Chapter 3 A shared moment

The next few days passed in a blur of rain, restless nights, and half-finished articles.

Maya tried to throw herself back into her work, tried to forget the conversation at D'Angelo's Café - the way Chase had looked at her, the low, dangerous way he had warned her. But no matter how hard she tried, he stayed lodged in her mind like a thorn she couldn't pull free.

Her instincts screamed that trusting him was a mistake.

But another part of her, the part she didn't like admitting ever existed. Wondered if chase might be the only one who could help her bring the Reynolds empire to its knees.

Still, she wasn't foolish enough to wait around for him to make the next move.

So Maya did what she did best. She dug deeper.

Late one night, sitting cross-legged on the floor of her tiny apartment, papers and photographs spread out around her like a crime scene, she found it - a name that kept popping up on hidden ledgers and backroom deals: Nathan Blackwood.

A fixer. A man who "solved problems" for the Reynolds family - the kind that couldn't be erased with money alone.

Maya's fingers hovered over her keyboard.

She needed to find him.

Before she could hesitate, she scheduled a meeting through one of her anonymous sources. Tomorrow night. A run-down nightclub on the bad side of the city.

Dangerous? Absolutely.

Necessary? No question.

The next night.

Maya stepped out of the taxi, pulling her jacket tighter against the biting wind. The club in front of her, The Hollow, looked like it hadn't seen a proper renovation in two decades. Neon lights flickered overhead, casting the crumbling sidewalk in an eerie blue glow.

Her heart pounded with a mixture of excitement adrenaline and fear.

This was reckless. Stupid, even.

But necessary.

She pushed open the heavy door, swallowed by thudding bass and cigarette smoke. The crowd inside was rough - men and women hunched over sticky tables, trading whispered conversations and glances that promised violence.

She spotted him almost immediately.

Nathan Blackwood. Late forties, slick hair, a cigarette dangling between his fingers. His eyes, cold and calculating, locked onto her the second she stepped inside.

Maya squared her shoulders and walked toward him.

"You must be the reporter," Nathan said, his voice low and mocking. "Brave of you to show your face."

"I hear you know things," Maya said calmly, sliding into the booth across from him. "Things about the Reynolds family."

Nathan chuckled darkly. "I know lots of things. Question is - how much are you willing to pay for the truth?"

Maya leaned in slightly. "I'm not offering money."

He raised an eyebrow, amused. "Then you'd better beoffering something very interesting, sweetheart."

Before Maya could respond, a hand clamped down on her shoulder, startling her.

She twisted in her seat - and her heart nearly stopped.

Chase.

He looked furious, his jaw clenched tight, his body radiating tension like a storm about to break.

"You shouldn't be here," he hissed in her ear, low enough that only she could hear.

"You're going to get yourself killed."

Maya yanked her shoulder free. "I can take care of myself," she snapped, but her voice trembled ever so slightly.

Nathan watched them with lazy interest, like a cat toying with its prey. "Well, well," he drawled. "Looks like you've brought your own knight in shining armor."

Chase shot him a look so cold it could have frozen fire.

"This conversation's over," he said sharply.

Nathan shrugged. "Suit yourself. But don't say I didn't warn you, girl. Some stones aren't meant to be overturned."

Chase didn't wait. He grabbed Maya's wrist - not roughly, but firmly - and pulled her out of the booth, through the crowd, and out into the cold night air.

Only when they were halfway down the street did he finally release her.

Maya spun around to face him, fury flashing in her eyes.

"You had no right to drag me out of there!" she shouted.

"You have no idea what you're walking into," Chase growled back, stepping closer, his face inches from hers. "You think this is some game? These people don't play fair, Maya. They won't let you walk away if you dig too deep."

"I can handle myself," she snapped, hating the way her voice shook. Hating that part of her had felt safer - protected - when he showed up.

Chase stared at her for a long, agonizing moment, his chest rising and falling rapidly. Then, in one furious motion, he backed her up against the alley wall, his hands slamming onto the brick on either side of her, caging her in.

"Stop pretending you're invincible," he said, his voice raw. "You're not."

Their faces were so close now she could see the flecks of gold in his dark eyes. Could feel the heat radiating off his skin.

Her heart hammered against her ribs.

"This isn't about you," she whispered.

A dangerous smile curved his lips. "Maybe not. But it sure as hell feels like it is."

For a wild, reckless moment, Maya thought he might kiss her.

She hated how much she wanted him to.

How much her body betrayed her, leaning closer even as her mind screamed no.

But Chase didn't move.

He just looked at her - really looked at her - and something heavy, something unspeakable passed between them.

Then, with a sharp breath, he stepped back.

"This is your last warning, Maya," he said quietly.

"Next time, I might not be there to save you."

And before she could say a word, he was gone, swallowed by the dark city streets - leaving her standing alone, heart aching, breathless, and more confused than ever.