ZANE.
"What's with the face?" Damian said as the door swung open, and Damian strode into my office, his heavy boots thudding against the floor. Liam followed, his steps quieter. I was forced to quickly toss the tablet into the drawer, and with it, every thought of Sienna and her secrets.
Damian's leather jacket was scuffed, his dark hair mussed like he'd been running his hands through it, and his eyes burned with something dangerous. He didn't sit, just stood there, arms crossed, staring at me like I'd already fucked up. Liam took the chair across from my desk, his tailored suit pristine, his fingers steepled as he watched me with that cool, assessing gaze.
"I'm good." I said, massaging my left eye with a finger. Damian tossed a photograph onto my desk, the glossy paper sliding across the polished surface. "Care to explain this?"
I took one long look at the photo to see what it showed, and my stomach churned, but I forced my face to stay blank, leaning forward to pick it up. There she was, Sienna, sitting in that damn café booth and across from her was the scarred-faced man, his jagged features unmistakable even in the grainy image. They were talking and there was no trace of the fear she used to carry as her eyes locked into his. The sight hit me like a punch, but I kept my expression neutral, tossing the photo back onto the desk.
"Looks like she's having coffee," I said, leaning back in my chair. "What's your point?"
Damian's jaw clenched, his fists tightening at his sides. "My point? She's cozying up with a fucking cartel member, Zane. One of their guys. yet, you're going to sit there and act like that's nothing?"
Liam raised a hand, "Let's not jump to conclusions. Zane, you were supposed to watch her, yet she sneaked out or you let her go. So what's this about?"
I met Liam's gaze. He was always the cool-headed one, the CFO who could talk his way out of a war or into one without breaking a sweat. But Damian wasn't having it. He stepped closer, slamming his hands on the desk, the photo rattling under his palms.
"Don't play dumb, Zane," he growled. "I saw her with him. I followed her, watched them talk like they were old friends. She's hiding something. And you..." He jabbed a finger at me. "You're acting like you don't give a shit. What do you know?"
My pulse kicked up, but I kept my face blank, my fingers drumming lightly on the armrest. Inside, my thoughts were a storm. Sienna's connection to the cartel wasn't news to me anymore. But knowing and facing it were two different beasts, and now, with Damian's anger burning a hole through me, the truth felt like a weight I couldn't carry.
"I know enough," I said finally, "She's tied to them. She's not Carter. Her real name is Sienna Ellison. Her father was Frederick Ellison. As you know, he ran with the cartel, called the shots until he double-crossed his people. Including my father."
The room went still with tension. Damian's eyes widened. "Are you fucking kidding me? Her father killed Gregory, and you're just sitting here, letting her run around with our enemies? What the hell, Zane?"
Liam leaned forward, his voice cutting through Damian's rage. "Hold on. Circle back. Zane, you're saying Sienna's father was the one who ordered the hit on your dad? And you've known this for how long?"
I swallowed, my throat dry. "Two days ago. She doesn't know I know."
Damian let out a harsh laugh, stepping back to pace the room, his boots pounding the floor. "Unbelievable. Your PA, your little girlfriend, is the daughter of the bastard who ruined your life, and you're keeping it from us? From her? What's your play here, Zane? You going to let her walk all over you because you're in love with her?"
The word love hit like a blade, slicing through the walls I had built around my feelings. I didn't flinch, but my chest tightened, my hands curling into fists under the desk. I wanted to deny it, to tell him he was wrong, that Sienna was just a liability, a loose end I would tie up when the time came. But the lie wouldn't form. I saw her in my mind, heard her laugh, fierce and unbroken despite the fear in her eyes. I saw the way she looked at me when she thought I wasn't watching.
"I'm not in love with her," I said,. "But I'm not going to kill her either. Not yet."
Damian stopped pacing, his eyes blazing. "Not yet? You've gone soft, Zane. You used to gut anyone who crossed you. Traitors, liars, didn't matter. Now you're hesitating because what...she's got a pretty face? She's playing you, man. And you're letting her."
"Enough," Liam snapped. He stood, adjusting his cuffs. "Yelling isn't going to solve this. Zane, you've got a choice to make. If Sienna's tied to the cartel, if she's meeting them behind your back, we need to know where her loyalty lies. You can't just sit on this."
I leaned forward, my elbows on the desk, my head pounding. "I know that," I said. "I'm not blind. But she's not just some pawn. She's..." I stopped, the words catching in my throat. She was Sienna, the woman who had slipped under my skin despite every warning I had given myself. She was also the woman whose father had destroyed my family. The contradiction was tearing me apart, duty and desire at war in my head.
Damian scoffed, crossing his arms. "She's what? Your soulmate? Wake up, Zane. She's the enemy's daughter. She's meeting with them, hiding shit from you. You think that's a coincidence? She's playing both sides, and you're too busy staring at her to see it."
"Damian," Liam said, his tone a warning. "Back off. He gets it."
"Do you?" Damian shot back, his eyes locked on mine. "Because from where I'm standing, you're letting her walk all over you. Noah is in the hospital, fighting for his life, and you're here, mooning over a traitor. What's it going to take, Zane? Her sticking a knife in your back before you do something?"
My hands shook, and I pressed them flat against the desk, forcing myself to stay calm.
"I'm handling it. But we don't know her game yet. She's not stupid. If she's meeting them, there's a reason. And I'm not going to make a move until I know what it is."
Damian threw his hands up. "You're unbelievable. You're going to let her string you along until she burns everything we've built. The empire, the brotherhood, everything your father died for. You really think she's worth that?"
The room spun, my vision narrowing to Damian's face, his words echoing in my head. My father's death and the promises I had made to carry on his legacy. The empire we had built, me, Liam, Damian, Noah, and Ethan, was all I had, the only thing that kept me grounded when the world tried to tear me apart. And Sienna, with her secrets, was threatening to unravel it all. But the thought of her being dead made my chest ache in a way I couldn't explain.
Liam stepped between us. "We will test her," he said, his eyes on me. "Set her up, see what she does. If she's loyal, she'll prove it. If she's not..." He let the words hang in the air.
I nodded, feeling my throat tighten. "Fine. A test. But I call the shots. Nobody touches her until I say so."
Damian shook his head vehemently. "You're making a mistake, Zane. And when this blows up in your face, don't say I didn't warn you." He stormed out, slamming the door behind him.
Liam asked, "You sure about this? I think Damian is actually right. She's got you twisted up. I've never seen you like this."
I looked away, my gaze drifting to the photo on the desk, Sienna's face staring back at me. "I don't know what I am anymore," I admitted, the words slipping out before I could stop them. "But I need to know the truth before deciding."
Liam nodded, clapping a hand on my shoulder. "Then we'll find it. Together."
I picked up the photo, my thumb brushing over Sienna's face. I was torn between duty and feelings. To choose to defend my empire or my heart. The choice was coming soon, whether I was ready to choose or not.
