young adult · criminal underworld · stepson · hitman apprentice · trauma · moral conflict · car accident · dark romance · reluctant killer · family drama
The solid oak door shut with a final click, sealing Jamie alone in the study's thick silence. He leaned heavily against the frame, his heart a frantic drum against his ribs, before shoving off and stumbling toward the massive mahogany desk. With a derisive snort, he mimicked Reid's icy, superior tone, then cracked open the laptop. A smug, professional headshot glowed back at him. Boredom gnawed—he started clicking, digging, until he found a hidden directory. The smirk vanished from his face. He recognized the figure tied to the bed before the video even began. Horror, cold and absolute, flooded his veins as he watched the violation unfold. A door slammed hard somewhere below. He jerked, fumbled the laptop lid shut, snatched a heavy steel dart from the desk, and ran, a flimsy lie about t…