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THE SHADOW BETWEEN US

Chapter 7 Lesson's In Power

Word Count: 2915    |    Released on: 19/07/2025

fice was nothing li

I found myself in a space that belonged in a high-end magazine - white marble floors, floor-to-cei

a perfect chignon and wearing a cream-colored suit that probably cost more than my old car. She looked l

with fluid grace. "You're prettier than I

use

en to protect them, to make decisions for them." Victoria's smile

hten. "Good thing I'm

esk, studying me like a predator ev

a trap, then stood between him and a gun." I met her gaze steadily

pproval flickered in her eyes. "Better. But manipulating Adrian when he's already h

teac

a crystal decanter filled with amber liquid. "But first

barely

ewhere." She poured two glasses, handing me one. "Be

ight of it solid in my h

chair across from me, crossing her legs elegant

training in weapons, maybe surveillance, cert

e. The ability to make

"That's force, not power. Any thug with a gun can mak

what i

r drink, never breaking eye contact. "It's the ability to shape reality itself, to

ds like ma

a smiled, and it was beautiful and terrifying. "And y

He's the sword that cuts down enemies, the shield that protects what he

ow

ving her is serving their own best interests." Victoria turned back to me. "Adrian ca

ed over me like a silk shroud. "You

"But first, you need to understand the game we're playing. And

ung man entered - mid-twenties, attractive in a carefully cultivated way, w

his is Marcus Chen. He works for the Harbor Commission and has been v

fortably. "Ms. Crane

ictoria's voice was silk over steel. "Marcus

d from Marcus's

acher at St. Catherine's Elementary. She

e, Ms.

e question

pered. "She d

seven. She's in her mother's

s were shakin

ppened to disrupt her happy little life." Victoria's smile neve

, ma

The next shipment is Tuesday. I t

, leaving me alone with Victoria and

t a single threat was made, no violence was suggested. But Marcus w

threatened

. "I simply reminded him of what he has to lose. The threat was all

rumbled without a single explicit threat being made

oria leaned forward. "Love is the most powerful weapon in our arsenal, Elena. More powerf

rian pro

eed. "But the question is: what are

I thought about the gallery, about standing between Adrian and Dm

," I said

e ready for your

er cabinet. When she turned bac

ennan. He's a federal prosecutor who's been asking uncomfortable question

n was in his fifties, gray-haired and serious-looking. There were p

want me to

Victoria's smile was sharp. "I want you to convince h

ow

advice: everyone has something they value more than their princi

s of a man who was probably just doi

s voice was matter-of-fact. "But I don't think that's t

do I s

estaurant every Tuesday. Rossini's, on

d t

ctoria raised her glass in a mock toast. "Welco

-

ederal prosecutors could have lunch without attracting attention. I'd chosen my outfit carefully - a navy blue dre

ked like legal documents while he ate. He was smaller than he'd appeared in the photographs, more o

udied him. He ate methodically, pausing occasionally to make notes in the margins of his pape

ity but wasn't flashy

re you waitin

tanding beside my chair, his

smile. "I'm afraid I'm one of those pe

He hesitated, then extended

. His grip was firm, his palm slightly calloused.

"I hate to see someone eating alone, es

t him think i

llowing him to help me to his table.

viewing some work document

ing pushy, interesting without being overbearing. Under diffe

asked, settling into th

it without pride or shame, just a s

other lie, but one that would be easy to maintai

at elevates us above mere survival." He signaled the waiter for anot

He was intelligent, cultured, genuinely interested in what I had to

was going to make

uring a lull in the conversati

" I gave him a rueful smile. "I've just been

bout? Sometimes it helps to di

g whether to continue. "Do you ever feel like you're liv

cognition, maybe, or understanding.

ately, I've been questioning everything." I took a sip of wine, letting

u're someone who's brave enough to ask the hard

s

ns. Who've decided that the world is what it is, and there's no point in

erent

out who you're supposed to be." He smiled, an

, this good man who was just trying to do his job, w

Bre

as, p

eling myself for what I had to

cour

le? If the people you're trying to prosecute are too

d in his expressio

w someone in your position deals

say that the law applies to everyone, regardless of wealth or power." His jaw tigh

s very

ee the passion burning in his eyes. "If good people don't stand up to corruption, then

g everything else? Your famil

." His voice was quiet but absolute. "Some t

t from the world I was learning to navigate. A man who believed in just

s supposed

ing from the table. "Thank you for lu

na,

lone at the table with his principles and his hope an

like

-

oria asked when I cal

didn

use

gripped the steering wheel tighter. "He's a goo

as built." Victoria's voice was ice-cold. "His

what his

g, it sounds like you're having second

side." The words came out fiercer than I'd intended.

nnan has sent dozens of people to prison, Elena. He's destroyed families, r

holding

grind Adrian into dust without a second thought." Victoria's voice softened, becoming almost m

is what separat

that our violence is somehow more justified than theirs." Victoria paused. "You have a choice to make. You can be Adrian's

alone with my thoughts and the

out the strange woman who'd asked him uncomfortable questions and then fled. I thought

I'd stood between him and Dmitri's gun. About the love in his e

me to become someone I

destroy good men

h fear and manipulation and t

worthy of standing be

eyes and mad

where Thomas Brennan was probably finishing his lunch and

was about to

s queen, and queens p

ter th

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