?Chapter 966:


    So he shifted tactics. He sat beside her and took her hand. “Okay,” he said, softer now. “They found you. Running’s off the table. So we n.”


    They would only get one shot. One mistake and they were dead.


    She blinked at him, caught off guard. He wasn’t trying to shut her down. He was meeting her where she was—ready to fight.


    “I’ve studied them,” he continued. “I know how they operate. If we’re smart, maybe we find a crack in their system. But, Stel… you have to trust mepletely. No second-guessing. You follow my lead, no matter what.”


    She met his gaze, and for a second, everything else faded. The man sitting in front of her wasn’t just the heir to Briggs. He wasn’t just the head of her institute. There was far more to William than she’d realized. If he knew this much about Erebus, then he wasn’t just rich. He was dangerous in his own right.


    Her voice came out soft but steady. “I trust you.”


    Relief flickered in his eyes. That single sentence seemed to lift something off his shoulders.


    “That guy—blond hair, blue eyes—he’s not one of a million. He’s part of a very small circle. I’ll figure out who he is. But until then, I need you to carry a microtracker.”


    She blinked. “All the time?”


    “Yes.” There was no room for debate in his tone. “He didn’t hurt you this time. Doesn’t mean he won’t next time. I’m not taking chances, Stel. Not with you.”


    She hesitated… then nodded.


    Hours passed as they went over every detail, every possibility. Ste was surprised by how much William knew about Erebus.


    She couldn’t hold it in any longer. Turning to face him, her eyes locked onto his. “William,” she said slowly. “Why do you know so much about Erebus? This wasn’t just business. This wasn’t some fluke. He knew too much.”


    Stay tuned at gα?ησν???s


    For a moment, William said nothing. Just silence—heavy and thick between them. Then, almost too casually, he reached out and tousled her hair like he always did. “I told you… it’s from work,” he said, giving her that easy smile she used to find reassuring. “I’m not lying.”


    But this time, it didn’tnd. Ste studied his face, unease flickering in her eyes.


    She tugged at his sleeve, her voice low. “You promised me. No secrets, remember?”


    His eyes softened. In an instant, he pulled her into his arms, holding her close like she might shatter. “I did promise,” he murmured against her hair. “And I meant it. You can trust me, Ste. I would never hurt you.”


    His words eased the tightness in her chest.


    Drawing in a breath, she pulled back slightly and looked up at him. “I’ll stall him,” she said. “Make him think I’m still on the fence. That way, you can figure out who he really is.”


    It was dangerous, but it was the only move they had left.


    William nodded, jaw tense. “You have to ept their invitation. But listen to me, I’ll never let you be one of them. Ever.”


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