Chapter <b>159 </b>
Reba’s POV
I didn’t wait for a response<b>, </b>couldn’t bear to see the usation in my mother’s eyes or the conflicted sympathy in my father’s. I pushed through the door, into the hallway, past Rivera who reached out with a questioning “Ms. Brown?”
I kept walking, picking up speed, tears blurring my vision. Down corridors, through lobbies, <b>past </b>concerned staff who called after me. I didn’t stop until I reached the main entrance, bursting through the doors into the bright sun.
The sidewalk was busy with pedestrians, none of whom spared me a second nce–just <b>another </b>crying woman in a <b>city </b>full of personal tragedies. I walked blindly, with no destination in <b>mind</b>, just needing to move, to escape the suffocating weight of guilt and grief.
My phone vibrated in my pocket. <b>Dominic’s </b><b>name </b><b>shed </b>on the screen. I couldn’t talk to him. Not now. I rejected the call and kept walking.
The streets grew busier as I entered themercial district. Shop windows disyed luxury goods <b>that </b>now seemed obscenely trivial. People hurried past, absorbed in lives that would continue unchanged by Jason’s <b>death</b>. To be <b>honest</b>, I didn’t <b>love </b>Jason at all<b>. </b>I even hated him. But he just died like that, under the gaze of my parents. This is hard to ept.
I paused in front of a coffee shop, catching my blurry reflection in the window. Inside, a family satughing together <b>over </b>pastries and steaming mugs. A father with his arm around his teenage son, a mother smiling indulgently. The scene sent a fresh wave of pain through me.
Suddenly, a sharp, tearing sensation ripped through my abdomen. I gasped, doubling <b>over</b>, one hand instinctively flying to my stomach while the other braced against the building wall for support. Cold sweat broke out across my forehead <b>as </b>another cramp seized me.
“No,” I whispered, panic rising. “Please, no.”
“What happened?” A woman’s voice came from nearby. I looked up through tear–blurred vision to see a ck–haired woman approaching from across the street, her expression shifting from recognition to concern. “Are you alright?”
I tried to straighten, to appear normal, but another wave of pain forced me to curl inward with a moan.
“You’re not alright, the woman said, reaching me and gently taking my arm. “We need to get you medical attention right away. Silvercrest Medical Center is just a few blocks back-
“No,” I said firmly, despite the pain. “Not there. I can’t go back there right now.”
“But they have the best-
“Please,” I begged, another cramp making me gasp. “East Side General is just around the corner. Take me
there<b>.</b>”
Emily hesitated, her eyes showing internal conflict before she nodded. Alright, Let me help you
<b>She </b>supported me as we moved slowly toward the street, her free hand already pulling out her phone,
“What are you doing?” 1 asked, <b>suspicion </b>cutting through the pain.
“Getting us a cab, she replied smoothly, though I noticed her thumb was moving across the screen as if typing a message rather <b>than </b>making a call.
I was in too much pain to argue. Within minutes, a yellow taxi pulled up to the curb, and Emily helped me inside<b>. </b>
“<b>East </b>Side General Hospital, she instructed the driver, then turned to me as I curled against the seat, arms wrapped around my <b>middle</b>. “Just breathe. We’ll be there soon.”
Dominic’s POV
I stared at the evidence spread across my desk, pieces of a puzzle that were beginning to form a disturbing picture.
his expression <b>grave </b>as he delivered his report.
Marcus stood opposite m
“So Hurst was running an underground gambling operation,” I summarized, tapping a financial statement. “High- stakes <b>poker </b>games, sports betting, and loan sharking.”
Marcus nodded. “And he was <b>in </b>deep with some very dangerous investors. ording to our sources, he owed over two million dors that he couldn’t repay. His photography business was just a front.”
I leaned back in my chair, processing this information. “And Reba’s brother was involved how, exactly?”
–
“Jason Brown was one of Hurst’s debtors, Marcus replied, sliding <b>a </b>folder toward me. “Initially borrowed five thousand dors six months ago. With Hurst’s exorbitant interest rates, the debt had grown to <b>twelve </b>thousand byst week.”
I opened the folder to <b>find </b>printed screenshots of text messages. The exchange between Hurst and <b>Jason </b>Brown grew increasingly threatening over time.
[Payment due today. No excuses.]
[Man I just need another week. Got fired from my job.
[Not my problem. Pay up or things get ugly.]
I told you I don’t have it! <b>What </b>do you want me to do?]
[Maybe ask your sister. I hear she’s fucking Dominic Sterling now. He’s good for it.]
9:11 Fri, Sep 26 B
受国
felt my jaw clench<b>, </b>anger rising at the casual reference to Reba. The final message from Hurst was the most
disturbing:
Time’s up. I’m sending someone to collect. One way or another.|
“When was this sent?” I <b>asked</b>, my voice tight.
“The morning of Jason Brown’s murder,” Marcus replied. “But here’s where it getsplicated. Hurst couldn’t have ordered <b>the </b>hit directly–he was with us at Oak Park when It happened.”
<b>“</b><b>An </b>aplice,” I concluded. “Someone who carried out Hurst’s instructions.” I rose from my chair and moved to the <b>window</b>, looking out at <b>the </b>city sprawled below. “Have we identified the shooters?”
“Not yet. They wore masks, left <b>no </b>fingerprints. Professional job.”
I turned back to face Marcus. “And you believe the ultimate target was Reba? Using her brother’s debt as <b>an </b>
excuse<b>?</b>”
Marcus spread his hands. “It fits Hurst’s pattern of targeting women who’ve rejected him. Sofia was his target, but when <b>that </b><b>n </b>waspromised, he <b>moved </b>on to hurt Reba in a different way.”
“By killing her brother,” I finished, disgust coloring my tone. “Making it look like a debt collection gone wrong while simultaneously sending her a message.”
“This isn’t just <b>about </b>Sofia anymore,” I said slowly. “This is about Reba’s connection to me. To the pack.” The realization settled like lead in my stomach.
‘s name on the screen.
My phone buzzed with an iing message. I nced down to see Emily’s
[Encountered R on street outside Silver Crown. Experiencing severe abdominal pain, Refused to return to <b>SC</b>. Taking her to East Side General at her insistence. Appears <b>to </b><b>be </b><b>in </b>significant distress.]
My
blood turned to ice. “We need to go. Now.”
Marcus looked up, startled by my sudden shift. “What’s happened?”
“Reba is in trouble,” I said, already moving toward the door, grabbing my car keys from the desk. “Call Raymond. Tell <b>him </b>to bring the car around front immediately.”