Chapter 23 Malec
Malec
Pedro eases the car onto the parking floor of our family building, sliding it across two spots—one usually reserved for my father, the other for Abert.
They’ve got their preferences, but this way it’s easier to get Fedor’s daughter down to the underground training room for questioning before she even steps inside.
Better than dragging her straight into my father’s torture basement, at least.
I glance over.
She’s still got her face glued to the window like she’s hoping to magically phase through the glass. Her body’s clinging to the car door like it’s the only thing keeping her alive.
She wanted to run away from her father.
I can use that.
“We’re here,” I say flatly. “And we’ve got some things to discuss…”
It comes out more like a threat than a statement. I don’t bother correcting it.
Bay and Pedro both turn, giving us matching looks—like we’re a pair of bratty kids fighting in the back seat.
Of course.
“Malec, stop scaring her. She looks pale,” Bay huffs, then shifts her attention to Roran just as I inhale slowly through my nose.
“What’s your name?” Bay asks, even though she already knows, her voice so gentle it actually throws me off for a second. I could roll my eyes. Could toss some cold comment her way.
But I don’t.
Myko would never let it go—and worse, it would crack the cold calm I’ve been building. And I don't crack. Not in front of people I might need to control.
“True,” he growls in my head, always just early enough to annoy me. “For the 'never let it go' part, anyway.”
Roran finally turns her head, blinking at Bay like she doesn’t know how to process basic kindness. I would be confused too—it feels like we’re pulling some half-assed good cop, bad cop routine without even trying. That was never the plan.
“Roran,” she answers quietly, eyes dropping to her knees, uncomfortable.
She had some fight in her earlier. Now she’s too quiet, lost in her own head, and I doubt her thoughts are anything good.
Roran.
I clock the soft accent of her name rolls off her tongue as I push open the back door on my side.
“Get out,” I order, ignoring Bay’s laser-eyed glare burning through my temple. We’re not here to bond or make friends, and Roran soul’s already whispering loud enough to give me a headache.
“I think she’s sick. Or something’s wrong with her body,” I tell Myko. “Her soul… it’s not making any sense.”
“I sense it too,” he chimes in, low and distant in my mind. Like he’s been chewing on that thought for a while and still hasn’t figured it out.
“Something about her feels… different.”
Roran takes a deep breath, probably assessing her chances of running—her eyes flick from one side of the car to the other.
Good luck with that.
“We don’t have all day,” I say coldly, tilting my chin toward her door. “Get. Out.”
She swallows hard, then quickly opens the door and steps out, closing it gently behind her.
She hasn’t said a word since we left the gate. That’s fine by me. I’d rather pull the truth from her somewhere private anyway.
“Malec,” Pedro calls, touching my back as he steps out of the driver’s seat.
I glance over, making sure Bay’s taking Roran on the other side of the car, before turning to him. I raise a brow when he still hasn’t spoken.
He leans in slowly, like he’s about to whisper something in my ear—
Then I feel it. The cold metal of his gun slipping into the waistband at the back of my jeans.
“One can never be too cautious,” he mutters. “That was too easy. Don’t trust a word she says until we confirm it.”
My body tenses. It’s the first time he’s ever handed me his gun like this, and the way he’s acting, the way his voice dropped…
We don’t need a weapon. I know our protocols by heart.
So why is he so tense now?
Still, I nod. “I’ll know if she’s lying. Don’t forget.”
My voice is low, just above a breath, as I look past him through the open window.
Bay is holding Roran’s arm, whispering something in her ear.
“Tell my aunt to stop making friends. We don’t know what we’re dealing with.”
“And you really think she’s gonna listen to me?” Myko groans in my head like a tired parent.
No. She won’t.
But she still needs the reminder.
Pedro nods. “Alessio gets back from Vegas later today. We’ll catch up then.” He circles to Bay’s side before I can respond, calling her over toward the elevator.
I draw in a slow breath through my nose. Alessio was sent in my place to handle something over there—a two-day job. But he’s reckless. Just like Pedro. I have no idea how he’s going to react when we loop him in.
“We’ll swim through the current when we get there. Focus on what’s in front of us,” Myko murmurs in my head. I hadn’t even spoken to him, but he’s right. Even if I hate to admit it.
Roran approaches cautiously, walking around the SUV toward me.
“Is it true?” she asks, her voice quiet but urgent. Her eyes lock on mine. “You took me to stop the wedding from happening?”
She exhales shakily, tears brimming in her eyes, then quickly looks away, back toward the car.
What in the merhell did Bay whisper to her?
“I’m the one asking questions here,” I snap, losing patience. “Now, are you going to walk or do I need to carry you?” I gesture mockingly toward the heavy metal door across the parking lot.
She follows the direction of my hand and answers quickly, “I’ll walk.”
Less work for me.
“Then go.”
I trail behind her, keeping close. Whatever Bay told her flipped something in her. She’s still scared—but now she’s focused. Determined.
And I don’t know if that should bother me or not.
I still can’t feel anything clearly from her soul. It’s too loud—vibrating around her head like static—and I can’t even see its shape clearly.
Why is it that black?
Why does it feel so disturbed?
She stops at the door, turning to me for direction. I scan my fingerprint, unlocking it without a word.
She doesn’t try to run. Not even a flinch.
And it’s not because it would be impossible—our men would catch her in seconds at the exit.
No, she’s not running because something in her changed. She wants to know what’s going on as much as I do.
I’m not sure if I trust that yet.
And with her soul this loud, I can’t afford to guess.
Just before I close the door behind us, I hear the sound of cars pulling into the lot.
Everyone’s back.
I need answers—fast.
Before my father and Mariano come down, I need to understand what’s wrong with her.
What’s wrong with her soul.
Otherwise, I can’t confirm anything for them.
And if I can’t confirm it, I might’ve just blown the entire plan.