Chapter 3
Selene
Lily arrived shortly after my phone call with the mystery men. I filled her in on the conversation, watching as her mouth nearly hit the floor. She was just as displeased as Max and me—maybe even more so.
“I’ll look into it after the extraction tonight,” she assured me, her fingers already twitching for her keyboard. “You really think Barbra is involved with this group?”
“The timing lines up too well.” I leaned back in my chair, arms crossed. “She showed up out of nowhere and sank her claws into my father. You saw how fast he changed—how he became a shell of himself in just a month. It only got worse from there.”
Lily hummed in agreement, her expression tightening as she processed the information.
“It would explain how… out of it he always seemed,” she murmured.
Max and I nodded solemnly. That woman would get what was coming to her, along with whoever is pulling the strings.
“Lily, I also want you to run a full background check on Barbra—one we can actually trust. I don’t believe the file in my father’s records anymore.”
“Absolutely.” She stood up, nearly colliding with Max. Her cheeks flushed as she stepped around him, and I had to bite back a laugh.
I cleared my throat. “I’m going to get ready. Max, give Lily a little time, then check the feeds and see how everything is looking.”
Max nodded before heading out. As I shut down my computer, my work phone buzzed with a new message from the number that called earlier.
Just hopping on the plane, princess. ??
I rolled my eyes, shaking my head as I leave my office. Whoever these men were, they spelled trouble—though I wasn’t entirely sure it was the bad kind.
I head straight to my ensuite, starting the shower. As steam filled the room, I brushed out my long hair before stepping under the hot spray.
My fingers drifting between my thighs as my mind wandered back to that deep, teasing drawl.
I rubbed slow circles around my clit, imagining the voice growling filthy things in my ear, strong hands pinning me in place.
I wasn’t the kind of girl to get off on a man’s voice, yet here I was, gasping as I plunged two fingers inside myself, hips rocking against my own touch. I let myself sink into the fantasy of my favourite book scene but him as the main man – taking me against the shower wall wish punishing thrusts.
It didn’t take much. A few more strokes, a flick of my thumb against my clit, and I was moaning as pleasure crashed through me.
My god, Selene, you don’t even know this man.
Shaking off the heat still coiling in my belly, I finished washing up and stepped out, wrapping myself in a towel.
I moved through the motions of getting ready drying my hair and tying it into a high ponytail before applying a full face of makeup.
My smokey eye made my gray eyes sharper, my black lipstick making me look every bit the predator I needed to be.
In my closet, I pulled on black leather pants, a red corset top, and my black leather jacket. My combat boots laced up to the base of my calves, but my real arsenal was in the small armoury tucked behind a coded panel.
Strapping on my double holster, I slid two pistols into place, securing dagger sheaths to my forearms before tucking a backup pistol and a knife into my boots. The job was meant to be quick and clean, but always go in prepared, father used to say.
Sliding my work phone into my jacket’s inner pocket, I tucked my personal phone into my corset and inserted my comm into my ear.
I glanced at my full-length mirror. The Wraith stared back at me. Not Selene. Not sugarplum. The last thing someone saw before they died.
A wicked smile curled my lips.
I find Lily in her office, scrolling through live feeds of the club. As I stepped inside, she let out a wolfish whistle.
“Damn, girl. When you dress like that, I start reconsidering my whole sexuality.”
Laughter bubbled up between us, but Max burst in, eyes darting between us.
“What the hell?” he demanded.
Lily and I exchanged a look before bursting into laughter again.
“Relax, big boy,” Lily teased, batting her lashes at him.
Max grunts in response before turning to me. “You ready, boss?”
Lily and I sobered instantly. I glanced at the screens. The club was packed. A neutral zone—one of the few places considered safe ground.
Yet someone had broken that rule by dragging an Italian heir in there as a hostage.
I exhaled. “Yeah. Let’s get this done.”
Max nods and heads out of Lily’s office.
“Stay safe,” Lily warned. “I’ll let you know when I have eyes on them.”
I give her a quick side hug before heading out.
I catch up with Max at the garage door, as we enter our team standing beside a black SUV.
“Alright, gentlemen,” I addressed them. “We get in, we get him out. The second his ass is in a seat, we leave—no hesitation.”
They all nodded in understanding before we piled in and made our way to the club.
? ? ?
The moment we stepped inside, the pounding bass vibrated through my ribs. The dance floor was a mass of writhing bodies, the air thick with sweat, perfume, and expensive liquor. But my focus goes to the VIP section when Lily comes through the comm.
The Italian heir sat crammed into a booth, his stiff posture telling me he wasn’t expecting anyone to help him. His captor—a large man—leaned in close, unaware that his hostage would be stolen out from under him.
Maximus and the team all said ‘in’ confirming they all reached their positions. The extraction was a few minutes away.
I moved through the crowd like a shadow, slipping between bodies with ease. My eyes locked on the target. But just as I reached the VIP section, a strong arm wrapped around my waist, yanking me backward.
I reacted instantly, driving my elbow back, but my attacker was faster. His grip closed around my wrist, twisting just enough to throw me off balance. Before I could strike again my comm was ripped out of my ear before a low, accented voice ghosted against my ear.
“Easy, sugarplum.”
I froze. The nickname. No one besides my father called me that. The realization hit me hard—this man knew who I was.
I struggled harder, but his grip was like iron. “Let me go,” I hissed.
He chuckled, his breath warm against my skin. “I can’t do that, and I’m sure you know why.”
I caught a glimpse of Maximus through the crowd. The team was moving. The distraction my guys caused for extraction was working well. They had would have no idea I was being taken as they were all focused on the job.
I snarled, twisting in my captor’s grasp, but he maneuvered me through the throng of bodies effortlessly, making it look like nothing more than a drunken couple leaving the dance floor.
My pulse hammered. This wasn’t random, I had no doubt in my mind he was apart of the same group as Barbra.
“This won’t get you anywhere.” I spat, as he dragged me out to the ally.
The Russian smirked. “Oh, sugarplum,” he murmured, voice thick with amusement. “This will get me everywhere.”
Something cold pressed against my neck—a needle.
My vision blurred instantly, lights streaking together. My limbs grew heavy, my movements sluggish.
The last thing I saw was this fucker’s ugly mug as I memorized it for my hit list, he was currently taking the lead.
“Sleep tight, Selene.” He whispered low and viciously.