Chapter Six #3
“Shower,” I say finally, my voice lower but steady.
She tilts her head slightly, looking up at me with a small, knowing smile, then nods slowly. “Okay.”
“You go first. If I go in with you, I won’t be able to control myself,” I say, kissing the corner of her mouth while she slides down my body.
She smiles, then pulls away reluctantly, grabbing her clothes as she heads into the bedroom. I watch her go a second longer than I should before forcing myself to look away. The shower starts a few seconds later, and I quickly drag on my shorts.
I reach for my phone immediately, dialing Emerald. The line connects faster this time.
“Tell me you’ve got something,” I say without preamble.
Emerald exhales on the other end. “We’ve finally gotten a voice, and we’re working on it.”
My jaw tightens, but I wait for more.
“It’s distorted,” he continues. “Whoever set up the contract knew what they were doing. It’s layered, masked. It’s going to take time to strip it down cleanly.”
“Give me something.”
Another pause. “It’s a woman,” he says finally.
I go still. “You’re sure?”
“As sure as I can be without full clearance,” he replies. “The base tone, the cadence—it’s female.”
My mind shifts instantly, pieces rearranging, aligning with what we just uncovered. Nora’s inheritance. But it’s better to be sure.
“When will you have a name?” I ask.
“Not soon enough for your liking,” he says. “We’re pushing it, but whoever this is, they covered their tracks well.”
“That won’t last.”
“No,” he agrees quietly. “It won’t.”
I end the call shortly after, my thoughts already moving ahead, connecting what I know with what I suspect. A woman. Close enough to know the system. Smart enough to hide behind it. The shower cuts off not long after.
I set the phone aside just as Nora steps back into the room, towel wrapped around her. Her hair is damp and her expression lighter than before. I walk toward her, meeting her halfway. The pull between us is something I’m unwilling to ignore.
I gather her in my arms, drawing her close. “Anything?” she asks.
“A lead,” I murmur, placing a soft, lingering kiss on her lips.
Her brows lift slightly. “That sounds serious.”
“It is.”
“What kind of lead?”
I study her for a second before answering. “It’s a woman.”
She blinks. “A woman?”
“Yeah.”
Her expression shifts, confusion mixing with something else. “That doesn’t…help much.”
“Not yet. But they’re still digging, and once the voice is clean, we’ll have a name.”
She exhales slowly, processing that, then nods. “Okay.”
Before I can say anything else, her phone buzzes on the table. She glances at it. Then freezes.
“What is it?” I ask, my grip tightening around her.
She swallows. “It’s my aunt.”
Everything in me sharpens instantly. “Don’t answer,” I say.
“She’s probably checking on me,” Nora says as she leaves my embrace and picks up her phone.
“Just…don’t tell her where you are,” I say, my voice quieter now but no less firm.
She nods, but the call ends even before she picks up. I slowly exhale.
“Will you call her back?” I ask.
“No.”
“Okay. Good.’
???
I turn onto the next street, thinking about the kill order on Nora. I needed a clear head to figure out how to handle this. With everything I know, I have no doubt that her aunt is behind the contract. But Nora won’t believe it without evidence.
I don’t blame her, but I’m torn and worried that she’d react the same way even with the truth staring her in the face. My phone rings. I pull it out. I don’t need to check the screen. I already know.
“What did you find?” I answer immediately.
Emerald doesn’t waste time. “We got it.”
My grip tightens slightly. “Who is it?”
“It’s her aunt.”
“Confirmed?” I ask.
“Yes,” he replies. “The inheritance clause triggered everything. If Nora dies before she turns twenty, the entire estate transfers to her aunt. She placed the contract through a third-party channel, masked her voice—but we traced it back.”
My chest tightens. I’m not surprised. I only needed the confirmation. But I feel bad for Nora. She’ll be devastated.
“Where’s Nora?”
“At the apartment,” I reply.
“Then get back there,” he says quickly. “If the aunt’s behind this and she’s making contact, she might move soon.”
The words barely register before something colder settles in my chest. I end the call and turn back toward the building. My pace is already faster, my instincts screaming louder with every step.
The apartment door opens too easily. The silence inside hits first. “Nora?” I call, already moving through the space.
No answer. The room is empty. My chest tightens, something cold gripping hard as I scan quickly. I quickly take out my phone, already pulling up the tracker I installed on her phone. My jaw locks as the location loads.
She’s moving. Away from here. And toward her aunt’s house.
“Damn it,” I mutter, already turning back toward the door.
Fear hits fast. Sharp. Because now, I’m not ahead of this anymore. And if I’m too late…I don’t let that thought finish. I walk out of the apartment, hoping I get to her before she’s harmed.