FIVE

Zarek

I'd always kept to a strict rule: keep everyone at arm's length. My squad was my family, and my real family had no part in this life I lived. It worked well, until it didn't.

That night changed everything. I'd been ambushed, down but not out, ready to fight back. That's when she appeared, throwing punches and kicks with a wild ferocity that stunned me into stillness. I watched, dumbfounded, my ass planting itself firmly to the ground. Later, I found myself inviting myself to her apartment, not wanting the night to end so unceremoniously.

Now, here I was, lurking in the shadows of her apartment building after ensuring she returned safely from her trip to Milton. I had made certain no threats lingered this time. The memory of seeing Calzone Romano, that thug from that chaotic night, lurking near her place still sent a shiver of anger through me.

When he had dared to climb her apartment stairs, instinct overrode everything else. But dealing with him—well, it was simpler to leave her with a trashed apartment than to leave her with a body to explain.

She was safely inside her apartment, now. I lingered a moment longer, watching the flicker of lights as she moved through her rooms, making sure everything was as usual before heading back to my car. Then I drove back to the headquarters, my thoughts whirring.

Initially, I maintained enough distance to ensure she remained unaware, to keep the illusion that she wasn't being watched. But the restraint that came so naturally in my line of work began to crumble under her inadvertent pull. It wasn't just watching anymore; it felt like she was reaching into the very depths of me, clawing at my control.

One slip—she caught a glimpse of me—and my carefully laid plans to remain hidden disintegrated. I found myself following her more openly, driven by a compulsion I couldn't tamp down. Every time I saw her scan her surroundings, the rapid beat of her pulse visible at her throat, or the subtle tremor in her hands as she clutched her bag a little tighter, my heart thundered with a mix of dread and thrill. It was as if she could feel my presence, feel the intensity of my gaze. Feel me .

I knew I had to pull back, to return to the shadows where I belonged. I had already eliminated Calzone, and his brother, Casteel, was next. Once he was dealt with, I promised myself I would step back, that I'd let her go on with her life relatively untouched.

Yet, the thought of cutting ties left a hollow ache in my chest. Ending this mission meant losing this unintended connection with her, a connection that somehow felt like the most real thing in my world.

I slammed the door of my car and strode past Logan and Dylan without a word, all the way to my room. I booted up my laptop in a hurry. There she was on the screen, clutching the blanket tighter than she had the day before, perched on the armchair instead of the couch. The urge to hear her voice surged, tempting me to dial her number again, but I slammed the laptop shut as the thought crossed my mind.

You've got to stop this, Zar.

Descending the stairs, I noticed Logan and Dylan had vanished. Relief washed over me—I wasn't ready to face them, not with this secret eating at me. They'd see right through me, maybe even try to knock some sense into me.

In the corridor, I caught Kabir's eye and jerked my head toward the gym. "Any news on Casteel Romano?" I pressed as soon as the gym door clicked shut behind us.

Kabir shot me a look, the kind that said he knew I was off balance. "Boss, this has to stop. I'm running out of excuses for the squad around your disappearance."

"Casteel," I snapped, cutting him off. "Any news on him?"

"Nothing," he sighed, running a hand through his hair. "He's covering his tracks. Unlike Calzone, who went straight for your girl—predictable. But Casteel's being careful."

My mind raced with the implications. "And Calzone? The body?"

"Disposed of," he confirmed grimly.

Kabir's face tightened with concern. "Look, Ghost, everyone knows I'm chasing Casteel for you. And with all your ‘stakeouts,' they're going to connect the dots. You need to shut it down or get her some protection. Sebastian can—"

"I know." I said. "I know, Kabir. I never meant for her to get dragged into this mess. It's on me. She's in danger because of what I did. I fucking know !"

He hesitated, then added, "You broke protocol the night you went to her place. You made her a target by linking her to us. I'm not saying it's your fault but…"

"It's my fault," I admitted, the guilt heavy in my voice. A simple misstep, and now she was in the crosshairs. I was driven by something deeper than duty now, something perilously close to obsession, and it was putting her at risk.

Fuck .

"Just get Casteel for me. Put your tech skills to work!" I gritted out and left without giving him a chance to respond.

???

Staring at the screen, watching a woman scared shitless in the confines of her own home, is a turn I didn't think my life would take. How were her movements jittery yet still graceful?

She, indeed, was my warrior goddess, fighting this new unseen enemy with whatever she could.

Her eyes, wide and flickering with both fear and a spark that might have been determination, scanned the room. It was clear she was a walking paradox; courageous yet visibly shaken.

"I know you're watching me!" she yelled, her words echoing off the walls. I froze, the cold fear that she might have discovered the cameras settling in. Had she seen the one hidden in the living room? Or on the balcony? God , the bedroom too…

She hardly ever slept in her bedroom anymore, always on edge, always ready. I found myself wondering how she managed any rest on that cramped couch.

Her voice broke through my thoughts again, stronger this time but quivering with an undercurrent of fear. "I don't know how, but I know I'm being watched. If it's you, and you know who you are, fucking face me, coward!"

The blend of anger and vulnerability in her tone did something to me. Her trembling yet fierce defiance made my heart race, and I felt myself harden at the thought of her actually finding me in her apartment. Hell, I wanted to be there.

I slammed my laptop shut, a harsh clack echoing around the room, and let out a ragged sigh. I needed a cold shower—like I had been, every fucking day.