Eve stood outside the dilapidated warehouse, the paper crumpled in her pocket. The address had led her to the edge of Blackstone, a part of town she’d always avoided.

She didn’t want to be here. She didn’t want to be doing this. But the questions in her mind refused to be silenced.

Taking a deep breath, she pushed open the heavy metal door.

The interior was dimly lit, the air thick with the scent of oil and rust. Her footsteps echoed as she walked further inside, her nerves coiled tight.

“Glad you decided to show up.”

Killian’s voice came from the shadows, smooth and unhurried. He stepped into the light, his imposing figure even more intimidating in the confined space.

“You said you’d tell me the truth,” Eve said, forcing herself to meet his gaze. “So talk.”

Killian studied her for a long moment before speaking. “Your father wasn’t just anyone, Eve. He was a kingpin. One of the most powerful men in Blackstone’s underworld.”

Her stomach turned. “That’s not possible. My aunt—”

“Lied,” Killian interrupted. “She wanted to protect you. To keep you from becoming a target, like your mother was.”

Eve’s knees felt weak, but she refused to crumble. “Why should I believe you?”

Killian stepped closer, his scarred face hardening. “Because I knew him. I worked for him. And when he betrayed me, I vowed to destroy everything he cared about.”

Her breath hitched. “Including me?”

The silence that followed was deafening. Killian’s gray eyes bore into hers, a storm of emotions she couldn’t decipher.

“I thought so,” he said finally. “But then I saw you. And now…”

He trailed off, his jaw tightening.

“Now what?” Eve demanded, her voice trembling.

Killian didn’t answer. Instead, he turned and walked deeper into the warehouse, leaving her standing in the darkness, her world unraveling around her.