CHAPTER TWELVE: LUCIAN
Lucian's office was dark except for the city lights burning beyond the glass. He liked it that way the quiet, the shadows.
Silas strode in, dropping a manila envelope onto the table. "Found your beggar."
Lucian's gaze lifted slowly from the glass of whiskey in his hand. "Alive?"
"Barely," Silas said with a half-smirk. "But breathing. Lives in a halfway house two towns over. Took some convincing, but he agreed to talk. For a price."
Lucian set the glass down and stood. The motion was slow, deliberate the kind that made men in his world go silent.
"Where?"
Silas handed him the address. "I can have him brought here by midnight."
Lucian's jaw flexed. "No. I'll go to him."
Silas arched a brow. "Personally? You sure that's wise? Last time you saw this guy, you nearly killed him."
"Exactly." Lucian reached for his coat.
The halfway house smelled of bleach and despair. Lucian walked in like he owned the place, his presence filling the room until Lennox Dean thin, nervous, and twitching nearly dropped his cigarette.
"You," Lennox breathed, shrinking back against the wall.
Lucian didn't speak at first. He just stood there, letting silence stretch until Lennox's hands began to shake.
"You don't have to I didn't.... I never touched her!" the man stammered.
Lucian's voice was quiet, but deadly. "I know. Because I was there."
He took a step closer, and Lennox pressed himself harder against the wall.
"You screamed when I threw you out," Lucian continued. "Now you're going to tell me everything you saw before that."
Lennox swallowed hard. "She was drugged. Barely standing. Pretty little thing. Didn't say a word. Just looked scared. I swear, I left when you told me to."
"Where did she go?"
"I...I I don't know. When I came back the next day, the room was empty. No blood, no cops,no trace of anyone, nothing. It is Like she disappeared."
Lucian's eyes narrowed.
"You're lying."
"I'm not!" Lennox's voice cracked. "Look, I don't know who set it up. Some rich guy paid me to be there. I never saw his face, just his driver. The cash was real, though."
Lucian's stare was cold enough to freeze the air between them.
"You ever see her again?" he asked.
Lennox shook his head violently. "No. I swear."
Lucian turned, his coat brushing against the floor as he walked away.
Behind him, Lennox sagged with relief.
"Boss?" Silas murmured as they stepped outside.
Lucian's jaw was tight. "He's telling the truth."
Silas lit a cigarette, exhaling smoke into the night. "So she walked out on her own. Drugged, terrified, and alone."
Lucian's hands curled into fists at his sides. "She thinks I was part of it."
Silas gave him a sideways glance. "Maybe it's better she never finds out who you are."
Lucian didn't answer. He just stared out into the night, his expression carved from stone.
"She's out there somewhere," he said finally. "And until I find her, none of this is over."
Silas didn't argue this time. He just fell into step beside him, because he knew, when Lucian got that look in his eyes, nothing in the world could stop him.