Chapter 260

BRANDON'S POV

The quiet hum of the suburban neighborhood was a stark contrast to the storm brewing in the city’s underworld.

I pushed open the front door of Aria's house, holding a large, wrapped bag of toys in one hand. The familiar warmth of the foyer wrapped around me, pulling off a layer of the cold, lethal armor I wore all day.

"Daddy," A small, delighted squeal echoed from the living room before I could even set my keys down.

A second later, a flash of bright clothes and dark curls came barreling down the hallway. Amelia threw herself at me without a moment's hesitation.

I dropped the gift bag, caught her easily in my arms, and lifted her high into the air, holding her tight against my chest as her small arms wrapped fiercely around my neck.

The sheer innocence of her touch was enough to quiet every dark thought in my head. "Hey, princess," I murmured, burying my face in her hair, breathing in the sweet scent of baby shampoo. "Look at you."

Over her shoulder, I saw Aria standing by the couch. She had a warm cup of tea resting between her hands, her dark eyes watching us with a mix of soft affection and guarded hesitation.

She looked exhausted, but safe. I set Amelia down on her feet, picking up the gift bag and handing it to her. Aria shook her head with a faint, fond smile. "You're spoiling her, Brandon."

I just shrugged, a small smirk touching my lips. "She deserves it." I sat down on the rug beside Amelia, letting her drag out toy after toy. For the next thirty minutes, the war outside vanished.

I played with her, soaking in every laugh, deeply grateful for the simple, quiet privilege of just being here with her. Aria sat nearby on the edge of the sofa, sipping her tea and patiently answering Amelia’s endless, excited questions about how pretty and pink her new dolls and stuffed animals were.

"I'm going to use the restroom upstairs," I said after a while, rising from the floor. Aria gave a quiet nod, returning her attention to her tea.

I walked up the carpeted stairs, my heavy footsteps muted. But as I reached the top of the landing, a low, rushed whisper caught my attention from down the hall.

I paused, every instinct instantly on high alert.

The sound was coming from the guest quarters near the back of the floor—Sarah's room. She was speaking in a frantic, hushed tone, her voice tight with panic.

I couldn't make out the words, but the urgency in her voice was wrong. I moved silently down the hallway, stopping right in the doorway.

"Sarah," I said, my deep voice cutting through the quiet room like a blade. "Who are you talking to?"

She flinched violently, gasping as her hands flew to her chest, frantically pulling the phone away from her ear. "N-Mr. Brandon!" she stammered, her face turning pale as she pressed her back against the desk. "I... I was just... talking to my sister! She was asking about the schedule for tomorrow's activity day—"

My jaw tightened. Paranoia was a habit of survival in my line of work, and right now, nothing felt safe. "Give me the phone." Her hand trembled as she handed it over, her eyes wide with fear.

I took the device, my thumbs moving quickly across the screen to check the active call log.

The screen displayed a recent call timer. The contact name saved at the top was simple. Sister.

I stared at the screen for a long second, the heavy knot in my chest loosening just a fraction. I locked the phone and handed it back to her, adjusting the cuffs of my shirt.

"I'm sorry," I said quietly, my voice flat. "Carry on."

As I turned around to head back toward the stairs, I froze. Aria was standing at the end of the hallway, watching me with a confused, questioning look.

"Is everything okay?" she asked softly, stepping closer.

"Yes," I nodded, keeping my tone steady as I closed the distance between us. "I made an assumption that turned out wrong."

I checked my watch, it was getting late. I looked back down toward the living room and smiled faintly. The little princess was already dozing off on the couch, her eyelids heavy, one arm tightly clutching the new plush bear I had just bought her.

"It's her bedtime," I murmured to Aria. "I'll tuck her in." Aria didn't object. I walked down the stairs, stepping quietly over to the couch. I bent down, gently scooping Amelia up into my arms.

She let out a soft, sleepy sigh, settling instinctively against my chest, her thumb slipping into her mouth as she held onto the bear. I carried her upstairs silently, pushing open her bedroom door with my foot.

I laid her down gently on the soft mattress, pulling the blankets up over her small shoulders to make sure she was warm and covered. Bending down, I pressed a soft kiss to her forehead.

"Goodnight, my sweet girl," I whispered. When I stepped back down into the living room, Aria was waiting by the foot of the stairs, her cup of tea sitting finished on the counter.

"She's fast asleep," I said softly, stopping a foot away from her. "I'm heading out now."

Aria gave a quiet nod, her dark eyes looking up at mine. "Thank you for coming to see her, Brandon."

The warmth of her voice made my hands itch to reach out, to bridge the lingering distance between us.

I couldn't stop myself. I stepped closer, raising my hands to gently cradle her face in my palms.

She stiffened for a split second, but she didn't pull away.

"I missed you," I whispered, my thumb sweeping softly across her cheekbone, feeling the soft heat of her skin.

Aria didn't respond. She simply looked away, her lashes dipping low as a sheen of unshed tears glistened in her eyes, holding back a wave of heavy emotion. "I am going to make this up to you, Aria. No matter what it takes. And you're going to forgive me soon."

Before she could answer, I leaned in and pressed my lips firmly to hers.She didn't fight it. After a lingering second, her hands slid up to rest against my chest, and she kissed me back—a soft, trembling surrender that shattered whatever guard I had left.

When I slowly pulled away, my heart was hammering against my ribs. "I love you," I whispered into the small space between us, my voice thick with raw emotion. "More than anything in this world. I'm going to keep you both safe."

I gave her one last, lingering kiss on the forehead, pulled back, and walked out the front door into the cool night air. But as the heavy door clicked shut behind me, the warmth faded.

An uneasy, nagging gut feeling took its place. Something was wrong. Dominic was waiting by the black SUV parked at the curb, stepping out into the dim streetlight the second he saw me. His face was grim, his eyes razor-sharp.

"Boss," Dominic said, his voice low and urgent. "Our cyber team just finished tracing Leonie's encrypted burn lines. She's been making direct calls to an unlisted device inside Aria's house."

The air in my lungs turned to liquid ice. "Sarah."

"It's her," Dominic confirmed with a grim nod.

"She's not who she claims to be. Her real name is Anna, and she's Leonie's insider. She was planted there specifically to target Amelia."

A dark, lethal rage roared through my veins, but I forced my expression to remain a complete, terrifying stone. My gut hadn't lied upstairs. The contact name had been a mask.

Anthony stepped up beside us, his hand resting near his sidearm, taking in the shift in my posture immediately. I turned to Anthony, my voice dropping into a deadly whisper.

"Tomorrow morning, drop Amelia off at school for the activity day exactly as planned. Act normal. Do not give her a single reason to suspect we know. Once she's inside, hold your position and wait for my signal with Aria."

Anthony's jaw set, a cold nod of understanding passing between us. "Understood, boss." I turned on my heel and climbed into the back of the SUV, Dominic sliding smoothly into the driver's seat and pulling out into the dark streets.

I stared out the tinted window at the city lights. They thought they were playing a game of leverage. They thought they could use my daughter against me.

“I'm going to root out the poison,” I thought, my knuckles turning white as I clenched my fist in the dark. “One by one.”