Chapter 86 Chapter 86
Hailey’s POV
I locked the bathroom door behind me and stared at my phone, my hands trembling.
Detective Sarah Morrison’s name glared at me from the screen. She’d called three times already this morning, and I’d ignored every single one.
But now she’d sent a text message that I couldn’t ignore:
‘Hailey, I know you’re scared. But I need to talk to you. It’s important. Please call me back.’
My finger hovered over the delete button, but before I could press it, my phone rang again. Her name flashing on the screen.
Against my better judgment, I answered.
“Hello?” My voice came out shakier than I wanted.
“Hailey, thank God,” Detective Morrison said, relief evident in her tone. “I’ve been trying to reach you for days. Are you okay? Are you safe?”
“I’m fine,” I said, though we both knew it was a lie. “Why are you calling me.”
“That’s not important right now,” she said, her voice urgent. “What’s important is that I believe something is going on between you and the biggest crime syndicate in this country. The Crimson Syndicate. I’ve been investigating them for years, and I think you might be able to help me with a lead.”
My stomach dropped.
“I don’t know anything,” I said quickly, panic rising in my chest.
“Hailey, please,” Detective Morrison pressed. “You were at that compound when it was attacked. Multiple casualties, millions in property damage. You were there. You’re connected to this somehow. I need you to help me understand what’s happening.”
“I can’t help you,” I said firmly. “I don’t know anything. I’m just a college student who got caught up in something I don’t understand.”
“If you’re in danger, I can protect you,” Morrison said urgently. “Witness protection, safe houses, we can keep you away from.”
“I know nothing,” I repeated, my voice hard now. “Leave me alone.”
I hung up and immediately blocked her number, my hands shaking so badly I nearly dropped the phone.
She had no idea what she was asking. No idea what the Morellis would do to someone who turned against the Crimson Syndicate.
I deleted the call history and her messages, paranoia making me check three times to make sure everything was gone.
Then I heard the bedroom door open.
“Hailey?” Damien’s voice called out. “Are you okay in there?”
Fuck. I couldn’t let him know about that call.
I quickly flushed the toilet and turned on the sink, trying to make it look like I’d actually been using the bathroom normally.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” I called back, forcing my voice to sound steady. “Just finishing up.”
I splashed water on my face, took a deep breath to calm my racing heart, and opened the door.
Damien stood in the bedroom, his dark eyes studying me with that intensity that always made me feel like he could see right through me.
“You sure you’re okay?” he asked, moving closer. “You look pale.”
“Just tired,” I said, turning to the mirror and pretending to fuss with my hair, keeping my hands busy so he wouldn’t see them shaking. “I didn’t sleep well last night.”
He moved behind me, his hands coming to rest gently on my shoulders, and I saw both our reflections in the mirror.
“You’ll be safe at the safe house,” he said quietly, his eyes meeting mine in the glass. “I promise. It’s remote, heavily secured, designed specifically for situations like this. No one will be able to get to you there.”
“How often will you be there?” I asked, needing to know. Needing to understand what my life was going to look like.
“I’ll be coming and going,” Damien admitted, and I heard the regret in his voice. “I have to handle the situation with the Morellis. But I’ll visit as often as I can. And Kai will be there permanently to coordinate security.”
I turned to face him, my hand moving to rest on his chest, feeling his heartbeat under my palm. “Be careful,” I said, looking up at him. “Please. End whatever rivalry is going on with the Morellis. I need you to come back to us. To me and the baby.”
His jaw tightened, muscles working under his skin. “It’s not that easy, Hailey. This war has been going on for decades. The Morellis won’t just stop because I ask them to.”
“Then make them stop,” I said desperately, my fingers curling into his shirt. “I don’t care how you do it. Just end it. I can’t live like this, constantly afraid, constantly looking over my shoulder, wondering if today’s the day they finally succeed in killing me.”
“I will,” Damien promised, his hands cupping my face with surprising gentleness. “I’ll end it. Whatever it takes.”
I looked up at this dangerous, complicated man who’d turned my entire life upside down, and felt something break open inside me.
I kissed him.
Not gently. Not tentatively. But with desperate need, pouring all my fear and love and frustration into it.
He responded immediately, his arms wrapping around me and pulling me close against his body.
When we broke apart, both of us breathing hard, I whispered against his lips, “Don’t leave us. Not ever. Don’t let the Morellis take you from me and this baby.”
“Never,” Damien breathed, kissing me again, harder this time. “I promise. I’ll always come back to you.”
His hands moved to my clothes, and I helped him remove them with urgent fingers, helped him shed his own. We moved to the bed with desperate need, both of us seeking comfort and connection in each other’s bodies.
He was careful with me, mindful of my pregnancy and the stress I’d been under, but I urged him on, needing to feel him, needing to know he was real and here and mine.
We made love with desperate intensity, both of us clinging to each other like we could somehow hold back the violence and chaos of the world outside through sheer force of will.
When we finished, we lay tangled together, our breathing slowly returning to normal, sweat cooling on our skin.
The next morning came too quickly.
I woke to the sound of movement throughout the suite people packing, guards organizing, vehicles being prepared for departure.
Damien was already dressed and coordinating everything with Kai and Lorenzo.
“Pack light,” he told me when he saw I was awake. “Only essentials. Everything else can be replaced or will already be at the safe house.”
I nodded and started gathering my things, moving slowly, my body still tired and sore.
My mother appeared in the doorway. “Ready?” she asked.
“Almost,” I said.
We finished packing and gathered in the main living area with our bags. Isabella was there with her single designer suitcase. Benita sat on the couch staring at nothing, her small bag at her feet.
Kai did a headcount, then frowned.
“Where’s Sophia?” he asked, looking around.
We all looked. She wasn’t there.
Damien’s expression darkened. “She should be here by now.”
“I’ll check her room,” Kai offered.
“No,” Damien said firmly. “I’ll do it.”
He strode down the hallway to Sophia’s room and knocked hard.
“Sophia, it’s time to go. Open the door.”
No response.
“Sophia!” His voice was sharper now. “Don’t make this difficult. Open the door now.”
Still nothing.
I heard the door handle rattle, then Damien’s frustrated curse.
“She’s locked it,” he called back to us. “From the inside.”