Kai pov
The silence in Nyara's room was thick, broken only by the soft, rhythmic sound of their breathing. I lay on the sofa, listening, my mind still reeling from the events of the night. Nyara and Iyla were finally asleep, exhaustion and the lingering fear taking their toll. I watched them for a long moment, the sight of them both, vulnerable and trusting, stirring something unfamiliar within me. A fierce protectiveness, yes, but also something more... a sense of belonging, perhaps? It was unsettling.
I got up, moving quietly, and slipped out of the room. I needed to make some calls, to set things in motion. Loose ends. I pulled out my burner phone, a relic from a life I thought I'd left behind when I got done training at The Nocturne Institute the people I meet and trained with. I carefully inserted the battery. It flickered to life, a ghost from the past.
I dialed a number, a connection to a world I rarely acknowledged anymore. The phone rang, and after a long moment, a voice answered. "To say I was surprised to see it was you who called after all these years, K, is an understatement. What is it you need?" Nolan. His voice was the same, sharp, efficient, utterly reliable.
"Nolan," I said, my voice low and urgent. "I need an emergency cleanup crew. At this address." I sent him the location. "Tonight. I need them to make it seem like nothing happened there. And I need it done now. Thoroughly."
"Understood," Nolan said, his tone businesslike. No questions asked. That was Nolan.
"Who do you want?" he asked, his voice sharp and professional.
"Just you, Amy, Brandon, Kayla, and Damon," I replied. "Only you lot. You're the only ones I can trust with this location, and… what you see there. I trust you guys wouldn't tell a soul what you see. No loose talk. Just focus on cleaning it. Blood, bodies, everything. Erase it. I'll send you half the money now, and the rest when you're done."
Nolan was silent for a moment, processing the urgency, the implications. Then, he said, "Okay, got it. We're on our way."
I hung up, a small weight lifted from my shoulders. They were the best, the only ones I trusted with this kind of job. Ghosts, like me. Now, I had to deal with my father. Damage control.
I dialed his number, and he picked up almost immediately. "You brat," he snapped, his voice laced with irritation. "I know you saw my calls. Where the hell have you been? And did you finish the mission?"
"Yes, sir," I replied, my voice flat, devoid of emotion. "All targets are eliminated. Cleanly."
"Good," he said, the word clipped and devoid of any warmth. No praise, just cold acknowledgment. "See that you report back here immediately. We need to discuss-"
I cut him off. "I can't. Not tonight. I have… other matters to attend to."
His voice hardened. "Other matters? What could be more important than-"
"I'll explain later," I said, my tone leaving no room for argument. "I'll be in touch."
I hung up before he could protest, the need to protect Nyara and Iyla overriding any fear of my father's wrath. I knew I'd pay for it later, but right now, they were all that mattered.
His words echoed in my head, though. "We need to discuss..." Discuss what, exactly? I knew he wouldn't let my disobedience slide. There would be consequences. He probably wanted to know why I hadn't returned immediately, why I'd disobeyed a direct order. He'd want details about the attack, about the gang, about... everything. And I wasn't about to give him any of it. Not yet.
I knew the family would be leaving soon. The staged departure was likely already underway. He'd want me back before they "returned," to keep up the facade.
My thoughts were interrupted by another call, this time on my main phone. I recognized the number – it was one of our contacts, a messenger. I answered, my voice cold.
"Kail," the voice on the other end was strained. "You need to know... Tanaka called for a meeting. A big one. All the families in the city, and some from the outskirts too. They're furious. About the attack on their gang."