Viewer Discretion: This chapter might contain violent acts that may be sensitive to some readers.Fernando’s POVThe sound of her whimpering filled the room, a pathetic noise that clawed at my patience. I clenched my jaw, watching as Holloway’s wife trembled, her breath coming in ragged, uneven gasps. Blood poured from the wounds in her shoulder and leg, soaking her dress, falling on the wooden floor beneath her chair.She was in pain.Good.I exhaled sharply, tilting my head, watching her with cold disinterest. "Would you shut the fuck up already?" I snapped, my voice sharp.She flinched, biting her lip to stop another whimper, her whole body trembling.Holloway’s eyes blazed with fury as he turned his gaze on me. "She’s in pain!" he spat, his voice thick with rage and desperation. "She’s scared!"I arched an eyebrow. "And? That’s not my problem. My problem is you not answering my damn question." I took a step forward, pressing the barrel of my gun against her temple again, watc
Viewer Discretion: This chapter might contain violent acts that may be sensitive to some readers.Michael’s POVA dull, throbbing pain vibrated through my skull, dragging me out of my sleep which I could feel was very long. I groaned, shifting slightly, but even that small movement sent a sharp ache slicing through my temples.Thus pain in my head was relentless and almost unbearable but I could live with it. I've been through worse.As my eyes weakly registered my surroundings, a question built up in my mind.What the hell happened?I blinked, forcing my heavy eyelids to stay open, and stared up at the ceiling. The room was dim, the morning light entering through the gaps in the curtains, casting long shadows over the walls. For some reason, my body felt sluggish, like I had been sedated.And then it hit me.Anabelle.That conniving little—I inhaled sharply, pushing myself up on the bed despite the dizziness that threatened to pull me back down. Memories from last night flooded
Michael’s POVThe sound of running water filled the room.I stood frozen, gripping Fernando’s gun so tightly that my knuckles turned white. My heartbeat was loud in my ears, matching the steady sound of the water falling down in the bathroom.He was in there, unaware, unguarded.It would be so easy.My mind replayed what he told me about last night—the casual way Fernando had admitted to killing Holloway and his wife, the lack of remorse in his voice, the satisfaction in his smirk. He didn’t care. Two people were dead, and all he had to show for it was an amused look and a lazy stretch.How many more would die?How many more would suffer under his hand?I wasn’t naïve. I knew what kind of man he was. I had known from the beginning. But standing here now, holding his gun, I realized something I had been delaying for too long.He would never stop.The only way to end this… was to stop him myself.I took a slow, deliberate step toward the bathroom door. My fingers went around the hand
Fernando’s POV The hot water went down my body in soft, rolling waves, washing away the last traces of last night’s work. My muscles were relaxed, but my mind was still filled with events of last night, reliving the moment when Holloway’s blood had poured on the walls of his cozy little home. The way his wife's screams had turned into ragged gasps before Marlo finished her off. It had been a masterpiece of destruction.One down. Four to go.I still had a lot of work to do to make those agents suffer.They will all feel my wrath. A slow smirk curled my lips as I shut off the water, the silence of the bathroom suddenly feeling too loud. I reached for the towel and wrapped it loosely around my waist, letting the steam cling to my skin as I stepped toward the door.And then I heard it.Raised voices. Sharp, heated words cutting through the air like knives.I tilted my head, recognizing the two voices immediately. Michael and Anabelle.A spark of amusement built inside me as I pushe
Michael’s POVI took a deep breath as I stepped out of the bathroom, my skin still wet, my hair dripping onto the towel I had wrapped around my waist. The heat of the bath had eased the knots in my muscles, and for the first time in hours, I felt clean.I sighed, letting the silence settle over me. It was rare to have a moment like this in his house—a moment where the walls weren’t pressing in, where the air wasn’t suffocating with tension. My feet pressed against the cool floor as I walked toward the wardrobe, dreading the idea of staying here longer than necessary.Then I noticed it.The chair where he had been sitting was empty. The lingering presence of Fernando had vanished.That murderer was gone.I exhaled, releasing a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding. My shoulders dropped in relief. It was exhausting being around him, suffocating even, like being trapped in a room with a wild animal, one that could decide at any second whether to let you live or rip out your thro
Fernando’s POVThe car was silent except for the hum of the engine and the occasional sound of tires rolling smoothly against the pavement. I leaned back against the seat, stretching out my legs with ease, my gaze flickering toward the man beside me.Michael sat stiffly, his arms crossed, his jaw tight. His expression was one of pure frustration, something that only made me more amused.He hadn’t wanted me to come. That much was clear. But I had insisted—no, I had decided. And Michael had no choice but to deal with it.Even if Michael didn’t want it.I could feel the weight of his irritation pressing against me like a suffocating heat. He was waiting, biting his tongue, trying to keep himself from saying something that would make this worse for him.Eventually, he cracked.Michael let out a long sigh, shifting in his seat before turning his body slightly toward me.“Alright,” he said. “I need to know something.”I smirked. “Only one thing?”Michael rolled his eyes but didn’t take
Michael’s POVI hated that Fernando was here.I sighed, gripping the torn half of my shopping list as I walked further into the aisles, away from him. I needed space. Distance. Anything to remind myself that, for at least a little while, I wasn’t under his suffocating gaze.Because right now, I was doing something ridiculous.I was making a ruthless mafia boss—someone whose favorite time involved killing people who annoyed him—go grocery shopping.I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing.If his men found out, they’d probably never let him live this down.I imagined it now: Fernando, dressed in his perfectly tailored suit, standing in an aisle filled with cereal boxes and snack foods, looking like he belonged in a luxury penthouse instead of a grocery store.If he really stopped to think about what he was doing, would he get offended? Would he be angry enough to kill me for this?Wouldn’t be the first time he got murderous over something stupid.I shook my head. I don’t car
Fernando’s POVThe second I saw that man put his hands on Michael, my vision turned red.I was standing in the middle of the supermarket aisle, my body still, my hands relaxed at my sides, but inside?I was boiling with complete rage.The man had him pinned against the shelves, gripping his shirt, talking to him in a way that made my blood boil.He had no idea what kind of mistake he just made.I didn’t say anything at first. I just moved.One second, I was watching. The next, my hand wrapped around his wrist, and I squeezed.His entire body jerked. His fingers twitched where they were gripping Michael’s shirt, and I tightened my hold, feeling his bones shift under my grasp.I could break them.Right now.Easily.I leaned in, my voice cold and controlled.“Let. Him. Go.”The man’s jaw clenched.For a split second, I thought he might be stupid enough to resist.But then, with clear reluctance, he let Michael go.Michael immediately stepped to the side, rubbing his arm as he exhaled sha
Andrew’s POVPain went through every inch of my body as Santiago’s men dragged me across the floor.But none of that compared to the rage burning through me.They pushed me into the back of a black car, the kind of car a man like Santiago liked to travel in.Damian slid in next to me, casual as ever, brushing imaginary dust from his jeans.One of Santiago's thugs climbed into the front passenger seat while another took the wheel.Santiago himself settled into the far side of the backseat, relaxed, a smirk playing across his lips like he owned the damn world.The doors slammed shut.The locks clicked.The engine came to life.As the car moved forward, rolling down the streets towards Fernando's mansion, I gritted my teeth against a fresh wave of pain.And then I turned my head and glared at Damian."You’re a goddamn traitor," I said, my voice hoarse but sharp.He didn’t even flinch.Just leaned his elbow casually on the door, resting his chin on his hand."Save your breath, Andrew," he
Damian’s POVI watched in silence, my heart pounding against my ribs like a caged animal, as Santiago Morales, the infamous Don himself, pointed a silver pistol straight at Andrew's head.Andrew didn't flinch.Not even a blink.Typical Andrew.Always too proud, too stubborn, too full of rage to show fear even when staring down death.But me?I was a little more realistic.I knew what Santiago was capable of.I had heard the stories.And right now, standing just a few feet away, I could feel the power rolling off him like heat from a furnace.Still, even with a gun in his face, Andrew wasn’t backing down.Instead, his lip curled in disgust, and he let out a dry, humorless laugh."You?" Andrew spat. "You're a piece of shit criminal pointing a gun at a federal agent. You think that means something? It just means you're desperate."Santiago's mouth twitched, almost a smile, but his eyes stayed cold and sharp."You talk too much," Santiago said smoothly. "It’s a nasty habit. Someone might
Andrew’s POVThey had their guns aimed right at me — three massive men in black, breathing heavily, sweat glinting on their brows under the harsh fluorescent lights of the store.My own gun was pressed firmly against the side of their colleague's head.I could feel him trembling slightly under my grip, though he tried to stay still, to act like he wasn’t a heartbeat away from death.The tension in the room was thick.And I was furious.The audacity, the goddamn audacity, of them to point their weapons at me."Lower your weapons," I ordered, tightening my grip on my gun until my knuckles turned white. "Or I blow his damn brains out all over aisle seven."One of them, a thug with a crooked nose and numerous tattoos, sneered at me from across the frozen foods section."You shoot him," he said, his voice cold and rough, "and you're a dead man."I laughed.I actually laughed, the sound cutting through the tension."You think you scare me?" I said, my voice dripping with disdain. "Do you ev
Andrew’s POVThe mansion loomed in the distance, shrouded in mist, its silhouette an ugly reminder of my failures.I stood at the edge of the woods, my fists tightening at my sides, nails biting into my palms. My heart beat a furiously, each thud a declaration of hatred—hatred for Michael.I would make him bleed, make him kneel, and then—only then—Ashley would realize she belonged to me.“You’re staring holes through that place, you know,” Damian said beside me.I turned slightly, my glare softening only a bit as I regarded him. "We'll get what we came for, Andrew," Damian said, his voice low but firm. "But we have to be smart. Especially now."I narrowed my eyes at the mansion again. It seemed silent. Peaceful.Too peaceful."And why," I sneered, "do you think now is any different?"Damian shifted slightly, the sound of leaves under his boots cutting through the thick silence between us."Because," he said, "There’s a battalion inside that place."I scoffed, the sound sharp and bit
Michael’s POVAnabelle's body jerked violently on the long chair, her limbs flailing in unnatural, terrifying spasms."Shit—Anabelle!" I roared, instantly snapping out of my argument with Marlo. All the anger that had just been coursing through my veins evaporated, replaced by cold, sharp fear.Marlo was already moving too, cursing under his breath as he dropped to his knees beside her."She's convulsing," I said quickly, pushing aside my own panic. "Marlo, get the first-aid kit. Now!"He hesitated for half a second but then he nodded sharply and ran toward the door.I dropped to my knees beside her, trying to stabilize her body. I couldn't let her fall off the chair, couldn't let her hit her head."Stay with me, Anabelle," I muttered.I heard Marlo's footsteps running back before he even reappeared. He entered the room, tossing me the first-aid kit."Good, good," I muttered. "Okay, I need you to find a soft cloth, anything, so she doesn't bite her tongue. Quickly!"I pulled a small
Michael’s POVThe heavy oak doors of the mansion finally shut with a deep, resonating thud, cutting off the outside world—and Andrew—with it. The second I heard the lock click into place, Ashley and I let out matching, loud sighs of relief, like two people getting to the surface after nearly drowning.Ashley bent down then straightened back up, rolling her shoulders as if trying to shake the tension off. Marlo kept his weapon up for a few seconds longer, almost like he was expecting the door to blow open any second, but even he finally let out a breath and tucked the gun into the waistband of his pants.“Holy shit,” Ashley said, pressing a hand over her heart. “I thought we weren’t making it back in.”“No kidding,” I replied, my voice rougher than I intended. My mouth was dry, my heartbeat still hammering against my ribs like it was trying to escape.Just then, Mortis and Emilio, who had been stationed by the door with their guns locked and ready, turned toward us. Their faces wer
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