Chapter 5 The Girl with Blood on Her Hands

Emily had never been so aware of the weight of a gun.

It felt wrong in her palm-cold, heavy, and humming with danger. Helen had slipped it into her hand without a word after Liam disappeared into the shadows. Now she crouched behind a stack of shipping crates, heart thundering as Victor's men paced the warehouse perimeter.

She didn't know how long she had until all hell broke loose.

She peeked around the corner. Carter's body still lay sprawled on the ground, blood seeping into the gravel. Victor hadn't even flinched after pulling the trigger. Just smiled and lit a cigarette like it was a normal Tuesday.

"This is your last warning, Westwood!" Victor shouted into the dark. "Come out, or I'll start shooting shadows."

Emily didn't wait.

She sprinted across the lot, heart hammering. She had no plan. No training. Just one burning instinct: find Liam and get him out alive.

She ducked into the warehouse, nearly colliding with Helen.

"Jesus, what are you doing?" Helen hissed.

"Where's Liam?"

"In the rafters. Waiting for the perfect shot."

Emily didn't ask how Helen knew that. She just pushed past her and made her way up the stairs to the catwalk above. Dust coated everything. The air smelled like old metal and betrayal.

Then she saw him-perched at the edge like a ghost in black, sniper rifle balanced on his knee.

"You're going to get yourself killed," she whispered.

He didn't flinch. "I told you to leave."

"You're welcome," she replied, handing him the small pistol Helen had given her. "Backup plan."

He took it without looking. "They're expecting me to come out shooting."

"You're not?"

"No. I'm going to let them talk first. Then I'll end the conversation permanently."

"Romantic."

Liam glanced at her. "If anything happens-"

She grabbed his wrist. "Don't. I'm not doing any of that goodbye nonsense. You're not dying tonight."

A faint smile twitched at his lips. "Then stay behind me."

Down below, Victor stepped over Carter's body. "Alright. I'm bored. Light the damn place."

Emily's breath caught. "What did he say?"

"Incendiary," Liam growled. "He's burning the evidence."

Flames burst out near the entrance. Victor's men retreated, laughing as smoke filled the air.

Liam stood up. "Time's up."

He lifted the rifle and fired. One, two, three shots-clean, sharp, silent. Three bodies dropped before the others even realized what was happening.

Then chaos.

Gunfire exploded through the warehouse. Emily ducked instinctively as a bullet pinged off the railing inches from her head.

Liam grabbed her, dragging her down the stairs. "Run!"

They burst out the back exit, racing toward the SUV. Helen was already inside, gunning the engine.

"What the hell happened?" she shouted.

"Victor tried to barbecue us," Emily gasped. "Let's get the hell out."

They sped off into the night, flames rising behind them.

No one spoke for a long time.

Finally, Liam broke the silence. "Victor's not going to stop. He wants blood."

Emily looked at him. "Then let's give him a reason to choke on his own."

He turned to her slowly. "You don't get to say things like that and not explain."

Her gaze was hard. "I'm done waiting for people like him to ruin lives. I want in, Liam. Not just as your fake wife. As your partner."

Liam studied her, eyes unreadable.

"You're not ready."

"Try me."

He leaned closer, voice low. "Being with me means danger. Blood. War."

"I already bled for you," she said softly. "You just didn't notice."

He stared at her like he was seeing her for the first time.

"Okay," he said finally. "But if you're coming into the dark with me, you don't get to run when it gets ugly."

"I've seen ugly," she replied. "It didn't scare me. It raised me."

He laughed then. Quiet. Bitter. "God, I married a terrifying woman."

She smirked. "You didn't read the fine print."

He reached out, brushing a soot-smudge from her cheek. "You're full of surprises, Mrs. Westwood."

"You haven't seen anything yet."

Suddenly, Helen's phone buzzed.

She swore, glancing at the screen. "We've got a bigger problem."

"What now?" Liam asked.

"Victor's called for a meeting. Not with us-with the Council."

Emily frowned. "Mafia council?"

Liam's jaw clenched. "They're the ones who oversee peace between families. If Victor gets to them first, he can brand me a traitor. Which means we'll have every syndicate from here to Europe hunting us."

Helen tossed the phone to Liam. "You've got 48 hours to stop him."

Emily leaned in. "How do we do that?"

Liam looked between them. "We expose him before he exposes me. We hit his finances, dig up his secrets, break his allies."

"And if that doesn't work?" Emily asked.

"Then we burn everything down."

Emily took his hand. "Together?"

He nodded. "Together."

But even as they drove into the dark, Emily couldn't shake the sense that they were already playing a losing game.

And in this world, losers didn't walk away.

They got buried.