国
Reba’s POV
1 stood at the window of theke house, watching dark clouds gather over the water. The afternoon light had turned grey and somber, matching my mood as I waited for news. Beside me, a cup of tea had gone cold, forgotten <b>as </b><b>1 </b>stared at the silent phone in my hand.
“He’ll call when it’s over,” Sofia said, approaching with another steaming mug. She wore one of Raymond’s oversized sweatshirts, her hair pulled back in a messy bun. Despite her casual appearance, I noticed the tension around her
<b>eyes</b>.
“It’s been hours, I murmured, epting the fresh tea. My fingers wrapped around the warm ceramic, seekingfort. “What if something went wrong?”
Sofia squeezed my shoulder. “Dominic <b>has </b>an entire pack of werewolves at hismand. Dn is just one man.”
“A dangerous man, I reminded her, thinking of Dn’s cold eyes in the hospital garden. The memory sent a visible shudder through me, making the tea ripple in my cup.
“Try to rx,” Sofia suggested, attempting a <b>smile </b>that didn’t reach her eyes. “Raymond said the chef is preparing dinner. Apparently, we’re having some fancy salmon <b>dish</b>, which is said to <b>have </b>been flown in from Japan.”
I tried to return <b>her </b>smile but my lips only managed a tight, <b>strained </b>line. My stomach had been in knots all day. and not just from worry. The morning <b>sickness </b>was getting worse, though I’d managed to hide it from Sofia so far. Another secret to keep, another weight on my shoulders..
Thunder rumbled in the distance. I pressed my forehead against the cool ss, closing my eyes. The baby–our baby -was alreadyplicating everything. How could I tell Dominic now, with all this danger surrounding us?
A <b>sharp </b>knock at the door made us both jump. My <b>tea </b>sloshed over the rim, burning my fingers. Rivera, one of Dominic’s Betas, entered with a professional <b>nod</b>.
“Ms. Brown, Ms. Rodriguez,” he greeted us. I’ve received word that the situation has been resolved. You’ll be returning to the city tomorrow morning.”
Relief flooded through me, making my knees weak. “Is Dominic okay? What happened with Dn?” My voice came out higher than normal, betraying my anxiety.
Rivera’s expression remained neutral, but his eyes shifted away from mine for a fraction of a second. “Mr. Sterling is fine. He asked me to inform you that he’ll exin everything when he arrives this evening.”
Sofia pped her hands together. “That’s great news! See, Reba? I told you everything would be fine.”
But something in Rivera’s carefully nk expression <b>made </b>my relief short–lived. I stepped closer to him, searching his face. There’s something else, isn’t there?”
Rivera hesitated, ncing between us. “Mr. Sterling prefers tes brief you himself, Ms. Brown.”
400
Before I could press him further, my phone rang. My mother’s name shed on the screen, and my heart skipped. She rarely called during the day unless it was important.
“Mom?” <b>I </b>answered, turning away from So and Rivera. ‘Is everything okay?”
The sound of sobbing came through the line. My <b>blood </b>turned to lee, <b>and </b>I gripped the edge of the windowsill for
support.
“Mom, what’s wrong?” I gripped the phone tighter. “Talk to me!” My voice cracked with sudden fear.
“Reba,” she finally managed, her voice breaking. “It’s Jason. He’s… he’s gone.”
The room <b>seemed </b>to tilt beneath my feet. “What do you mean, ‘gone‘?” My <b>words </b>came out in a whisper, though int <b>my </b>head I was screaming.
“Some men broke into the apartment,” she choked out. “They shot him, Reba. Your brother is dead.”
The phone nearly slipped from my fingers. My face drained of all color, and I felt suddenly cold, as if all the warmth had been sucked from the room. Sofia was at my side instantly, steadying me as my knees threatened to buckle.
“Where are you now?” I asked, my voice sounding distant to my own ears. I felt detached, as if watching myself from outside my body.
“Some private hospital. Mr. Sterling’s people brought us here. There are guards everywhere. My mother’s voice hardened slightly. “What have you gotten involved in, Reba? Who are these people?”
“I’ll <b>be </b>there as soon as I can,” I promised, ignoring her question. My <b>free </b>hand clutched at my throat, where it felt like I couldn’t get enough air. ‘Are you and Dad safe?”
“Yes, but Jason- Her voice broke <b>again</b>.
“I know, Mom. I know.” Tears streamed down my face, dropping unchecked onto my shirt. “I’ll be there soon. I love
<b>you</b>.”
After ending the call, I stood frozen, Sofia’s arms around me the only thing keeping me upright. My entire body trembled, small tremors that I couldn’t control.
“Jason is <b>dead</b>,<i>” </i>I whispered, the words feeling unreal in my mouth. “Someone killed my brother.” My voice rose <b>with </b><b>each </b>word until I was nearly shouting, the reality of the situation crashing over me in waves.
<b>Rivera </b>stepped forward. “Ms. Brown, I’ll inform Mr. Sterling immediately. He’ll want to-”
“No,” I interrupted, wiping my tears with trembling hands. My face contorted with grief and anger. “I need to go to my parents now. They’re at Silvercrest Medical Center.”
“I <b>have </b>strict orders-
“I don’t care about your orders!” I shouted, my voice raw with emotion. My hands balled into fists at my sides. “My brother is dead! Do you understand? My little brother was murdered in my parents‘ home!”
Sofia tightened her grip on my shoulders. “Reba, please. You’re in shock. Her eyes were wide with concern.
I pulled away from her, moving toward the door. My legs wobbled <b>beneath </b>me, but determination kept me upright. “I’m going to my family. Either help me or get out of my way.”
Rivera blocked the doorway, his expression sympathetic but firm. “Ms. Brown, I understand your distress, but Mr. Sterling specifically instructed that you remain here until his arrival. It’s for your safety.”
“My brother is dead because of <b>me</b>!” I cried, the realization hitting me <b>like </b>a physical blow. I pressed my hands to my stomach, suddenly nauseated. “Don’t you <b>see</b><b>? </b>They targeted my family to get to me!”
Sofia led <b>me </b>to the couch, forcing me to sit. “That’s <b>not </b>your <b>fault</b>, Reba. You didn’t do this.”
1 buried my <b>face </b>in my hands<b>, </b>violent sobs wracking my body.
“It was Dn,” I said between sobs, my breathing in ragged gasps. “He did this to hurt me.”
As the words left my mouth, a strange rity cut through my grief. I straightened, blinking away tears. “Wait,” I said, looking up at Rivera. “When did this happen? When was Jason killed?”
Rivera consulted his <b>phone</b>. “Approximately 12:15 PM today.”
I frowned, wiping tears <b>from </b>my cheeks with the back of my hand. “But that’s when Dn was meeting the decoy in the park. He couldn’t <b>have </b>been in two ces at once.”
Sofia <b>and </b>Rivera exchanged nces.
“Someone else is involved,” I whispered, the realization sending a chill down my spine. My hands clenched and unclenched in myp. “Someone worked with Dn to coordinate this.”
Chapter Comments
1
Write Comments