Matthew Carter adjusted the sleeves of his jacket as he stared at himself in the mirror of his apartment. He never thought he'd be nervous about dinner, but here he was—standing in front of the mirror, fixing his hair for the tenth time.
William had laughed when he found out. "Dude, it's just dinner. Why are you acting like you're meeting your in-laws?"
But it wasn't just dinner. It was dinner with his father, Captain Carter, and Jessica Cortez.
Jessica—whose father was one of the most powerful figures in the underworld.
Jessica—who had just introduced Matthew to her family like it actually meant something.
And now, he was supposed to return the favor.
Jessica arrived right on time, dressed in a sleek but simple black dress with a leather jacket over it. Her usual confident smirk was in place, but Matthew could tell she was just as wary about this as he was.
"Ready for this?" she asked, arms crossed.
"Nope," Matthew admitted, locking his door. "But let's get it over with."
The restaurant was one of the finest in the city, a place reserved for high-ranking officials, military elites, and government personnel. When they arrived, Captain Carter was already seated, waiting.
The man was imposing—broad-shouldered, strict posture, sharp eyes that seemed to analyze everything in seconds. He was dressed in his military uniform, his medals gleaming under the warm lights of the restaurant.
As Matthew and Jessica approached, Captain Carter gave his son a once-over before turning his gaze to Jessica.
"So," he said, voice deep and commanding, "you're Jessica Cortez."
Jessica smirked slightly. "And you must be the legendary Captain Carter."
The captain raised an eyebrow but nodded approvingly. "I've heard quite a bit about you."
Jessica tilted her head. "All good things, I hope?"
Captain Carter took a sip of his drink. "Mostly. Your performance during the wilderness program was... impressive."
Jessica shrugged. "I do my best."
Matthew sat down, clearing his throat. "Dad, don't interrogate my friend ."
Captain Carter smirked slightly. "Relax, son. I'm just getting to know your... friend."
Jessica chuckled. "He means 'girlfriend,' but he won't say it out loud."
Matthew groaned. "Jess—"
Captain Carter chuckled, the rare sound catching Matthew off guard. "So, you've got a strong one. Good. You'll need someone like that."
Dinner went smoother than Matthew expected. His father actually seemed to approve of Jessica, which was a miracle in itself.
Then, the conversation shifted.
"Matthew," Captain Carter said, setting down his fork. "I heard from my contacts that you're getting involved in the underground."
Matthew tensed. Jessica narrowed her eyes slightly, already prepared to defend him.
"I'm not getting involved," Matthew said carefully. "I'm just entering a few matches to make some money for my projects."
His father stared at him for a long moment. "You don't have to do this, son. If you need money, I can—"
"No," Matthew interrupted. "I want to do this on my own. I don't want to rely on you for everything."
Captain Carter exhaled, nodding slowly. "You're just as stubborn as your mother was."
Jessica glanced between them but remained silent.
After a moment, his father finally spoke again. "Fine. But if you're going to do this, do it right. Train hard, stay sharp, and don't get reckless."
Matthew smirked. "Dad, I'm always reckless."
Captain Carter sighed. "I know."
Jessica grinned. "I'll keep him in check."
Captain Carter looked at her and, for the first time that night, smiled. "I believe you will."
Matthew blinked. Did his dad actually just approve of his relationship?
Before he could say anything, his father leaned back in his chair. "So, Jessica. When are you inviting me to meet your father?"
Jessica choked on her drink.
Matthew burst out laughing. "Welcome to my world."
---
Jessica wiped her mouth, still recovering from Captain Carter's unexpected comment. "Meet my father?" she echoed, raising an eyebrow.
Captain Carter smirked slightly, his military discipline unwavering. "If you and Matthew are serious, it's only fair that I meet the man who raised you."
Jessica exhaled, leaning back in her chair. "Well… my dad isn't exactly the kind of guy you just 'meet' over dinner."
Matthew coughed. "Yeah, Dad, Jessica's father is—"
"A respected mystical shifter in the underworld," Captain Carter finished, cutting Matthew off. "I know exactly who he is."
Jessica stiffened slightly, but her expression remained unreadable. "Then you know why it's complicated."
Captain Carter nodded. "I do. But complicated doesn't mean impossible. I may be a military man, but I know how the world works. Power is power—whether it's in the shadows or the light."
Jessica studied him for a moment, then smirked. "You're sharper than I expected, Captain."
Matthew groaned. "Please don't flirt with my dad."
Jessica burst out laughing, and even Captain Carter cracked a rare smile.
---
As dinner wound down, Captain Carter turned to his son. "Matthew, I meant what I said earlier. You don't have to prove yourself to me. I've been hard on you because I wanted you to be strong, but I see now that you're already standing on your own two feet."
Matthew blinked, caught off guard by the sudden sincerity. "Dad…"
Captain Carter continued, "I'm proud of you, son. Even if you're not following my path, you've made your own. And that's what truly matters."
For a moment, Matthew was speechless. Then, with an awkward chuckle, he rubbed the back of his neck. "Wow. Uh… thanks, Dad. That actually means a lot."
Jessica nudged him. "Told you he'd come around."
Captain Carter glanced at her. "And Jessica, take care of my son. He's brilliant, but he can be reckless."
Jessica grinned. "Don't worry, Captain. I'll keep him alive."
Captain Carter stood, placing a firm hand on Matthew's shoulder. "And Matthew… if you ever do want my help, you know where to find me."
Matthew nodded. "I know."
As they left the restaurant, Matthew looked up at the night sky, exhaling deeply. Jessica walked beside him, hands in her jacket pockets.
"Well," she said, nudging him, "that wasn't so bad, was it?"
Matthew chuckled. "Yeah, actually… it went better than I expected."
Jessica smirked. "Told you. Now, let's talk about when you're meeting my dad."
Matthew groaned. "Oh, come on."
Jessica laughed, hooking her arm around his as they walked down the street.
For the first time in a long while, Matthew felt like things were finally falling into place.
---
Logan adjusted his gloves as he walked through the lavish hall of Salvador's estate. The scent of expensive cigars and aged whiskey lingered in the air, mixing with the faint tension that always accompanied meetings with the cartel leader. He had received the summons earlier that day, and now he stood before the people who ran the underworld of Ciudad Juárez.
Seated at the head of the long table was Salvador himself, exuding the quiet authority of a man who had built an empire through blood and business. George Holt, Logan's father, sat to Salvador's left, his expression unreadable. Around them, the upper echelons of the cartel—men and women responsible for operations stretching across multiple territories—watched with interest.
To the right, lounging in a chair with an air of smug arrogance, was Julian Salvador, the cartel leader's son. And standing near the bar, drink in hand, was Amara Salvador, Salvador's daughter—her sharp eyes analyzing everything.
As Logan stepped inside, Salvador's lips curled into a rare smile. "Logan Holt, the prodigy returns." He gestured for him to step forward. "Congratulations on your graduation. And of course, on your team's impressive performance during the wilderness program."
Logan inclined his head slightly. "Appreciate it."
Salvador turned his attention to Elsa, who stood beside Logan, poised and composed. "And Elsa… Moscow was a success because of you. You secured our deal with the Russians when others would have failed."
Elsa gave a small nod, her expression neutral. "I did what needed to be done."
Salvador chuckled. "Modest as always. But make no mistake, you were the key to ensuring our business thrives in the East."
From the corner of his eye, Logan saw Julian watching Elsa with a calculating smirk. The bastard didn't know.
---
Julian set his glass down and walked toward Elsa, his confident swagger a bit too rehearsed. "Elsa," he drawled, "I never got the chance to properly thank you for what you did in Moscow. You should let me take you out sometime."
Logan's jaw clenched, but before he could speak, Elsa acted first.
She stepped closer to Logan, wrapping an arm around his and resting her head against his shoulder in a display of open affection. "That's sweet, Julian," she said smoothly, "but I'm already taken."
A flicker of surprise crossed Julian's face as he glanced between the two of them. "Wait… you two are…?"
Logan smirked, draping an arm around Elsa's waist. "Yeah."
The room fell silent for a brief moment. Some of the cartel members exchanged amused glances, while Salvador raised an eyebrow in interest.
Julian's confident mask cracked for a second before he forced a chuckle. "Well, well. Guess I was out of the loop."
From her spot by the bar, Amara stiffened slightly, her expression unreadable. She took a slow sip of her drink before shrugging it off, but Logan didn't miss the way her grip on the glass tightened.
Salvador chuckled, breaking the moment. "It seems I have even more reason to congratulate you, Logan." He leaned forward, his gaze sharp. "But enough about that. Let's talk business."
As the meeting shifted toward cartel affairs, Logan remained composed, knowing full well that things had just become more complicated.
---