30. Chapter 30
Chapter 30
Noah
F amily night.
An evening designed to introduce the student body’s parents to the prestigious, uptight professors of Spokehaven University. Normally, the school would foot the bill for an event like this, pouring as much money as necessary into making itself look like something worth investing in. A spectacle of wealth, status, and legacy.
But Walker has made it painfully clear, this year is different. This year, it’s about control. His control.
His family doesn’t give a damn about funding an event like this, and he wants everyone to know it. More than that, he wants me to know it. He wants to flaunt his wealth, his power, and now, with the knowledge of just how deeply intertwined he is with Cole and my brother, this might be my only shot at getting Roman Briar to hear me out.
The investigation is closing in. One bad tip, one wrong move, and everything gets pinned on Ana. Those three devils know it, and they’re counting on it.
The courtyard behind the school is a shimmering display of opulence, lights strung from the sprawling gazebo casting a golden glow over the scene. The scent of expensive wine and imported cuisine fills the air as caterers and waiters weave through the crowd, handing out gift bags stuffed with artisanal cheeses and sleek new gadgets.
Walker has planned every detail meticulously. Get the staff drunk, pull the strings from the shadows, and let my brother and Cole lurk just out of sight, watching, waiting.
I keep to myself, my fingers fidgeting with the knot of this damn tie. Despite my protests, Ana insisted it looked nice, tucking a single rose petal into my front pocket before whispering that everything would be okay.
Who knew she’d be the one reassuring me?
I take a long sip of champagne, but the moment Roman and Eden step into the courtyard, all eyes shift to them.
Roman, clad in a sleek black suit, moves with calculated precision. His hair is slicked back, a tattoo peeking from the collar of his crisp shirt. He’s carrying. Of course he is. His sharp gaze barely leaves Eden’s face, softening only when she leans in and presses a kiss to his cheek.
She looks ethereal. A vision in white silk, her dark hair adorned with delicate gold vine embellishments. As she introduces Roman to her colleagues, his attention flickers across the crowd, his mind constantly assessing, scanning.
Good.
At least one of us is keeping a sharp eye on the event.
Across the space, Roman catches my stare. A brief but mutual nod passes between us. My jaw tightens as I try to subtly motion for him to come over.
Before he can make a move, a grating voice cuts through the noise behind me.
"Quite the turnout."
I don’t need to turn around to know who it is. But I do anyway.
Walker stands there, a smug grin plastered across his face, a glass of whiskey in hand. Cole stands beside him, mirroring the expression, his own drink reflecting the golden light of the courtyard.
“The drinks aren’t for little boys,” I snap, gripping my champagne flute a little too tightly.
Walker rolls his eyes. “They are if your parents are paying for the liquor.” He nudges Cole’s arm with a smirk.
“So,” Cole drawls, his smile curling like smoke, “has our sweet Ana heard the news yet? About her little fuck-up with Levi?”
The words hit me like burning coals pressed to my skin.
“You mean your fuck-up?” I scoff, raking my gaze over him, disgusted.
Cole doesn’t get a chance to respond before another voice joins in, one that turns my blood to ice.
“No, big brother.”
Jake’s hands slam down on my shoulders from behind, his grip firm. “He means Ana’s fuck-up.”
I whip around, my fists already curling, but Jake just grins, standing beside me with his own glass of whiskey. The faint bruise from our last encounter is blooming across his forehead, an ugly reminder of the last time we spoke.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” I spit.
Jake scoffs, tilting his glass toward the entrance. “The Briars are here. You and Ana are here. Her parents… it all seems perfect, doesn’t it?”
A sick feeling coils in my gut.
I told Ana to wait. I told her not to come until I gave the okay. I needed to speak to Roman first...needed to make sure he’d even consider helping me before I dragged her into this mess.
But it’s too late now.
Family might be blood, but Ana is so much more than that. And if this goes sideways, if Walker, Cole, and Jake have their way, she’ll be the one to suffer for it.
Catalyst might be my last hope to save her.
And I won’t let these bastards take that from me.
"So what? You're here to stalk your prey?" I snap, locking eyes with Jake, my grip tightening around my drink.
He doesn’t even flinch. Instead, a slow, insidious smirk spreads across his face. "I'm here to make sure you stay in line," he hisses, his gaze drifting past me. Then, with a sick sort of amusement, he adds, "And to marvel at our lovely Anastasia."
There’s something hungry in his tone...something that makes my blood run cold.
I follow his gaze.
The moment I see her, the world around me tilts.
Ana stands beneath the soft glow of the courtyard lights, wrapped in a deep emerald-green dress that clings to her body like it was made just for her. The fabric cascades over her curves, teasing the lines of her figure in a way that makes my mind waver, my body reacting before I can stop it.
I know every inch of her. Every scar, every secret. Every breathless moment we’ve stolen away from the world.
Her hair, deep red and glossy, falls in soft waves down her back, a stark contrast against the smooth expanse of her bare shoulders. Her eyes, rimmed in smoky shadow, flicker in the dim lighting, her lips painted the color of fresh blood.
Fuck.
She looks stunning.
And hanging from her neck, exactly where I wanted it, is the necklace I slipped to her this morning. The diamond charm catches the last rays of the setting sun, shimmering against her skin.
So perfect.
"She looks fucking breathtaking, wouldn’t you say, big brother?" Jake taunts, his voice slithering under my skin like poison.
I grind my teeth, forcing my breathing to stay even.
"Perfect," Cole scoffs. He swirls the whiskey in his glass lazily before sneering, "Wait until you’ve had her in bed. There’s nothing perfect under that dress."
The air between us snaps like a live wire.
I grip my glass so hard I swear it might shatter. My pulse is a war drum in my ears, every muscle in my body screaming to move, to strike.
No. I should fucking kill him.
Before I can react, Erica stumbles into the circle, her drunken sway knocking into my side. She latches onto Cole with a sloppy grin, reeking of liquor and cheap perfume.
"Hey, baby," she slurs, giggling as she curls into him. Then, with a nasty edge to her voice, she sneers, "See that skanky whore over there-"
"Shut the fuck up."
The words come out before I can stop them, low and lethal. My control splinters.
Erica blinks, startled, but I don’t give her a chance to recover.
"Why don’t you learn to fucking hide your hickeys before you start calling someone a whore?" I snap, my eyes flicking to the raw bruises scattered across her neck. The hypocrisy makes my stomach churn.
Walker and Cole exchange glances, both of them smirking like they’re waiting for the show to continue. Then, almost on cue, their attention shifts to Jake, as if expecting him to reel me back in.
"Easy, Noah," Jake warns, his voice tightening. "You don’t want to piss off my friends-"
I don’t hesitate. I down the rest of my drink, slamming the empty glass onto the nearest table before meeting his gaze head-on.
"Yeah," I mutter, my lips curling into a sharp grin. "I do."
Anastasia
Catching the gazes of Elijah and Megan, I spot their parents nearby, chatting among themselves. Their hands flutter eagerly, waving me over, urging me to socialize.
I pretend not to notice.
"Ana!"
Mrs. Briar’s voice rings out, light and airy, just a touch too enthusiastic. She’s been drinking. That much is obvious.
I barely have time to turn before she pulls me into a warm embrace, the scent of expensive perfume clinging to her. Roman trails close behind, his ever-watchful presence a silent contrast to her bright energy.
She pulls back, taking me in with a beaming smile. "Look at you," she coos, eyes sweeping up and down my frame. "You look like a princess."
Oh, the irony.
"You don’t look too bad yourself, Mrs. Briar-"
"Eden," she corrects smoothly. "Tonight call me Eden." she grins, the warmth in her expression making it impossible to refuse.
"Alright," I reply, forcing a smile of my own, willing myself not to scan the crowd for Noah.
"Where are your parents tonight, Ms. Burns?"
Roman’s voice cuts through the moment, calm and measured. The way he says my last name isn’t a question. It’s a statement. A reminder that he already knows exactly who I am.
Clever man.
He asserts his authority effortlessly, without ever needing to raise his voice.
I exhale, shifting on my heels. "My dad had appointments," I admit. "Asking him to come to something like this would be torture. Seeing his old students, being this sick… I didn’t want to put him through that."
Roman nods, processing my words. But his attention flickers, just for a second, toward the drink table.
He sees them before I do.
"Well, I’ll take plenty of pictures for him," Eden chimes, her smile unwavering. "Roman, love, can you grab Ana a drink?"
Roman lingers for a moment, his jaw ticking. But at his wife’s request, he softens. Turning toward her, he presses a gentle kiss to the top of her head, his voice warm despite the tension in his shoulders.
"Of course, Angel."
"I never get tired of his smile," Eden muses, watching him weave through the crowd. "You know, our daughter likes to say her dad-"
But I don’t hear the rest.
Because I’ve already tuned her out.
My attention is locked on the very same thing Roman noticed first.
The drink table.
Jake. Cole. Walker.
Their presence is like a storm cloud rolling in, heavy and suffocating. They stand just close enough to be a problem, their eyes fixed on me with unsettling precision.
A lump forms in my throat. Jake’s presence here, tonight, makes my skin crawl.
And I’m not the only one who feels it.
Even from a distance, I can see it in Roman’s body language. His subtle shift in posture. The way his hand lingers close to his side, as if preparing for something. He doesn’t trust them.
Neither do I.
My chest tightens as I glance around, searching, hoping, until finally, my eyes land on Noah.
Relief washes over me.
He moves with purpose, closing in on Roman like a man on a mission. Without hesitation, he reaches out and plucks the drink from Roman’s hand, his voice low and insistent, saying something I can’t quite hear.
Whatever it is, it’s enough.
Roman lets him guide him away from the three men, his expression unreadable. But I see the shift. The understanding.
"Ana?"
Eden’s voice pulls me back.
I blink, finally turning to face her.
"Are you okay?"
Jake’s gaze burns into the side of my head, scorching, relentless.
Swallowing hard, I force down the fear clawing at my ribs.
"Fine," I whisper, even though it’s a lie.
Even though nothing about this night is fine.
Even though, from across the courtyard, Jake is still watching.
And we both know it.
Noah
"What the hell are you doing?" Roman snaps, yanking his arm away as I pull him farther from the three devils watching us.
I don’t answer. Not until we’re out of earshot. Not until my back is turned to my brother’s pack of criminals.
Lowering my voice, I lean in. "You need to look like I’m threatening you."
Roman’s eyes narrow. Confusion flickers across his face. "What-"
"Antonov," I hiss, cutting him off before he can protest. "That’s my last name. And the man standing over there, watching Ana like a crow, is Jake Antonov. Ever heard the name?"
His jaw clenches. His expression hardens.
"Antonov?" he mutters under his breath. Then, his voice drops even lower. "The same Antonovs who Catalyst had a run-in with last year? The ones who killed a couple of my men during a drug bust gone south?"
I nod, gripping the edge of my suit jacket to keep my hands steady.
Roman grimaces, his mind already piecing the rest together. "There wasn’t a Jake Antonov in charge when my men busted that warehouse." His gaze darkens. "I thought it was odd. A man named Noah Ackerman. No background, no life before Spokehaven. A clean social security number...almost too clean."
His eyes flick to mine, sharp and unreadable.
"It was a long shot," he continues, "but then there was another name. One that carried weight. Noah Antonov. Feared. Ruthless. A murderer. A drug smuggler. A man willing to do anything to uphold Gregory Antonov’s legacy."
The words hit like a bullet to the ribs.
Roman studies me, his jaw twitching. "So, tell me, Noah, what made you drop everything to become a teacher? And more importantly, why the hell would a man like you go and fuck such an innocent girl?"
I exhale sharply, my voice barely above a whisper. "You don’t understand what Ana means to me."
"Maybe not. But it doesn’t excuse the blood on your hands." Roman’s lip curls.
"I left," I snap, my patience thinning. "I ran. My father built his empire on blood he forced my brother and me to spill. Jake fed into the madness. I got out."
Roman’s eyes flick behind me, zeroing in on Jake with unsettling focus.
"Why are the two kids with him?" he asks quietly.
I glance over my shoulder. Walker and Cole. Both standing with my brother. Both playing their roles in a game that’s been rigged from the start.
"Walker," I mutter, "his family has it out for you, just as much as Jake does. And Cole… he has it out for Ana."
Roman’s expression shifts, his fists flexing.
"She saw something," I continue. "Something no one should’ve witnessed. The result of Jake getting sloppy. Walker and Cole are coiled around the Antonovs, and now they want to pin a murder on Ana just to punish me."
Roman exhales slowly, tilting his head. "The boy. Levi Trace. That hit and run. Who caused it?"
I swallow hard. "My brother gave the order to Walker," I admit. "But Cole… Cole is the one who carried it out. Ana just happened to be in the car that night-"
Roman pieces it together instantly. "And now, given your ties to her and your brother’s trigger finger, they want to make you both pay."
I nod, rubbing my temples. The weight of it all is suffocating.
"He wanted to exploit my job," I murmur. "My connection to your wife-"
Roman stiffens. "My wife?" His voice is razor-sharp, his tone enough to make any sane man tremble. "What the hell do those bastards want with my wife?"
I hesitate, watching the fire in his eyes grow deadly.
"To use her," I whisper. "To use my working relationship with her to get to you."
Roman reaches for the gun hidden beneath his suit coat, his fingers twitching against the grip. He’s going to shoot them. Right here. Right now.
Grabbing his wrist, I stop him before he makes a brash decision.
"Help me," I plead, my voice raw. "Help me find a way to keep Ana and Eden safe. I don’t give a damn what happens to me. If you want to throw me in jail for what I’ve done, fine." My voice trembles, but I push forward. "But don’t let them hurt the only woman I’ve ever truly loved."
His nostrils flare, his breathing heavy.
"There was a time, not so long ago, when you were fighting for something people thought was wrong." My voice is desperate now. "When you were willing to tear the world apart for a woman who made you see the better parts of yourself, the parts you thought were lost."
Roman’s jaw tenses, his teeth bared like a predator deciding whether to rip into flesh or walk away.
I take a breath, steadying myself. "So help me."
His eyes flicker with something unreadable— recognition perhaps or something close to it. His grip on the gun slackens, but I know him well enough to see the war still raging beneath the surface.
A long beat passes. Then, finally, his lips curl into something cold, almost mocking. "They’re staring," he mutters. "What the hell did you tell them we were doing?"
Shame burns through me. I clench my fists at my sides. "I told them I was threatening you. And Eden."
Roman nods once, inhaling sharply through his nose. "Fine," he whispers.
Then, with no warning, his knuckles collide with my nose.
The impact is sudden, the pain radiating through my face as I stumble back, gripping my cheek in shock. A murmur ripples through the crowd, guests whispering, exchanging silent conversations.
Roman adjusts his cufflinks, smirking like a man who just handled a problem with his fists. "Have to sell it, don’t we?"
I swallow hard, blinking away the daze, my nose throbbing. "Right."
Across the courtyard, Jake is watching. His expression shifts into something sickly satisfied, as if he just won a game he’s been playing for far too long.
Fucking hell.
How the hell am I going to pull this off?
A light touch brushes against my shoulder. I turn sharply, body still tense, only to meet her eyes.
Ana.
She stands there, holding out a handkerchief, her delicate fingers steady despite the silent concern written all over her face.
"You better explain what just happened," she whispers, her voice low, guarded. Then, with a glance toward the dance floor, she adds, "After you dance with me."
For the first time all night, a small, tired smile pulls at my lips.