Under His Shadow Book 1: In the Crossfire

Book 1: In the Crossfire

The city was alive with noise—horns honking, feet stomping, the relentless hum of the underground pulse that fed into every street. But in the quiet corners of the city, in the places most people never dared to look, the world was darker. More dangerous. And tonight, Ivy Salazar was about to step into that world.

Ivy’s fingers trembled as she gripped the glass of water in front of her. It was just a business dinner—something her father had insisted she attend. And yet, the tension in her shoulders told her this wasn’t just about a simple merger. It never was with him.

Hector Salazar (Ivy’s father)

Everything will be fine, Ivy

He was sitting across from her at the table in one of the city’s most prestigious restaurants, a place where money and power merged seamlessly into one. She couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong. The door had barely closed when a strange sense of unease wrapped itself around her. The air felt thick with anticipation.

Suddenly, the silence in the room broke—too quickly, too harshly. A single gunshot.

Her father’s body slumped forward, his forehead pressed against the table in a puddle of crimson. Ivy screamed, but it was swallowed by the chaos as bodies moved, a blur of shadow and death.

It was only when the attackers were gone that she realized the full weight of what had just happened. Her father, the man she thought she knew, was dead.

She was alone now, surrounded by strangers who didn’t care about her—only about what she could offer. The silence that followed her father’s death felt worse than the noise. His secrets, his enemies, his business, it all became hers in an instant. Ivy had no choice but to face the reality her father had protected her from.

A cold voice broke her from the haze.

Raizo “Rael” Dela Cruz

Miss Salazar.

She looked up, meeting the eyes of a man whose gaze felt like ice piercing her soul. Raizo Dela Cruz. The heir to one of the most powerful mafia families in the country. His presence was suffocating, his power undeniable. She’d heard his name whispered in hushed tones—always accompanied by fear.

But it wasn’t just fear she felt when their eyes met. It was something darker. Something that stirred beneath her skin.

Raizo “Rael” Dela Cruz

The death of your father wasn’t random

Raizo “Rael” Dela Cruz

You’re in the middle of something much bigger than yourself now. And unless you want to end up like him

Raizo “Rael” Dela Cruz

*glanced at the still form of her father* you’ll have to work with me

Ivy’s breath hitched, her grip tightening around the edge of the table.

Ivy Salazar

Work with you?

Ivy Salazar

What do you want from me?

Raizo “Rael” Dela Cruz

*leaned in* Everything

And just like that, Ivy’s world was no longer hers to control. She had entered a world of shadows, where every move she made would be watched, and every decision would cost more than she ever imagined.

But Ivy Salazar wasn’t going down without a fight. She had no idea what Raizo wanted. Or why he wanted her. But she would find out. And when she did, the world would have to reckon with Ivy Salazar. Not the naïve daughter of a fallen businessman.

But a woman ready to rise.

To be continued…

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