Celeste and Andrew worked in silence, their movements quick and precise. They had done this before—packing up, leaving no trace, staying ahead of Collaway's reach. But this time, they weren't running.
This time, they were going to fight back.
Andrew rifled through a duffel bag, checking the files they had collected over the years—bank statements, records of illegal deals, a list of names tied to Collaway through bribes, threats, or worse.
It was all useless without proof.
And the proof was around Rea's neck.
Celeste sat at the motel's wobbly table, her laptop screen casting a glow on her face as she scrolled through encrypted files. She had spent weeks trying to hack into Collaway's system, but the man was too careful. He had buried his secrets deep.
The only person who knew the final piece of the puzzle was Rina.
Celeste's fingers hovered over the keyboard before she typed: Hang on, Rina. We're coming.
Andrew zipped up the bag and slung it over his shoulder. "We leave tonight."
Celeste glanced up. "Where?"
"The compound."
She stilled.
"That's suicide."
Andrew met her gaze. "Not if we're careful."
Celeste hesitated. The compound—Collaway's estate—was a fortress. Rina had been trapped there for years. There was no way in or out without attracting attention. If they got caught…
But they didn't have a choice.
Celeste let out a slow breath. "How?"
Andrew's jaw tightened. "We have an insider."
Her heart skipped. "Who?"
Andrew hesitated before speaking a name she never expected to hear.
"Jaxon."
Celeste's stomach twisted.
Jaxon Westwood.
The son of the Westwood family. The true heir.
Collaway had raised him, controlled him, molded him into his perfect soldier. But Jaxon wasn't Collaway's by blood. He was Aster's brother. The son of the man Collaway hated.
And that made him dangerous.
Celeste's throat tightened. "He'll betray us."
Andrew shook his head. "Not if he wants Collaway gone as much as we do."
Celeste clenched her jaw. "You really think Jaxon would turn against the man who raised him?"
Andrew's voice was firm. "Jaxon knows the truth now. He knows Collaway stole him. He knows who his real family is."
Celeste swallowed. The truth wouldn't erase years of control, of manipulation. Jaxon had been raised in Collaway's shadow, trained to be ruthless.
Could he really be trusted?
Andrew grabbed the car keys. "We don't have time to second-guess this."
Celeste shut her laptop, her mind racing.
If Jaxon was really on their side, they had a chance.
If not…
They were walking straight into a trap.