"The building might not be safe." Understatement of the fucking century. "When's the last time you heard from her?"
"She texted when she arrived, maybe twenty minutes ago." Tessa's voice sharpens. "Dane, you're scaring me. What's happening?"
The light ahead turns red. I blow through it, narrowly missing a delivery truck.
"I may be overreacting, but has Lila mentioned a guy named Brian Langford in relation to Veritas?"
The silence that follows lasts only seconds but stretches like an eternity. My knuckles go white on the steering wheel.
"Yes," Tessa finally answers, her voice dropping to a whisper thick with fear.
Fucking perfect. My life never disappoints when it comes to worst-case scenarios. Death and danger… the only reliable constants in this shitshow I call my existence.
"She said he creeped her out during the first interview," Tessa continues. "Like, seriously creeped her out."
Of course he did. Lila knows predators first hand.
"You really are scaring me, Dane," Tessa says. "There are rumors about that guy."
I consider whether to tell her more. Fuck it.
"I think Langford is using Veritas and other companies to hunt women." The words hang in the air between us, stark and horrible. "A freshman is missing after meeting him there. Sarah Keller."
"Oh my God." Her breathing accelerates. "What do we do?"
"I'm already on my way. Call the police." A bitter laugh escapes me. "Tell them anything that will make them show up. Make something up."
"Okay." Tessa's voice is suddenly stronger, resolve cutting through the fear. "I'll make them listen."
I push the Charger harder, the V6 engine growling beneath me like it shares my fury. My thoughts race faster than the speedometer climbing and climbing. Every second stretches like a trigger pull in slow motion. Every red light becomes a personal affront to justice.
The city blurs around me, just smears of concrete and glass. It's always been this way—moments of mundane existence punctuated by these violent rushes toward catastrophe. That'sthe universe's sick joke. You spend your life wading through meaningless bullshit until suddenly you're racing against time, against the worst possibilities your mind can conjure.
I take a corner too hard, the tires screaming in protest. I check the weight of my gun in its holster. Its familiarity should be comforting, but today it's a reminder of the fragility of everything. Of how quickly safety becomes danger. Of how someone like Lila—someone good, someone with light still in her eyes despite everything—can walk right into the jaws of a predator wearing a tailored suit.
Memories of another girl flash through my mind. Gianna. Twelve years old and I couldn't save her. Some nightmares don't fade with time, they just wait for new victims to haunt you with.
"Not this time," I whisper to no one, my voice harsh in the empty car. "Not fucking this time. NotmyLila."
The Financial District rises ahead of me, glass towers reflecting nothing but emptiness. Somewhere in that steel maze is Lila. Somewhere in there is Langford. And I'm coming for both of them—one to save, one to destroy.
I press the accelerator to the floor.
DANE
I screech to a halt in front of the building. I leave the Charger idling at the curb, engine still running. No time for parking. Not when I need to find Lila. The building's glass doors slide open as I sprint through them. Every second counts.
The security desk looms ahead. A hulking twenty-something with a crew cut and vacant eyes looks up from his phone, irritation spreading across his face like a cancer. Just my luck,getting the oversized mall cop who probably bench presses small cars for fun.
"Sir, you need to?—"
"Brian Langford. Where is he?" My voice echoes through the marble lobby.
Security Guy stands up, hand instinctively moving to his hip where a taser sits in a holster. Poor bastard thinks that's going to help him.
"You need to exit the building immediately."
"Wrong answer." I slam my palms on his desk. "Veritas offices. Which floor?"
