The wrong night

Rain hammered against the bus stop roof as Aria Collins hugged her sketchbook tighter against her chest, trying hopelessly to protect it from the wind.

The last bus had already left. Of course it had.

She let out a tired sigh and rubbed her freezing fingers together before checking her phone again. Two percent battery.

Perfect. “Seriously?” she muttered under her breath.

Her shift at Valentino’s Restaurant had ended nearly an hour ago, but one of the waitresses had called in sick, forcing Aria to stay late washing dishes and cleaning tables she didn’t even serve. Her entire body ached from exhaustion. She still had an unfinished art project due tomorrow morning, rent overdue by three weeks, and exactly forty-two dollars left in her bank account.

Forty-two dollars.

The number sat heavily in her chest.

At twenty-two, this was not the life she imagined for herself. She looked across the empty street, watching rainwater slide down glowing neon signs while expensive cars sped through puddles without slowing down. Somewhere in the distance, music echoed from one of the elite clubs downtown — the kind of places rich people disappeared into while people like her worried about whether they could afford groceries. Aria pulled her thin jacket tighter. Her mother’s hospital bill flashed through her mind again. The medications alone were becoming impossible to pay for. A sharp vibration buzzed in her pocket.

MOM. Despite everything, Aria smiled softly before answering. “Hey, Mom.” “Sweetheart, are you still working?” her mother asked weakly through the speaker. Aria swallowed the exhaustion in her throat immediately. “No, I’m already heading home.” A lie.

“You shouldn’t stay out too late in this weather.”

“I know.” There was a short silence before her mother spoke again, her voice quieter this time. “The landlord came today.” Aria closed her eyes briefly. Of course he did. “What did he say?” “He wants the rent before the weekend.” Her chest tightened painfully. “I’ll handle it,” Aria said quickly. “Don’t worry about that.” “But—” “I said I’ll handle it.” The firmness in her voice softened instantly afterward. She hated sounding frustrated with her mother. None of this was her fault. “You should rest,” Aria whispered. “Did you take your medicine?” “Yes" “Good. I’ll be home soon.”

After ending the call, Aria stared blankly at the dark screen of her phone until it died completely in her hand. For a moment, she just stood there listening to the storm. Then she laughed bitterly to herself. This day couldn’t possibly get worse. A loud crack of thunder split across the sky. “Fine,” she muttered. “Maybe don’t challenge the universe.”

Since there were no taxis in sight, Aria decided to cut through Blackwood Alley to get home faster. It was dangerous at night, but the storm had emptied most of the streets. She adjusted her bag over her shoulder and hurried into the narrow alleyway.

The deeper she walked, the quieter the city became. Rainwater dripped from fire escapes overhead. Dim security lights flickered weakly against brick walls covered in graffiti. Her shoes splashed through shallow puddles as cold wind swept through the alley.

Then she heard it. A scream. Aria froze instantly. It came from farther ahead.

A man’s voice shouted something harsh and furious. Another scream followed — shorter this time. Fear crawled up her spine. Every instinct told her to turn around immediately. But before she could move, headlights suddenly flooded the alley. A black SUV. Aria panicked and quickly ducked behind a large dumpster just as the vehicle rolled to a stop nearby. Her breathing became shallow. Voices echoed through the rain. “Please—please, you don’t understand—”

A loud punch interrupted the pleading voice. Aria’s stomach twisted. She carefully peeked through the narrow gap beside the dumpster. Three men in dark suits surrounded another man who had fallen onto the wet pavement. Blood streamed from his mouth as he struggled to crawl backward. One of the suited men grabbed him by the collar violently. “You should’ve stayed loyal.”

“I swear I didn’t tell anyone—”

Gunshot.

Aria nearly screamed.

The sound exploded through the alley, deafening and brutal. The injured man collapsed instantly onto the pavement. Dead. Her entire body locked in horror.

Oh my God.

Oh my God.

Her shaking hand flew over her mouth to stop herself from making a sound. The rain continued falling heavily around the body while the men stood there calmly, almost casually, as if murder meant nothing to them. Then another car pulled into the alley. This one was different. Longer. More expensive. Dangerous somehow. The back door opened slowly. Polished black shoes touched the wet pavement first. Then he stepped out. Tall. Broad shoulders hidden beneath a dark tailored coat. Power radiated from him instantly — cold, controlled, terrifying. Aria couldn’t fully see his face yet, but the other men straightened immediately when he approached. Fear swept through her chest for reasons she couldn’t explain. The man standing closest to the body lowered his head respectfully. “It’s handled, sir.” The newcomer said nothing at first. Rain dripped quietly from the edges of his coat as he stared down at the corpse with complete indifference. Then he spoke. Deep voice. Calm voice. The kind of voice that didn’t need to be loud to make people obey.

“Search him.”

One of the men crouched beside the dead body immediately. “That won’t be necessary.” Aria’s breath caught violently. Another voice. Behind her. Too close. Before she could react, a rough hand suddenly grabbed her arm and yanked her away from the dumpster. Her sketchbook crashed into the puddles below. “No—!” A terrified scream tore from her throat as she struggled against the man holding her. “Well,” the stranger muttered darkly. “Looks like we have a witness.” Every head in the alley turned toward her.

And for the first time, the dangerous man beside the car looked directly at her. Aria forgot how to breathe. Cold gray eyes locked onto hers through the rain. Beautiful. Deadly. Empty. The world seemed to stop around them. One of the guards pulled a gun from his jacket instantly. “Should I kill her?” Aria’s blood ran cold. The terrifying man continued staring at her silently. His expression never changed. But something about his gaze felt suffocating. Like he could see every fear inside her without even trying. Aria’s legs trembled violently. “I—I didn’t see anything,” she whispered desperately. Nobody answered. Rain poured harder around them. Then the stranger finally stepped forward slowly. Aria’s heartbeat thundered painfully in her chest as he stopped directly in front of her. Up close, he looked even more dangerous. Sharp jawline. Dark hair damp from rain. Expensive watch gleaming beneath his sleeve. Power clung to him like a shadow. He studied her face carefully before his gaze dropped toward the sketchbook lying open in the puddle. One page remained visible beneath the rain. A charcoal drawing. His face. Aria’s stomach dropped. She hadn’t even realized she’d sketched him instinctively during those few seconds she saw him standing there. The man beside her tightened his grip. “She saw everything, boss.” The dangerous stranger looked back at her slowly. Then finally spoke. “You shouldn’t have been here tonight.” Aria’s lips parted soundlessly. Because somehow… That sounded less like a threat.

And more like a warning.