Lilith slammed her phone down onto the glass table, her jaw tight and her voice sharp with frustration.
"Where the fuck is Liam?"
She had tried everythingâcalls, messages, even voice recordingsâbut none of them were getting through. No reply. No update. Silence.
She paced in her penthouse like a caged lioness, her black heels clicking sharply with every step. Her body was wrapped in that signature sharp-cut black suit that hugged her curves like a second skin. Her blazer was slightly open at the chest, revealing just enough of her skin to tease death itself.
She grabbed her phone again and made another call. The line picked up almost instantly.
"Find Liam," she said coldly. "Go to his house. Tell him everything he needs to know. We donât have time."
The person on the other end responded with a simple, "Understood," before the line went dead.
Lilith let out a slow, shaky breath. She wasnât the type to panicâbut this was war. And she needed her strongest pieces on the board.
Please make it in time, Liam, she thought silently, staring down at the table full of weaponry.
Pistols. Grenades. Combat knives. Custom Black Lotus gear. The table looked more like a private armory than a part of her luxury suite. Lilith began dressingâmethodically, calmly. Every clip loaded, every buckle strapped, every blade hidden. Her suit shifted slightly to accommodate each piece of weaponry she secured.
By the time she was done, she didnât look like a queen anymore.
She looked like a soldier ready for war.
A final glass of whiskey slid down her throat before she wiped her lips, stepped out onto the balcony, and stared into the silent city below. The air was calm, deceptively peaceful. But she knew better.
Everyone in Black Lotus knew.
Everyone in Crimson Hand knew.
Tonight was the night.
By morning, this city would drown in blood.
---
âMeanwhileâ
Annâs hips moved like magic, her body gliding up and down on Liam with a rhythm that was both sensual and powerful. Her hands were planted on his bare chest, her fingers digging into his skin with every deep stroke. She was in controlâand Liam loved every second of it.
Her breath came in short, sweet gasps, each one sending shivers down his spine. The room smelled of sex, sweat, and her intoxicating natural scent. Her hair clung to her damp shoulders, her body glistening under the soft light of the bedside lamp.
Liamâs hands gripped her waist, guiding her movements, feeling the way her warm, wet walls clenched tightly around him. Every thrust sent a shock of pleasure through both of them. He could barely keep his eyes open. She was too muchâtoo beautiful, too wild, too fucking perfect.
Ann tilted her head back, moaning loudly as her pace quickened, her thighs slapping against his hips. He watched the way her full breasts bounced freely with every motion, watched the fire in her eyes and the pleasure etched in every curve of her face.
"Fuck, Liam..." she gasped. "Iâm close..."
Her body tensedâthen shook violently as the orgasm hit her, her eyes squeezing shut as the climax rolled through her like thunder. Her muscles clenched hard around him, and Liam bit his lip, trying not to lose it himself. She collapsed on top of him, panting hard, her chest rising and falling against his own.
He wrapped his arms around her warm, trembling body, pulling her in tighter, kissing her forehead softly.
"Youâre unbelievable," he whispered against her skin.
Ann didnât reply. She just smiled weakly, completely drained, her body still pulsing with the aftershock of what they just shared. The blanket was pulled up lazily, and they lay thereâskin on skin, heart to heart.
Wrapped in each otherâs arms, they fell asleep.
----
The elevator door to the penthouse clicked shut behind Lilith as she stepped into the night. The cityâs skyline loomed in the distance, glittering quietly, unaware of the war that would ignite before sunrise. Her boot hitting softly on the pavement as she approached the car already waiting at the curb.
Leo sat behind the wheel, still dressed in his long, flowing black robe. His sharp eyes scanned the street through the windshield, but the moment he saw her approach, he unlocked the doors. She slid into the passenger seat without a word, her movements graceful but heavy with the weight of what was coming.
She gave him a single nod. Leo didnât need more.
The engine roared to life with a low growl, and they pulled out into the street, the tires hugging the road tightly as the car cut through the sleeping city like a blade.
There was only one destination.
The Black Lotus base.
It was positioned far from the city, nestled quietly on the edge of an abandoned industrial zoneâsilent, deserted, and perfect for what was coming. No nosy neighbors. No sirens. No witnesses. Whatever happened tonight would stay buried in gunfire and blood.
Leo drove like a shadow in the wind, but even at high speed, his eyes kept flicking toward Lilith. He noticed the way her fingers kept curling around her phone, lifting it up, checking the screen, then putting it down again. Again and again.
"You expecting a call?" he finally asked, breaking the silence.
Lilith exhaled, resting her head lightly against the window. "Yeah. Itâs Liam. Iâve been trying to reach him since sunset. He hasnât replied to a single thing. I donât know what the hell heâs doing. Heâd be a great addition to the team if he were around."
Leo raised an eyebrow. "You think he bailed?"
Lilithâs eyes narrowed, not with doubtâbut with complete certainty. "No. Liam wouldnât run. Heâs probably just being his usual reckless self. Maybe sleeping, maybe out doing something dumb. But not running. Never."
There was a brief pause. The only sound was the hum of the tires against the concrete and the low growl of the engine. Leo kept his eyes on the road, but there was a subtle shift in his voice when he spoke again.
"Iâve been with you a long time, Lilith," he said. "Long enough to know when youâre not being completely honest."
Lilith turned her head to look at him, her eyes steady. "Whatâs that supposed to mean?"
Leo didnât answer right away. He let the silence stretch for a few seconds longer before finally replying, "You said heâd be a great addition. But why else do you want him there so badly?"
Lilithâs expression tightened, her brows furrowed, but something inside her softened. She turned her eyes away from Leo, back toward the road ahead.
"I donât know," she said quietly. "Itâs strange. But every time heâs around, I feel... safer. Itâs not logical. Iâve trained my entire life not to depend on anyone. But when heâs there, itâs likeâ" she hesitated, "âlike I can breathe again."
Leo didnât react right away. The car sped on, the city lights behind them fading into the night. Then he chuckled softly, a low amused sound.
"Youâre getting sentimental over a pretty face," he said, shaking his head. "Donât let one successful mission fool you. Beyond those looks, I havenât seen anything about Liam that screams promise."
Lilith smiled faintly, her voice edged with mischief. "Wait till you see it for yourself."
Leo didnât reply, but she noticed the way his jaw tightened just slightlyâhow his fingers flexed on the steering wheel. He wasnât the jealous type. But he was protective. Of her. Of Black Lotus. Of everything they had built.
Still, Lilith wasnât just betting on a hunch. She had seen something in Liamâs eyesâthat dangerous confidence, that silent strength, that flicker of chaos hiding beneath his smooth smile. He was a wildcard, yes. But sometimes the wildcards were the ones who flipped the board completely.
As the city lights vanished behind them and the empty dark stretch of road led them toward the Black Lotus stronghold, Lilith rested her hand gently on her holster.
Whatever the Crimson Hand was planning, they were going to hit hard. But she would hit back harder.
And if Liam showed up...
Theyâd show the world what it meant to mess with the wrong fucking gang.