Kai hadn't slept again. Not that it mattered. The mansion was alive with shadows, the faint hum of Lucias's staff moving through the halls, the occasional metallic click of polished shoes echoing in the corridors.
Kai sat cross-legged on the cot, laptop balanced on his knees. His fingers hovered over the keys, the urge to dig, to uncover, to expose, gnawing at him relentlessly. He knew he shouldn't, but he couldn't stop. Curiosity had always been his fatal flaw.
A sudden knock on the door froze him in place.
"Who is it?" Kai called, trying to keep his voice steady.
"Your friend," a calm, low voice replied. Kai didn't recognize it immediately. The door slid open silently, and a tall, composed man stepped inside. His dark hair was neat, his black suit impeccable, and there was a faint aura of controlled danger around him.
Kai tensed. "Friend? You mean Lucias sent you to—?"
The man raised a hand, silencing him. "No. I'm not here to hurt you. Not yet."
Kai's eyes narrowed. "Not yet? That's comforting."
The man smirked faintly. "I'm Mark. Lucias's… right-hand. And if you value your life, you'll listen carefully."
Kai tilted his head. "And why would I trust you?"
"Because if you don't," Mark said, voice even, "you won't survive the next twenty-four hours. Lucias doesn't forgive mistakes, but he allows second chances for people who know when to listen."
Kai's pride bristled. "Second chances? Is that mafia code for 'do what I say or die'?"
Mark didn't answer immediately. Instead, he leaned closer, lowering his voice so only Kai could hear. "Step out of line again, and Lucias will bury you himself. No one else will. You think he's just a man behind a desk? He's a storm. A storm that doesn't forget. You've poked it, Kai. And storms always respond."
Kai swallowed, feeling the weight of the warning pressing against his chest. For the first time, fear coiled in his stomach alongside the thrill he usually craved.
"And… what if I can't just back off?" he asked, keeping his voice steady, though his pulse betrayed him.
Mark's expression softened just a fraction. "Then… you play the game very carefully. Lucias notices everything. He doesn't forgive foolishness lightly. But sometimes… he's intrigued by audacity. Don't let him know whether you're afraid or not."
Kai let out a bitter laugh. "Great advice from the guy standing in my bedroom at 2 a.m."
Mark shrugged. "Better you hear it than discover it the hard way. Consider this a courtesy warning."
Kai's fingers itched to type, to hack, to poke the sleeping beast again. But the sharp edge in Mark's tone stopped him—just barely. He clenched his jaw and nodded. "Noted. Thank you… I think."
Mark gave a single nod and turned to leave, stopping at the door. "One more thing. Don't underestimate him. You think he's just a handsome, cold man? He's a predator. And predators… can be dangerous in ways you don't expect."
Kai's eyes followed Mark until the door closed. Alone again, he let out a shaky breath. Predator. The word bounced around in his head, and somewhere deep inside, his pulse sped—not just with fear, but with a dangerous thrill.
---
Hours later, Lucias appeared without warning. Kai had been sitting in the small safe room, pretending to read, but his mind raced. He didn't flinch as Lucias entered, though every nerve screamed caution.
Lucias's gaze swept the room, assessing him with that terrifying calm. "You've been warned," he said, voice as smooth and lethal as a blade. "And yet… you still sit there. Do you find defiance amusing, or are you just foolish?"
Kai lifted his chin, meeting the gaze without hesitation. "A little of both."
Lucias's lips twitched, almost a smirk. "Bold. Dangerous. Annoying. Interesting."
Kai's stomach tightened. Interesting? The word sent a strange warmth through him he couldn't name. He scowled, trying to push the thought aside. "Am I supposed to be flattered or scared?"
Lucias took a single step closer. "Both. And neither. You'll learn soon enough. This isn't a game, Kai. I don't like games."
Kai's pulse hammered. "Then why are you still talking to me? Most people would have just—"
"Died?" Lucias finished the sentence for him, voice low, almost amused. "Yes. Most would have. But you…" He paused, tilting his head, eyes narrowing. "You're different."
Kai swallowed hard. He didn't trust himself to speak. Different. That word alone carried a weight he couldn't ignore, and he knew Lucias meant it in a way that went far beyond simple observation.
---
Later, in the quiet hours, Kai couldn't stop replaying every glance, every word, every threat. Every moment with Lucias was a brush with danger—and yet, it pulled him in like a magnet. He hated it. He hated how his chest thumped when Lucias walked past, how his pulse raced when Lucias's voice was low and dangerous in the room.
The safe room door creaked again. Jas's voice drifted softly through the corridor.
"Kai? You in there?"
Relief flooded him. "Yeah, I'm fine," he called back. "Just… thinking."
"You sound like you're planning to get yourself killed," Jas replied lightly, but concern laced the words.
Kai leaned back, letting himself relax just slightly. "Yeah… maybe I am."
Jas laughed softly, a sound that somehow grounded him. "Then you better watch yourself. Some people don't get second chances."
Kai nodded, but his eyes drifted toward the shadows at the end of the hall, toward where Lucias might be watching. Predator. Storm. Dangerous. And yet… he couldn't bring himself to look away.
For the first time, Kai realized just how deep he had stepped into the lion's den. And somewhere, buried beneath defiance and pride, a dangerous spark had been lit.
Enemies for now. But the storm was only beginning.