The temptation of my brother-in-law-Chapter 129 - One Hundred and Twenty-Nine

Chapter One Hundred and Twenty-Nine

Alicia’s POV

I was finally done with work.

Hours of contracts and emails and calls. My eyes burned from staring at the screen. My shoulders ached from tension.

But the real ache was deeper. In my chest. In the place where Malachi lived rent-free in my mind. My ache was Malachi Blackwood.

He’d been rubbing his relationship with Cecilia in my face. That’s what it felt like anyway. Always mentioning her. Always making sure I knew they had plans. Always touching her where I could see.

Getting me jealous. Making me want what I couldn’t have. Making me hurt.

Except now I knew the truth. They were fake dating. The whole thing was an act.

Which made it worse somehow. Because it meant every touch. Every smile. Every public display of affection. It was all calculated. All deliberate.

All designed to make me feel exactly how I felt. Jealous. Possessive. Desperate. Selfish, even.

I hated him for it. And wanted him more because of it.

I stood up. Stretched. Decided to head home. Maybe take a long bath. Try to wash away the frustration and confusion and guilt.

I grabbed my bag. Headed for the door.

That’s when I saw Sasha.

She was in the hallway. Moving on tiptoes. Literally. Like she was trying not to make a sound.

She looked around. Checked over her shoulder. Then hurried toward the side exit.

What was she doing? It was almost eleven at night. Where was she going?

I should have minded my own business. Should have gone home. Let Sasha deal with whatever trouble she was in. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

But curiosity won. And maybe a desire to focus on someone else’s problems instead of my own.

I followed her. Quietly. Kept my distance.

She got in her car. A sleek black sedan. Pulled out of the garage.

I ran to my car. Started the engine. Followed her at a safe distance.

We drove through the city. Took turns. Doubled back a few times. Like she was checking to see if anyone was following her.

I stayed far enough back that she wouldn’t notice. Used other cars as cover.

After thirty minutes of this, she finally stopped.

A club. High-end. Dark themed. The kind of place that required membership. That catered to people with money and secrets.

Sasha got out. Adjusted her coat. Walked to the entrance like she belonged there.

The bouncer let her in immediately. No questions. No ID check.

She was a regular.

I parked across the street. Watched the entrance. Debated what to do.

I couldn’t get in without a membership card. Couldn’t follow her inside. Couldn’t see who she was meeting.

But I could wait. Could see who came and went. Could at least get some information.

So I waited.

Minutes turned into an hour. Then two. Then three.

My phone buzzed occasionally. Messages I ignored. My eyes stayed fixed on that entrance.

Finally, movement.

Sasha came out. Alone. She looked shaken. Pale. She hurried to her car. Drove away without looking back.

I waited. Watched. Wondered if whoever she’d been meeting would follow.

An hour passed. Nothing.

I was about to give up. About to start my car and go home.

That’s when the doors opened again.

A man walked out. Tall. Well-dressed. Expensive suit. And he wasn’t alone. Four guards surrounded him. Big men. The kind hired for protection. For violence.

But that’s not what made my blood run cold.

It was the mask.

He was wearing a mask. Ornate. Gold and black. The same design as the one from the ball. The masked man who’d danced with me. Who’d whispered in my ear. Who’d known things he shouldn’t have known.

My hands gripped the steering wheel. Heart pounding.

Was this him? The same man? Or just someone who wore the same style mask?

Did he know Sasha? Was that who she’d been meeting?

The man got into a black SUV. His guards climbed in around him. They drove away.

I sat there. Frozen. Trying to process what I’d just seen.

Sasha and the masked man. Connected somehow. Meeting in secret. At a club that required membership and discretion.

What was going on? What had Sasha gotten herself into?

My phone vibrated in my lap.

I looked down. Unknown number.

My stomach dropped.

I opened the message.

An image. A photo of the same mask. Gold and black. Ornate and expensive.

And underneath it, a caption.

Looking for me, sweetheart?

I dropped my phone. Actually dropped it. Like it had burned me.

He knew. He knew I was here. Knew I’d been watching. Knew I’d seen him.

How? How did he know?

I looked around frantically. At the other cars. At the windows of nearby buildings. At the shadows.

Was he watching me right now? Was he still here? Still close?

My phone vibrated again. I picked it up with shaking hands.

Another message.

You’re persistent. I like that. But careful, darling. Curiosity killed the cat. And you’re playing a very dangerous game.

I couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t think. Just stared at those words.

Who was this? What did he want? And why was Sasha involved?

Another message.

Go home, Alicia. Before you see something you shouldn’t. Before you become a problem I have to solve.

A threat. Clear and direct.

I started my car. Hands shaking so badly I could barely turn the key.

I drove. Fast. Too fast. Checking my mirrors constantly. Looking for that black SUV. Looking for anyone following me.

But the streets were empty. Just me and my panic and the weight of knowledge I didn’t want.

I made it back to the mansion. Parked in the garage. Sat there for a moment. Trying to calm down. Trying to think.

The masked man. Sasha. The threats. The texts. Everything was connected.

But how? Why?

I went inside. Walked through the quiet halls. Everyone was asleep. The mansion was dark.

I went to my room. Locked the door. Sat on the bed.

Pulled up the messages again. Read them over and over.

Looking for me, sweetheart?

He’d called me sweetheart. Just like at the ball. When he’d held me close and whispered secrets.

It was him. The same man. And he’d been meeting with Sasha.

Which meant Sasha knew who he was. Knew what he wanted. Was involved in whatever this was.

My phone rang. Actual call this time. Not a text.

Cassie’s name flashed on the screen.

I answered immediately. "Cassie?"

"Alicia. Thank god. I’ve been trying to reach you for hours."

"I was. I was following someone. What’s wrong?"

"I remembered. About the woman watching your house. I remembered what the car looked like."

My heart started racing again. "What kind of car?"

"A silver Mercedes. Newer model. But that’s not the important part. I got close enough to see her through the window. She was wearing jewelry. Really expensive jewelry."

"What kind of jewelry?"

"A necklace. It had this distinctive pendant. I looked it up. It’s limited edition. Only fifty made worldwide. Custom designed by some famous jeweler."

"Cassie. What are you saying?"

"I’m saying whoever this woman is, she has serious money. The kind of money that buys custom jewelry and drives luxury cars and watches mansions for weeks."

"Did you get a better look at her face?"

"No. She was wearing sunglasses. But Alicia. There’s something else. When she drove away, I saw a sticker on her bumper. It was for a private club. The kind that requires membership."

My blood went cold. "What club?"

"I couldn’t see the full name. But I took a picture. Hold on."

I heard rustling. Then my phone pinged. Image received.

I opened it. Zoomed in on the sticker.

It was partially obscured. But I could make out enough. The same logo. The same design.

The club where Sasha had just been. Where the masked man had walked out.

"Alicia? You still there?"

"Yeah. I’m here."

"Do you recognize it?"

"I think so. Cassie. This is bigger than I thought. This woman. Whoever she is. She’s connected to something. To people I’m just starting to figure out."

"Connected how?"

"I don’t know yet. But I’m going to find out."

"Alicia. Maybe you should tell someone. Tell Malachi. Or Pa Wood. Or hell, call the police."

"I can’t. Not yet. Not until I know more."

"This is dangerous. You know that right?"

"I know."

"And you’re going to investigate anyway."

"I have to. Someone’s targeting me. Threatening me. And now I know they’re connected to the family somehow. I need to know who and why."

"Then I’m helping. Tell me what you need."

"I need you to find out more about that club. Who owns it. Who the members are. Anything you can dig up."

"I’m on it. But Alicia?"

"Yeah?"

"Be careful. Please. I can’t lose my best friend because she got herself killed playing detective."

"I’ll be careful. I promise."

"That’s what people always say right before things go wrong."