2025-05-07 00:11:55
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CHAPTER 156
The air in Owen's home office was thick with the weight of urgency. A laptop screen glowed on the desk, multiple windows open maps, documents, files of unsolved cases, and grainy mugshots. Killian stood beside Owen, hands in his pockets, eyes narrowed as he tried to piece the fragments of information together. Janelle sat quietly with Nathalie, the younger woman wrapped in a soft throw blanket, her expression dazed but trying to stay focused.Killian turned toward her suddenly, his voice calm but direct. "Nathalie, I need you to think back. When you were taken… or at any point during your time there, did you see anything that stood out? A face, a tattoo, a symbol, anything?"Nathalie blinked, hesitant. "I… I didn't look at them much. I was scared. I kept my head down, most of the time.""I know," Killian nodded. "But sometimes our brain holds onto things even if we don't realize it. Did you see something strange? Something that didn't belong?" Her brows furrowed in thought. She
CHAPTER 155
The soft flicker of the television bathed the living room in pale light. Janelle was nestled comfortably against Killian's side, a shared blanket covering their legs as the romcom played on. He hadn't protested much, not when she looked so pleased every time the couple on screen kissed or shared some cliché, heartwarming line. It wasn't the kind of evening he typically indulged in, but having her close, her warmth pressed against his side and her quiet laughter filling the room, it made him forget the outside world existed. For a while, but as evening fell, and the shadows grew longer, his phone buzzed sharply on the coffee table. Killian hesitated before reaching for it, the name on the screen read Owen. He exchanged a glance with Janelle before answering. "Owen?" Killian's voice immediately sharpened. "What's wrong?" There was a beat of silence, then Owen spoke, grim and direct. "The cartel called. They threatened Nathalie." "What? What exactly did they say?" He
CHAPTER 154
The morning sunlight filtered gently through the curtains, casting a warm golden glow over the bedroom. Janelle stirred first, her eyes fluttering open to the soft rhythm of Killian's breathing beside her. For a few seconds, she simply watched him, soaking in the peace that had settled over them during the night. His brow, usually furrowed with tension, was relaxed. His jaw, always clenched, now slack and vulnerable even beautiful. She slipped out of bed carefully, pulling the sheets back up to keep him warm, and tiptoed toward the kitchen. Today, she'd let him sleep in a bit longer, he deserved it. As the scent of eggs and pancakes filled the air, Janelle hummed quietly to herself, flipping a pancake with practiced ease. She added slices of strawberries on the side and whipped some cream just how Killian liked it, light and not too sweet. She didn't need a reason to stay home today, she just wanted to. He'd been through too much and frankly, so had she. Maybe
CHAPTER 153
Killian sat curled on the floor, hunched forward with his back against the wall, sweat clinging to his brow despite the coolness of the room. His jacket lay discarded nearby, his shirt clinging to his body as his chest heaved with shallow, frantic breaths. His hands trembled violently, one clutching his phone while the other fisted the fabric near his heart, as if sheer pressure might still the ache spiraling out of control inside him. He had tried everything, breathing exercises, pacing, even holding his breath for ten seconds to regain rhythm but none of it helped, not tonight, not when Janelle still hadn't returned, not when his mind was screaming with spirals of loss, failure, and fear. He recorded another voice note, his voice uneven, raw, breaking between words. "Janelle… I'm sorry. I'm... God, I didn't mean to hurt you, I just… I don't know how to sit still anymore. You said not to go, and I wanted to listen. I really did. But Owen needed help, and I couldn't leave Nath
CHAPTER 152
It was well past dinner time now, nearly midnight. The food she'd cooked that morning sat cold in the kitchen. He had no appetite. Just the sharp sting of guilt and a gnawing worry that this time… he might've really messed up. She wasn't answering and he was terrified she might not come home at all. Meanwhile, Janelle sat curled up on the couch in Kiara's lavish apartment, a soft blanket pulled around her shoulders like a shield from the world. The city lights filtered in through the wide windows, but she barely noticed the view. Her head rested against the plush cushion while Kiara buzzed around the room like an excited bee, chatting and checking her reflection in every mirrored surface she passed. Kiara had answered the phone after just one ring, her voice bright and energetic, thrilled to hear from Janelle, especially after she'd sensed something was wrong. But Kiara wasn't home alone, Elias was with her. At first, Janelle had tensed at the sight of him, already pr
CHAPTER 151
Owen gently pulled back from the embrace, brushing a strand of Nathalie's hair away from her face. "You should get some rest," he said quietly. "Starting tomorrow, I'm going to help you figure this out. Step by step." Nathalie gave a small nod, her eyes tired but softer now, less burdened. "Can I stay with you? Just… for tonight?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. Owen let out a quiet chuckle which helped lighten the moment. "Yeah, you can stay," he said with a reassuring smile. Carrying her to his room, without waiting for another word, Nathalie wrapped her arms around him again, curling up against him. She rested her head on his chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. It was the first time in a while that she felt safe. Owen draped his arm around her protectively, letting his own eyes close. The quiet of the room wrapped around them like a cocoon. And in that shared silence, with her breathing evening out against him and his arms a
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