Chapter 23 Wounds and Promises
Lucy woke before Lucas the next morning.
His arm was draped over her waist, heavy and warm, his breathing steady against the back of her neck.
For a moment, she allowed herself to simply lie there, wrapped in the quiet safety of his embrace—something she’d never imagined she’d crave.
But the peace didn’t last.
Her phone buzzed on the bedside table.
One glance at the caller ID snapped her fully awake.
Detective Scott.
Lucy carefully slid out from under Lucas’s arm. He stirred but didn’t wake, exhaustion still pulling him under.
She stepped into the hallway and answered.
“Lucy here.”
Scott’s voice was tense.
“You need to get down to the station. Mercer’s network… it’s not done.”
Lucy’s stomach dropped. “What happened?”
“There was a coordinated hit last night on one of our safe houses. One of the girls you rescued two weeks ago—Marina—she’s missing.”
Lucy’s breath caught. “Missing?, how—”
“They knew exactly where to strike. This wasn’t random. Someone on the inside is feeding them information.”
A cold shiver slid down her spine.
A mole.
Inside the police. Inside her rescue network.
Somewhere.
“Lucy,” Scott said quietly, “I think you’re the
target now.”
Lucy returned to the bedroom to find Lucas awake, leaning against the headboard, eyes fixed on her.
He knew something was wrong before she even opened her mouth.
“Talk to me,” he said, voice low and edged with worry.
She told him everything.
Scott’s call.
The attack.
The missing girl.
The mole.
Lucas’s jaw clenched, eyes darkening into something lethal.
“They went after a girl under your protection? And they’re still hunting you?”
“Yes,” Lucy said. “And it’s… my fault. I’ve been getting too close, hitting too many of their operations. They’re retaliating.”
Lucas threw off the blankets and stood, already pulling on a shirt.
“Lucy, look at me.”
She did.
“This is not your fault,” he said fiercely. “The only people responsible are the monsters who took her—and whoever betrayed you. And I swear to you, we will find them.”
“We?” she echoed.
He crossed the room in three strides, cupping her face in both hands.
“You think I’m letting anything happen to you? Or to those girls? No. We handle this together.”
Her breath hitched, emotions tightening in her chest.
He wasn’t just offering help
.
He was offering himself.
All of him.
“Okay,” she whispered. “Together.”
He kissed her—deep, grounding, protective.
But when he pulled back, the softness disappeared.
Now he was the boss.
“Get dressed,” he said quietly. “We’re going to the station. And whoever touched your case… I’ll find them.
The drive to the police station as silent, both of them deep in their own thoughts of what was to come.
The station buzzed with tension.
Officers whispered.
Eyes darted toward Lucas with suspicion—and toward Lucy with sympathy.
Scott met her at the entrance.
“Thank you for coming. We found footage.”
He led them to a surveillance room.
On the screen, grainy security footage played: masked men storming a modest safe house. A terrified girl, Marina, being dragged out.
Lucy’s fists tightened.
Lucas’s hand settled on her lower back, grounding her.
Scott paused the video.
“We think the leak is high-level,” he said grimly. “Someone who knew the exact rotation schedule and the girls’ identities.”
Lucy swallowed hard.
“That narrows it down a lot.”
Lucas stepped forward.
“Show me the list of people with clearance.”
Scott hesitated. “I’m not sure it’s—”
“It is necessary,” Lucas said, voice low, dangerous, unmistakably authoritative.
“Because whoever did this isn’t just corrupt.
They’re working for the same men who tried to take your sister.”
Scott looked at Lucy, who nodded once.
Reluctantly, the detective handed Lucas a printed list.
Lucas scanned it, eyes narrowing.
“This one.” He tapped a name with the tip of his finger, knuckles whitening. “Detective Ralton. He’s dirty.”
Scott stiffened. “You sure?”
“He was on Mercer’s payroll years ago,”
Lucas said. “I thought he vanished. Looks like he switched sides.”
Lucy felt dread coil in her stomach.
Ralton was openly friendly with her. He was always “helping,” always “looking out for her.”
She never suspected. She felt so used by him.
“We need to bring him in,” Scott said.
Lucas’s expression darkened.
“No. If he knows he’s burned, he’ll disappear with the girl. We follow him instead.”
Lucy looked up at him.
“You think he’ll lead us to Mercer’s remaining network?”
Lucas’s eyes locked on hers.
“I know he will.”
Scott exhaled slowly. “Fine. We do it Bravata’s way.”
Lucy nodded, adrenaline building again.
Lucas took her hand, squeezing it once.
“Stay close to me. No heroics this time.”
Lucy lifted her chin. “Lucas, I—”
“No.” His voice softened, but his eyes stayed fierce. “I almost lost you once. I’m not risking it again.”
Her heart thudded loudly, but she didn’t pull away.
“Then let’s find the girl,” she murmured.
“And end this.”
Lucas brushed his thumb across her knuckles, a tender contrast to the storm in his eyes.
“We will,” he said. “I promise.”
They left the station together—united, determined, and ready for war.