Eight o'clock came sooner than Raven expected.
The private club stood at the edge of Blackwood Heights, hidden behind tall iron gates and rows of trees.
It was the kind of place where wealthy people came to discuss things they didn't want the public to know about.
Raven's black SUV stopped outside.
Jane sat in the front passenger seat, checking the time.
Andrea sat beside Raven in the back.
"You can still change your mind," Andrea said.
Raven adjusted the black mask covering her face.
"No."
Andrea sighed.
"I knew you would say that."
Raven looked at her.
"You didn't come all this way to convince me to turn around."
"No."
"Then stop talking."
Andrea smiled.
"Yes, boss."
The gates opened.
The SUV drove inside.
Raven stepped out first.
She wore a black suit, black gloves, and her signature mask. The silver raven insignia caught the light as she walked toward the entrance.
Andrea followed.
Jane remained with the vehicle.
Raven stopped before the door.
"Jane."
"Yes?"
"Stay here."
Jane nodded.
"And if anything happens?"
Raven looked at her.
"You'll know."
Jane didn't like the answer, but she knew better than to argue.
Raven and Andrea entered the building.
The hallway was quiet.
Too quiet.
They were led upstairs by a man wearing a plain black mask.
Neither Raven nor Andrea said a word.
Eventually, they reached a private room.
The door opened.
Three masked people sat around a table.
Raven walked inside.
Andrea followed.
The man in the middle stood.
"Ms. Raven."
Raven remained standing.
"You know my name."
"We know your company."
Raven's eyes narrowed behind her mask.
"Then you should also know I don't appreciate people wasting my time."
The man gestured toward the empty chairs.
"Please sit."
Raven sat.
Andrea remained standing behind her.
The man looked at her.
"Your second?"
"My business partner," Raven replied.
Andrea almost smiled.
The man nodded.
"We asked for this meeting because there has been a misunderstanding."
Raven leaned back.
"A misunderstanding?"
"Yes."
"You've been entering territories controlled by my organization."
"And you've been interfering with ours."
Raven's eyes hardened.
"We were there first."
The man shook his head.
"That's where we disagree."
Silence filled the room.
Raven studied him carefully.
"You're willing to risk a conflict over a few territories?"
"We aren't looking for conflict."
"Then what do you want?"
The man paused.
"Respect."
Raven almost laughed.
"Respect isn't demanded."
"No."
His voice remained calm.
"It is earned."
Andrea stepped forward.
"You're speaking very confidently for someone whose identity we don't even know."
The man turned toward her.
"Your organization hides behind masks too."
Andrea's expression hardened.
"He has a point."
Raven glanced at her.
Andrea shrugged.
"What? I'm being honest."
Raven returned her attention to the man.
"You want these territories."
"Yes."
"Why?"
"We have business there."
"What kind?"
"That isn't something we discuss."
Raven tapped her fingers against the table.
"So let me understand this."
She leaned forward.
"You enter areas under my control, interfere with people who work with me, refuse to identify yourselves, and then invite me here to tell me you want respect."
The man nodded.
"That's correct."
Raven slowly stood.
"Then we're done."
The man looked surprised.
"You're leaving?"
"Yes."
"You haven't given us an answer."
Raven turned toward the door.
"You already have one."
"What is it?"
Raven looked back.
"Stay out of my territory."
She walked toward the door.
The man spoke again.
"And if we don't?"
Raven stopped.
For several seconds, she said nothing.
Then she turned her head slightly.
"Then we'll have another conversation."
She left the room.
Andrea followed.
The moment they stepped outside, Andrea exhaled.
"Well."
Raven continued walking.
"That went better than expected."
Raven looked at her.
"You call that better?"
"No one was shot."
Raven gave her a cold look.
Andrea smiled.
"I'm trying to find the positive."
Raven shook her head.
"You're impossible."
"And you're predictable."
Raven stopped.
"Predictable?"
"Yes."
"You think so?"
Andrea nodded.
"You didn't threaten them."
"I didn't need to."
"You didn't even use your aura."
"I was there to negotiate."
Andrea looked at her carefully.
"You were curious."
Raven's expression changed.
"About what?"
"Who they are."
Raven didn't answer.
Because Andrea was right.
There was something unusual about the group.
They weren't afraid of her.
They weren't reckless either.
They had approached her calmly, made their demands, and walked away without provoking violence.
Whoever their leader was, they understood power.
And Raven respected that.
But respect did not mean trust.
She looked back at the building.
"Find out who they are."
Andrea nodded.
"I'll try."
"No."
Raven's voice was firm.
"Don't try."
She turned toward her car.
"Find out."
Andrea smiled.
"Yes, boss."
Raven entered the SUV.
As the vehicle pulled away from the private club, she looked through the window at the dark streets of Blackwood Heights.
For the first time since returning, something other than revenge occupied her mind.
A question.
Who was behind the mask?
And why did Raven have the strange feeling that this was only the beginning?
---
Later that night, Andrea didn't go straight home.
Instead, she made a detour to a quieter part of the city—one few people in Raven's circle ever dared to enter without reason.
A neutral zone.
A place where alliances were fragile, and information was currency.
And more importantly, where Jude usually could be found when he wasn't pretending he didn't care about anyone.
Andrea spotted him before he spotted her.
Of course she did.
He was leaning against the back of a dimly lit bar, sleeves rolled up, expression bored like the world itself was an inconvenience.
Omega. Trusted. Dangerous in his own quiet way.
And unfortunately for Andrea complicated.
Their eyes met.
Jude exhaled slowly.
"Of course it's you."
Andrea smirked.
"Miss me?"
"No."
"Liar."
He pushed off the wall, stepping closer, gaze flicking over her like he was trying to decide whether she was trouble or just attracted to it.
"Raven's little shadow," he muttered. "What do you want?"
Andrea tilted her head.
"Information."
That made him pause.
"About what?"
She hesitated for half a second just enough for him to notice.
"New players in Blackwood Heights."
Jude's expression shifted slightly.
Not fear.
Interest.
"That's above your pay grade," he said.
Andrea scoffed.
"Everything is above my pay grade until I make it mine."
A faint smile tugged at his mouth despite himself.
"Still reckless."
"And you still talk too much."
Silence stretched between them.
Familiar.
Sharp.
Unfinished.
Jude leaned in slightly, voice lower now.
"You're working for Raven on this?"
Andrea didn't answer immediately.
That was answer enough.
His jaw tightened.
"Of course you are."
Something in his tone made her bristle.
"Oh, don't start."
"I'm not starting anything," he said, though his eyes said otherwise. "I'm just surprised she trusts you with anything important."
That hit.
Andrea stepped closer.
"Careful."
Jude's gaze flicked to her lips for a fraction of a second before snapping back to her eyes.
"Or what?"
The tension between them wasn't new.
It never was.
It was always like this half insult, half pull, like neither of them knew how to stop orbiting the other.
Andrea exhaled.
"I need names, Jude."
His expression softened just slightly at the way she said his name.
That was the problem.
It always softened.
"Why?" he asked.
"Because Raven's interested."
That did it.
His expression darkened.
"Of course she is."
Andrea frowned.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
Jude looked away for a second, then back at her.
"Nothing."
But it wasn't nothing.
It never was with him.
A beat passed.
Then he sighed.
"Fine," he muttered. "I'll see what I can dig up."
Andrea blinked.
"Just like that?"
He shrugged.
"Don't get used to it."
A pause.
Then, quieter—
"And tell Raven to be careful."
Andrea studied him.
"You care."
Jude scoffed immediately.
"No."
But he didn't meet her eyes when he said it.
Andrea smirked.
"Liar."
That earned her a look.
Sharp. Warning. Familiar.
But not angry.
Never fully angry.
Just… complicated.
He stepped back.
"This doesn't mean anything," he said.
Andrea nodded slowly.
"Sure."
Another pause.
Neither of them moved.
Neither of them left.
Finally, Jude spoke again, voice lower.
"You're still reckless."
Andrea smiled faintly.
"And you're still here."
That landed differently.
For a second, something unspoken passed between them something that always hovered just out of reach.
Then Jude turned away first.
"Go back to your boss," he said. "Before she decides you're replaceable."
Andrea watched him for a moment longer.
Then, softly—
"She already knows I'm not."
Jude didn't respond.
But he didn't deny it either.
And that, somehow, said everything.
Andrea left the bar with more questions than answers.
And for the first time since the meeting, she wasn't sure if the real danger in Blackwood Heights was the unknown organization
Or the people she already knew.