Chapter 135 135. You're Under Arrest
"What did you just say?" I followed her gaze to a framed set of flash designs on the far wall.
Camila's eyes were locked on a specific geometric pattern-an intricate, multi-sided seal that looked more like a corporate motherboard than art. She fumbled for her phone, her fingers moving with a frantic energy that made my gut twist.
"I need to check something. Just... give me a second."
I watched her pull up Rhys Blackwood's social media page. She started scrolling aggressively, her thumb a blur as she bypassed shots of tech setups and luxury cars.
"You're scrolling through Blackwood's life with a lot of intensity, Fiera." My possessive streak was already flaring. "Is there a reason my fiancée is obsessing over Blackwood while we're standing in a tattoo parlor?"
She didn't even huff a laugh. She was focused, her eyes scanning every pixel until she suddenly froze. "There."
She tapped on a photo posted nine months ago. Rhys was looking sharp in a grey suit, but she pinched the screen to zoom in on his chest. Hanging from a silver chain was a heavy pendant. It was the exact geometric design from the wall.
"The man at the club with Maya and her friends had this exact chain and pendant," she breathed, her face going a ghostly shade of white. "The notes, the creepy gifts, the location tracking... the 'R' was for Rhys. Rhys Blackwood has been stalking me."
The playful fiancé died in that moment. My blood boiled. Rhys Blackwood. The man who had grabbed her wrist at the party. The man I'd punched. He hadn't just been an arrogant tech rival; he was a predator who had been hunting my woman under my own nose.
"The son of a bitch," I growled, my hands balling into fists. "He's been playing the long game."
"He was there, Lucien. He's been everywhere." Camila looked like she was about to be sick. "How did he know where I was? How did he know about the apartment?"
"He's a tech guy, Camila. If he's been following you, he didn't need to be in the shadows. He was likely in your phone." I gripped her waist, pulling her flush against me. "We're going back. Now. And we're going to pay Mr. Blackwood a visit the second we land."
"Lucien, wait. I want to confront him. I need to know why. But please... nothing illegal. I can't lose you over this."
"Illegal is a matter of perspective when someone touches what's mine, Fiera," the words came out as a lethal promise. "But I'll do it your way first." I turned to the artist, Petra, who was watching us with wide eyes. "We're done here. Keep the deposit."
Camila was a shell of herself for the rest of the day, jumping at every shadow in the villa. She felt exposed, and the fact that I'd allowed this snake into our orbit made a bitter taste rise in my throat.
"I'm involving my tech guy. If he's in your phone, I want him out. He'll make Blackwood look like he's playing with blocks. I want every scrap of data he's gathered on you burned to the ground."
"Can we just leave?" she asked, clutching the hem of her dress. "I want to go home. I feel he might be watching us here. Also, I want to look him in the eye and ask him why he's been stalking me."
She was right, and I didn't protest. We were in the air by midnight.
The cabin of the Gulfstream was silent. Usually, these flights were our sanctuary, but tonight, the air was thick with a vibrating tension.
Camila was curled in the leather seat, staring out into the black void of the Atlantic. She was restless, her leg bouncing a mile a minute.
I sat across from her, my laptop open. I was coordinating with my security team, getting Blackwood's current location.
"I've got you, mi amor," I said, moving to her seat and pulling her into my lap. I wrapped my arms around her, shielding her. "I'm going to handle this. He's a dead man walking. He just doesn't know it yet. So please close your eyes and sleep."
She buried her face in my neck, saying she couldn't close her eyes without seeing Rhys's face, imagining him watching her.
"When we land, we're going straight to your penthouse. You won't be anywhere he might expect you to be."
She nodded.
"Camila, talk to me."
"I don't know what to say." Her voice was hollow. "I feel violated like every moment of privacy I thought I had was a lie. He's been watching me, Lucien. Watching us. What if he has cameras in my apartment? What if he's seen-"
"Don't. Don't go there."
"How can I not?" She looked up at me, eyes red. "What if he has recordings of us? Photos?"
"Then I'll destroy him."
"You promised nothing illegal."
"I promised I wouldn't do anything to land me in jail. There are other ways to destroy a man."
"I feel so stupid for not listening to my instincts and digging further."
"That was my fault. I'm sorry I dismissed your concerns back then," I kissed the top of her head. "He's a coward who hides behind code, and cowards break easily once you drag them into the light."
She didn't respond, just curled tighter against me.
"We'll be landing in fifteen minutes, Mr. Hayes," The pilot's voice came over the intercom.
"Copy that."
Camila straightened, wiping her eyes. "I look terrible."
"You look beautiful." I brushed a tear from her cheek. "Always."
She managed a weak smile. "Liar."
The plane began its descent. New York's lights spread out below us. We'd figure this out. We'd confront Rhys, get answers, and make sure he never comes near Camila again.
The jet touched down smoothly. We gathered our things, and I took Camila's hand as we headed for the exit.
But as the jet's stairs lowered, my internal alarm bells started screaming.
There were too many lights on the tarmac.
"Stay behind me," I commanded as we descended.
The moment our feet hit the asphalt, the darkness was obliterated by a dozen strobes. Red and blue light bounced off the hull of the jet. Four NYPD cruisers skidded into a semi-circle, pinning us against the aircraft.
"What the hell is this?" I roared, shielding Camila as officers piled out.
A detective in a heavy overcoat stepped forward. "Camila Sterling?"
Camila stepped out from behind me, her face pale. "I'm Camila. What's going on?"
The detective pulled a pair of handcuffs from his belt.
"Ms. Sterling, you are under arrest for the assault and attempted murder of Victor Hayes."