LOGINRachel POV
I stepped out of the car as Mark opened the door for me, the morning sun spilling over the courtyard of my campus. I turned and reached out my hand for Leo. He took it eagerly, hopping down to his feet with a beaming smile. “Is this where you go to school?!” he asked, eyes wide as I adjusted the strap of his small sling bag on his shoulder. “Yes, Leo,” I answered, crouching down to his level. “But remember—be on your best behaviour.” “I will!” heRachel POVI lay in the medical room bed, staring at the ceiling.Sleep wouldn't come.Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Jane's face. Heard her voice. Felt the pain.My ribs ached with every breath. The cuts on my arms stung beneath the bandages.But the physical pain was nothing compared to the weight pressing on my chest.Mark knows who the Raven leader is.And he's keeping it secret. For me.Leo was curled up beside me, his small body pressed against my side. Even in sleep, he wouldn't let go of me. His hand clutched my hospital gown, and every few minutes he'd whimper softly, his face scrunching up.He'd been terrified all day. Even when Marcus and Thalia came to visit, he'd refused to leave my side.Mark was in the other bed across the room, finally in a deep sleep. Exhausted from everything he'd done to protect me during the kidnapping.He deserved the rest.But I couldn't sleep.My mind kept circling back to the same though
Damien POV Ten years agoMy knuckles were bleeding.I stared at the unconscious body I had just beaten before walking down the empty street. My skin was split open, blood dripping onto the pavement. The pain was there, burning and throbbing but I barely felt it.I never felt much of anything anymore.At nineteen, I'd rebuilt the Montrel empire from ash. Made it bigger, stronger, more ruthless than my father ever had. My name brought fear to every corner of the underworld.People whispered it in dark rooms and back alleys.Damien Montrel. Efficient. Cold. Brutal.But I didn't know how I'd gotten here. The years between nine and nineteen were a blur of numbers, blood, and smoke. Spreadsheets and strategy. Drinking until I couldn't think. Hookups with faces I didn't remember the next morning.Anything to forget.Anything to stop feeling.The bar fight tonight had been pointless, some idiot thought he could talk shit about the Montrel na
Damien POVIt was nighttime. The house was quiet.By tomorrow, Alessandro, Vance, and I would leave for an indefinite time to stop the Raven once and for all.Meaning it would be a while until I saw Leo again.And Rachel.I sat at the bottom of the stairs, replaying Vance's words in my head.I'd kept the secret long enough. Rachel deserved to know what my father did. What her father helped hide.But I was scared.My hands shook as I stared at them.The silence of the night was getting to my head.I was so scared.I didn't understand why.She couldn't even leave; she was only here because of the deal, her father's debt still unpaid.But the thought of her hating me for it, or going distant, hurt more than I wanted to admit.Everything was finally going well.But the Raven had to come. And my father's sins had to surface.I wouldn't be shocked if the Raven was a result of something my father did.I can't lose her.
Rachel POV Leo stood in the doorway, barely awake, his pajamas wrinkled and his hair sticking up in every direction. Tears were already dripping down his face, but he didn't move-just stood there and cried."Leo," I breathed, my voice breaking.For a moment, we just stared at each other.He had bandages on his arms. A bruise darkening his cheek. His eyes were red and swollen like he'd been crying for days.But he was standing. He was alive. He'd survived the fall.My vision blurred with tears."Mama?" His voice was so small and broken. "I'm here, baby," I whispered. "I'm here."That broke him.He stumbled forward to my bed, throwing his arms around me and hugging me so tightly I winced at the pressure against my injuries.But I didn't care.I wrapped my arms around him and pulled him close, burying my face in his hair."I'm so glad you're well. I'm so glad you're safe," I muttered into his hair as he wept into my neck; loud, unbo
Rachel POVI woke up to the car slowing down.I blinked, tired and dizzy. Sleeping on the way hadn't helped my exhaustion at all. I realized I had slept on Damien's shoulder.We had left the compound early in the morning before dawn broke.And now we were parked in front of an unfamiliar place."Where are we?" I asked. "This isn't the manor."Alessandro spoke from the passenger seat. Vance was driving."This is a safe house. You and the kids will be here for now. It's isolated from the city and safe," he answered, glancing at me.I blinked slowly. "Wait. Are you saying I'm going to be cut off from everyone?""Just for a short time, Rachel. Until this is handled," Damien said quietly from beside me.I didn't respond. I averted my gaze, and that gave him the hint to open the door and help me out of the car carefully, his hand steadying me.There was another car behind us, and Mark and another guard walked out.I stared at the new home ah
Rachel POVIt was already getting dark and I was hungry.I tried to ignore it as I walked beside Mark in the darkening woods, tired.We continued walking until I noticed a small puddle of water and walked to it, washing my face.Mark stopped in his tracks before sitting down, exhausted. "We can stop here."I nodded as I splashed water on my face to wash off the exhaustion.I sighed, confused, as I stared at my rough reflection in the water.What am I doing?I wondered, glancing at Mark who was resting his eyes against the tree.If I was to leave Damien, where would I even go?I'm not even thinking straight.I sighed, my face in a deep frown.Why is Marcus doing this?That was the question. I bit my lips, more confused. I needed to know his motivation. Maybe I could talk to him.He won't kill me.He cares about me.I wasn't so sure.Nothing was fair. I was stuck between two sides and now dragging Mark with me into possibly betraying Damien."Are you okay?"Mark's voice snapped me out o
Chloe dragged Mark toward the kitchen counter.“I can’t drink. I’m working,” he said for the third time, his voice flat, standing stiffly beside her as he’d rather be anywhere else.Chloe sighed dramatically, dropping his hands. “You’re at a party, not a military base. Why are you standing there lo
Rachel POVThe water was warm, the faint scent of soap curling through the air.I rested back against Damien’s chest, his arms loose around my waist—skin to skin, nothing between us. His breathing was slow and even, eyes closed, as if he’d finally allowed himself to stop guarding the world for once
Damien POVI pushed open the white door to Leo’s room, my eyes needing a moment to adjust to the vibrant chaos of colour. A stark contrast to the rest of my manor.Leo was seated on a small stool, arms crossed in a defiant pout. “No bandage till Papa is here.”A frustrated sigh c
Rachel POV The big lecture hall was already filling up by the time I slipped inside. Students shuffled into their seats one by one, chatting, laughing, living their normal lives. Meanwhile, I was still dying inside from Eli’s rejection. My cheeks burned with the memo







