Page 33 of The Enforcer (Damn! #2)

Lily sighed softly, her lips brushing against his skin as her hand drifted across his chest, her fingers brushing the faint scars that marred his body.

Zane pressed a kiss to her forehead, his touch lingering longer than necessary.

But he knew she felt it, the silent promise he made with that single gesture.

And when she tilted her face up to meet his eyes, the look in them stole his breath all over again.

When the lull of sleep finally began to pull at them, Lily shifted slightly, trying to roll away. Zane wasn’t having it. He caught her around the waist, hauling her right back into his chest with a satisfied growl.

“Where do you think you’re going, black-hat?

” His voice was a lazy drawl, thick with satisfaction and just a hint of warning.

But beneath the teasing edge, something deeper stirred.

Zane felt it, an unspoken need to hold on to this moment, to her.

He wasn’t ready to let her go, not yet. And judging by the way her body stilled, neither was she.

“Coffee.” Her tone was innocent, but the mischievous sparkle in her eyes gave her away.

“Wrong answer.” He flipped her effortlessly, pinning her beneath him again, his grin pure, sinful satisfaction. “Try harder.”

She laughed, low and playful. “Shower. Then coffee. And if you behave... maybe you get lucky again.” Her lips curled into a wicked smile, her body arching just enough to tease him.

Zane leaned in, his voice rough at her ear. “Baby, I don’t need luck.” His voice was rough at her ear, a promise that made her breath hitch.

And just like that, she was under him again, laughing, gasping, alive.

Much later, after the heat between them had cooled and the world had settled into a quiet hum, Zane finally relented.

He rolled onto his side, his body molding to hers as he reached across the bed and grabbed his discarded black silk robe.

Without a word, he draped it over her shoulders, watching with satisfaction as she slid her arms into the sleeves.

The fabric swallowed her, the hem brushing just above her ankles, and yet, it looked perfect on her.

“Mine,” he murmured, his voice low and possessive.

Lily’s lips curved, her eyes gleaming as she cinched the belt around her waist. “I think it’s mine now,” she teased softly, her fingers brushing the silk like it belonged to her. And it did. Because everything that was his... was hers.

Zane tugged her gently toward the kitchen, his hand never leaving the small of her back. They moved in easy silence, the quiet intimacy between them saying more than words ever could. When they reached the kitchen, a plain white box sat on the marble counter, neatly tied with string.

“Looks like someone was thinking ahead,” Lily murmured, her eyes narrowing as she untied the string and lifted the lid. Inside were fresh croissants, still warm, their buttery aroma filling the air.

“Kace,” Zane murmured, a hint of amusement in his tone. Of course one of his men had thought to leave breakfast, anticipating that they’d need it.

Lily grabbed one, tearing off a flaky piece and popping it into her mouth. “Remind me to thank him later.”

Zane watched her, a rare softness in his eyes as he reached for his own. “I’ll let him know.”

They stood there in the kitchen, the morning light filtering through the windows, the silence between them comfortable and full. And for once, the world and all its trouble could wait. For now, it was just her. Just this.

The warmth of Lily’s body still lingered on his skin as Zane stood in the kitchen, leaning against the counter with a fresh cup of coffee in his hand.

The scent of her branded him, subtle but unmistakable, reminding him of how close they had been just moments ago.

But the moment shattered when his phone buzzed on the counter.

Titus.

Zane picked up the call, lifting the phone to his ear. “Talk to me.”

Titus didn’t waste time.

“It’s the Severins, Zane,” Titus said, his tone flat and cold, devoid of emotion. “They want a seat at the table. And they think they can buy it with the Blackthorn assets.”

Zane’s brow furrowed, his grip tightening around the phone. “The Blackthorn assets? How the hell did they get their hands on it?”

“That’s the thing,” Titus said, his tone still cold and unreadable. “They claim they bought the information off the black market.”

There was a pause, just long enough to make Zane’s gut twist. “Is that possible?”

“Yeah,” Titus confirmed. “But they’re keeping everything lowkey. All we know is they’ve got the kind of money to buy the Blackthorn holdings, and they’re not just looking for profit.”

Zane’s mind raced, his grip on the phone tightening as those words sank in. The Severins weren’t just making a move. They were sending a message.

“They think that gives them a seat at our table?” Zane’s voice was pure ice.

“They do.” Titus’s voice dropped, calm and restrained, but with an edge that hinted at something far more dangerous. “The Severins aren’t just trying to buy a seat at the table, Zane. They’re using the Blackthorn assets as leverage.”

Stark realization settled over him. This wasn’t just another business maneuver, it was a declaration of war. The Severins weren’t asking for a seat. They were trying to force their way in, using the stolen assets as a bargaining chip.

“If we don’t shut this down now,” Titus continued, his tone edged with warning, “they’ll think they can dictate the terms.”

Zane’s gaze flicked to Lily. She stood at the edge of the kitchen, his black silk robe hanging off her shoulders, looking like she belonged in it, and she did. But the moment he met her eyes, a silent understanding passed between them.

The Severins. The black market.

Lily’s connection wasn’t a secret, not between them, but now it was coming back to haunt them both.

Zane’s mind raced. He knew Lily had crossed paths with treacherous players in her past, but there was nothing linking her to this.

The Severins were playing a dangerous game, trying to use her past as a smokescreen to force Titus’s hand.

This wasn’t just business anymore, this was personal.

And Zane couldn’t let them drag her into the crossfire.

A low growl rumbled in his throat, barely contained. His protective instincts flared, burning through the calm he’d managed to find just moments ago.

“This isn’t over,” he muttered under his breath, his tone dark and filled with warning. “Not by a long shot.”

Titus kept pushing, but Zane was paying close attention now.

His mind was racing, not just over the Severins’ move, but what Titus wanted him to do about it.

His brother wasn’t calling for advice, he was giving Zane a target.

And Zane knew exactly what that meant. Even more, his thoughts were locked on the threat the Severins posed to Lily, to everything they had built.

“Zane.” Titus pulled him back. “Zane… are you absolutely sure she’s not connected to this?”

Titus’s voice was steady, but there was a sharpness beneath the calm that couldn’t be ignored.

The question hit harder than Zane expected, a cold knot twisting in his gut.

Hearing that doubt, from his brother, of all people, was like a blade cutting deeper than he cared to admit.

It wasn’t suspicion, not yet, but it was close.

And he felt the strength of that unspoken doubt pressing down on him.

His gaze flicked to Lily. She was across the room, her expression unreadable, but he felt the tension between them like a live wire.

“She isn’t,” he said firmly, his tone leaving no room for doubt.

But the question hung in the air, heavier than either of them wanted to admit.

“I’ll handle this. It’s my mess, I’ll clean it up,” he finally murmured, his tone leaving no room for argument.

He ended the call and let the silence hang in the air.

The stress in the room was palpable when Zane turned back to Lily. But before he could say anything, her eyes searched his, and the question was already there, unspoken. Maybe she’d overheard Titus’s question. Or maybe she knew, just by looking at Zane, that something had gone sideways.

“Do you still believe me?” Her voice was quiet, but the significance behind the words was impossible to miss.

A slight tremor betrayed her, and her eyes, so often fierce and unyielding, flickered with vulnerability.

She needed to hear it, to be sure he wasn’t still doubting her. And damn it, it stung.

Zane’s chest tightened as he took a slow, deliberate step toward her. His eyes darkened, filled with a mix of raw desire, and something deeper. He wasn’t just trying to prove himself anymore, this was about more than control.

“With every part of me,” he murmured, his voice low and filled with conviction.

Lily’s lips parted slightly, but before she could say another word, Zane swept her into his arms. The coffee in her hand fell with a clatter, not shattering, but spilling coffee across the floor. None of it mattered. Not the mess. Not the threat. Only her.

“And to prove it…” His lips brushed against her ear, his breath hot and filled with promise. “I want you to get to work finding out who sold our info to the black market. Specifically, to the Severins.”

His grip tightened just enough to support her, to show her that this was real. He wasn’t just protecting her, he was trusting her.

Because believing her wasn’t just about words. It was about action. And Zane Dante wasn’t a man who made promises lightly.

TEN DAYS. Ten days of digging, sifting through data, and following trails that misled her at every turn.

But she hadn’t stopped. The urgency cut through her, a relentless reminder that Zane was watching, waiting for her to uncover the truth.

It wasn’t just the information now, it was the cost of it.

But he didn’t let her drown in it. He came in periodically, his presence a physical reminder of the life that still existed outside of the information she hunted.

He’d lift her from her chair, protesting all the while, and carry her off to eat, to sleep, or, best of all, to make love.

Each time she resisted, he refused to let her forget there was more to live for.

And then he’d cup her stomach, reminding her that as each day passed, the likelihood of a baby grew more and more real.

Now, her fingers hovered over the phone, dialing his number with a sense of finality.

But just before she could hit “call,” the door to the penthouse swung open.

Zane immediately joined her, as always, standing at the threshold, his presence commanding the space.

He watched her for a beat, his eyes narrowing slightly as if he could already feel the truth radiating from her.

Her hand froze, and she hit a button to clear the data from the screen before spinning to face him. One look and Zane knew.

“No,” she said simply, her voice low, a quiet defiance in the way she held herself. No need for words, he knew.

She wasn’t ready for him to go this far.

She couldn’t let him do it. Not for her.

Not for this. She could feel the argument rising inside her, her refusal to let him spiral further into the darkness.

“You don’t get it, Zane,” she snapped, her voice sharp with frustration.

“You can’t just burn everything down because of what happened to me. ”

Before she could speak, he was already at her side, his hand gripping her shoulder firmly, pulling her back from the screen with a sense of finality.

His eyes were darker than she’d ever seen them.

It was more than just protection now, this was dominance, claiming what was his, and she felt it in the intensity of his touch.

The air between them thickened with the heaviness of his unspoken command.

She met his gaze, standing firm, but inside, she was already questioning herself. “I’m not telling you,” she said quietly. The words were laced with hesitation, though her voice was resolute. She wasn’t afraid of the truth, but of the destruction it would bring.

Zane’s fury simmered just beneath the surface, but he held it in check for now.

There was no room for hesitation, no time for a debate with Lily.

His mind was already made up. He had to act.

The reckoning was coming, whether Lily was ready for it or not, and he wouldn’t let anything, or anyone, stand in his way.

As much as he hated it, he knew the cost of inaction was far greater than what was coming.

“Lily…” His voice was low, dangerous, a warning in every syllable. “You know I can’t just walk away from this.”

“I’m not going to be the reason someone dies, Zane,” she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. “I won’t be the one who sets this in motion.”

Zane moved to her computer, his movements deliberate, not asking for permission.

He hit several keys, and the screen blinked to life, cold, hard facts.

The Severins were behind everything. Lily had known, but now it was out in the open.

He didn’t wait for her to speak. He knew exactly what he needed.

And he wasn’t going to let her stand in the way of what was coming.

The reckoning was inevitable, and he wouldn’t wait any longer.

The names, the proof, it was all laid out before him. Zane didn’t hesitate. The Severins were making their move right now, and with every second that ticked by, the danger grew. Lily wasn’t ready for it, but he didn’t have the luxury of waiting. He couldn’t afford to let this slide any longer.

“Stay here,” he had the nerve to order her. “Don’t let anyone in.”