Chapter 37: If You Wanted My Attention

Rain started before Lucian’s convoy even left the city.

Not soft rain.

Not cinematic drizzle.

Real rain.

Hard enough to blur headlights and turn the streets silver beneath the tires of black SUVs moving far too fast through Boston traffic.

Inside the lead vehicle, no one spoke for the first three minutes.

Not because there was nothing to say.

Because every person in that car was thinking the same thing.

If they were too late—

Lucian stared out the windshield, jaw tight enough to hurt.

He still heard Allison’s voice in his ear.

Pride mostly.

Sassy.

Dry.

Controlled.

Even kidnapped, she was still trying to make him breathe easier.

That realization did something ugly to his chest.

Theo noticed.

Of course he did.

"You look homicidal," Theo said from the seat across from him.

Lucian didn’t look away from the road. "I’m considering it."

"That’s healthy."

Simone, squeezed between Theo and Elias in the second row, crossed her arms tightly. "Can everyone stop talking like we’re starring in a mafia documentary?"

"No," Theo said.

"Yes," Elias said at the same time.

Simone pointed at Elias. "You’re my favorite today."

Adrian sat beside Lucian, reviewing the industrial maps Elias pushed to his tablet. His face was unreadable.

Which was somehow worse than anger.

Because Adrian Croft angry meant movement.

Adrian Croft calm meant destruction already scheduled.

"The building ownership changed three weeks ago," Elias said, pulling up records. "Shell company. No direct Morrison or Laurent-Cassel ties."

Theo leaned forward slightly. "That means Vivienne prepared this before the dinner."

Lucian’s expression darkened.

"She planned the possibility," Adrian corrected. "Vivienne doesn’t gamble. She builds contingencies."

Simone frowned. "That’s somehow more terrifying."

"It should be," Theo muttered.

Lucian finally spoke again.

"She said Allison was being watched before any of this."

Adrian looked up slowly.

"Yes."

"That means this started before Anthony lost control."

Theo’s voice lowered. "Much before."

Lucian turned toward him.

Theo held his gaze.

For once, no joking.

No easy grin.

"Vivienne’s obsessed with control," Theo said quietly. "Not attention. Not romance. Control."

Rain battered the windows harder.

Lucian’s hand curled into a fist against his knee.

"She took Allison because she’s losing it."

"No," Adrian said calmly. "She took Allison because she thinks Allison changed the board."

A pause.

"And she’s right."

⸻

Allison

The room somehow felt colder after the phone call.

Not physically.

Psychologically.

Vivienne had taken the phone from her calmly after the line disconnected and slipped it back into her coat like they had just completed a business meeting instead of a hostage negotiation.

Anthony, meanwhile, looked like he was one inconvenience away from committing a felony on purpose.

Actually—

He already had.

Several.

Allison shifted slightly against the wall, testing the ropes again.

Still tight.

Still annoying.

Vivienne noticed immediately.

"You should stop doing that," she said.

Allison looked up lazily. "And give up my favorite hobby?"

Anthony paced near the far wall.

Back and forth.

Back and forth.

Like he couldn’t stay still long enough to survive his own thoughts.

"You think this is funny?" he snapped suddenly.

Allison blinked at him.

"No," she said honestly. "I think you are."

Anthony stopped pacing.

Vivienne closed her eyes briefly.

Like she was exhausted by him.

That made Allison feel better for some reason.

Anthony stepped closer. "You ruined everything."

Allison stared at him for a long second.

Then laughed.

Actually laughed.

Anthony’s face darkened instantly.

"What’s funny?"

"You."

His jaw flexed.

"No, really," Allison continued. "You standing here talking about ruined lives while actively kidnapping someone is incredible character development."

Anthony crouched in front of her suddenly, voice sharp.

"You think you’re still in control because you keep talking."

"No," Allison said quietly. "I keep talking because it annoys you."

Vivienne’s lips twitched.

Anthony looked back at her.

"Why are you smiling?"

"I’m not."

"You are."

Vivienne sighed softly. "Anthony."

"What?"

"You’re emotional again."

That hit harder than a slap.

Anthony straightened immediately.

Trying to regain composure.

Trying and failing.

Allison watched him carefully now.

Not afraid.

Observing.

Because Anthony Morrison was unraveling in real time.

And dangerous people became more dangerous when they realized they were losing.

Vivienne moved toward the old metal table near the wall and set down a folder Allison hadn’t noticed before.

"You should’ve left after the dinner," Vivienne said casually.

Allison arched a brow. "And miss all this?"

"You know what I mean."

"I do," Allison admitted. "I just don’t agree."

Vivienne turned toward her.

The overhead light caught the sharp lines of her face perfectly. Beautiful in the kind of way expensive knives were beautiful.

"I would have let you walk away," Vivienne said.

Allison smiled faintly. "That’s generous for someone who had surveillance photos of me."

Vivienne’s expression cooled.

"You became disruptive."

"No," Allison corrected. "I became visible."

A beat.

"And you hated that."

Anthony scoffed. "You think Lucian actually—"

"Anthony," Vivienne warned.

Too late.

Allison looked directly at him.

"You know what your problem is?" she asked softly.

Anthony stared back.

"You keep assuming people love the way you do."

Something flickered across his face.

Ugly.

Raw.

"Allison—"

"You don’t love people," she continued. "You possess them. Use them. Depend on them until they stop being useful, then punish them for noticing."

Silence.

Heavy.

Vivienne watched carefully now.

Anthony’s voice dropped lower.

"You think Lucian’s different?"

Allison held his gaze.

"Yes."

That answer hit the room harder than yelling would have.

Because she meant it.

Anthony laughed suddenly.

But there was something unstable in it.

"You barely know him."

"And yet he still managed to treat me better than my husband."

Anthony froze.

The word hung there.

Husband.

Not legally true.

But emotionally?

That wound still existed.

Anthony’s face twisted.

"We were real."

"No," Allison said quietly. "I was real. You were acting."

For one second, she thought he might hit her.

She saw it in the shift of his shoulders.

The sudden tension in his jaw.

Vivienne saw it too.

"Anthony."

Sharp this time.

A warning.

Anthony stepped back hard enough that the metal chair beside him screeched across the floor.

He ran both hands through his hair.

Breathing uneven.

"This was supposed to be simple," he muttered.

Vivienne’s eyes narrowed slightly.

Simple.

Interesting word choice.

Allison noticed.

"What was supposed to be simple?"

Anthony looked at her.

Then at Vivienne.

Vivienne’s expression went still.

Too still.

Allison leaned forward slightly despite the ropes.

"Oh, now I’m interested."

"No," Vivienne said calmly. "You’re curious."

"Same thing."

"No," Vivienne replied. "Curiosity gets people killed slower."

Allison smiled.

"There she is. I was wondering when the dramatic villain lines would start."

Anthony barked out another laugh.

Too loud.

Too sharp.

"You really don’t get it."

Allison looked at him. "Then explain it."

Anthony stared at her for a long moment.

Then said quietly—

"You were never supposed to stay long enough for any of this."

The room went silent.

Allison’s pulse slowed instead of speeding up.

Because suddenly—

Something clicked.

Not fully.

But enough.

Her eyes shifted slowly to Vivienne.

"You knew I was coming to Boston."

Vivienne said nothing.

Allison continued anyway.

"You knew before I ever met Anthony."

Anthony looked toward Vivienne.

Not angry.

Confused.

Uh oh.

Vivienne noticed too.

And for the first time since Allison woke up—

Vivienne looked irritated.

Tiny.

Controlled.

But there.

Allison’s voice softened.

"Anthony didn’t even know the full plan, did he?"

Anthony’s face changed.

Vivienne moved instantly.

"That’s enough."

But Allison saw it now.

The hesitation.

The realization.

Anthony had been manipulated too.

Not innocent.

Never innocent.

But useful.

Vivienne stepped toward Allison slowly.

"You’re very intelligent," she said quietly. "That’s part of the problem."

Allison tilted her head.

"And you’re avoiding the question."

Vivienne crouched in front of her.

Elegant even doing that.

Infuriatingly elegant.

"Do you know what powerful families fear most?" Vivienne asked softly.

Allison shrugged lightly. "IRS audits?"

Anthony made a choking sound that might have been a laugh before Vivienne shot him a look.

Vivienne continued.

"They fear unpredictability."

Her gaze sharpened.

"Your father sent you to Boston to learn quietly. To build yourself without the Croft name carrying you."

Allison’s stomach tightened slightly.

Because yes.

That was true.

Vivienne’s eyes stayed locked on hers.

"But people noticed anyway."

A pause.

"Anthony noticed."

Anthony frowned slightly. "What is that supposed to mean?"

Vivienne ignored him.

"Then Lucian noticed."

Her voice cooled further.

"And suddenly a woman who was supposed to be temporary started changing the future plans of several powerful families."

Allison stared at her.

"You kidnapped me over future plans?"

"No," Vivienne said quietly.

"I kidnapped you because Lucian stopped looking at me the second he started looking at you."

There it was.

Not strategy.

Not politics.

Jealousy sharpened into obsession.

Anthony laughed bitterly. "There it is."

Vivienne stood abruptly. "Be quiet."

"No, seriously," Anthony continued. "You dragged me into all this because you couldn’t handle him wanting someone else?"

Vivienne’s voice went deadly calm.

"I dragged you into this because you were already weak enough to use."

Anthony’s face went white.

Allison watched both of them carefully now.

Interesting.

Very interesting.

Cracks everywhere.

Then—

A distant sound echoed faintly through the building.

Not close.

Metal.

Movement.

Vivienne’s head snapped toward the door.

Anthony froze.

Allison smiled slowly.

"Oh," she said softly. "That sounded expensive."

⸻

Outside the Facility

Rain poured over the abandoned industrial district in heavy sheets.

Lucian stepped out of the SUV before it fully stopped.

Adrian followed.

Theo moved beside them, gun already in hand.

Simone saw it and blinked rapidly.

"...why do you have that?"

Theo glanced at her. "Massive wealth."

"That’s not comforting."

The building loomed ahead.

Old medical facility.

Dark windows.

Half-renovated loading dock.

Three black vehicles parked outside.

Lucian’s eyes swept the structure immediately.

"She’s in there."

Adrian touched his earpiece. "Perimeter."

Security voices answered instantly.

"East clear."

"Roof movement negative."

"Two heat signatures near lower level."

Elias looked at the thermal scan.

"Actually... four."

Theo’s smile vanished.

"Trap?"

Adrian’s expression hardened.

"Probably."

Lucian didn’t care.

He started toward the building immediately.

Adrian caught his arm.

"Control yourself."

Lucian looked at him.

And for one dangerous second, Adrian saw exactly how close Lucian Calloway was to becoming violent.

"She’s in there," Lucian said.

"Yes."

"They took her."

"Yes."

Lucian’s voice dropped lower.

"And if they touched her—"

Adrian’s gaze sharpened.

"Then you kill them after we get her out."

Silence.

Then Theo muttered quietly—

"Well. That escalated efficiently."

Simone stared at Adrian.

"Oh my God."

Adrian ignored her completely.

Inside the building—

A loud crash echoed through the lower level.

Lucian looked toward the sound immediately.

Then—

Allison’s voice rang out faintly through the structure.

"Anthony, if you throw another chair at the wall, I’m charging you for emotional damages!"

Lucian stopped dead.

Theo stared.

Then burst out laughing.

Relief.

Pure relief.

"She’s okay," Theo said, grinning despite everything. "Still mouthy."

Lucian closed his eyes briefly.

Just once.

Then opened them colder than before.

"Move."

⸻

Back Inside

Anthony grabbed Allison’s arm roughly.

"Do you hear that?!"

Allison looked at him calmly.

"Yes," she said.

Then smiled.

"And judging by your face, I think they found us."