Tempting offer

Kai’s throat tightened. It was the kind of validation he’d dreamed of hearing, but it felt too good to be true. “I appreciate that. Really. But… I’m not sure I’m ready for all that yet.”

“Nonsense,” Damon said, waving a hand dismissively. “You’re ready, whether you realize it or not. The only thing standing between you and success is opportunity—and I’d like to give you that opportunity.”

Kai frowned slightly, his excitement tempered by caution. “What kind of opportunity?”

Damon smiled, leaning forward. “I represent a network of collectors who are always looking for unique, exceptional pieces. With your talent, I could guarantee your work reaches the right people—people who would pay handsomely for it.”

Kai’s breath caught. “I… I don’t know what to say.”

“Say yes,” Damon said, his voice low and persuasive. “With me in your corner, you won’t have to struggle for years like so many others. I can make sure your art gets the attention it deserves. In return, you’ll have the financial freedom to focus on creating.”

It sounded perfect. It's too perfect.

Kai hesitated, his mind racing. He could practically hear Jordan’s voice in his head, warning him to be careful. But what if this was his chance? What if Damon Vega really was the key to everything he’d been working for?

After a moment, Kai nodded. “Okay. Let’s do it.”

Damon’s smile widened, his hand reaching across the table to clasp Kai’s in a firm, confident grip. “You’ve made the right choice, Mr. Lennox. I promise you won’t regret it.”

Present

Kai leaned against a graffiti-covered wall, his eyes fixed on the dark pavement beneath his feet as the memories played out in his mind. The wind whipped around him, chilling him to the bone, but he barely noticed.

“Damon Vega,” Kai said softly, his voice barely audible over the wind.

Ethan, standing a few steps away, frowned. “Who is he?”

Kai looked up, his green eyes filled with something close to defeat. “He’s the man who gave me everything I thought I wanted. And the man who took everything that mattered away.”

Ethan stepped closer, his gaze unwavering. “What did he take?”

Kai hesitated, the words catching in his throat. “My freedom. My family. My life.”

The rawness in Kai’s voice sent a chill down Ethan’s spine. For the first time, he saw not just the guarded, defiant artist but the broken man beneath.

“We’re going to stop him,” Ethan said, his tone firm. “Whatever it takes.”

Kai shook his head, a hollow laugh escaping his lips. “You don’t get it, Cross. Damon doesn’t lose. He makes sure of it.”

“Then we’ll have to prove him wrong,” Ethan replied, his voice steady.

Kai stared at him, his expression torn between disbelief and the faintest glimmer of hope.

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep,” Kai said quietly.

Ethan stepped closer, his voice low but resolute. “I don’t plan to.”

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