A woman’s voice, cool and sarcastic but with a bit of danger, cut through the tension in the room.
"Nice little reunion. But if you two are done ssing around by the wall, we’ve got bigger things to tackle."
Selina stepped into the light, arms crossed, grinning like she knew everything.
"Alpha and Karza are just monts away. Both of them. And they’re not here just to chat."
Zayden didn’t let go of Aylin; instead, he tightened his hold on her waist and turned to Reyes, saying, "Don’t you have any manners? You really should knock before barging into soone’s office."
"And you, Selina," he added matter-of-factly, "need to fucking explain what’s going on."
She shot him an even bigger grin. "Oh, babe, you really don’t know."
The room was buzzing with tension, desire, betrayal, and the threat of war all crashing together in that mont.
Aylin looked over at Selina, confused about how she had managed to sneak into his fully guarded empire.
Seeing Aylin’s confusion, Selina said, "Oh, sweetheart, don’t give that look. Your guy here knows who I am, right, Z?"
Aylin glanced at Zayden, who rolled his eyes at Selina’s comnt. "You’d better keep it together, or I’ll toss you out. We need to focus on business, not this nonsense."
Aylin shook her head, narrowing her eyes at Zayden, mixing frustration with curiosity. "No way. First, you need to tell what she ans. Then we can move on to the business stuff."
Zayden took a small step back, tilting his head as he looked her over. A cheeky smirk spread across his lips, and his dark eyes sparkled with mischief. He squinted playfully and made a ridiculous pout for soone like him. "Really? You want to explain? Umm..." He leaned in closer, his breath warm against her ear as he whispered, "Are you feeling jealous, little hacker?"
Aylin’s cheeks went red, but she wasn’t going to let him have the upper hand that easily. She balled her hand into a fist and playfully jabbed it at his chest, once, twice, three tis in quick succession. "Jealous? Of her? Please. I’m just... clarifying."
"Ouch, that hurts," Zayden groaned dramatically, clutching his chest like she actually hurt him. But his grin only got bigger as he snagged her wrist mid-swing, pulling her closer instead of pushing her away. "Watch it, sweetheart. Keep throwing punches like that, and I might have to hit back with sothing... a bit softer." He dropped his voice low, filled with the teasing flirtation that always sent her heart racing. He traced a finger along her arm, making her shiver. "Or maybe not so soft."
anwhile, Reyes stood in the corner like a statue, his eyes burning with barely concealed rage. His fists were so tight that his knuckles were pale, the veins standing out like ropes. The tension in the air was thick with unspoken anger as Zayden noticed Reyes’ look. Oh, he definitely saw it. But he brushed it off, knowing exactly why Reyes was so worked up. The guy had a past, deep scars that this little reunion was bringing back. Reyes still had his gun in his hand, though it was lowered now, as if he couldn’t decide whether to shoot the tension or just go with it.
Selina, always looking for a chance, let out a low laugh, arms crossed as she leaned against the doorfra. "Look at you two. Adorable. But seriously, Z, if you’re done flirting with your hacker bride, can we get to the part where I can save your ass?"
Aylin shot her an irritated glance, but Zayden waved her off. "Alright, Selina. Spill. What’s this about Alpha and Karza being right around the corner? And how did you waltz into my empire like it’s a coffee shop?"
Selina’s smile faded into sothing more serious, but that edge in her voice stayed. Pushing off the wall, she sauntered into the room, her heels clicking on the polished floor. The office, with its dark wood and big windows overlooking the city, suddenly felt even more oppressive, like a pressure cooker about to blow.
"First off," she said, shooting Aylin a wink that only fueled the hacker’s annoyance, "your so-called ’fully guarded empire’ isn’t as safe as you think, darling. I have my tricks, and there’s soone on the inside. But that’s not why I’m here. Alpha and Maksim Karza? They’re teaming up, Z. They’re not just lurking around anymore. They’ve got a full-on alliance aid right at you."
Zayden’s playful mood shifted instantly. He let go of Aylin’s wrist but kept a hand on her waist, almost as if to keep her grounded. "Teaming up? Alpha’s a ghost; he runs his operations underground and barely shows his face. Karza’s the flashy one with those Russian mob ties. What the heck do they want with ? Except..."
Selina pulled out a small drive from her pocket and tossed it onto Zayden’s desk. "Everything’s in there: intercepted ssages, blueprints, schedules. But in short? They want your territory. Alpha’s got the tech; Karza’s got the muscle. They’ve been teaming up for months, with spies in your ranks and hacks on your systems. Sound familiar?" She shot Aylin a pointed look, but the hacker just crossed her arms, ignoring her.
Zayden declared, "I knew it."
Reyes finally spoke up, his voice rough and filled with hurt. "They hit my safe house last night and took out three of my guys. That’s why I’m here, barely made it out alive." His eyes darted to Selina, showing sothing raw and broken. "And she... she showed up just in ti. Got out."
Selina shrugged. "What can I say? Old habits die hard."
Aylin rolled her eyes at Selina’s comnt but felt sorry for Reyes. He was in a tough spot last night, but he had still had her back just a few hours ago. "My best friend," she muttered, but her mind quickly shifted back to the bigger issue. "So what’s their next move? You said they’re minutes away...."
"Not literally," Selina corrected, rolling her eyes again. "But close enough. Scouts saw their convoys moving on the outskirts. They’re planning to hit us in a week, exactly seven days from now. It’ll be a full-on attack at your main place. Alpha’s handling the cyber part, DDoS attacks to take down your security, and EMP blasts to knock out communications. Karza is bringing the heavy stuff, rcenaries, and big weapons. They’ve got a mole feeding them layouts and weak points. If you don’t stop that leak, you’re done for."
"Who’s the mole?"
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