Jomiloju's POV
The safehouse felt colder than usual. Not because of the crumbling walls or the fading light that barely pierced the windows. It was the weight of silence that settled like dust over everything. Steve had gone out to meet a contact — someone who might help us turn the tide against Koleosho. And I was left behind, alone with my racing thoughts and the ghosts of the past.
I sat at the edge of the tattered couch, fingers trembling as I traced the lines of the bracelet Steve had given me — the one that once belonged to his sister. It was the only tangible piece of him that grounded me, a reminder that beneath the hardened exterior was someone broken, someone desperate to be saved.
The bracelet felt heavy tonight, like a burden rather than a gift.
How much of Steve could I really trust?
Steve's POV
The streets were unforgiving at night. My footsteps echoed on cracked pavement as I approached the dimly lit café where I was to meet Durochy — a man who owed me a favor. Durochy was a fixer, a shadow broker with a reputation as slippery as oil and twice as dangerous.
I had no illusions about his loyalty. People like him thrived on chaos and profit. But right now, I had no choice.
The moment I stepped inside, eyes locked onto me. No surprise — news traveled fast in this underworld.
"Steve," Durochy greeted, voice smooth like velvet, but eyes cold steel. "You're playing a dangerous game."
I sat across from him, feeling the weight of every second.
"I'm not here to play," I said. "I'm here to end it."
Durochy smirked. "End what? Koleosho? You know he's more than a man — he's a shadow. You can't kill a shadow."
Jomiloju's POV
Back at the safehouse, my mind refused to quiet. Memories of my life before — the polished halls of my father's mansion, the guarded smiles, the silent betrayals — clashed violently with the harsh reality I now lived.
The contrast was jarring. I was supposed to be the perfect daughter, the untouchable jewel of Lagos' elite. Instead, I was a hostage, a pawn, and now, a warrior in a fight I never asked for.
I stared out the window, watching the rain streak the glass, blurring the world into a swirl of gray.
Steve's POV
Durochy leaned in, voice dropping to a whisper. "There's a way to get to Koleosho, but it won't be clean. You'll need allies, and they don't come cheap."
I swallowed hard. "Name them."
He slid a list across the table — names I recognized, and others I didn't. Mercenaries, hackers, informants. All dangerous in their own right.
"But," Durochy warned, "they want guarantees. Blood, favors, loyalty. And in this world, loyalty is as thin as a razor's edge."
Jomiloju's POV
The weight of trust — it was the hardest thing to bear.
Could I trust Steve's decisions when every choice seemed to lead us closer to destruction?
And could I trust myself — my heart that kept pulling me toward a man who might break me?
Steve's POV
As I left the café, the night felt darker, heavier.
The pieces were falling into place, but the game was far from over.
I needed to protect Jomi — protect her from Koleosho, from me, from everything.
But the harder I tried, the more I felt the walls closing in.
Jomiloju's POV
The safehouse door creaked open. Steve stepped inside, exhaustion etched into his features.
His eyes softened when they found me.
"I have a plan," he said, voice low but resolute.
I nodded, bracing myself for whatever came next.
The Gathering
We brought the team together — a motley crew of fighters, hackers, and spies. Each carried their own scars and secrets, but all shared a burning hatred for Koleosho.
Ada stood at my side, a fierce ally and a mirror of my own determination.
Steve laid out the plan — a coordinated strike on Koleosho's supply routes, designed to cripple his operations and buy us time.
The First Strike
The night of the operation was tense. Every second stretched like a taut wire ready to snap.
I rode in the shadows with Steve, heart pounding as we moved through the city's veins.
The explosion that rocked Koleosho's depot was both terrifying and exhilarating — a message that the underworld was shifting.
The Aftermath
Back at the safehouse, we counted the cost.
The victory was bittersweet. Koleosho's retaliation was swift and brutal.
Our safehouse was attacked again — this time with deadly precision.
Steve's POV
I held Jomi close as the gunfire echoed around us.
"My promise stands," I whispered. "I'll protect you, no matter the cost."
Jomiloju's POV
Fear and love tangled in my chest.
I realized then that trust was not about certainty.
It was about choosing to believe in someone even when the darkness threatened to consume everything.