Handcuffs And Kisses (Series #1)

Chapter 26

Lilian Carson POV

The safe house was nothing like I had expected. Nestled deep in the wilderness, the structure was a stark contrast to the grandeur I'd grown accustomed to around Alexander. It was a cold, unassuming place with concrete walls, a sparse interior, and the faint hum of electricity in the air.

Alexander moved with quiet determination, his every step betraying the weight of his injury. I could see the blood seeping through the bandages on his arm, but he never once complained, never once showed the weakness I knew was building inside him.

"You need to rest," I said, my voice soft but firm as I stepped closer.

"I don't have time to rest," he replied curtly, not sparing me a glance.

His words were cold, but beneath them, there was a weariness I could sense, though he tried to hide it.

We moved into the small, dimly lit room where Titus was already working at the monitors, his focus unwavering as he sifted through information. The weight of the silence between Alexander and me was almost unbearable, yet I couldn't bring myself to say anything more. There was a wall between us, and I wasn't sure how to tear it down.

"You made it out," Titus said without looking up.

"Cyrus ran," Alexander snapped, his frustration sharp enough to cut through the room.

"I told you it was a trap," Titus countered, finally turning to face us. His eyes landed on Alexander's wound, and a frown creased his face. "And clearly, you paid the price for not listening."

Alexander ignored the jab, pacing the room like a caged predator.

"We need to regroup, I'm done playing catch-up" Alexander said finally, breaking the silence. His voice was low, but I could hear the frustration in it, the exhaustion that clung to every word.

Titus leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. "And how do you plan to do that when he knows your every move? You've got a mole, Alexander. Until you find them, you're running blind."

The words hung heavy in the air.

"A mole?" I asked, stepping forward. "Someone in your team is working with Cyrus?"

Alexander's gaze flicked to me, his expression unreadable. "It's a possibility."

"A possibility?" Titus scoffed. "It's a certainty. Cyrus knew exactly where you'd be, exactly when to strike. That doesn't happen without inside information."

Alexander's jaw tightened, but he didn't argue.

"Then find the mole," I said, my voice trembling. "If you don't, Cyrus will keep coming. He won't stop."

Alexander stopped pacing, his icy blue eyes locking onto mine. "Do you think I don't know that?"

His voice was low, almost a growl, but there was something else beneath it-something raw and unguarded.

Titus looked at us both, his gaze lingering for a second longer on me, but he didn't comment. The tension between Alexander and me was palpable, thickening the air around us.

"Go to bed," Alexander told me, his voice softer this time, though still firm. "You'll need your strength."

Reluctantly, I nodded, stepping away as the weight of the night continued to settle on my shoulders. The thought of resting in that cold, unfamiliar bed filled me with unease, but I had no choice. I turned and left the room, my footsteps echoing down the long, sterile hallway.

Hours passed.

I lay in the dark, staring at the ceiling, my thoughts swirling. The uneasy feeling in my chest wouldn't go away. The silence in the house felt too loud, the weight of everything pressing down on me, suffocating. I couldn't escape the thoughts of what I had just seen the way Alexander looked at me, the way he had held me earlier. It felt like we were teetering on the edge of something dangerous, something I wasn't sure I could control.