Silence. “That information is restricted,” he says finally, his voice more cautious now.
“I know. But I also know you have ways to get it. I need your help, Emerald,” I state.
“You’re making it worse,” he counters. “You stepping in like this already complicates things. Digging into the client? That’s another level entirely.”
I lean forward slightly, my tone dropping. “That’s why I need your help. Nora is now under my protection, and I’ll level every obstacle that crosses her path.”
The line goes quiet again. “You’re threatening me now?” he asks, but there’s no real challenge in it, just a question.
“I’m reminding you,” I reply. “If I pull Nora off the grid, no one finds her. Not your contractors. Not your client. No one. And while they’re scrambling, I start digging. And when I find them…”
I let the sentence hang. I don’t need to finish it. We both know what will happen.
Silence. Longer this time. Then, finally, “You’re serious about this girl.”
It’s not a question. I don’t answer.
“Fine,” he says. The word is reluctant. “Not over the phone,” he continues. “I’ll send you a partial file. It won’t have everything, but it’ll give you a starting point.”
“That’s not enough.”
“It’s what you’re getting,” he snaps. “You push further than that, and I’m cut out of it completely. You understand?”
I consider it for a second. Then, “Send it.”
A notification hits my phone a few seconds later. I open it immediately. Not much. The middleman’s name. A shell company and money trails.
My jaw tightens slightly as I scan it, pieces already starting to fall into place.
“That’s all I have. If and when I get a breakthrough, I’ll let you know. You’re not the only one who hates being in the dark,” he says.
I smirk. “Thanks, Emerald.”
“Obsidian?” He continues before I can reply. “I hope this girl is worth it.”
“She is.”
I end the call without another word, my gaze dropping back to the file as I go over it again. It’s sparse. And the deeper I look, the less it reads like a stranger’s work. Shell companies. A paid middleman. Layers, all of it built to put distance between the client and the act. You don’t spend that kind of money burying your name unless you have something to lose—and unless you’re close enough to Nora that being tied to this would point straight back at you.
I lock the phone and set it aside just as the shower cuts off, the sound pulling my attention back instantly. For a second, I just sit there, finally coming to terms with my decision.
Chapter Five
Nora
The last hour of my shift feels longer than the entire day. Not because of the work. Because of him. Asher is here.
He’s been here the entire time, sitting at his usual table like always. But now, everything feels different. He’s mine now. I glance at him for what has to be the tenth time in five minutes, pretending to wipe down the counter.
“You’re staring again,” Freddie murmurs under his breath as he passes by me, carrying a tray.
“I am not,” I whisper back quickly, even though I know he’s right.
“Mhm,” he hums, unconvinced. “At this point, it’s less staring and more…claiming.”
I freeze slightly at that word. Claiming. My gaze shifts back to Asher again, and something tightens in my chest. Because that’s exactly what it feels like. Only, I’m not the only one looking. Debby laughs loudly again. Another reason I couldn’t take my eyes off him.
She’s standing close to Asher, leaning slightly against his table. As she talks, her smile gets a little too bright. Asher looks uninterested. It’s like she’s not even there. I should be happy he isn’t paying any attention to her. But I wish she wasn’t near him at all.
