The night air bit against Amelia's skin as she hurried down the nearly empty street, her heels clicking sharply against the pavement. Streetlights flickered overhead, throwing long shadows across the sidewalks while distant traffic hummed somewhere beyond the sleeping city.
She tightened her grip on the thick folder tucked beneath her arm.
The documents inside felt heavier than paper.
Every page carried secrets.
Every sentence dragged her deeper into a world she wished she had never discovered.
Her confidential source had risked everything to get her those files, and after spending hours reading through them, Amelia finally understood one terrifying truth.
The mafia network ran far deeper than she imagined.
This was not just about her parents anymore.
This was generations of corruption, hidden alliances, bribery, disappearances, and violence buried beneath expensive suits and polished smiles.
And somehow, every trail eventually circled back to the Steel family.
Amelia's chest tightened painfully.
She hated that Xavier's face kept appearing in her mind despite everything.
His laugh.
His touch.
The way he looked at her like she mattered.
Her phone suddenly vibrated in her coat pocket, nearly making her jump.
She frowned and pulled it out.
Xavier Steel.
Her heart betrayed her instantly.
It started pounding so hard she became annoyed with herself.
Do not answer.
Seriously, Amelia. Do not answer him.
Her thumb hovered over the screen for several seconds.
Then she answered anyway.
"Amelia."
His deep voice slid through the phone softly, dangerously familiar.
God.
Even hearing him made her weak.
"What do you want, Xavier?" she asked, trying to sound cold.
There was silence for a second before he spoke again.
"Where are you?"
She rolled her eyes immediately. "Hello to you too."
"I am serious."
"And I am walking home."
"Alone?"
"Yes."
Xavier muttered a curse under his breath.
Amelia frowned. "What is your problem?"
"My problem," he said sharply, "is that you are wandering around at night carrying information dangerous enough to get you killed."
Her steps slowed.
"How do you know about the files?"
"Because unlike you, I actually understand the people you are dealing with."
His tone irritated her instantly.
"I can handle myself."
A short laugh escaped him, though it held no amusement.
"You nearly got followed leaving the café earlier."
Amelia froze mid step.
"What?"
"You keep looking forward when you are nervous," Xavier continued calmly. "You forgot to check behind you."
A chill crawled down her spine.
"You were following me?"
"I was protecting you."
"I did not ask for protection."
"No," he said quietly. "You never do."
Something about the sadness beneath those words made her chest ache unexpectedly.
She kept walking, hugging the folder tighter.
The streets felt colder now.
Less safe.
"You should let me help," Xavier said after a moment.
Amelia shook her head even though he could not see it.
"If I stop now, then what happened to my parents stays buried forever."
His voice softened instantly.
"Amelia…"
"No." She swallowed hard. "I need answers, Xavier."
Another long silence stretched between them.
Then his voice came lower this time, rougher.
"Fine. Chase the truth if you need to." He exhaled heavily. "But if anything happens to you, I swear I will burn this entire city down finding whoever touched you."
Her breath caught.
Why did he always say things like that?
Why did every protective word from him sound dangerously close to love?
Amelia leaned briefly against a nearby wall, closing her eyes.
"You make it hard to hate you," she whispered before she could stop herself.
Xavier went silent.
Completely silent.
Then finally, very softly, he said, "Good."
Heat rushed straight to her face.
Annoyed, she quickly ended the call before he could hear how fast her heart was beating.
By the time she reached her apartment, exhaustion clung heavily to her body.
She locked the door behind her and tossed the folder onto the dining table before pulling off her heels with a groan.
The apartment was quiet.
Too quiet.
Amelia walked toward the kitchen and poured herself a glass of water before returning to the files spread across the table.
Photographs.
Transaction records.
Old newspaper clippings.
Names circled in red ink.
One picture caught her attention immediately.
A younger version of Xavier's father standing beside men known for organized crime operations years ago.
Amelia stared at it for a long moment.
Her stomach twisted painfully.
"How much do you know, Xavier?" she whispered to herself.
She wanted to believe he was different from his family.
Wanted to believe the tenderness he showed her was real.
But love had blinded women before.
And Amelia refused to become one of them.
She sat down heavily and continued reading.
The deeper she dug, the uglier everything became.
Her parents had not simply died because they were unlucky.
They had discovered something.
Something dangerous enough to make powerful people silence them forever.
Anger burned hot inside her chest again.
Tears stung her eyes but she forced them away.
No more crying.
No more weakness.
A sudden knock at the door startled her so badly she nearly dropped the papers.
Her pulse quickened immediately.
Nobody visited this late.
Another knock came, slower this time.
Amelia carefully reached into the drawer beside the table and grabbed the small pocket knife Beth insisted she carry.
"Who is it?" she called cautiously.
"Open the door, Amelia."
Xavier.
Relief flooded her first.
Then irritation.
Then something much worse.
Excitement.
She hated that part most.
Amelia unlocked the door carefully.
The moment it opened, Xavier stepped inside like he belonged there.
Tall. Dark clothes. Sharp eyes immediately scanning the apartment for danger before landing on her face.
His jaw tightened instantly.
"You look tired."
"You broke into concern mode again."
"You sound surprised."
He closed the door behind him and glanced toward the files scattered across the table.
"You are still reading those?"
"Yes."
"Amelia."
"Do not start."
Xavier rubbed his forehead in frustration before walking closer.
The scent of his cologne wrapped around her instantly, warm and familiar enough to make her stomach flip.
God, this man was dangerous in every possible way.
"You are pushing yourself too hard," he murmured.
"And you are hovering."
"Because you keep putting yourself in danger."
Amelia crossed her arms stubbornly. "I do not need saving."
His eyes locked onto hers intensely.
"I know."
The answer caught her off guard.
Xavier stepped closer slowly until barely any space remained between them.
"But that does not stop me from wanting to protect you."
Her breath hitched.
There it was again.
That unbearable sincerity.
Amelia looked away first.
"You should not care about me this much."
A quiet laugh escaped him.
"Little late for that."
The tension between them thickened instantly.
Heavy.
Electric.
Xavier reached toward the table for one of the files, but his fingers brushed hers accidentally.
Amelia sucked in a breath sharply.
One touch.
That was all it took.
Xavier noticed immediately.
His gaze darkened slightly as he looked down at her hand beneath his.
Neither of them moved away.
"Still pretending you do not want me around?" he asked softly.
Amelia swallowed hard.
"You are incredibly annoying."
"But you like me anyway."
She glared at him weakly. "Your confidence is unbearable."
"It is not confidence." His thumb brushed lightly against her knuckles. "It is experience."
Her face heated instantly.
Xavier smirked the second he noticed.
"You are blushing again."
"I hate you."
"No, you do not."
The worst part was how calmly he said it.
Like he already knew.
Like he could see straight through every wall she built around herself.
Amelia tried stepping back, but Xavier caught her wrist gently before she could escape.
The movement pulled her directly against him.
Her heart nearly stopped.
Neither of them spoke.
The air suddenly felt too warm.
Too thin.
Xavier looked down at her with an expression that made her entire body tense.
Not anger.
Not lust alone.
Something deeper.
Something far more dangerous.
"You have no idea what you do to me," he murmured.
Amelia's fingers curled lightly against his shirt before she could stop herself.
"That sounds like your problem."
His low laugh sent shivers down her spine.
"Trust me," he whispered, leaning closer, "it definitely is."
For one reckless second she thought he might kiss her.
And honestly?
She would have let him.
But Xavier stopped himself at the last moment, pressing his forehead lightly against hers instead.
The restraint somehow felt even more intimate.
"I do not want revenge to destroy you," he said quietly.
Amelia closed her eyes briefly.
"And I do not want feelings for you to make me weak."
Xavier pulled back just enough to look at her properly.
"Who said loving someone makes you weak?"
The question hit her harder than expected.
Because despite everything happening around them, despite the lies, the secrets, the danger, and the anger simmering between them…
A part of Amelia was already falling.
Hard.
And that terrified her more than the mafia ever could.
Outside, thunder rumbled faintly in the distance as rain began tapping softly against the windows.
Inside the apartment, Amelia stood trapped between truth and desire, between justice and the man slowly becoming impossible to resist.
And deep down, she knew this war between them was only beginning.