The aftermath of the Apex heist left Xavier's estate in a state of high alert. The betrayal of Jax, Xavier's most trusted tactical leader, had sent shockwaves through his organization. For the first time, the impenetrable Xavier Black looked vulnerable, his jaw set in a permanent line of tension.
Aurora, however, was no longer the trembling woman who had fled the gala months ago. She sat in the command center, her fingers dancing across the keys of her high-encryption laptop. The data she had pulled from Apex was a goldmine of corruption.
"I've finished decrypting the board members' private communications," Aurora said, her voice echoing in the sterile room. She hadn't slept in thirty-six hours, and dark circles were forming under her emerald eyes, yet she looked more powerful than ever.
Xavier walked over, standing behind her. He placed his hands on her shoulders, a rare gesture of comfort that made Aurora's heart skip a beat. "What did you find, Aurora?"
"It's bigger than we thought," she replied, bringing up a map of global transactions. "The bounty wasn't just to kill me. It was to lure you out. They knew you would protect me. By putting a price on my head, they forced you to expend your resources, weaken your security, and expose your hidden hubs. They wanted to take down the Vanguard Group by using me as bait."
Xavier's grip on her shoulders tightened. "They underestimated you. They thought you were a liability. They didn't realize you were the smartest person in the room."
Aurora turned in her chair, looking up at him. "Xavier, we can't just keep hiding. If we stay on the defensive, they will eventually find a way in. We need to strike the heads of the Hydra."
Xavier looked at her for a long moment, then a slow, dangerous smile spread across his face. "You want to declare war on the five most powerful tech moguls in Europe?"
"No," Aurora said, standing up until she was inches from him. "I want to destroy them. I want to use the very systems they built to dismantle their fortunes. I want to make them feel what I felt when I was in that prison cell—powerless."
Xavier leaned down, his forehead resting against hers. "Then let's do it. But first, you need to rest. A general can't lead an army when she can barely stand."
He didn't give her a choice. He swept her up in his arms, carrying her toward his private suite. For the first time, Aurora didn't protest. She leaned her head against his chest, listening to the steady thrum of his heart, feeling a strange sense of peace in the middle of a global war.