19. The Phantom
The Phantom
Chapter 19
The next morning, I woke to no messages from Caroline on my phone, but when I stumbled into my lab with a cup of coffee in hand, there was an alert flashing on one of my monitors. Bleary eyed and yawning, I dropped into my chair and clicked on the message waiting in my encrypted inbox from ShadowRunner.
As the words came into focus, dread pooled in my stomach, cold and heavy. Someone had placed bounties on Scarlett and her father, revealing details about their appearances, last known locations, and a significant reward for information leading to their captures.
Heart racing, I read the message again, panic and fear mingling. I took a deep breath, doing my best to calm down, knowing any rash decisions could put them in greater danger, but my veins were filled with live wires.
My fingers flew across the keyboard, scrolling endlessly through the darkness. Somewhere in the tangled web was a trail leading to Umberto Aresco. The ShadowRunner’s message mentioned him by name, which meant he was involved in the threats against Scarlett and Ivy—if ShadowRunner was telling the truth.
I didn’t know much about Aresco, but after hours of searching, one name kept appearing again and again in hidden chat logs and encrypted messages: Cinder.
The name echoed in my mind as I leaned back in my chair, eyes burning from staring at the screens for so long, but my searching had paid off. The trail of clues, as entangled as it was, led back to only one conclusion: Umberto Aresco was Cinder, but that wasn’t the worst part. Aresco had been on the FBI's radar for years but had remained untouchable, a ghost in the machine who didn’t leave loose ends. He engaged in organized crime across the East Coast at the highest levels, and he wanted Scarlett and Ivy captured or eliminated.
My stomach churned as the truth sank in. Being related to the Italian mafia, he had eyes and ears everywhere, informants who would do anything for the right price. I didn’t know why the Italian mafia had a stake in New Orleans organized crime, but if he was truly after them, they wouldn’t last long, not on their own. Even Ethan would be out of his league if Aresco was truly after his wife and father-in-law.
Heart pounding against my ribs, I pulled off my glasses and ran a hand through my hair. There was still a lot I didn’t know, but I needed to call Ethan and tell him what I found out. I dialed his number on a secure line, and it only rang once before a familiar voice answered.
“Talk to me.” Ethan’s voice was clipped, impatient, clearly suspecting it was not a social call.
“It’s worse than we thought,” I said without preamble. “Umberto Aresco is involved. Italian mobster. He’s been using the alias ‘Cinder’ and has put a bounty on Scarlett and Ivy. Alive or dead. I don’t know how much time we have before his men find them.”
Silence. Then a muffled curse. “How did you uncover this?”
I rubbed the back of my neck, feeling the tension coiled there. “A lot of digging. It took time to trace everything back to him, but the signs are irrefutable. I still need to dig more into his connections to the New Orleans gangs, but from what I’ve found thus far, it looks like gangs from the North have illegal shipments coming in through the port of Orleans. Delacroix’s gang was like the troll under the bridge, more or less. Everyone else pays a toll for their products to pass.”
“Shit. Alright.” Ethan’s voice turned steely, authoritative. “I know we’ve already wiped Scarlett’s digital footprint, but search again, make sure we didn’t miss anything.” He went quiet for a moment, and I knew he was pacing.
“You got it, boss. Anything else?”
“Monitor the FBI’s movements and communications. See what they know and if you can find out where Ivy is being kept. We need to get to him before Aresco’s men do.”
Adrenaline surged through my veins, and I tapped on my mouse, needing to do something with my pent-up energy. “Consider it done. I can send an anonymous tip that Ivy’s location has been compromised—force the feds to move him again. Maybe that will buy more time.”
“That’s a good idea.” His tone softened for a moment—my friend coming through. “Call me as soon as you have any updates. And Tristan, be careful. If these assholes find out who you are and that you’re involved, they won’t hesitate to take you out too.”
Dread sent my heart into my stomach, but it was an inevitability I’d already considered. Nothing about this situation was safe. “With all due respect, boss, he’ll have to catch me first.”
Ethan huffed out a laugh. “Godspeed, Phantom.
A moment later, the line went dead. I sat there for a moment, running a search for Scarlett’s name that would take some time to finish, and sending the tip I’d mentioned to the authorities. Fresh anxiety tightened my chest—worry for my friends and heartbreak over Caroline. I needed to move.
With a sigh, I secured the earbuds in my ears and walked down the hall, pushing the door open to my home gym. I never needed a guest room, so instead of a bed, it was filled with equipment—a treadmill, row machine, and weights, the basics so I didn’t need to use a public gym.
As the music pulsed through my earbuds, I worked through my routine. The sound of my footsteps on the mat, the grip of the weights in my hands, and the burn of my muscles echoed in my mind as I went through the motions. I pushed harder, faster, my heart pounding in rhythm with the heavy metal music that screamed in my ears. Sweat dripped down my forehead as the adrenaline rushed through my veins. Yet, amid the pounding music and burning pain, I found a sense of calm, a clarity of mind that helped me focus on the task at hand. My muscles screamed in protest, but I moved to my punching bag, taking out my frustrations on an invisible enemy. The weight of the responsibility on my shoulders felt lighter, the fear less overwhelming. With each blow, each lift, I pushed at the darkness that threatened to consume me.
When the last note of the song I was listening to faded, however, and I collapsed onto the mat gasping for breath, the tension in my chest found its way back to me, demanding my attention.
Heading into the shower, I stood beneath the spray, allowing the water to wash away the remnants of the intense workout, but it did nothing for the anxiety that had sent me there. All I could think about was Caroline. I didn’t understand why she was avoiding me, what I had done to push her so far away. The way her eyes danced when she laughed, the scent of that damn floral shampoo…everything about her consumed my thoughts. Visions of her standing above me at the mountain lookout point as I licked her pussy had my cock hard enough to break glass. I needed her.
Wrapping my hand around my length, I stroked it hard, groaning at how good it felt. I allowed images of her to flood into my mind, her curves, her breathy sighs, the way she arched her back when she climaxed. The thought of being inside her, feeling her body tremble around me, sent a surge of desire through me that I knew my hand would never satisfy, but I needed the release.
I braced myself on the cold tile and stroked harder, a moan escaping my lips. The pressure built within me, the memory of her becoming more vivid with each passing second. My hand moved faster and harder, the tension in my balls growing more intense. I closed my eyes, reliving the moment when we were first together, the raw passion and connection we shared.
And then the dam broke. Shuddering with a groan, the pent-up energy flowed out of me. As the euphoria washed over me, I leaned against the wall, trying to catch my breath, fighting to erase Caroline from my mind, but it was useless. I had a purpose, something worth fighting for, and when all was said and done and she and her family were safe, I had every intention of getting her back.