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His grip tightened.Just for a second.Then he let out a breath, long and slow before he lowered his head and rested his forehead against mine.We stayed like that, breathing the same air in silence.

“Tomorrow, we talk about Violet,” I said softly.

His lips curved, not quite a smile, but he let out a chuckle.“You’re going to kill me, Hayes.”And when he squeezed my hand this time, he didn’t let go.

The next morning, the storm had passed, leaving the city washed clean and glistening.Sometime during the night, the housekeeper had cleaned up the living room, removing all traces of glass and bloodstains.By the time I padded out to the kitchen, Sterling was already there, his bandaged hand wrapped around a steaming mug of coffee.He looked up as I entered.

“Ready?”I asked, setting my notebook and phone on the counter.

He nodded.“Let’s get this over with.”

I took a seat across from him.“Tell me about Violet.What was she like as a mother?”

“Violet wasn’t a mother.She was a strategist.Every move she made was calculated, every word a jab.She didn’t raise us.She molded us.Dean was her golden boy, the heir apparent.Rafe was her enforcer.And me?”He laughed bitterly.“I was the spare.The one she could afford to break.”

The pain in his voice made me want to find Violet and force her to feel every bit of abuse she inflicted on Sterling.Instead, I focused on jotting down my notes.“Did she ever show you any kindness?Any affection?”

He shook his head.“Affection was a weakness in her eyes.The closest she ever came to praise was when I scored my first professional goal.At least you’re good for something, were her exact words.”

“And your father?How did he fit into all of this?”

Sterling’s expression darkened.“My father was Violet’s puppet.He did whatever she told him, no questions asked.He was the one who enforced her lessons.”

I swallowed hard.“Why did you stay?Why not leave like Dean did?”

He looked at me, his eyes filled with a mixture of anger and sorrow.“I tried.More times than I can count.But every time I got close, she’d find a way to drag me back.Threats, blackmail, manipulation.She had a way of twisting the knife until I had no choice but to comply.”

I leaned forward, my voice soft but insistent.“But you did leave eventually.What changed?”

For a moment, I thought he might shut down again.“The injury.When I tore my ACL, it was the first time I couldn’t fight back.I was vulnerable, and she saw it as an opportunity to tighten her grip.But it was also the first time I realized I didn’t have to live like that.I didn’t have to be her pawn.So I walked away.Cut ties.Built something of my own.”

I nodded, scribbling furiously.“And now?She’s still trying to control you.I need to understand.What drives her?What does she want?”

Sterling’s expression darkened, his voice low and venomous.“Power.Control.She’s obsessed with the Nightfang legacy, with maintaining her grip on the family name.To her, we’re not her children.We’re tools.Pieces on a chessboard.And if we don’t play our part, she’ll eliminate us without a second thought.”

“What about Dean?How does he fit into all of this?”

Sterling’s expression softened slightly at the mention of his brother.“Dean’s always been the only one who saw her for what she was.He tried to protect me when we were kids, but there was only so much he could do.Eventually, he had to save himself.Even if it meant leaving me there in hell, it was the only way he could break free.I don’t blame him for it.Not anymore.The past is what it is.All we can do is move forward.”

I nodded.It seemed like whatever rift had existed between Dean and Sterling had been resolved.My heart ached for the boy he had been and the man he’d become.“And Rafe?Do you think there’s any chance of reaching him?”

He shook his head, a bitter smile tugging at his lips.“Rafe’s too far gone.Violet’s made sure of that.He’s her weapon, her enforcer, and he’ll never see it any other way.I’ve tried to get through to him before, but…” He trailed off, his voice heavy with regret.“Some people are too broken to fix.”

I set my pen down.“Sterling, I know this is hard, but thank you for trusting me with this.It’s not just about the book, it’s about understanding who you are.The man behind the bigger-than-life persona.”

He looked at me, his expression filled with a mixture of vulnerability and resolve.“You’re the only one who’s ever asked, Ariel.The only one who’s ever cared enough to dig beneath the surface.”

I reached across the counter, my fingers brushing his.“I want to know you.Not just the superstar or the billionaire or the wolf.Just you.”

For a moment, he didn’t respond, his expression unreadable.Then, with a soft sigh, he turned his hand over, his fingers intertwining with mine.His grip was firm, but gentle, as if he was anchoring himself to me in the midst of the storm.

We sat like that for a moment, the silence between us comfortable.Then I pulled my hand back, picking up my pen again.“One last question.Your soccer career, was it just a way to escape, or was there more to it?”

Sterling leaned back in his chair and sipped at his coffee.“At first, it was an escape.A way to prove I was more than just Violet’s pawn.But then, it became something else.Soccer was the one thing she couldn’t control.The one thing that was mine.When I was on the field, it didn’t matter who my family was or what they wanted from me.All that mattered was the game.The rush of the crowd, the feel of the ball at my feet.It was freedom.”

I nodded, scribbling down his words.“And when you had to leave it behind?How did that feel?”

“Like losing a part of myself.But it also forced me to find a new purpose.When I was forced to build my own empire and create something that wasn’t tied to the Nightfang name, it became a different kind of fight.But it’s mine.”