Chapter 24
M y phone vibrates against the cold marble of the nightstand, a low hum that promises intrigue. I pick it up to see Liam’s name. “Tell me you have good news,” I say, my voice drowsy with sleep.
"Better than good," he teases."Maria's planning a secret rendezvous with the Feds. Pier 17, at the stroke of midnight."
"Perfect," I murmur, “We need to ensure everything is in place.”
"I'll set the stage, make sure we're steps ahead."
"Swiftly, Liam," I urge, my voice a velvet command that would accept nothing less than immediate action. "We strike fast, and we strike hard."
"Always," he assures, and the call ends with the thrill of impending victory humming between us.
The phone is heavy in my hand as I dial Aldo. He answers on the second ring, his voice a deep rumble that resonates with authority.
"Sloane," he greets, and there's a question in the way he says my name, as though he can taste the urgency of this late-night call.
"Maria is meeting the fed at midnight, Pier 17," I say, words clipped with precision. "We need to intercept them and gather evidence."
"Understood," he replies without hesitation, the line already alive with the sound of him moving, preparing. There's no need for more words; Aldo knows the dance well.
I sit there, basking in the silence of the night, feeling the weight of destiny pressing down upon me. My heart skips, adrenaline coursing through me like a heady drug. It's not fear; it's exhilaration. The game is changing, and I am the queen of shifting tides.