Michael's POV I could feel his breath against my face, warm and slow, teasing the tension in the air between us. My own breathing had turned shallow, uneven. This wasn’t how I wanted to confront Fernando whenever i saw him, but I couldn’t help it. My body always seemed to shut down each time we were mere inches apart. The scent of his cologne—rich, dark, and laced with the faintest trace of smoke—filled my lungs, making my stomach coil.Fernando's hand was firm on my jaw, fingers pressing just hard enough to remind me of his strength, of his control. His dark eyes bore into mine with an intensity that threatened to unravel me right there. I hated him, but I couldn't let him see that. Not when I was already at such a disadvantage.My mission came first while my revenge would follow afterwards but it was hard to hide my disdain for him.I should have hidden it better. The resentment, the burning rage. I had spent years perfecting my mask, smoothing out every sharp edge that could
Fernando’s POV I had expected more hesitation. I had expected defiance, perhaps even a weak attempt at negotiation. But what I had not expected—what truly fascinated me—was the way Michael moved as he began to unbutton his shirt.His fingers, though steady, carried the weight of reluctance and it thrilled me to see him battle within himself. The first button slipped through its hole, revealing just a bit of skin beneath. Smooth. Tanned. His collarbones cast faint shadows under the dim glow of my study’s lamp, adding a striking contrast to the sharpness of his jaw.I took in the sharp edges of his pink nipples, their hardness staring fiercely at me, willing me to grab them and do as I see fit.I leaned back against the edge of my desk, watching him as if he were a performance meant solely for my entertainment.Michael was hesitant, but he did not falter.The second button came undone. Then the third.With every inch of exposed skin, my intrigue deepened. His body was not merely lea
Michael's POV I exhaled slowly, steadying myself.Fernando stood halfway down the grand staircase, his dark eyes locked onto me, expectant. The dim golden light from the chandelier above cast an ominous glow over him, highlighting the sharp angles of his face, the cold amusement lurking in his expression.He was waiting.Marlo, on the other hand, was not.The moment the word "Wait" had left my lips, he had frowned. His broad shoulders tensed, his hands twitching at his sides like he was ready to pounce. And now, as I stood there at the foot of the stairs, trying to find the right words, I could feel his fury radiating toward me like a bomb about to explode.“The hell do you think you’re doing?” Marlo snapped, his voice a low, dangerous growl.I kept my eyes on Fernando. I knew better than to look at Marlo right now. If I did, if I acknowledged his challenge, I might just do something I’d regret.Or maybe not.Marlo took a step forward, blocking my path. “You just interrupted the b
Fernando's POV I went down the stairs leading to my meeting room at a measured pace, my footsteps echoing through the grand hall. Behind me, I could hear Michael following closely, his movements light but deliberate. Marlo’s heavier steps were right behind him, his irritation practically evident in the air.Marlo has never been known to be able to hide his feelings because they always showed on his face and radiated in the aura all around him.This was his character flaw which vexed me.I looked over my shoulder and I saw a very determined look plastered on Micheal's face.He had nerve. I had to give him that.It was one thing to enter my study uninvited, but to then demand to follow me into a meeting with some of the most powerful men in the criminal underworld? Either he was bold, or he was incredibly stupid.Or perhaps he had an agenda.I wasn’t blind to that possibility.There were many reasons a man might want to sit at my table. Most were predictable—power, influence, money.
Michael's POV Marlo’s words hung in the air like a death sentence.For a moment, I thought I had misheard him.But then I saw the way the other crime bosses turned toward me—the suspicion in their eyes, the tension in the room thickening like fog before a storm. My pulse quickened, but I forced my expression to remain neutral.Inside, I was burning in fury.That bastard.Marlo had just placed a target on my back, and he knew it.Rodger Holt's gaze burned with suspicion. "Is that true?" His voice was deep, rough, and laced with venom. "You were caught in Fernando’s study?"I clenched my jaw, pushing my face into something carefully neutral. "It wasn’t like that," I said calmly. "The door was open. I thought someone had broken in, so I went inside to check."I looked around, making sure to meet each man’s eyes in turn. "That’s when the boss walked in. I never had any bad intentions" I explained, hoping they would believe me.Marlo scoffed, crossing his arms. "How convenient."Rod
Fernando's POV The room was silent except for the occasional scrape of a chair against the polished floor and the rhythmic tapping of Rodger’s fingers against the table. The guard had left to retrieve the security footage, and now, we waited.I could feel the tension in the air as everyone began to create scenarios of what would happen next in their heads.Our meeting which had been called upon to talk about a new collaboration between our families has turned into a reckoning for betrayers.Michael stood there, composed as ever, his posture relaxed, his face unreadable.I studied him carefully.If he was lying, he was damn good at it.But if I found out he had been deceiving me…I wouldn’t hesitate.Pain. Suffering. A slow death—those were the only things a liar deserved.I had built my reputation on power, ruthlessness, and absolute control. The one thing I never tolerated was deception.If Michael had infiltrated my home under false pretenses, he would regret it.But a part of me—
Michael's POV The world around me faded into nothing but him.Colin Starkey.Bruised. Bloodied. On his knees.I felt the air leave my lungs.This wasn’t possible.Colin had been one of the FBI’s brightest minds—hell, he had trained alongside me when we were cadets. A prodigy. He was a man whose potential had been limitless. I had heard rumors that he had been assigned to a classified case years ago, but I never imagined…That he had been sent undercover.My heartbeat pounded in my ears as I stared at him, my brain struggling to process the brutalized version of the man I had once known. His face was swollen, his lip split, and blood dripped from a cut just above his eyebrow. His chest rose and fell erratically, his body trembling from whatever hell Rodger and his men had put him through.And then—his eyes found mine.A silent plea.A desperate, unspoken cry for help.Michael…He didn’t say it, but I felt it.A cold dread came down my spine.He’s going to die.I forced myself to inh
Fernando’s POVThe gunshot echoed through the dimly lit room like a thunderclap, silencing everything. Colin fell to the floor, his body hitting the ground with a dull thud. Blood pooled beneath him, spreading all over the floor with rapid speed. For a brief moment, no one spoke. The air was thick with tension, the metallic scent of blood clinging to the room. Then, the silence shattered with the scrape of chairs as two guards stepped forward, dragging Colin’s lifeless body away like a discarded piece of trash.Michael hadn’t moved. His face was frozen in shock, his eyes locked on the corpse being dragged out.I watched him carefully. His reaction was… interesting. He looked rattled, deeply disturbed even. But was it guilt or just some pathetic sense of morality?Snitches didn’t deserve to breathe. That was a rule I lived by. Rats, traitors—people who smiled in your face and whispered in the ears of the law—they were worse than enemies. They deserved to suffer.I turned my gaze b
Michael’s POVThe night air had become dense, pressing down on my chest like a weight, but it wasn’t the cold that had my skin crawling. The very sight of Lucas shifted the balance. It was clear that he was here to add another layer of pressure, and when I felt Ashley stiffen beside me, I knew that this changed everything.Andrew’s gaze moved over to Lucas, and for the briefest moment, I see something like frustration flash across his face. But then, like a predator circling its prey, his lips curled into a slow, sinister smile. "Ah, so now we are of equal standing. How cute," he said, his voice dripping with condescension. He took a slow step forward, his gun still raised at me, and I could see his finger twitch on the trigger, eager for something, anything, to break the silence.I felt my muscles tighten, but I didn’t flinch. There was something about Andrew’s tone, something about it that almost made me laugh. Almost.But before I could say anything, Marlo cut in, his voice sh
Michael’s POVI glanced sideways at Ashley and Marlo, their hands steady on their weapons, having the same tension I felt."Michael," Damian began, his voice smooth, almost too calm for the situation, "You and your friends—you're done. This is over. You’ve got nowhere to run. The FBI will have you soon enough. You can’t keep fighting forever. Just give up." He lowered his voice slightly, as if he trying to lull us into submission. "It’s not worth it."I couldn’t help but laugh, a cold, humorless sound that echoed through the compound. "Is that really your big plan, Damian? You think I'm going to just roll over because you say so?" I took a step forward, making sure my gun stayed steady in my hands. "You’ve clearly forgotten who you’re dealing with."Damian’s lips curled into a smirk. "I haven’t forgotten a damn thing, Michael. I just think you’re too stubborn for your own good. You’ve lost. You’re outgunned, outmanned, and you’re running out of time. There’s no escape. Just hand you
Michael’s POVI got close enough to Damian and looked in disgust at the smile he had fixed on his face the moment he saw me."I'm here. Say what you want but after that, you're leaving" I said with a stern voice."I knew you would come out of hiding the moment you heard me call out to you" Damian attempted to come closer to me but I stepped back."You wouldn't want to do that, that's if you don't mind being shot" I said, my eyes narrowed. "It was stupid of you to have come out here.""I could say the same thing about you."Andrew swiftly came out of the shadows and the barrel of his gun pressed against my forehead like a cold whisper of death.He had moved so fast through the trees, making good use of the darkness to get close to me.The forest behind him seemed to go quiet in respect, like even nature didn’t want to interrupt this moment.But I knew his men were there, waiting. I didn't flinch. I didn’t move. I just stared at him.His eyes, sharp and gleaming with victory, drank in
Michael’s POVFernando looked like a corpse.I never thought I would feel anything for him beyond disgust, fury, and that burning ache for revenge—but now, watching him lie unconscious in this dimly lit room, something twisted inside my chest. It wasn’t forgiveness. It wasn’t pity. It was something uglier. More complicated.His chest barely rose beneath the sheet, his breathing shallow, mechanical, like his body had forgotten how to be alive.He was pale—unnaturally pale—like life had already started abandoning him.And still, I couldn’t let go of his hand.It was cold. Damp. Fragile. I remembered this same hand raised in arrogance, in violence, clenched into a fist as he spat cruel words at me. That same hand had pointed guns, killed people, and built the chaos we were drowning in.But right now, it wasn’t the hand of a monster. It was the hand of a dying man.I hated him. God, I hated him. But I didn’t want him to die like this.“You care about him now?” My unconscious mind asked
Andrew’s POV Night had wrapped itself like a shroud over the woods, casting eerie shadows between the tall trees. The air was filled with anticipation, thick and unmoving, as if nature itself was holding its breath. I could hear the loud sounds of Crickets chipping in the distance, an odd contrast to the tension that vibrated through my bones. The occasional rustle of leaves teased our ears snd made our minds work like machines as vsrious questions appeared on our heads.Was it the wind or movement? Every sound could be a threat. Every second, a reminder that time was slipping.We lay in silence, our bodies half-buried in the brush, our eyes fixed on the mansion positioned at the edge of the clearing. The looming building glared back at us like a fortress, its windows glowing faintly from within. Inside, Michael and his loyal few were holed up like cornered wolves, desperate and dangerous.Patience, I reminded myself. The moment we attacked would be the moment they expected us
Michael’s POV The smell of onions cooking in olive oil wrapped around me like a warm blanket. For a moment, just a brief moment, I let myself forget where we were, what was happening, and how much blood had already been spilled. The sound of the kitchen door opening pulled me out of my trance. Ashley leaned against the doorway, her arms folded. “Smells good,” she said, her voice soft but obvious with exhaustion. I glanced up, half-smiling as I stirred. “Figured it was time we ate something that didn’t taste like cardboard or fear.” She raised an eyebrow. “Is that what this is? A morale boost?” “Something like that,” I murmured. Ashley stepped in, rubbing the tension from the back of her neck as Mortis and Emilio followed behind her, dragging their tired bodies like the war had already been lost. Emilio sniffed the air and grinned. “Damn. Didn’t know you could cook.” I set the bowls on the table. “Survival skills.” Mortis slumped into a chair with a
Ashley's POV The wind carried a damp, earthy scent through the cracks in the battered front door as we pressed ourselves against it, trying to catch a glimpse through the narrow hole in the wood. I could barely see much — just the faint shimmer of light bouncing off someone's gun, the shape of bodies lurking in the scattered woods surrounding the old mansion. It felt too quiet, like the world itself was holding its breath.I exchanged a glance with Mortis, then Emilio. Marlo’s jaw was tight, his dark eyes focused on the woods as though sheer force of will alone could make our enemies appear.“It’s been fifteen minutes,” Mortis muttered, lowering his gun just an inch. “I think we’re in the clear. Maybe they gave up.”“Yeah,” Emilio chimed in. “Or maybe they’re regrouping. Either way, it’s gone quiet.”I let out a humorless laugh. “You think Andrew is the type to give up? He’s out there, watching. Waiting for us to screw up. That’s his favorite game.”Both Mortis and Emilio shot me
Andrew’s POVThe cold English air brushed against my skin as I tilted my head up to the second-story window. A dark smile went across my lips as I waited, watched to see that traitor's face.A second ago, Michael’s face had been there—staring down at me with that same infuriating calm he had always worn when things were going out of his control. And now… nothing.Good.Let him hide. Let them all scramble like rats in a sinking ship.This was my time to bring my enemies to their knees and I wasn’t going to stop until I have achieved my goal.I stepped back, scanning the old mansion ahead of us. The old Ramirez estate was barely holding itself together — cracked window glass, vine plants all over the walls, a run down compound that made it feel just like a building in a horror movie. A perfect hideout for cowards.I turned to my men, most of them hidden behind trees and old stone fences, their fingers twitching near their triggers. I didn’t have enough men for a full frontal attack.
Michael’s POVThe weight of Anabelle in my arms was heavier than it should have been. Not because she was heavy, she really wasn’t, but because every step I took felt like I was carrying the weight of everything I had been trying to beat. The past, the lies, the blood, the betrayals.Gunshots echoed outside like a twisted symphony, but I forced myself to focus.Her blood stained my shirt, the warm, sticky sensation reminding me she didn’t have much time if we didn’t act fast. And yet, even now, she was stubborn as hell.“You’ve been lying this whole damn time,” Anabelle said, her voice a weak but fierce whisper against my ear as I carried her up the stairs. “I knew it. I always knew there was something about you, Michael. And now, I’ll make sure Fernando knows the truth when he wakes up.”"That’s if you're still alive by then because I you keep talking, you're going to loose more blood" I said to shut her up but my plan didn't work."Don't you dare talk about me dying" she said ang