Page 26

TWENTY-SIX

Ember

“How… How do you know me?” I go stiff as a board.

Wolfe’s smile is all teeth. “Oh, I never forget a face. Especially not one that cost me so much.” He turns to Blaze. “And you, Mr. Hawkins. The noble protector. Tell me, how does it feel to know you’ve failed?”

Blaze strains against his bonds, muscles taut, fury rolling off him in waves. His voice is a low, dangerous growl.

“If you hurt her, it’ll be the last thing you do.”

Wolfe doesn’t flinch. He raises a hand, slow and deliberate, as if calming a child throwing a tantrum.

“Now, now,” he says, his tone smooth, unbothered. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. We have much to discuss.”

He leans back in his chair, eyes flicking between Blaze and me, calm and detached like he’s studying a pair of lab rats. His gaze lingers on me. I feel its weight, like a bug pinned under glass.

“I have no intention of hurting our little flame,” he continues, voice chilling in its casualness. “However…” His eyes darken, an icy smile tugs at the corner of his mouth. “If she doesn’t do exactly as she’s told… That invites consequences. How much pain she endures is entirely up to her.”

Wolfe’s smile widens, slow and sinister. “You see, it’s always about choice. She can choose obedience. Or,” his eyes lock on mine, “she can choose pain. Either way, the outcome is inevitable.”

Blaze snarls, straining harder against his restraints, but Wolfe remains unfazed. His gaze never leaves mine. It’s as though Blaze’s rage is inconsequential—a mere ripple in a pond while Wolfe holds all the power.

“Then why are we here?” The question slips out before I can stop myself, and I make the mistake of meeting his gaze—those cold, calculating eyes pierce straight through me.

A chill snakes down my spine. His eyes are void of anything human, like staring into an abyss that reflects all my worst fears. I shrink, instinctively pulling inward as if trying to make myself smaller, less noticeable.

Wolfe’s lip curls into a smirk, his gaze pinning me down like I’m already defeated. “You’ve stumbled into something much bigger than yourself, little flame. A game that’s been in motion for years.” His voice is smooth and controlled, each word carefully measured, and there’s no doubt in my mind—he’s the one pulling the strings.

He looks between Blaze and me, utterly unbothered, like he’s already won whatever twisted game we’ve found ourselves in.

“What are you talking about?” Blaze demands.

Wolfe’s eyes gleam in the harsh light. “Tell me, Mr. Hawkins. What do you know about the disappearances of foster children in New York over the past decade?”

The question hits me like a slap in the face. I’ve known kids who vanished, sure. It was just part of life on the streets, in the system. But the way Wolfe says it…

“Ember here,” he continues, his eyes sliding back to me, “she was supposed to be one of those statistics. Another lost child that no one would miss. But she proved—troublesome.”

“Troublesome? I’ve never met you before.”

“No?” Wolfe leans in close, his breath hot on my cheek. I fight the urge to puke. “Think back, little flame. The night you helped those kids escape a fire. We may not have met, but you’ve been a thorn in my side for many years.”

My blood turns to ice. Memories I’ve tried to bury come flooding back—the group home, the night everything went to hell. “I don’t… I don’t understand.”

Suddenly, I’m twelve again, smoke burning my lungs as I lead a bunch of scared kids out of a fire. The heat. The flames at my back. Sirens wailing in the distance.

“That was… That was you?” My voice sounds small, like a scared kid’s.

Wolfe’s smile is cold, cutting through the air like a blade. “You cost me a lot that night. You exposed a significant part of my operation and cost me millions in potential merchandise. I’ve been looking for you ever since.” His tone is too calm, as if he’s discussing a simple business transaction instead of shattered lives.

The missing kids. The whispered rumors. My stomach twists as the truth clicks into place, sickening and undeniable. It was all real, and I stumbled into the heart of it without even knowing.

“You were trying to kill them,” I blurt out, my voice sharper than I intend, trying to piece it all together, trying to make sense of the nightmare I unknowingly survived.

Wolfe laughs, the sound low and full of mockery, as though I’ve just told the world’s funniest joke. He steps closer, the smile on his lips as icy as his words.

“Oh, dear little flame, you don’t understand, do you? Those kids were never meant to die.”

I flinch at the condescension in his voice, every syllable dripping with amusement.

“The fire? That was nothing more than a distraction. A convenient cover-up so I could move them into my business.” His eyes gleam with dark amusement as he towers over me, and his voice softens as if sharing a secret. “You see, my business requires a certain—product. And those children? They were the product.”

My stomach lurches, bile rising in my throat. “Product?” The word feels like poison in my mouth.

“Of course,” he continues, completely unfazed, “that business isn’t exactly what you’d call—legal. But profitable? Oh, very much so. And you ruined that for me. You were supposed to disappear that night, like the rest of them. Instead, you became the thorn in my side.” He chuckles with a sound that makes my skin crawl. “I’ve been looking forward to this moment for a long time.”

The weight of his words sinks in, suffocating me. All these years, I’ve unknowingly been dodging a nightmare far darker than I could’ve imagined.

“You’re a monster,” Blaze spits out, his voice dripping with disgust. “Trafficking children.”

Wolfe shrugs like we’re talking about the weather. “Business is business, Mr. Hawkins. And vulnerable children are a valuable commodity in certain circles.”

I want to vomit. My mind races, flashing through memories of all the kids I’ve known—scared, alone, desperate for someone to care. How many of them ended up in this bastard’s hands? How many were swallowed by the darkness while I ran without knowing the hell I escaped?

Wolfe’s cold eyes lock onto mine, chilling me to my core. “Your capture after the debacle with Aria Holbrook has given me an unprecedented opportunity.” His voice is smooth and clinical, like discussing numbers instead of human lives. “It allows me to recoup some of the damages you caused all those years ago.”

My stomach twists as his gaze drags over me, assessing, calculating.

“You’re no longer a child. You’re a pretty thing, grown up, with other—assets.” His smile widens, but it’s as empty as his soul. “There are different clientele, you see. Ones who will pay quite a premium for someone like you.”

The room feels like it’s closing in, the weight of his words suffocating me.

“Of course,” he continues, almost conversationally, “that’s if I decide to sell you. There’s always the possibility I might keep you for myself. We could have so much fun.” He steps closer, his cold smile turning sinister. “But, I’ve waited a long time for this moment. I don’t want to rush any decisions.”

His words linger in the air, thick with threat, and for the first time in a long while, I realize how utterly helpless I am.

An auction.

He’s talking about putting me up for auction.

Or keeping me.

I prefer being sold to the highest bidder over whatever plans he might have for me.

Blaze tenses beside me, his body a coiled spring, barely containing the fury simmering beneath the surface. His voice cuts through the thick air, sharp and challenging.

“Why take Aria? She’s not exactly someone who can quietly disappear. You had to know people would come for her.”

Wolfe’s smile stretches wider, cold and predatory like he’s savoring the moment. “Oh, Mr. Hawkins, you’re wrong. No one will look for her.” Amusement laces his voice. “I usually deal in children. The ones no one misses. They slip through the cracks so easily, and it’s almost laughable how clean the business can be. But Aria…” He leans in slightly, eyes gleaming with dark delight, “She was a very deliberate choice.”

“A choice?” Blaze asks. “What the hell does that mean?”

Wolfe’s predatory smile spreads wider, all teeth and menace. “An eye for an eye, Mr. Hawkins. Aria’s kidnapping is retribution for something her father did.” He dismisses Blaze with casual ease. “Imagine my surprise when Bruiser revealed a second woman was taken.” His eyes land on me like a predator’s, gleaming with sick amusement. “How fateful that it was you, Ember. The girl who cost me those children all those years ago… You can pay for all of that now.”

“You knew taking Aria would bring heat on you.” Blaze’s eyes narrow, confusion flashing across his face. “What’s your endgame?”

Wolfe lets out a soft, almost mocking laugh. “Of course, I knew. That was the point. Taking Aria wasn’t about discretion. I was sending a message. Malcolm Holbrook has made a career out of being untouchable, out of hiding behind his billions and powerful connections. What better way to shake his perfect little world than to take his precious daughter?”

He pauses, adjusting the cuff of his jacket, every movement slow and deliberate, dripping with self-satisfaction. “You see, my business is clean, as you so astutely pointed out, but my vendetta against Malcolm? That’s personal. Aria was never about blending in or disappearing into the machine. She was about revenge. And a very public one at that. I wanted Malcolm to know no matter how powerful he thinks he is, no matter how untouchable, his empire is built on lies. And I intend to bring it all crashing down. Aria was just the beginning.”

Blaze’s voice lowers, hard as steel. “Does this have anything to do with Malcolm being your half brother?”

For the briefest second, Wolfe’s mask slips—just a flicker of surprise—but then it’s gone, replaced by a laugh, soft and sinister. “Well, well, well… It seems I’ve underestimated you, Mr. Hawkins. You’ve done your homework. Impressive.”

He leans back, crossing his arms casually like they’re discussing an old family drama instead of life and death. “How fascinating that you know about that particular family secret. After all, it’s not something I’ve made public, but I’m not surprised. Men like you—dig. Yes, Malcolm and I share a father, though you wouldn’t know it by how he’s lived his charmed life. He got the empire, the power, and the name. I got scraps and shadows.”

Blaze holds his ground, unwavering. “So, what’s the real reason? Why kidnap Aria? What did you stand to gain?”

Wolfe’s eyes gleam, his amusement shifting into something darker. “Malcolm and I never saw eye to eye. Being a banker comes with its perks—especially for someone like my dear brother, who’s always enjoyed flaunting his power. But it also comes with enemies I’d like to remind him of. Aria was my pawn to do just that, a little leverage in a very large game.”

His gaze turns icy, locking on Blaze with unsettling intensity. “But no one stays in the shadows forever, Mr. Hawkins. Not me, and certainly not Aria. She was the perfect tool to dismantle everything my dear brother holds dear. And now,” his gaze flicks to me, “you and your little flame will help me finish the job.”

“You don’t need Ember for that. Let her go.”

“Release her? Now, why would I do that?” Wolfe pauses, running a hand over his cufflinks as if considering his next words carefully. “Ember’s mine now, and she has much to make up for. As for Malcolm, he has something I want. Influence. Wealth. But, more importantly, the legacy I was denied. He’s always been the favored son who could do no wrong. I was the secret, the shame, hidden away.”

Wolfe’s voice turns cold, calculated. “Taking Aria was a way to remind him that he can’t hide from his past. And it would’ve worked—had you not interfered.”

Blaze narrows his eyes, barely containing his anger. “What did you hope to get? Ransom? Control?”

Wolfe’s smile returns, twisted and cruel. “Oh, I don’t want money, Mr. Hawkins. I want Malcolm to watch everything he’s built come crashing down. Aria was the perfect catalyst for that.” He glances at me again, his smile never wavering. “And now, with you both here, I have all the pieces I need.”

The weight of his words sinks in like a cold, suffocating blanket, and I can feel Blaze bristling beside me, ready to fight—but Wolfe’s control over the situation is absolute, and he knows it.

The threat hangs in the air, heavy as lead. Blaze’s jaw clenches, but I can see the calculation in his eyes. He’s not done fighting. Not by a long shot.

Wolfe stands, straightening his jacket like we’re at some fancy business meeting. “I’ll give you some time to think about your situation. Perhaps you’ll be more—amenable… After you’ve had a chance to reflect on your options.”

As he reaches the door, he pauses, glancing back. “Oh, and Mr. Hawkins? I wouldn’t get too attached if I were you. In my experience, loose ends tend to get cut rather quickly.”

The door slams shut, the sound echoing in the small room. There’s only silence for a moment, broken by our ragged breathing.

“Ember.” Blaze’s voice is low, urgent. “Are you okay?”

I try to nod, but my body won’t listen. The weight of Wolfe’s words presses down on me, threatening to crush me. “I—I didn’t know. All those kids…”

“Hey, look at me.” Blaze’s voice cuts through the fog of guilt and fear. I turn to meet his eyes, finding a strength I wish I had. “This isn’t your fault. You were a kid. You saved lives that night.”

“But how many didn’t I save?” The words come out choked. “How many disappeared because I didn’t stop him then?”

“You couldn’t have known.” Blaze’s voice is firm, like he won’t hear any argument. “But now we do. And we’re going to stop him, Ember. I promise you that.”

I want to believe him. God, how I want to. But reality’s a bitch, and she’s staring us right in the face. We’re tied up, trapped in the belly of Wolfe’s operation. No backup, no way out.

“How?” I hate how weak my voice sounds. “We don’t even know where we are.”

Blaze’s eyes narrow, his mind working overtime. “We don’t need to know where we are.”

“That makes no sense.”

“My team will find us.”

“How? How can they possibly find us?”

“They just will.”