Chapter 136
Aria pov
“Non-negotiable,” he said, echoing my words. “You want partnership? This is a partnership. You don’t get to protect me by keeping me away p>
I studied his face—the determination, the fear, the absolute refusal to back down. “Okay,” I said softly. “Together p>
“Together,” he agreed.
The rest of the day was a blur of preparation. The training room smelled like gun oil and sweat. The bulletproof vest pressed heavy against my ribs. FBI tactical briefings, weapons training (I refused a gun but accepted pepper spray and a panic button), memorizing the warehouse layout, running through scenarios.
By the time evening fell, I was exhausted and wired simultaneously.
“You should eat,” Olivia said, appearing with takeout around 6 PM. “Can’t rescue your terrible sister on an empty stomach p>
“How did you”
“Richards called me. Said you were doing something stupid and brave and might need medical support.” She set down Chinese food. “So here I am. Ready to patch you up when this inevitably goes sideways p>
The smell of Chinese food filled the room—normally I’d be hungry, but my stomach twisted. “Your confidence is overwhelming,” I said dryly, but I hugged her.
“Aria, you don’t have to do this.” Olivia’s voice was serious. “Vivian made her choices, you don’t owe her this p>
“I know.” I pulled back. “But I owe it to myself, to the person I want to be. I can’t preach about mercy and forgiveness and then abandon her when she actually needs me, knowing that was the one who put her in a position where she could be taken by Marcus p>
“Even if it means walking into a trap p>
“Especially then.” I smiled slightly. “Besides, I have an FBI tactical team, Damien’s security forces, and the knowledge that Marcus wants to talk before he kills. That gives us an advantage p>
“Or it gives him time to torture you,” Olivia said bluntly. “But I know better than to argue with you when you’ve made up your mind. Just” Her voice cracked. “Just come back. Noah needs his mom and I need my best friend p>
“I’ll come back,” I promised. “I’m too stubborn to die p>
“That’s the spirit.” She squeezed my hand. “Now eat, you need strength for tonight p>
At 10 PM, I stood in our bedroom, staring at my reflection. The bulletproof vest made me look bulkier, more imposing. Dark clothes, hair pulled back, no jewelry except for my engagement ring. I looked like I was going to war.
“You don’t have to do this.” Damien appeared in the mirror behind me, his hands settling on my shoulders. “Say the word and we’ll find another way p>
“There is no other way.” I turned to face him. “Marcus wants me. If I don’t show, he kills Vivian. And even though she’s betrayed me more times than I can count, I’m not a person who lets people die when I can stop it p>
“I know.” He pulled me close. “It’s one of the things I love about you. Your compassion, your strength, your refusal to become bitter despite every reason to be. You’re” His voice cracked. “You’re everything good in my life, Aria. And the thought of you walking into danger”
“I’ll be careful,” I promised. “And I’ll have a whole FBI team watching my back p>
“Still.” He cupped my face. “If something happens—if Marcus tries to hurt you”
“Then you and Torres’s team will stop him.” I covered his hands with mine. “But nothing is going to happen. We’re going to get Vivian out, arrest Marcus, and go home to our son. That’s the plan p>
“Plans change.” His eyes were haunted. “I’ve already lost you once, Aria. I can’t—if I lost you again, for real this time p>
“You won’t.” I kissed him gently. “I promise. I’m coming back to you p>
“You better.” He pulled me into a fierce embrace. “Because I’m not done proving myself to you. Not done showing you every day that I’m worthy of your love. I need decades for that, not days p>
“Then I guess I’ll have to survive,” I said against his chest. “Can’t leave you with unfinished business p>
At 11:30 PM, we gathered in the tactical van three blocks from Pier 47. Agent Torres reviewed the plan one final time.
“Aria goes in alone at midnight. She’s wired—we’ll hear everything. Sniper teams are positioned on buildings surrounding the warehouse. Ground teams will move in at my signal.” Torres looked at me. “Your job is to keep Marcus talking. The longer he talks, the more time we have to locate Vivian and plan our breach p>
“Understood.” I checked the wire hidden under my vest.
“And if he demands you remove the vest or wire?” Torres asked.
“I stall. Say I’ll do it once I see Vivian alive and unharmed p>
“Good.” Torres nodded. “Remember—you see a weapon, you hit the ground immediately. Don’t try to be a hero p>
“Wouldn’t dream of it,” I said dryly.
Damien had been silent through the briefing, but now he caught my arm. “Can we have a minute p>
Torres nodded, and Damien pulled me aside. “I need you to know something,” he said quietly. “Before you go in there, just in case”
“Don’t.” I touched his lips. “Don’t say goodbye, this isn’t goodbye p>
“Let me finish.” He caught my hand, holding it against his heart. “I love you. Completely, desperately, probably unhealthily. You’re the reason I learned to be human again. The reason I believe I can be better than my father, than the monster I was. And if something happens there p>
“Nothing will happen”
“If something happens,” he continued firmly, “I need you to know that loving you, being loved by you, being Noah’s father—it’s been the greatest privilege of my life. You made me want to be worthy. And I’ll spend every day I have left trying to be the man you deserve p>
My throat was tight. “Damien”
“I mean it, Aria. Every word.” His eyes were intense. “So you come back to me. You hear me? You come back because I’m not done loving you. I’ll never be done loving you p>
“I’ll come back,” I whispered. “I promise p>
He pulled me close then, one hand sliding into my hair, the other gripping my waist like he was afraid I’d disappear. For a moment we just stood there, foreheads pressed together, breathing the same air. Then he kissed me.
It wasn’t gentle. It was desperate and fierce and full of everything he couldn’t say. His lips crushed against mine like he was trying to memorize the taste of me, the feel of me. I kissed him back just as hard, my hands fisting in his shirt, pulling him closer even though the vest was between us.
His heart hammered against my palm when I pressed my hand to his chest. The kiss deepened—urgent, almost painful. When he finally pulled back, we were both shaking. Both breathing hard. His thumb traced my bottom lip, gentle now, reverent.”Come back to me,” he whispered against my mouth.
“I will.” I kissed him once more, softly this time. “I will p>
“Time,” Torres called. “Aria, you ready p>
I looked at Damien one more time, memorizing his face. Then I turned and walked toward the warehouse. “Ready as I’ll ever be p>
The warehouse loomed ahead, dark and menacing against the night sky. Every window was broken, every surface covered in graffiti and rust like a perfect place for a horror show.
I walked to the main entrance, trying to look confident despite my heart hammering. The door was ajar as the metal door handle burned cold against my palm. I pushed it open and stepped inside.
Inside, the smell hit me—mold and standing water and rot. So much darker than I expected. My eyes struggled to adjust. That single bulb swung slightly overhead, making the shadows move. Water dripped somewhere as metal groaned. Every sound was too loud. I could hear my own breathing, ragged and uneven. I could hear my heartbeat in my ears like drums. The warehouse was massive—three stories of empty space as a single light hung in the center, illuminating a chair.
Vivian was tied to it. “Aria!” Her voice was hoarse, face bruised. “You shouldn’t have come—it’s a trap”
“I know it’s a trap.” I walked forward slowly. “That’s why I brought friends p>
“How sweet.” Marcus’s voice echoed from somewhere above. “Sister comes to save sister, very touching p>
I scanned the shadows but couldn’t see him. “I’m here, Marcus. Let Vivian go p>
“Not yet.” He stepped into the light on a second-floor catwalk.. “First, we talk. You and me. About family, betrayal and justice p>
“Fine.” I kept my voice steady. “Let’s talk. But first, prove Vivian’s okay p>
“She’s fine.” Marcus gestured, and Vivian lifted her head. She was bruised but conscious. “See? Alive and relatively unharmed. For now p>
“What do you want?” I asked.
“What I’ve always wanted.” Marcus began descending the stairs. “To make Damien suffer and the best way to do that?” He reached the ground floor, smiling coldly. “Is to destroy everything he loves p>
He pulled out a gun, pointing it directly at my head.”Starting with you p>
Through the wire, I heard Torres shout orders. Heard Damien scream my name. But I kept my eyes on Marcus and forced myself to smile.”Then you’re going to be disappointed,” I said calmly. “Because I’m not that easy to destroy p>
“We’ll see about that.” Marcus cocked the gun. “We’ll see about that p>