Kieran was sitting in his sleek black sedan, parked in a shadowy alley where the only light came from a flickering streetlamp at the far end. Smoke curled from his half-burnt cigarette, but his expression remained unreadable, as if his face had been carved out of stone.
The passenger door clicked open, and Aiden slid into the seat. His sharp suit blended with the darkness, his eyes scanning the surroundings before locking on his boss. "Yes, boss," he greeted quietly.
Kieran's gaze stayed fixed on the windshield. "As I suspected," he said, his voice calm, cold. "I think Luca is hiding in that red-light area. The building we went to."
Aiden's brows furrowed, his tone sharp. "You sure, boss?"
Kieran tapped his fingers against the steering wheel. He said, "Not 100%, but I need some time to confirm."
Aiden studied him. "And how would you do that?"
Finally, Kieran turned his head, his eyes glinting with confidence. "I've found a way."
Aiden tried to read him, but Kieran's face revealed nothing.
"Let me handle this my way," Kieran said firmly. "Once I have enough evidence, I'll tell everything. If my father asks questions, tell him I'm handling it. Tell him I'm on the right track."
Aiden nodded without hesitation. "Yes, boss."
"Did you bring the things I asked for?" Kieran asked.
"Yes." Aiden handed him a small black packet.
Kieran took it, inspected it briefly, then gave a small approving nod. "Good job. I'll get the information in two days. Until then, handle my father."
Aiden's expression hardened. "Understood, boss."
The silence stretched for a moment, heavy with unspoken plans. Then Kieran started the engine, and the car rolled out of the alley like a predator returning to its hunt.
The next evening, the sun dipped low, painting Montressa's skies in bruised shades of purple and red. Kieran returned to the building earlier than usual.
Inside, the stench of smoke and cheap perfume filled the air. Madam Rosa sat on her plush chair, a cigarette dangling from her painted lips. As soon as she spotted him, she stubbed it out and stood, her entire demeanor brightening.
"Well, well," she said, her voice dripping with honey. "You came, darling."
Kieran flashed a quick smile in response, though his eyes remained sharp.
"Your girl is there waiting upstairs," Rosa said eagerly. "And no other man touched her today. She's all fresh and ready for you." Her eyes twinkled as she added, "Enjoy your time. Also, I even decorated the room just for you." She winked.
He gave her a slow nod. "Good."
Her smile widened seductively, but Kieran had already turned away, walking toward the stairs with purpose.
The door creaked open, and the sight before him made his chest tighten unexpectedly.
Alena sat on the bed, her back straight, her face calm. The room was cleaner than usual, faintly scented with roses, lit by a soft golden lamp that made the atmosphere feel almost homely. She looked up at him, her painted lips curving into a small smile.
"You're early today," she teased.
He closed the door and dragged the chair closer, sitting down casually. "How are you?"
Her smile deepened, though her eyes searched his. "Good. And you proved that I'm only yours." Her tone was playful, but her posture remained calm, almost dignified, as if refusing to bend completely.
Kieran's lips curved faintly. "Well, I had to. Because you are mine now."
The word mine sent a jolt through her. Her heart skipped, her stomach twisting, though she masked it quickly.
"Tell me then," she asked softly, "what's my task?"
His brows rose. "Already?"
She chuckled lightly. "Yes. Since you came yesterday, no man has entered this room. I had a good night's sleep after years. I'm refreshed and my brain feels ready to run a marathon."
He chuckled, his voice low. "Good then."
Then he asked a little seriously, "Do you have a blueprint of this building?"
Her eyes narrowed. "Blueprint?"
He nodded.
"I haven't roamed much here," she admitted. "But yes… I can give you some information."
"Okay. Tell me whatever you know." He said.
She sat straight. "The building has five floors. The ground and first floors are for usual activities. Cheap clients. The second and third floors are for premium customers, the ones who demand more than three girls at a time. The top floor is like a private club for the richest. Naked dancing, drugs, all kinds of filth."
Kieran's face remained blank as he listened. "Apart from that, any hidden rooms?"
She thought for a moment. "Not sure. But I can try to review."
"Good." His eyes sharpened. "Make sure you note down every door, secret passage, corridor, window, camera, and even blind spots. Can you do it by tomorrow?"
Her eyes widened. "Tomorrow?"
He nodded firmly.
"That's hard. Risky too. If I suddenly start roaming around, they'll suspect me." She whined.
His gaze bore into hers, hard and serious.
She sighed. "Okay, fine, don't give me that look. I'll try. Maybe not a hundred percent, but at least half."
"Fine." He reached into the packet and handed her small devices. "Keep these."
Her brows furrowed as she unwrapped them. "What is this?"
He said, "Mini cameras. Microphones. And one more thing, this." he had handed her a tiny bottle.
She picked up the tiny gadgets, her curiosity raised. "How do I use them?"
He leaned forward, explaining patiently. "This camera, use it if you see anything suspicious. You can hide it easily. This microphone, leave it near a place if you sense someone hiding. It picks up within a 50-meter radius. And this…" He held up a small spray bottle. "Special liquid. If you get caught in between, spray it on them. They'll freeze for five minutes, and when they wake, the last ten minutes of memory will be erased."
Her eyes widened, impressed. "Whoa. Technology has gone far ahead in ten years."
He looked at her for a second. For some reason, he felt that strange ache. "Don't worry," he said softly. "Once you're out of here, you'll catch up on everything you missed."
For the first time in years, her smile was genuine. "Thank you."
He smiled back and reached out, patting her head lightly. "You understood how to use them, right?"
She nodded eagerly. "I'll start tonight."
"Good." He said.
But suddenly, muffled voices drifted in from outside. Madam Rosa's voice, frustrated: "I don't know how to handle this man. How am I supposed to arrange medical facilities here? He should've gone elsewhere. Why hide here?"
Kieran froze, listening sharply. Then he turned to Alena. "Do you know who she's talking about?"
Alena shook her head. "No. But the day you first came here, she called a doctor after you left. Said it was an emergency. But it was not for any girl here. They took the doctor's secretary somewhere… Also, there was blood on the ground floor."
His jaw tensed. "Did you see anyone injured?"
"No."
"Do you know where they took the doctor?"
She thought hard. "Not exactly. But I heard girls whispering that they went toward the far end of the ground floor. There's a secret door. They disappeared there."
"Have you ever gone that way?" He asked seriously.
"No. We're not allowed. But sometimes trucks come with boxes, and they carry them there."
Kieran processed silently. "Okay. Tonight, can you check what's behind that door?"
She hesitated. "…I'll try. But not sure."
"Fine. But if it feels dangerous, quit. We'll see tomorrow." He said caringly.
She nodded reluctantly. Then said, "It's been an hour, we're talking quietly. They might suspect."
He smirked. "You're good at pretending to moan though."
She glared at him.
He smiled and said, "If someone comes, we'll act again, just like we did the other day," he teased.
She shook her head, then asked suddenly, "You didn't tell me yet. Who are you? What's your name? Why are you doing this? Who are you looking for?"
He looked at her. His eyes darkened. "You don't need to know now. You'll know once you're out of here."
She pressed, "And when will I get out of here?"
"Once you bring me what I asked." He replied, matching her tone.
She sighed. "So it's in my hands."
"Kind of," he admitted, smiling.
"What will you do after getting out of this place?" he asked.
She blinked. "I don't know. Never thought about it."
"Why?" He asked.
"Because I never had hope." Her voice broke slightly.
His heart broke at her mention. "Now you are going out of here for real. So tell me, what would you like to do?"
"…Leave this city forever." She said without blinking.
He studied her face, seeing pain etched deep. "Where were you from? Your birthplace"
"Why do you ask?" She asked.
"You can go back there if you don't want to stay here." He Suggested.
"I don't want to go there either. That place abandoned me. Took my parents. My suffering started there." Her voice cracked. "I shouldn't have been born in the first place."
"Don't say that." His tone was firm yet warm, almost pained. "You've lived only part of your life. The future is still yours. Live it however you want."
"Live? For whom?" she whispered bitterly.
"For yourself." He said softly. "Move far away. Find someone. Settle."
She scoffed. "Who would marry me?"
"Anyone would. Look at you. You're beautiful, young, charming."
She chuckled bitterly. "These things feel beautiful when spoken, but not in reality. You know who I am and what I do to feed myself. I don't even have a count of men who have touched me, how many I slept with. You think any man who is on right mind would marry me?"
"Why would you tell anyone what you were in the past? What did you do in the past? Don't tell anyone," he said firmly.
"I don't want to lie. I won't build love on secrets."
He studied her, then said softly, "Don't degrade yourself, Alena. You're not dirty. You were forced. Your soul is pure and innocent."
Her heart twisted. "You are buttering me so much, saying big words. If you mean that… why don't you marry me?"
The words stunned him. His heart skipped, his face unreadable.
She smirked. "See? You are silent. Saying things are easy, but following is hard."
Before he could answer, a knock startled them.
"Shit, they are here again." She whispered, panicked.
Quickly, they stripped off their tops. The door creaked open. Acting fast, Kieran pulled her onto his lap, burying his face in her neck, and in his panic, he bit her skin harder than intended.
A moan escaped her lips, raw and unplanned.
The bouncer froze, then quietly shut the door.
As the door closed, Alena pulled back, her chest heaving. Her stomach twisted strangely, need, hunger, something she'd never felt. Her gaze lingered on his face, tracing his sharp jaw, down to his lips.
Kieran's pulse raced too. Their eyes locked. But as he tried to get up, she instinctively stopped him, pressing on his shoulder. Her gaze travelled down his well-built, masculine body, his broad shoulders, puffed chest, and toned abs. Her mind was malfunctioning. The tension thickened. She leaned closer, her lips brushing the corner of his mouth. Giving him chills in the spine, his body shivered, his lips parting—
But "trrrrrr", His phone rang.
She flinched, immediately pulled back, and got off his lap. He cursed under his breath, pulling on his shirt.
"Yes?" he answered, irritated.
"Boss," Aiden's urgent voice came through, "Big Boss wants to see you immediately. He's furious. I can't hold him off. Please come."
Kieran closed his eyes, jaw tight. "Fine. I'm coming." He hung up, dressed quickly, and left without another word.
Alena sat frozen, her heart racing, questioning her act. What was that? Why did I feel like that? I never felt like this before. Why now? Why with him?
She closed her eyes in frustration, and her fingers brushed her lips, told herself, you should not think like that Alena, it's wrong, you can't have anything with him, you are a mere sex worker, all these feelings don't have space in your life, you can't have those feelings Alena, forget about it, just think about getting out of here, think what you have to do after getting out o of this hell.
But no matter how hard she tried, the taste of his closeness lingered, dangerous, forbidden, unforgettable.