Page 134 of The Silent War

I turned to the wall and kicked the metal door behind me, the sound echoing.

Troy startled. “We’re still running heat map overlays. I’m trying?—”

“Try harder,” I snapped. “Tryfucking harder, or I’ll tear every building in Villain apart myself.”

I didn’tbreathefor a moment. Just stood there, glaring at acity that we owned and somehow, it had taken my twin with no trace.

Then I exhaled hard and forced my hands flat on the table.

I’d spent three years managing every risk, dynasty threat, volatile fucking deal Luca dropped the second it got too emotional.

I took the weight.

That was the deal.

He spiraled. I cleaned.

I broke. He carried.

But now he wasgone….and I didn’t know if he was hurt, dead, bleeding, or doing something sorecklessit would bring the entire Crow Dynasty to its knees.

And the worst part?

Ifeltit.

In the way the hours dragged, the silence where his voice should’ve been. The fucking hollowness of the room we’d built to watch the world together.

He should’ve come home.

Healwayscame home.

Even when bloodied, spiralling, even if the whole city was burning and he’d set the match himself, Luca always came home.

But not tonight. Nine fucking hours. While I was down in the tunnels, my twin disappeared. My hand was still braced against the console when my phone buzzed.

ROME: Nothing. No one’s seen him. Checked the back alleys & the underground passages. Orpheum roof. Nothing.

I read the words and didn’t move. My fingers stayed numb, gripping glass like it was a weapon I couldn’t throw.

ROME: He turned off his chip. He doesn’t want to be found.

The words sliced deeper than they should’ve. I slammed my palm into the desk again, this time harder.

“Troy,” I said. My voice came out wrong. “I need ten minutes.”

“But sir?—”

“Get out.”

Troy grabbed his laptop. The others didn’t even argue. They cleared the floor like I was about to explode. Because I fucking was.

The second the door shut behind them, I paced. Hard. Sharp turns. Jaw clenched so tight I could taste blood from grinding my teeth.

Why would he disappear like this?

Why would he leave me alone?

My chest was getting tighter. I couldn’t breathe. Like something was caving in.