Page 40 of High Reward

“He agreed to the hospital visit,” Matteo points out. “And he didn’t throw us out on our asses when Victor shot down his gala plan.”

Owen punches a button for the fifteenth floor. “He’s unraveling. I’ve never seen Hunter lose control like that.”

I nod. “Trinity’s his weak spot. Always has been. Just like Bellamy is yours, and Grace and Lili are now mine.”

The elevator slows, then stops. The doors slide open to reveal a plain hallway, nothing like the opulent corridor leading to Hunter’s office. We follow Owen down a series of turns until he swipes a key card at an unmarked door.

Inside is Owen’s command center where he handles all security needs for Hunter’s casinos. Bank after bank of monitors line the walls, each displaying different security feeds, data streams, and tracking information. A large conference table dominates the center, surrounded by ergonomic chairs.

“Lock it down,” Owen tells one of his security techs. The woman nods and taps out a sequence on her keyboard. Then she stands and leaves. The door behind us gives an audible click as it seals.

“We have three days,” I say, not bothering to sit. “And we’re nowhere close to neutralizing Draven.”

Matteo drops into a chair, loosening his tie. “We have options. The gala may have been a bad idea, but there are other approaches.”

“I need to get back to Grace and Lili soon,” I say, checking my phone. No messages since Tobias told me they were home. That’s good. It means they’re safe, following protocol. Still, the need to see them, to verify their safety with my own eyes, is eating at me.

Owen pulls up a blueprint on the primary display. “Draven’s estate,” he explains. “Seven acres, gated, with private security. Getting to him there would be nearly impossible without Liliana as bait, which isn’t happening.”

“His office downtown?” Matteo suggests.

Owen shakes his head. “Too public. Too many witnesses.”

“We need to draw him out,” Luke says. “Somewhere controlled, where we have the advantage.”

I pace along the wall of monitors, my reflection fractured across dozens of screens. My mind keeps drifting back to Liliana, to the hospital, to the bullet that nearly severed Trinity’s spine. To Grace’s stalker, who might be connected to all of this. Too many threats, too many angles to cover.

“What about his mother?” I ask suddenly. “The mayor.”

Owen’s fingers pause over his keyboard. “What about her?”

“She’s his weak spot, from what Liliana says.” I turn to face them. “We pressure her, he’ll come running.”

Matteo frowns. “Risky. She has the police, the media.”

“All the more reason,” I counter. “If we can get evidence of her involvement in his operation, we create leverage. Enough to force Draven out of hiding.”

Owen nods slowly, already typing. “I’ll dig deeper on the Brandt angle. See what connections I can find between her office and Draven’s businesses.”

“Do it fast,” I say. “And I want updates on the hospital security plan for Liliana’s visit by this afternoon.”

“I’ll coordinate with Hunter’s team,” Owen confirms. “We’ll make it airtight.”

I check my watch again. Less than two hours have passed since we left the club for this meeting, but it feels like days. Every minute away from Grace and Liliana is a minute they could be in danger. Every hour that passes is an hour closer to Hunter’s deadline.

“What about Grace’s stalker?” I ask. “Any progress?”

Owen gestures to a secondary monitor where lines of code scroll past. “Still parsing the data from Harper’s interview and the security footage. There’s definitely a connection to Sampson Lindon’s suicide, but I’m still trying to determine if Kara Lindon is working alone or with someone. The fact that Harper says she went on a date with a couple, and they were in the sandwich shop leads me to believe she has a partner.”

Stubble scrapes my palm as I drag a hand over my face. I need sleep. I need time. Neither are available.

“Victor,” Matteo says quietly. “We’ve got this. Go home. We’ll call if anything breaks.”

I look at each of them in turn. Matteo with his calculating eyes, Luke with his steady presence, Owen with his relentless focus. My partners. If it weren’t for them, I would be on a rampage across the city until I had my hands around Draven’s throat.

“Three days,” I remind them. “Hunter won’t extend his deadline.”

“We know,” Luke says. “And we won’t need it. Draven’s made too many enemies. It’s just a matter of finding the right pressure point.”