Lexi's POV
Victor Rex's voice came through the line again, unsettlingly calm. "I suggest you come, Detective. Alone. Don't make me wait."
I could barely breathe. My pulse hammered in my ears as I fought to stay upright. Gabriel's voice cut through the fog of panic, urgent and sharp. "Lexi, what's going on? Who is this?"
I raised a shaking hand to silence him, my body frozen in place. "Victor Rex…" I whispered, barely able to speak the name. "What do you want?"
He paused, his silence heavy and suffocating. When he spoke again, his words were laced with amusement. "Just come to the address. Don't bring anyone else."
"Send me the address," I spat, my voice trembling with a mixture of fear and fury. The line went dead before I could say another word.
For a long moment, I stood there, phone still pressed to my ear, my body shaking uncontrollably. The reality of what he'd said, of Max's voice, of the situation I found myself in, crashed down on me like a tidal wave.
Gabriel stepped closer, his eyes locked on mine, his voice cautiously calm. "Lexi… What the hell is going on?"
I couldn't form words at first. My mouth felt dry, and when I finally found my voice, it was barely a whisper. "It's Max." My heart twisted painfully in my chest. "Victor Rex has Max."
Gabriel's face paled, disbelief flashing across his features. "Your son? That psycho has your son? We need to—"
"We need to be smart," I interrupted, my tone snapping. "If he even suspects you're involved, Max is dead."
"Lexi, this is insane!" Gabriel's voice rose with panic. "You can't just walk into his trap!"
"What choice do I have?" My voice rose too, frustration and desperation mingling. "He's my son, Gabriel!"
Gabriel looked like he wanted to argue but stopped, his jaw tightening as he processed the situation. I knew it was just as hard for him to hear, but I also knew I couldn't afford to waste time.
"Let me at least follow you," he said quietly, his eyes pleading. "You can't go in there alone. You might not come back."
"If you follow me, he'll know," I replied, my voice hoarse. "He'll kill Max, and he'll kill me."
Gabriel's face twisted with frustration. "Then what's the plan? You just do whatever he says and hope he lets you both walk away?"
I opened my mouth to respond but stopped, the truth slipping from my lips in a whisper. "I don't have a plan. I'm just trying to keep my son alive."
The phone buzzed again in my hand, and I grabbed it, my fingers trembling. The address was there, cold and final.
I grabbed my jacket without a word, my feet moving mechanically.
Gabriel moved to block the door, his face a mix of concern and determination. "Lexi, don't do this."
"I have to," I said, my voice barely above a whisper as I brushed past him.
"Call me if you need backup," he said, his voice cracking just slightly.
"I will," I promised, though we both knew it was a lie.
"Stay here. Be ready. If I don't call in an hour—"
"You'll call," he said firmly. "You'll be fine."
I nodded, though the words offered no comfort. I stepped out of the office, my stomach twisting with fear, the weight of my son's life pressing down on me.
In the car, I clutched the steering wheel so tightly my knuckles turned white. My breath came in shallow gasps, and I told myself over and over, You can do this, Lexi. You have to do this.
I couldn't afford to think about what might happen if I failed.
When I got to the address victor Rex sent, I parked the car a block away from the decaying warehouse, its silhouette towering against the night sky like a grim reminder of the path I was walking into. My pulse pounded in my ears, the heavy weight of the decision pressing against my chest. The air smelled of rust, mildew, and the faint trace of something worse—something that made my stomach churn. It was a place for bad deals, desperation, and dead ends.
I clenched my phone in one hand and reached under my jacket to feel the cold steel of the gun holstered at my side. It was supposed to be my safety net, my only assurance that I wouldn't walk out of here completely helpless. But in the back of my mind, I knew it was just a hollow comfort.
As I stepped through the broken doors, the stench of decay hit me like a slap. Damp concrete, rusted metal, and the tang of blood lingering in the air. The dim lights overhead flickered sporadically, casting long, twitching shadows across the space. It felt like the kind of place where everything went wrong.
Victor Rex stood in the center of the room, as out of place as ever in his tailored suit. The contrast was almost laughable—like a businessman waiting for a meeting in the middle of a war zone. And next to him, tied to a chair... Max. My son.
I froze. Max's wide brown eyes met mine the moment I stepped inside, a look of terror and confusion that nearly shattered me. His small face was streaked with tears, his lip trembling.
Victor's smirk stretched into a twisted grin. "I knew you'd come in a hurry," he said, his voice dripping with mockery.
I swallowed the lump in my throat, forcing myself to take a steady step forward. "I'm here," I said, my voice steady, though my heart was breaking. "What do you want?"
Victor chuckled, slow and deliberate, as if we were engaged in a casual conversation instead of a life-or-death standoff. "What I always wanted, Detective. You."
I narrowed my eyes, my fists clenching at my sides. "Me?" I spat. "Dragging my son into this? That's a new low, even for you, Victor."
He tilted his head and wagged a finger at me, the mock sympathy clear in his voice. "Tsk, tsk. We're past negotiations now, Detective. You've been so... principled, so untouchable. But I thought to myself, every person has a weak spot." He glanced toward Max, and my heart stopped. "And I was right."
I bristled, stepping closer, the words coming sharper this time. "What do you want?"
Victor's grin grew wider, his eyes gleaming with sick satisfaction. "Your cooperation. I made you an offer once before, remember? Work with me. Take my side. But you refused."
I shook my head, my voice firm despite the terror clawing at my insides. "And I told you then," I said, my eyes not leaving my son, "I'll tell you again—I'm not going to be a dirty cop. My answer is still no."
Victor's face darkened, his expression turning cold as he considered me. "A bold stance, Detective. But also a foolish one."
He turned to Max then, running a hand through his hair with casual cruelty, and my blood turned to ice. Max flinched, and I felt the rage in me ignite.
"No!" I shouted, my voice cracking. "Don't you touch him!"
Victor only smirked, enjoying every moment of this twisted game. "Then perhaps you'd like to say your goodbyes?" He pulled out a gun, its barrel dark and menacing under the flickering lights, and aimed it directly at Max's head.
The sight of it sent a wave of panic crashing through me. "No! No, please!" The words rushed out, desperate, raw. "I'll do it. I'll work with you. Just don't hurt him!"
Victor chuckled darkly, lowering the gun just slightly. "Now that's more like it. A mother's love—so predictable."
Max whimpered, his voice barely a whisper. "Mom, please—"
Tears welled up in my eyes, but I swallowed them back. "It's going to be okay, baby," I forced out, my voice trembling with the lie. "Mommy's here. Everything's going to be okay."
Victor sighed dramatically, clearly unimpressed. "Such touching sentiment. But unfortunately, Detective, I can't let either of you leave here alive."
The ground seemed to fall away from beneath me. "What? We had a deal!"
Victor waved it off, his amusement bordering on condescending. "Ah, but deals with me are like promises from politicians—empty." He raised the gun again, the cold steel now pointed back at Max.
"No!" The word tore out of me before I could stop it. "You can do whatever you want to me, but leave my son out of this!" I was shaking now, the desperation making my breath come in sharp, ragged gasps.
Victor raised an eyebrow, clearly entertained by my pleas. "And let him grow up to testify against me? No, Detective. I don't think so."
I lunged forward without thinking, my legs carrying me before my mind could catch up. "Victor, please! He's just a kid! He doesn't even understand what's happening! Let him go!"
Victor didn't even flinch. His finger tightened on the trigger.
"Goodbye, little boy."
The world slowed. My heart pounded in my ears, the sound of the gunshot deafening as it rang through the warehouse.
"No!" I screamed, closing my eyes as the sound of the gunshot rang out.
The world stopped. My heart plummeted into the void, a scream dying in my throat.
To Be Continued...