Chapter 5: The Rival’s Game
Her mind flashed to the rocks, the cold waves, a vague shadow pulling her up. Nico? Her hands shook as she hung up, his taunt echoing. The safehouse’s fluorescent lights buzzed, and Evan’s steady gaze met hers from across the room, grounding her. But Damon’s smirk lingered, and Tessa’s betrayal burned. Lila was in deeper than ever, and the docks were just the start.
Lila Voss sat on the edge of her apartment’s sagging couch, Nico’s taunting voice echoing in her mind: Get me Damon’s ledger, and I’ll give you Tessa’s meeting spot. The cracked phone in her hand felt like a grenade. Stealing Damon’s ledger—his record of every deal, bribe, and blood debt—would be a betrayal that could get her killed. But Tessa’s plan to frame her for the dock heist, pinning her as a traitor to both Marco and Rossi’s clan, burned hotter than her fear. Lila’s jaw clenched. She’d use Nico’s intel to catch Tessa, but she wasn’t his pawn. Not yet.
She texted Vera Monroe, the private investigator whose sharp instincts Lila trusted. Tessa’s meeting Rossi tonight. Can you tail his men? Vera’s reply was instant: On it. Don’t go alone. Lila’s lips twitched. Alone wasn’t an option—not with Evan Holt’s quiet insistence to join her, his brown eyes catching her unease at the safehouse earlier. Damon, though, was another problem. His suspicious stare had lingered when she’d mentioned Nico’s call, his voice cold: Report every detail, Voss. She didn’t trust his control, but she needed his crew.
The safehouse was a hive of tension when Lila arrived, its air heavy with sweat and gun oil. Damon leaned against a wall, his tailored suit open at the collar, green eyes tracking her like a predator. Evan stood nearby, his black jacket scuffed from the dock heist, his presence a steady contrast to Damon’s intensity. “Ready to play spy again?” Damon asked, his smirk sharp. “Tessa’s meeting Rossi at the Red Veil casino. Get proof she’s selling Marco out. Don’t screw it up.”
Lila nodded, her stomach twisting. “I need Evan with me,” she said, glancing at him. Evan’s eyes softened, but Damon’s narrowed, a flicker of possessiveness crossing his face.
“Fine,” Damon said, voice clipped. “But you report to me, Lila. Everything.” His hand brushed her arm, a warning wrapped in flirtation, and her skin tingled despite her resolve. She stepped back, catching Evan’s tight jaw. The air crackled with unspoken rivalry, and Lila hated how it pulled at her heart.
The Red Veil casino was a glittering underworld beneath Crestfall’s streets, its slot machines flashing red and gold, cigar smoke curling through the air. Lila, dressed as a waitress in a tight black dress and apron, wove through the crowd, a tray of drinks hiding her trembling hands. The casino’s mirrored walls reflected her pale face, her dark hair pinned up, but she kept her eyes sharp. Evan, disguised as a bouncer, shadowed her from the bar, his broad frame blending with the chaos.
In a private room, Tessa sat across from Rossi, a grizzled mafia boss with a scarred face and a gravelly voice. Lila edged closer, balancing her tray, her pulse pounding. Through the room’s glass door, she caught Tessa’s words: “Marco’s docks are yours, Rossi. I’ll deliver them once he’s out. In exchange, you protect me.” Her red dress hugged her curves, her smile calculated, and Lila’s fists clenched. Tessa was selling Marco’s empire to save herself.
Rossi leaned forward, his cigar glowing. “And the Voss girl? She’s trouble, working with Creed.” Tessa’s laugh was venomous. “Lila’s a pawn. I’ll pin the heist on her. She’s dead to Marco, and soon to you.” Lila’s blood ran cold. Tessa wasn’t just framing her—she was marking her for death.
Lila snapped a photo of Tessa’s contract on the table, her phone hidden under the tray. But a mirror caught her movement, and Tessa’s eyes flicked up, locking on Lila’s reflection. Her smirk faltered, replaced by a predator’s glare. “You,” Tessa hissed, standing. Lila bolted, the tray crashing, drinks shattering. The crowd parted, and Rossi’s guards gave chase, their boots pounding.
Lila sprinted through the casino’s back halls, neon lights blurring, her breath ragged. A guard grabbed her arm, but Evan surged from a doorway, tackling him. Fists cracked against bone, and the guard crumpled. Evan pulled Lila through a service exit, his hand warm and firm. They stumbled into a rainy alley, Crestfall’s neon glow muted by the downpour.
Lila’s chest heaved, her dress soaked, but they’d escaped with the photo. Evan checked the alley, his jacket dripping, then turned to her. “You okay?” he asked, his voice soft, eyes searching. Rain streaked his face, and Lila’s heart stuttered. He was always there, saving her, steady when everything else was chaos.
“I’m fine,” she said, but her voice shook. The betrayal—Tessa’s cold plan to bury her—cut deeper than she’d expected. Evan stepped closer, his warmth cutting through the chill. “You don’t have to do this alone,” he said, low. “I know what it’s like… losing everything to this world.” His eyes darkened, and he hesitated before continuing. “My family—mafia wars took them. Damon’s ruthless, Lila. Be careful.”
Lila’s throat tightened. She hadn’t expected his vulnerability, his pain mirroring hers. “Tessa was my best friend,” she whispered, rain mixing with her tears. “She stole Marco, tried to kill me. I trusted her.” Their hands brushed, his fingers curling briefly around hers, a soft, unspoken connection sparking in the quiet. She wanted to hold on, but the weight of Damon’s deal, Nico’s offer, pulled her back.
Back at the safehouse, the mood was colder. Damon sat at the table, a whiskey glass in hand, his eyes glinting with suspicion. “Got the proof?” he asked, voice flat. Lila handed him her phone, the photo of Tessa’s contract clear. He studied it, then her, his gaze piercing. “You didn’t mention Nico’s call,” he said, leaning forward. “What’s he offering you?”
Lila’s stomach dropped. How did he know? “Nothing I’m taking,” she lied, holding his stare. Damon’s lips twitched, not quite a smile. “Prove it,” he said. “Plant false intel with Marco—tell him I’m hitting his safehouse tomorrow. He’ll bite, and we’ll ambush him.” The task was a trap, putting Lila in Marco’s crosshairs, but refusing would break their deal.
“Fine,” she said, her voice steady despite the dread. Damon’s eyes lingered, colder than before, and she felt trapped—Nico’s manipulation on one side, Damon’s control on the other. Evan watched from the corner, his silence heavy, and Lila’s heart ached for his warmth.
As she left, her phone buzzed—Vera. “Tessa’s contract mentions a ‘witness’ to a mafia hit, tied to your childhood,” Vera said, voice urgent. “Be careful, Lila.” Lila’s mind flashed to a blurry night as a teen—gunfire, an alley, a man’s face. Nico’s? Her hands shook, the past clawing at her. Tessa’s betrayal was only the beginning, and Crestfall’s shadows held secrets that could destroy her.