Page 26 of The Colour of Revenge

I groan, dragging a hand through my hair as I lean against the desk. "You have no idea."

"Want me to dig into her?" he offers, his tone casual but his eyes sharp.

"Yes. Find out everything you can," I say without hesitation. Kai's a genius with computers—a digital bloodhound. He can uncover everything from someone's birth certificate to their deepest secrets in a few hours. It's a skill that makes him indispensable—not just as my tech guy, but someone I can trust when things inevitably get messy. And right now, things with Carina are edging toward chaos.

Though, I quite like chaos.

"You know how much work I had to put in to clean up her mess?" he asks, his expression morphing into that of annoyance.

"No, but I'm sure you're about to enlighten me," I reply, folding my arms.

"She stalked him to that hotel, took the most camera-infested routes possible, and left me to scrub every second of footage." He gestures dramatically, rolling his eyes. "Then there was the screaming—oh, the screaming. Had to explain that away to the staff. Told them my girlfriend and I are into someveryaggressive kinks, including, apparently, her stomping on my balls."

The mental image hits me, and I burst into laughter, clutching my stomach as I gasp for air. "Oh, fuck," I wheeze, tears stinging my eyes. "You actually said that? With a straight face?"

"It's not funny," he grumbles, but the twitch at the corner of his mouth betrays him.

"Oh, it's hilarious," I counter, wiping my eyes. "I owe you one for that. I'll talk to her. Make sure she's more careful."

Kai finally stands, his annoyance giving way to a grin. "You do that. And for the record, I'm billing you for emotional damages."

If I were anyone else, Kai would be deadly serious. He's not great with new people. The man likes his routines, and deviating from them throws his head into a spin. He thinks I don't know that it's because of his mum. But he was never good at hiding her abuse—no one gets a bruised eye from "tripping over a goldfish." I might have been seven at the time, but even then, I smelled bullshit.

"Get out," I mutter, still chuckling as I wave him off.

Once he's gone, my gaze drifts to the headline on the paper he left behind.

[From Boardroom to Black Market: The Wealthy Men Who Vanish Without a Trace and the ‘Evil Deals’ That Link Them.]

I thrum my fingers on my desk as I scan the article. Still, no one is any wiser that these men are not just disappearing. They suggest that after media tip offs, they’re heading unground, fleeing the country. Exactly as Kai plants. I don’t know how he does it, but his ability to falsify a trail is terrifying. We clean up my scenes, make it look like we were never there, then dispose of the body before Kai sends an anonymous tip to the media or the police about our victim’s wrong doings. The actual victims get justice, while we stay under the radar.

Perhaps I should feel more anxious that one day they’ll find out. But honestly? My faith in my best friend is too high for that to be a concern of mine.

I turn my attention back to work, sorting through the highest-priority cases on my desk. It's a relief—a distraction from how Carina's texts are becoming the highlight of my day and from the gnawing realisation that I look forward to hearing from her more than I should.

For now, I bury myself in the files, letting the weight of our mission pull me back into focus. But no matter how hard I try, the thought of her—the fire in her eyes, the sharp wit in her messages, the way she makes me feel something other than this cold, calculated existence—lingers at the edges of my mind.

I get through my entire snack drawer—forgoing lunch in favour of sweets and chocolate (I have to maintain my physique somehow).

It's only when the light begins to fade outside that I realise the day has slipped away from me. The office is empty now, but my mind is still with her. Wondering what she's doing, if she's thinking of me too.

I check my phone for the time, but my breath catches as my heart slams into my throat.

A new text from Carina.

Queen Carina:What are you up to?

A flicker of something builds in my chest.

Daddy Death:Are you missing me? My charm? My devilishly handsome face?

Queen Carina:I take it back.

Daddy Death:Don't get shy on me now. No takebacks.

Daddy Death:I miss you too…

Silence.