A call she shouldn't make

Alessia stared at the phone on her nightstand, its sleek black screen reflecting the dim light of her apartment. It had been sitting there for hours, untouched, like a loaded gun she was too afraid to fire.

She had barely slept since leaving the club. Damian Valenciaga’s words haunted her.

"Call that number tomorrow."

Tomorrow had come. And now, she had a choice.

Every logical part of her screamed to stay away. Damian was dangerous. A man with power that stretched far beyond anything she understood. Getting involved with him—even for something as important as finding Marco—could lead to consequences she wasn’t prepared for.

And yet… she had no other leads.

Taking a deep breath, she reached for the phone and dialed the number.

The line rang once.

Twice.

On the third ring, a deep, smooth voice answered.

"I was beginning to think you lost your nerve."

A shiver ran down her spine. She gripped the phone tighter. "I don’t scare easily."

Damian chuckled, the sound richer over the phone. It was dangerous, this game they were playing. He knew it. She knew it.

"Good," he murmured. "That’ll make this easier."

Alessia clenched her jaw. "Did you find anything?"

There was a pause, and she could almost picture him leaning back in some luxurious office, calculating his next words.

"Your brother was last seen near the docks two nights ago," he said finally. "That’s where his trail goes cold."

The docks. The thought sent a wave of dread through her. That part of the city wasn’t just dangerous—it was a known hotspot for criminal dealings.

Alessia swallowed hard. "Do you think he was taken?"

Damian’s voice was calm, unreadable. "I think someone wanted him to disappear."

Her heart pounded. That wasn’t the answer she wanted.

"Do you know who?" she pressed.

A long pause. Then, "Not yet."

Not yet. Which meant he was still looking.

Alessia exhaled, running a hand through her hair. "I need to go there. To the docks."

There was a sharp, cold silence. Then, Damian spoke, his voice laced with something that almost sounded like… warning.

"No, you don’t."

Her breath caught. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me, sweetheart. You don’t step foot near the docks unless you want to end up just as missing as your brother."

Heat flared in her chest. "You don’t get to tell me what to do."

A low chuckle. Not amused—more… intrigued.

"I don’t," he agreed, voice silky smooth. "But I do get to warn you. And if you ignore me, you’ll regret it."

Alessia gritted her teeth. "I can take care of myself."

Another chuckle, but this time, there was something darker beneath it.

"We’ll see about that," Damian murmured. "Because if you do anything reckless, sweetheart… I’ll be the one cleaning up the mess."

The call ended with a soft click.

Alessia lowered the phone, her heart hammering.

She had the information she needed. But what unnerved her more than anything…

Was the feeling that she had just stepped into something she wouldn’t be able to escape.

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