The sound of rapid, pounding footsteps echoed through the sleek private gym. Liam was a blur on the treadmill, his body pushing itself to the absolute limit as his legs moved at impossible speed. Sweat glistened down his bare chest, muscles rippling with power, breath steady despite the insane pace. Every drop of exertion, every pulse of pain, only fueled him further.
He felt alive again.
Fully healed, sharper than ever, and stronger than before. But beneath the surface of his recovery burned something much darker, much deeperâa rage that hadnât dulled over the days. In fact, it had only intensified. It wasnât just about survival anymore. It wasnât about protecting those he cared about. It was about vengeance.
It was the fire in his blood.
And the system responded.
As if reading the storm in his heart, the familiar digital screen appeared before his eyes again, glowing with sharp, cold clarity.
[New Mission Available]
[Revenge On Your Enemies]
[Progress: 2/4]
[Reward: New Class Unlock]
Liamâs gaze narrowed.
He didnât need anyone to explain what it meant. The system was always cryptic with words but clear with intent. Four names flashed in his mind like ghosts waiting to be huntedâKyle, Sam, Daryl, and Jack.
Kyle and Daryl were already dead. Their blood was on his hands, their lives taken by his fury. That left only two.
Jack and Sam.
The only problem? They were being protected. Ever since the new detectiveâRyan, the so-called forensic prodigyâstepped foot in the city, everything changed. Liam had done his research. This man wasnât just goodâhe was terrifying. Calm, methodical, brilliant. In just a few days, Ryan had connected the dots: Kyle, Sam, Daryl, and Jack werenât just random names. They are best friends, school buddies.
And now two of them were dead.
It didnât take a genius to realize what came next. Someone was coming for them. Someone who had a grudge. Someone who wanted them all gone.
Ryan was on the trail.
And it was only a matter of time before that trail led to Liam.
His jaw tightened as he punched the treadmillâs stop button. The machine slowed under his feet, gradually reducing speed until it hummed to a stop. Liam stepped off, muscles tense, chest rising and falling. He ran a towel across his neck, but his mind was still deep in the fire of revenge.
Thatâs when he heard it.
"Are you going to run yourself to death?"
Lilithâs voice rang through the room, smooth and teasing, but with a trace of real concern beneath it. Liam turned toward the entrance. She stood there in the doorway, dressed in sleek black once again. A matte black handgun was in her right hand, dangling casually at her side, like it was nothing more than a purse.
She looked flawless, as always. But there was something in her posture, a tension he hadnât seen in a while.
He raised a brow. "Where are you going?"
Lilith walked forward, her heels tapping against the marble floor. "The Crimson Hand proposed a meeting," she said. "A face-to-face. Iâm going."
Liamâs brows furrowed instantly. His instincts screamed. "Waitâwhat?"
"Itâs legit," she added before he could ask more. "A neutral location. No ambush. One of their rules, actually. Only two representatives allowed from each side. Iâm taking Leo. Boss will bring one of his men."
Liamâs expression hardened. Everything about this felt wrong.
Too clean.
Too simple.
"What if itâs a setup?" he asked. "What if they double-cross you?"
Lilithâs face remained calm, but there was a flicker of something behind her eyes. "They wonât. They have a reputation to keep. A deal is a deal. Itâs one of the few things the Boss respects."
Liam stepped closer, eyes locked with hers. "Still. I donât like it."
She tilted her head slightly, confused by the shift in his tone. "You donât like it? Liam, this isâ"
"No," he interrupted, voice low but firm. "Leo shouldnât be the one going with you."
That made her pause.
Lilith blinked. "What?"
Liamâs gaze was unwavering now, intense and full of fire. "I said it shouldnât be Leo. It should be me."
The room went still.
For the first time in a long while, Lilith was speechless. Shock briefly crossed her featuresâthen confusion. Her brows furrowed as her lips parted, about to argue. But she didnât, not yet.
Liam stepped closer again, his body towering over hers, not threatening but unmovable. "Iâm not letting you walk into that place without me. If itâs a trap, if they try anything, I want to be there."
Lilith stared at him for a long, lingering moment. Her golden-blonde hair framed her sharp jawline as her feline-like eyes narrowed just slightlyânot in anger, but in thought. Liam held her gaze, unmoving, unblinking.
Then she sighed.
"Fine," she muttered. "You can come."
Liam didnât grin or gloat. He simply nodded, then turned on his heel.
"Iâll go get ready."
He disappeared down the hallway, his towel hanging loosely around his shoulder. Lilithâs eyes instinctively followed him for a moment too long. She muttered something under her breath and shook her head, but there was a very faint curl at the corner of her lips as she turned away.
---
Fifteen minutes later, Liam returnedâfresh out of the shower, dressed in a clean black T-shirt that hugged his muscular torso and slim-fit dark jeans that hung just right on his hips. His damp hair was swept back slightly, water still glistening on his neck. He smelled of something dark and sharp.
Lilith was waiting by the car, already inside the driverâs seat of her sleek matte-black Mercedes coupe. Liam slid into the passenger side, shutting the door behind him.
For a while, the only sound was the quiet hum of the engine and the soft bass from the stereo. The windows were slightly tinted, cloaking them in dim, private shade. Lilith gripped the wheel with both hands, her eyes forward. Her usual composure was thereâbut something in her posture told Liam she was tense.
"You good?" he asked, glancing over at her.
"Iâm fine," she replied smoothly, but her fingers slightly tapped against the leather wheel.
Liam leaned back, relaxed.
A smirk slowly crept across his face.
"You sure?" he asked, voice low and teasing now. "Because you look... tight."
Lilith didnât respond. Her gaze stayed forward, pretending not to acknowledge him.
"Tense," Liam continued, eyes drifting lazily across her body. "Like your shoulders. Your thighs too. Maybe you need to unwind. I could help, you know."
Still nothing.
He turned his body slightly to face her more directly, a devilish glint in his eyes.
"Some women take baths. Some do yoga," he went on. "But you? I think you need something a little rougher. Maybe a strong pair of hands. Or a strong pair of lips... somewhere lower."
That made Lilith blink, just once, but her face was still composed.
"I mean," Liam continued, his voice deepening into something dark and suggestive, "I could put you on my lap right now. Have you riding my thigh until you forget your own name."
Lilithâs grip on the wheel tightened just slightly. Wasnât this bastard almost dead a week ago.
Still no response.
Liam leaned in closer, his lips almost brushing her ear. "Or maybe youâd prefer if I slipped my hand under you... right here in the car... while we drive."
She clenched her jaw, staring straight ahead.
"Still no reaction?" he murmured. "Damn. Cold as ever. Or maybe youâre just holding back?"
There was a flicker of color on her cheek. Barely visible. A blushâfast, fleetingâbut there.
Liam didnât notice.
He leaned back, a chuckle rumbling low in his chest. "Iâll take your silence as a maybe."
Finally, Lilith spoke, her voice calm but laced with warning. "You keep talking like that, and I might actually pull over."
"Oh?" Liam raised an eyebrow. "So youâre saying thereâs a chance?"
Lilith didnât answer. But she did shift in her seat, her legs subtly squeezing together beneath the wheel as she exhaled slowly through her nose.
He didnât need her to admit it. He could feel it in the air nowâthick tension, the kind that curled like smoke between them.
She might have been the most dangerous woman in the city. But even she wasnât completely immune.
And Liam was the kind of trouble even Lilith found hard to resist.