alone made the rage burning in my chest intensify, cold and sharp, the kind that made my vision narrow and my hands itch for more violence. I was supposed to be untouchable, supposed to be three steps ahead of everyone else. But they’d been watching me, and I’d been blind to it.
The thought made my jaw clench so hard my teeth ached.
“Kai!” I roared the moment I stepped inside, my voice echoing through the empty space.
He appeared within seconds, materializing from whatever corner of the penthouse he’d been monitoring. His expression was alert and ready, his hand instinctively moving toward the weapon at his waist before he recognized it was just me.
“Boss?” he asked, his voice steady despite the obvious tension in the air.
“Put all our men on high alert,” I ordered, my voice hard as steel and just as cold. “I want reassessments of every position, every territory, every fucking corner of our turf. If there’s a Morelli anywhere near our operations, I want them wiped out.“
Kai’s eyes widened slightly, understanding the severity immediately. In all the years he’d worked for me, I rarely gave orders this absolute. “Yes, boss. I’ll coordinate with the captains right away.”
“Do it now,” I snapped, not in the mood for any delays or questions.
He bowed his head respectfully and disappeared, already pulling out his phone as he moved quickly down the hallway.
I paced the room, my footsteps heavy against the polished floor, my mind racing through possibilities and contingencies. The Morellis were making a move, testing my defenses, looking for weaknesses they could exploit.
And they’d found one weakness.
Hailey.
The thought made my jaw clench even tighter, a muscle jumping near my temple. I’d been careful, or so I thought. But clearly not careful enough. If they’d been watching me, they’d seen me with her. They knew she mattered.
And that made her a target.
“Marco!” I called out, my voice sharp and commanding.
Footsteps approached from the adjacent room, and Marco entered. But something was immediately off about him. His posture was tense, his shoulders slightly hunched, and his eyes had that distant, unfocused quality that meant his mind was somewhere else entirely. Probably still thinking about his date with that girl, Benita.
“You asked to see me, boss?” he said, but his voice lacked its usual crispness and focus.
“I sent you on an assignment,” I said, my tone dangerously quiet in the way that usually made people straighten up and pay attention. “The detective investigating the Fanged Bandits case. Tell me what you found.”
Marco hesitated, his gaze flickering to the side, not meeting my eyes directly. “Right, the detective….”
“Are you listening to me?” I interrupted, my voice dropping to something colder and more dangerous.
“Yes, boss, I just….” he started, but his attention was still wavering.
I crossed the room in two swift strides and grabbed him by the front of his shirt, slamming him against the wall hard enough to knock the air from his lungs. His eyes went wide with shock, finally snapping into focus.
“I will knock every single tooth out of your mouth if you don’t focus right now,” I said quietly, my face inches from his, my voice deadly calm. “Do you understand me?”
“Yes,” Marco gasped, his hands coming up slightly in a gesture of submission. “Yes, boss. I’m sorry. I understand.”
I held him there for another second, making sure the message was received, then released him. He stumbled slightly, catching his balance against the wall and straightening his shirt with shaking hands.
“Now,” I said, stepping back and crossing my arms. “Tell me about the detective. And this time, I want your full attention.”
Marco nodded quickly, swallowing hard as he pulled a folder from inside his jacket with trembling fingers. “Her name is Sarah Morrison. Thirty-four years old. Been with the department for eight years. She’s got a solid record, mostly homicide cases. High success rate, something like seventy-eight percent closure.”
“Background?” I demanded, wanting every detail.
“Orphan,” Marco said, opening the file and scanning the pages. “Lost both parents in a car accident when she was seven. Grew up in the system, bounced around different foster homes until she aged out at eighteen. Put herself through college working two jobs, then went straight to the police academy.”
He handed me the folder, and I flipped it open, scanning the pages with practiced efficiency. Photos of Detective Morrison in uniform, looking young and determined. Her academy graduation photo, where she stood with rigid posture and serious eyes. Commendations for her work, including one for bravery during a hostage situation.
An orphan who’d clawed her way up from nothing. That made her dangerous in a specific way, people like that had nothing to lose and everything to prove. They didn’t back down easily because they’d spent their entire lives fighting for every inch of ground they’d gained.
“Anything else I should know?” I asked, still reading through the file, noting her case history and success rate.
“She’s known for being persistent,” Marco added, his voice steadier now. “Once she’s on a case, she doesn’t let go. Like a dog with a bone, according to my sources in the department.”
I tossed the folder onto my desk, my mind already working. “You’re dismissed.”
Marco bowed his head and turned to leave quickly.
I was reaching for my phone when it suddenly rang, vibrating against the desk.
I glanced at the screen, and my heart stopped.
Hailey.
I answered immediately. “Hailey…”
“Damien,” her voice cut through, tight with panic and desperation, words tumbling over each other. “I need your help. Fast.“