Theo's Apartment
Theo's fingers hovered over the trigger.
His heart pounded in his chest like a war drum.
The picture was still there, still burning into his mind like a goddamn nightmare.
Elias.
Evelyn.
Together.
It was already enough to send him over the edge.
And then—his phone buzzed again.
A new message.
From Elias Bennett .
Theo's blood ran ice-cold.
His hands shook as he unlocked his phone.
And when he saw the image—
Everything. Went. Still.
Elias.
Shirtless.
Evelyn.
Also shirtless.
Her back was to him, his arm draped lazily around her waist. The sheets were pulled just enough to suggest things Theo couldn't bear to imagine.
His vision went dark.
No. No. NO.
A single caption followed.
Elias Bennett:She fits perfectly, doesn't she?
Theo's breath left his lungs in a sharp, broken gasp.
For a moment—just a moment—he forgot how to breathe.
Rage.
Pain.
Betrayal.
It all crashed into him at once.
He felt sick.
His grip on the phone was so tight it cracked.
Kade's voice cut through the suffocating silence. "Theo—?"
Theo lifted his head.
And Kade froze.
Because Theo's eyes—
Were pure murder.
---
Evelyn Running Out of Time
Evelyn's feet slammed against the pavement as she sprinted toward Theo's apartment.
Her lungs burned.
Her heart screamed.
She had seen the message.
The second photo.
The final nail in the coffin.
Her stomach twisted painfully.
Elias had planned this.
Every move. Every step.
He wanted Theo to snap.
He wanted a war.
And Evelyn—had played right into his hands.
"Please, please don't do something reckless," she whispered under her breath.
She turned the corner—just in time to see Theo storming out of the building.
Her chest tightened violently.
"Theo!" she shouted.
He didn't stop.
Didn't look at her.
Didn't even slow down.
His face was a mask of pure, lethal fury.
And in his hand—
A gun.
Evelyn's blood went cold.
No.
No, no, no.
She ran faster, shoving through the crowd, desperate to reach him before it was too late.
She grabbed his arm. "Theo, please—"
He ripped away from her touch.
His gaze snapped to her, and for the first time—he didn't look at her with love.
He looked at her like a stranger.
A traitor.
Evelyn's heart shattered.
"I—I didn't do anything," she whispered, her voice barely holding together.
Theo's jaw clenched. His grip on the gun tightened.
"Then why," he said, his voice low, lethal, "do you keep ending up in his bed?"
Evelyn flinched.
Her lips parted, but no words came out.
Because she didn't know how to explain.
She didn't know how to make him believe her.
Theo let out a cold laugh. "You know what's funny?"
She didn't answer.
Because she wasn't sure she wanted to hear it.
"I was ready," Theo said, stepping closer. His voice was raw, filled with something dark and broken. "I was ready to give you everything."
Evelyn's throat closed.
His next words were a bullet to the chest.
"But I guess I was just the fool who loved you more than you ever loved me."
Evelyn's heart stopped.
No.
No, he didn't mean that.
"Theo—"
He turned away.
And this time, she couldn't stop him.
She could only watch as he walked away.
Straight toward Elias.
Straight toward a war.
And for the first time—Evelyn wasn't sure if she could save him.
---
Elias's Domain
Elias poured himself a drink, humming a soft tune as he waited.
Waited for the moment the beast arrived.
Waited for the moment Theo Bennett lost control.
Because he knew Theo.
Knew the way his mind worked.
And that picture?
Was the final trigger.
Elias smirked to himself. Let the games begin.
The door slammed open.
Elias didn't flinch.
Didn't even turn around.
The rage in the air was delicious.
"You certainly took your time, Bennett," he mused, sipping his whiskey.
The sound of a gun cocking filled the silence.
And finally—Elias turned.
Theo was there.
Face dark.
Eyes deadly.
And in his hand?
The gun.
Elias grinned.
Because finally—finally—Theo Bennett was ready to play dirty.
And Elias?
Had been waiting for this moment all along.
---
End of Chapter 55