Chapter Nine

Galen’s phone buzzed, and he glanced at the screen. “It’s one of our informants. They might have a lead.”

“Answer it,” Devlin immediately said.

Galen answered the call, listening intently. After a brief conversation, he hung up and turned to Devlin.

“Reed was spotted in the old warehouse district. Apparently, he’s been using one of the abandoned buildings as his base of operations,” Galen said.

Devlin’s eyes narrowed. “Let’s move. We need to catch him before he disappears again,” he told his brother.

They quickly mobilized their team and headed to the warehouse district. As they approached the location, Devlin’s mind was a whirlwind of thoughts. He couldn’t afford to let Reed escape again, especially knowing the kind of irreparable damage the hacker could cause.

When they arrived, the area was eerily quiet. Devlin signaled for his men to spread out and surround the building. He and Galen moved in closer, ready for whatever awaited them inside.

The door creaked open, and they stepped into the dimly lit space. Devlin’s senses were on high alert. He scanned the shadows for any sign of movement. Suddenly, a figure emerged from one of the rooms. It was Reed. Devlin was impressed. He thought Reed was the kind of man who would run at the first sign of trouble. Clearly, he had underestimated his adversary.

Reed ’ s eyes glittered with a mixture of defiance and amusement.

“ Devlin, ” he greeted, his voice echoing off the walls. “ I ’ ve been expecting you. ”

Devlin ’ s mind raced. How could Reed have known they were coming? Cameras? Informants? Or was it just a matter of time before they caught up to him?

Gut instinct told him something wasn ’ t completely right here, but for now, he ’ d play the cards he had in his hand.

“ Reed, ” Devlin replied coolly, keeping his expression neutral. “ It ’ s over. You ’ re surrounded. ”

Reed chuckled, a dark, humorless sound. “ You think I didn ’ t anticipate this? You underestimate me, Devlin. ”

With a sudden, swift motion, Reed reached into his jacket. Devlin ’ s heart skipped a beat. He was ready, his reflexes honed by years of experience.

Before Reed could draw his weapon, Devlin lunged forward, grabbing his arm, and twisting it behind his back. Reed winced in pain but didn’t cry out.

“ Enough of this, ” Devlin growled, pushing Reed against the wall. “ You ’ re done, Reed. ”

But Reed ’ s smile didn ’ t waver. “ Are you sure about that? ”

A chill ran down Devlin ’ s spine. Something was wrong. Before he could react, the lights flickered and went out, plunging the room into darkness.

Devlin tightened his grip on Reed, but in the confusion, Reed managed to slip away. The sound of footsteps echoed around them, making it impossible to pinpoint Reed ’ s location.

“ Stay sharp, ” Devlin told Galen and his men, who had spread out around the room, their weapons drawn.

The warehouse was a maze and there were numerous potential hiding spots. Devlin ’ s mind raced, calculating the possibilities. Reed was a slippery opponent, but he wouldn ’ t get away this time. Not if Devlin had anything to say about it.

He moved cautiously, his gun at the ready. His ears strained to catch any sound that might give Reed away.

Suddenly, a loud crash echoed from the far side of the room. Devlin and his men spun toward the noise, their guns trained on the source. A door burst open, and Reed bolted out, a wild look in his eyes. Devlin didn’t hesitate. He fired, the muzzle flash illuminating the room for a split-second.

Reed staggered, clutching his side, but he didn ’ t go down. Instead, he pulled out his own gun and fired back.

The room erupted into chaos. Bullets flew, ricocheting off the walls and sending sparks flying. Devlin ’ s men took cover, returning fire with precision. Devlin himself advanced steadily, his focus solely on Reed.

Reed ducked behind a stack of crates, his breathing labored. “You won’t take me alive, Devlin!” he shouted, sounding desperate.

“ You ’ re finished, Reed, ” Devlin called back, moving closer. “ There ’ s no way out. ”

In a last-ditch effort, Reed fired wildly, but his shots went wide. Devlin seized the opportunity. He darted forward, vaulting over the crates and tackling Reed to the ground. The two of them struggled, their grunts and the sound of their fists echoing in the dim light.

“ Devlin! ” Galen shouted, concerned.

Reed fought with the desperation of a cornered animal, but Devlin ’ s experience won out. With a final, powerful blow, he knocked the gun from Reed ’ s hand and pinned him to the floor.

“This ends now,” Devlin growled, pressing his knee into Reed’s chest.

Reed chuckled. “While you were busy playing hero, my spy was busy too. Your penthouse … Krista…”

Devlin’s heart skipped a beat. He slammed Reed ’ s head into the floor, once, twice, several times until he realized Reed was dead.

“ Galen, we need to get back. Now! ” Devlin said.

They sprinted out of the warehouse. Devlin ’ s mind raced with fear and fury. He couldn ’ t let anything happen to Krista. As they reached their vehicles, Devlin barked orders into his phone, mobilizing every resource at his disposal to ensure her safety.

The drive back was a blur of speed and anxiety. Devlin ’ s knuckles were white on the steering wheel, his jaw clenched tight. He couldn ’ t lose her. Not now, especially after finding her again.

****

Krista sat in the living room, her laptop open on her lap. She was browsing through possible job offers. Even though she was with Devlin now, she didn’t think he’d get in the way of her chosen profession. Still, she couldn’t help but wonder if she might change her mind in the future, especially once she and Devlin started talking about creating a family. Having a kid together would change everything.

She sighed, pushing those thoughts aside. They weren’t married yet, and there was still time to figure everything out. A knock on the door interrupted her train of thoughts.

Devlin had rushed off earlier that afternoon, after sending her a quick text. Had he returned? He mentioned he had a lead on the hacker but didn’t go into details, so Krista was a little worried.

Krista rose from the sofa and walked to the door. She opened it and saw a familiar face. It was Maria, Devlin’s personal chef.

“Maria, hi. I thought you weren’t coming in today,” Krista began, then noticed something was wrong.

Devlin usually assigned two men outside the penthouse suite, but they were noticeably absent. Her blood ran cold when she spotted a slumped figure in the corner, blood on his suit. Mark.

Her attention snapped back to Maria, who followed her gaze. The older woman smiled at her, and it was a shockingly cold and unpleasant smile. Maria had always been warm and friendly … was this her true colors? Maria pulled something out from her coat—a knife.

Krista’s instincts kicked in. She stepped back, quickly scanning the room for anything she could use as a weapon.

“Maria, what are you doing?” she asked, her voice steady despite the rising fear.

Maria stepped inside, closing the door behind her.

“I’m afraid the time for playing chef is over. Today, I’m just a messenger.” Her voice was devoid of the usual warmth, replaced with a chilling calmness.

Krista’s mind raced. She needed to buy time. “You don ’ t have to do this, Maria. Whatever they ’re paying you, Devlin can pay more.”

Maria’s eyes narrowed. “It’s not about the money, Krista. It’s about sending a message.”

Krista took another step back, her eyes darting to the kitchen. If she could get to the knives…

Maria lunged at her, the knife glinting in the dim light. Krista dodged, grabbing a nearby vase and hurling it at Maria. It shattered against the wall, missing its target but giving Krista the moment she needed to sprint to the kitchen.

Her heart pounded as she grabbed a knife from the counter, turning to face Maria, who was advancing on her with a predatory smile.

“You won’t win,” Maria said, her voice dripping with confidence. “I’ve been doing this for a long time.”

Krista held her ground, the knife steady in her hand. “You underestimate me,” she said.

Maria lunged again, and this time Krista was ready. She blocked the attack, and Maria looked momentarily surprised, but the assassin quickly recovered. Maria came at her again.

Krista’s training kicked in. She forced herself to be calm and collected, doing her best to counter Maria’s strikes. By some miracle, she managed to disarm Maria, the knife clattering to the floor. But Maria was relentless, grabbing a nearby chair and swinging it at Krista. Krista ducked, sweeping Maria’s legs out from under her. Maria fell hard, and Krista was on her in an instant, pinning her to the ground.

“Who sent you?” Krista demanded, pressing the knife to Maria’s throat.

Maria sneered. “ Don ’ t you know? ”

“ Phantom—no, Reed then? ” Krista asked.

Before Maria could say another word, the door burst open, and Devlin stormed in, his face a mask of fury. “Krista!”

Krista looked up, relief flooding her. “Devlin!”

He crossed the room in a few strides, pulling Krista to her feet and taking in the scene. His eyes darkened when he saw Maria on the floor.

“This ends now,” he growled, pulling out his gun. Without hesitation, Devlin put two bullets in Maria ’ s skull.

Krista leaned into him, her heart still racing. “I’m okay,” she said softly.

Devlin wrapped his arm around her protectively. “I won’t let anything happen to you,” he promised, his voice fierce. “Not ever.”

Chapter Ten

Krista stood on the balcony of Devlin’s penthouse, the city lights stretched out beneath her like a net of stars. The fresh night air filled her lungs as she leaned on the railing, her thoughts racing. The events of the past few weeks had been a whirlwind: her breaking into his estate, Devlin finally dealing with Reed, and her near-death experience with Maria.

Despite the chaos, moments like these made her feel grounded. She turned back to the living room, where it was warmer. Devlin was in the kitchen, his sleeves rolled up as he prepared dinner. Krista couldn’t help but smile at the sight. She always enjoyed seeing him like that.

“ Dinner will be ready in a few minutes, ” Devlin called out.

Krista joined him in the kitchen. “Smells amazing. I always love when you cook,” she teased, moving closer to him.

He glanced over his shoulder and smirked at her. That never failed to make her heart race. Some days, she still couldn’t believe Devlin was truly hers. That despite their shared past and pain, they somehow managed to find each other again.

“ I know, ” he told her.

She laughed softly, feeling a flutter in her chest. Krista moved to set the table, her mind wandering to the future.

Devlin would always have an endless score of enemies after him, but this was their life now. Given her chosen profession, Krista wasn ’ t a stranger to danger. Standing by his side as his equal, she couldn ’ t imagine doing anything else.

As they sat down to eat, Krista couldn ’ t shake the feeling that something was different about tonight. Devlin seemed more relaxed than usual. They talked about everything and nothing, but Krista didn ’ t mind one bit.

After dinner, Devlin suggested they go for a walk. Krista agreed, intrigued by his unusual suggestion. They took the elevator down to the street and started walking toward the nearby park.

The city usually came alive at night, but there was a peacefulness in the air that Krista found calming. They strolled through the park, the path illuminated by old-fashioned lampposts. Devlin held her hand, his grip firm and reassuring. Krista leaned into him, enjoying the moment.

As they reached a secluded part of the park, Devlin suddenly stopped. Krista looked up at him, puzzled. He gazed at her with an intensity that made her heart skip a beat.

“ Krista, ” he began, his voice steady but filled with emotion. “ There ’ s something I need to tell you. ”

She felt a shiver of anticipation. “ What is it, Devlin? ”

He took a deep breath, his eyes never leaving hers. “ You ’ ve changed my life in ways I never thought possible. You ’ ve made me a better man, and I can ’ t imagine my life without you. I ’ ve faced danger and death countless times, but the thought of losing you is what truly terrifies me,” Devlin said.

Krista ’ s breath caught in her throat. She could see the vulnerability in his eyes and knew it was such a rare sight. Devlin reached into his pocket and pulled out a small velvet box. Krista widened her eyes as he dropped to one knee, his gaze unwavering.

“ Krista, will you marry me? ” Devlin asked.

Time seemed to stand still. Krista’s heart pounded in her chest as she looked at the man she had come to love more than she ever thought possible.

Tears filled her eyes as she nodded. “ Yes, Devlin. Yes, I ’ ll marry you, ” she whispered.

A cocky smile spread across his face as he stood, slipping the ring onto her finger. It was a perfect fit. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her the way she always liked—rough and without restraint. She clung to him, responding to his savage kiss, opening her lips so he could slip his tongue down her throat.

Hand in hand, they started to make their way back to the penthouse. Krista couldn’t take her eyes off the beautiful ring. It had a simple princess-cut design and Devlin must ’ ve chosen it with care. She smiled, already thinking of wedding plans.

“ Krista, ” Devlin said all of a sudden.

He gripped her arm painfully and she finally noticed a man in a hoodie, watching them from under a lamppost. Krista’s heart jumped into her throat as she saw the glint of a gun in the stranger ’ s hand.

“Devlin,” she whispered in fear.

The man aimed his at Devlin. “ Lorenzo Rosso sends his regards, ” the man said.

Devlin moved with uncanny speed. He shoved Krista behind him, drawing his own gun in a fluid motion. “Stay down!” he ordered her, his voice a low growl.

Krista ducked behind a nearby parked car, her heart pounding in her ears. She peered over the edge, her eyes widening at the sight of Devlin, his gun trained on the attacker.

Shots rang out, echoing through the empty street. Krista’s breath caught as she watched the fight. Devlin moved with a grace and ferocity that took her breath away. He fired, his aim deadly accurate, and the attacker stumbled, blood blooming on his chest.

Two more men emerged from a nearby car, guns drawn. Devlin cursed under his breath., his eyes narrowing. He fired again, taking down one of the newcomers, but the third man returned fire, forcing Devlin to dive for cover.

Where were Devlin’s men? They were supposed to always follow at a distance … unless the shooter wasn’t alone and they were dealing with more enemies. Krista’s heart sunk at that thought.

Even if Devlin’s men were on their way, they wouldn’t arrive in time. She had to do something. She reached into her purse, her fingers closing around the cold metal of her own gun. She took a deep breath. Krista wasn’t going to let these bastards do away with her fiancé.

She rose from her hiding spot, her gun steady in her hand.

“Devlin, get down!” she shouted, and as he hit the ground, she fired.

Her shot hit the third man in the leg, causing him to cry out and drop his weapon. Devlin seized the opportunity, rolling to his feet and firing a final shot that took the man down for good.

Krista’s hands were shaking as she lowered her weapon, her breath coming in ragged gasps. Devlin approached her, his body tense as he studied their surroundings.

“Are you okay?” Devlin asked her.

She nodded. “I’m fine,” she whispered. “Are you hurt anywhere?”

Krista looked him up and down. Devlin pulled her into his arms. “You were amazing, Krista,” he told her.

She clung to him, her body still trembling with adrenaline. “I was so scared,” she admitted, her voice barely a whisper.

He held her tight, his hand stroking her hair. “I know. But you were brave, and you saved us both.”

Devlin’s men arrived moments later, securing the area, and disposing of the bodies. Devlin and Krista returned to the penthouse. Devlin didn’t let her hand go until they were back in the safety of Devlin’s apartment. Their apartment, Krista silently corrected.

Devlin locked the door behind them, ensuring the security system was fully activated. Krista sank onto the couch, her mind still reeling from the attack.

“Are you sure you’re all right?” Devlin asked, concerned. He sat beside her on the couch, his arm wrapped protectively around her.

Krista nodded, taking a deep breath. “I’m okay, Devlin. Just … a little shaken,” she admitted.

He turned to face her, his eyes searching hers. “Krista,” he began, taking her hands into his. “My life— our life—will always be like this. There will always be danger and moments like tonight. I just wanted to make sure you’ll be fine with that. That you won’t have second thoughts about marrying me.”

She gazed into his eyes, seeing the vulnerability that lay beneath his hardened exterior. Her heart swelled with love for him, and she squeezed his hands gently.

“ Devlin, I ’ ve known who you are and what your life entails from the beginning. I chose to be with you despite the risks because I love you. I ’ m not going to have second thoughts, ” Krista firmly told him.

Devlin ’ s eyes softened, and he pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly. “ You mean everything to me, Krista. I ’ ve never felt this way about anyone before, ” he told me. “ I ’ ll be better for you. ”

Krista nestled closer, feeling the steady beat of his heart against her cheek. “You already are a better man, Devlin. You’ve protected me, cared for me, and shown me a love that’s fierce and true. I don’t want a life without you, even if it means facing danger everyday,” she said.

He kissed the top of her head, his lips lingering in her hair. “ I promise I ’ ll do everything in my power to keep you safe. You ’ re my heart, Krista, and I ’ ll never let anything happen to you, ” he said.

She tilted her head up to look at him. “ And I ’ ll always stand by your side, Devlin. We ’ re a team, ” she said.

He cupped her face in his hands, his thumbs brushing away the tears that had spilled onto her cheeks. “ I love you, Krista. More than words can express, ” he said.

She smiled, her heart overflowing with emotion. “ I love you too, Devlin. Forever. ”

Their lips met in a tender, passionate kiss.

The End

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