Chapter 25
Chapter Twenty-Five
Grace
The moment I saw the photo, I knew whoever was watching us had just made their first mistake.
They got cocky.
They wanted us to know they were watching. They wanted to remind us they were one step ahead. But in doing that, they left a trail. A digital fingerprint. And that was all I needed.
I didn’t react right away. I didn’t let Dominic see how fast my pulse had kicked up, didn’t let him catch the shift in my breathing.
Instead, I gripped my phone tighter, my fingers moving fast over the screen as I pulled up the image’s metadata.
Most people didn’t realize that every digital photo carried hidden information—location tags, time stamps, even the device that had taken it.
And whoever had sent this? They were sloppy. They left something behind.
I exhaled slowly, my eyes scanning the raw data until I saw it. A coordinate ping. A location. A mistake.
I turned to Dominic, my voice sharper than usual. “We need to go. Now.”
He didn’t argue.
He just grabbed his jacket and followed me.
The car ride was silent, but the air between us was anything but.
I focused on the road, my grip steady on the wheel, my mind already racing ahead to what we might find. Whoever had sent that photo wasn’t some random stalker looking for attention. This was intentional. It was a challenge. A game. And they were daring us to make the next move.
Fine.
I didn’t play to lose.
Beside me, Dominic was watching me. Not just glancing—watching.
“You’re good at this,” he murmured after a moment, his voice low.
I smirked without looking at him. “Of course I am.”
There was a beat of silence, and then, without warning, he leaned closer.
"Then tell me, Dauntless," he said softly, his breath just barely brushing my skin. "Why do I feel like you’re the only person I can’t control?"
I shouldn’t have reacted. Shouldn’t have let the words seep under my skin, shouldn’t have noticed how warm the air suddenly felt in the small space between us.
But I did.
And the worst part? He knew it.
I kept my gaze on the road, but my fingers curled tighter around the steering wheel. "Maybe that’s your problem, Beethoven."
His smirk was slow. "Maybe it is."
The tension stretched too thick, too tangled, until I forced my attention back to the mission. “Don’t get comfortable. Whoever left this trail did it on purpose. We’re walking into something.”
Dominic leaned back against his seat, his expression unreadable. "Then let’s make sure they regret it."
I didn’t answer.
I just pressed harder on the gas.
The warehouse loomed ahead, abandoned, empty, its metal frame rusted and worn against the dark skyline. It looked deserted, but I wasn’t stupid. Appearances meant nothing.
I killed the engine, scanning the area. No security cameras. No obvious signs of movement. But something felt off. The kind of off that settled deep in your gut, warning you before your brain could catch up.
Dominic didn’t wait for me to speak. He opened the door and stepped out like he owned the place.
I moved faster, grabbing his arm before he could get ahead. "You don’t just walk into situations like this."
His gaze flickered down to where my fingers wrapped around his wrist.
"You worried about me, Dauntless?"
I glared. "I’m worried about keeping you alive."
His smirk didn’t quite reach his eyes, but he didn’t pull away. "Then lead the way."
I let go, ignoring the warmth of his skin under my fingers, and moved forward. The air inside the warehouse was thick with dust, the dim moonlight filtering through the broken windows. The space was too open, too exposed.
And then I heard it.
A slow, deliberate footstep.
My entire body went still.
Dominic noticed. His expression sharpened, his usual arrogance shifting into something more dangerous.
We weren’t alone.
I exhaled once, steady and quiet.
And then, from the shadows, a voice slipped through the dark.
"Took you long enough."
I stiffened.
Dominic’s jaw clenched.
Because whoever was waiting for us knew exactly who we were.
A figure stepped forward from the darkness, their face hidden by the shadows. But the stance, the energy—it was familiar. Too familiar.
I scanned them quickly, cataloging the details. Male. Tall. Lean but strong. Hands loose at his sides, but his posture was controlled, deliberate. Someone trained. Someone who knew exactly what he was doing.
Dominic’s voice was sharp. "Who are you?"
The man chuckled, a slow, almost amused sound. "Now, that’s a shame. I was hoping you’d remember me."
I saw it then—the flicker of recognition in Dominic’s eyes. It was quick, barely there, but I caught it.
He knew this man.
Or at least, he used to.
I took a step forward, my stance shifting slightly, muscles tensed. "What do you want?"
The man tilted his head. "Isn’t it obvious? I wanted to see if you’d take the bait." His gaze flickered toward Dominic. "And you did."
Dominic’s fists clenched at his sides. "You’ve been watching us."
The man’s smirk deepened. "Oh, I’ve been watching you for a long time, Beethoven. And I have to say, you disappoint me."
My fingers itched to reach for my weapon, but I held still, waiting. Reading him. Calculating.
"Let’s not waste time," the man continued, his voice still too casual. "You have something that doesn’t belong to you. And I want it back."
Dominic didn’t flinch. "I don’t know what you’re talking about."
The man’s smirk didn’t fade. "Of course you do."
Silence stretched between them, thick with tension.
Then, without warning, the man moved.
I was already reacting before I fully processed it, stepping in front of Dominic, my arm raised—but the man didn’t strike.
He stopped inches from us, his gaze flickering over me, then back to Dominic.
And then he whispered, just low enough for only Dominic to hear?—
"You should’ve stayed out of this."
Dominic didn’t blink. "You should’ve known better than to threaten me."
The man chuckled. "We’ll see about that."
And then—he disappeared into the shadows.
I exhaled slowly, my heart still hammering, my muscles tight with adrenaline.
Dominic was still watching the spot where the man had stood, his jaw locked, something unreadable flashing in his expression.
I stepped closer, lowering my voice. "Who was he?"
Dominic didn’t answer right away.
Then, finally, he turned to me.
His voice was quiet, but sharp as a blade.
"Someone I should’ve dealt with a long time ago."