Chapter 7 A dangerous alliance

Cassidy had always known she was walking a thin line between the truth and the lies people wanted to keep buried. But now, as she stood face-to-face with Alexander Cross in the cold rain, she realized she wasn't just toeing the edge-she was about to leap straight into the abyss.

Her fingers curled around the USB drive in her pocket, still damp from where she had clutched it too tightly. The video had changed everything. Alexander wasn't the villain she had built him up to be. He was something else-something more dangerous. A man who lived in the shadows, maneuvering through power plays that spanned beyond her initial investigation.

And now, he wanted her to burn Vaughn to the ground.

Cassidy wasn't sure what unsettled her more: the fact that she had been wrong about him, or the fact that she was actually considering his offer.

She crossed her arms, leveling him with a glare. "Why me?"

Alexander didn't answer immediately. His piercing blue eyes studied her, as if calculating how much he should reveal. "Because you don't trust me."

Cassidy frowned. "That doesn't make any sense."

"It makes perfect sense," he countered. "I need someone who isn't under my payroll, someone Vaughn doesn't expect to be working with me. If I send my own people after him, he'll see it coming. But you?" He tilted his head. "He sees you as a threat-but an independent one. That's exactly why you're valuable to me."

Cassidy let out a dry laugh. "So, let me get this straight. You think Vaughn is the mastermind behind all of this, and instead of taking care of it yourself, you want me to do your dirty work?"

His lips curved into something that wasn't quite a smile. "You make it sound like I'm asking you to do something you weren't already planning to."

Cassidy's jaw clenched. Damn him. He wasn't wrong.

Vaughn had always been a snake, and now she had proof that he was behind the very thing she had been investigating. Exposing him was no longer just about proving Alexander's innocence-it was about justice.

But teaming up with Alexander Cross? That was something else entirely.

"I don't work for you," she warned. "And I'm not your weapon."

"Good." He stepped closer, his presence overwhelming even in the open space. "I don't need a weapon. I need someone I can trust to do this right."

Cassidy hated the way those words affected her. Trust. The idea that a man like Alexander Cross trusted her should have meant nothing. And yet, a small part of her-one she wanted to ignore-liked the way it sounded.

She shoved that thought aside. "And what happens when I expose Vaughn?"

Something dark flashed in his eyes. "Then I'll make sure he never has the chance to rebuild."

There it was. The quiet, deadly promise that told her Alexander wasn't just interested in justice-he wanted revenge.

Cassidy didn't flinch. "Fine," she said. "But I meant what I said before. I work alone. No interference from you or your people."

His lips twitched. "Of course."

She narrowed her eyes. "That was too easy."

He sighed. "Because I know you, Miss Lane. You don't like being controlled. You don't like following orders. And you certainly don't like powerful men telling you what to do." His gaze sharpened. "That's why you'll do this your way. And I'll be right there when you realize you need me."

Cocky bastard.

She turned away before he could see the flicker of something dangerous in her expression. "Don't wait up, Cross."

She didn't look back. But she knew-she could feel it-that he was watching her the entire time.

The Setup

Cassidy spent the next forty-eight hours going through the files Alexander had given her. Every single piece of evidence pointed back to Vaughn-his offshore accounts, his connections to shell companies used to funnel trafficked victims, the bribes paid to politicians and law enforcement to keep it all quiet.

It was damning. It was enough.

But she needed more.

Vaughn was smart. A man like him didn't operate in the shadows for years without covering his tracks. If she wanted to take him down, she needed something undeniable-something the public couldn't ignore, something that even Vaughn's powerful allies couldn't spin.

And there was only one way to get that.

She had to get close.

Walking into the Fire

The upscale gala was a breeding ground for the elite, a sea of designer suits and glittering gowns. Vaughn was here-she had confirmed that through her sources.

Cassidy adjusted the sleek black dress she had borrowed from a friend, trying not to scowl as she caught her reflection in one of the towering mirrors. She hated these events, hated the way wealth and corruption mixed so effortlessly. But if she was going to take Vaughn down, she needed to play the game.

She had managed to secure an invitation using a fabricated identity, one of the many skills she had learned as an investigative journalist. Vaughn wouldn't recognize her in this setting-not yet.

She slipped into the crowd effortlessly, champagne in hand, scanning the room. Vaughn was near the back, speaking to a group of men she recognized as high-level investors-most likely the ones funding his operations.

Her stomach twisted. Monsters, all of them.

She moved closer, careful not to draw attention, listening in as Vaughn spoke.

"Everything is proceeding as planned," Vaughn said smoothly. "The new shipments are being arranged as we speak. By next quarter, our revenue will increase by at least twenty percent."

Cassidy's fingers curled around her glass. Shipments. He was talking about people.

She forced herself to stay calm, inching even closer. If she could get one piece of solid proof-just one recording, one slip-up-she could bring him down.

Then, as if sensing her, Vaughn turned.

Cassidy held her breath as his gaze landed on her.

A slow smile spread across his face, and he lifted his glass toward her in a silent toast.

Shit.

Had he recognized her?

Her mind raced. No, he couldn't have. She had taken precautions-her hair, her makeup, even the dress she wore, all carefully chosen to make her blend in.

Still, something in his eyes told her he knew something.

He tilted his head, then gestured to the empty seat beside him. "Join me," he said, loud enough that the others turned to look at her.

Cassidy hesitated for a fraction of a second before stepping forward, sliding into the seat with the same poise as the socialites surrounding her.

"Cassidy," he said, his voice laced with amusement. "Or is it Miss Lane tonight?"

Her blood turned to ice.

So much for being undetected.

Vaughn leaned forward, lowering his voice. "I know why you're here."

Cassidy forced a smirk. "Is that so?"

His smile never wavered. "Yes. And you should know something in return."

He leaned in, his voice dropping to a near whisper.

"You're already too late."

Cassidy's stomach dropped.

And then, before she could react, the lights flickered-and everything went black.