Chapter 4: Los Sombrosos

The room was shrouded in an eerie silence, broken only by the sound of labored breathing and the occasional drip of water. 

Dimly lit by a single, swinging bulb, the space exuded an atmosphere of desperation and impending doom.

Nicolas' eyes were filled with fury, anger, and determination as he stood before the captured man.

"Who sent you?" Nicolas bellowed, his voice laced with an unforgiving edge. 

The man before him was beaten and bloodied as he struggled against his restraints, defiance etched on his face. 

It had been a grueling week for Nicolas, a relentless pursuit to uncover the truth behind the attack that threatened Bruno's empire and our lives two weeks ago.

The captive's eyes darted from Nicolas to me as I was there to watch and see firsthand what Bruno did to people who cross him. 

There was a flicker of hesitation and fear momentarily clouding his gaze. He knew the consequences of his silence, the pain that awaited him. 

Yet, the loyalty to his gang, and his unyielding dedication to their code, he refused to talk or say even when death laughed in his face.

Nicolas, unrelenting in his pursuit, approached the man and asked again.

"I am asking you again. Who sent you?" He circled the man as a predator did to his prey.

His mere presence cast a shadow of intimidation. But still could not break the man to start talking. 

"I've endured far worse than anything you can throw at me," the man spat, a defiant glimmer in his eyes. "I will not betray my boss, and I'm not going to say anything to you! Do your best, asshole."

Nicolas's face changed, his patience is wearing thin. He had faced adversaries far more ruthless than this man, yet the resilience displayed before him tested even his formidable resolve.

"You think you can resist?" Nicolas sneered, his voice dripping with anger. "I've seen men break under less pressure. Do you think you can go on with this? Guess what? You cannot. Your end is near, sooner than you expect it."

With those words, Nicolas unleashed a relentless torrent of punishment, a physical and psychological onslaught designed to break man's spirit. Blow after blow rained down upon him, each strike calculated to elicit pain and weaken his resolve.

I watched the scenario, mortified, wishing for Luca to be here to hold my hand.

The room echoed with the sound of agony and desperate pleas for mercy, blending with the stench of sweat and fear. 

Nicolas's determination never wavered as he pushed the boundaries of endurance, his own fury mirroring the man's defiance. 

Yet, the man refused to say anything. Just as the man's spirit seemed unbreakable, the heavy wooden doors swung open, revealing Bruno's commanding presence. 

He strode into the room with an air of authority, his mere presence suffusing the space with an aura of power. I didn't know how he did it, but it was awkwardly admired by me.

The man's eyes widened as fear gripped him, but still, he looked determined never to spill a word to Bruno. 

He locked a formidable gaze with Bruno, something he should have never done. You shouldn't show how confident you were to Bruno because he would use it as your weakness to break and rip you apart.

Bruno gave a little laugh, and then that man's eyes held a glint of fear in him.

"Enough," Bruno's voice boomed, cutting through the room like a thunderclap. "Your loyalty to your gang is admirable, but loyalty has its limits, and so does my patience."

At that moment, he unveiled his phone for the man to see. 

It was a video that showed his wife and daughter, blissfully unaware of the danger that loomed over them. 

They were being watched by Bruno's men ready to shoot them at his command. I felt extremely bad for his family members.

The man's eyes filled up with tears, and his breath caught in his throat as he watched his loved ones, oblivious to the imminent danger. Fear etched deep lines into his face, as he was broken and feared for the life of his lovely family.

"These people's names you want to protect with your life, they have no regard for the sanctity of your family," Bruno spoke with calmness. 

"They sent you to strike at me—to disrupt my empire. I'm only going to say it once. The choice is yours. Give me their names and perhaps your wife and daughter may live to see another day or you watch them die right in front of you."

Tears welled up in the man's eyes as he spoke, "Los Sombrosos," he choked out, "The gang that sent me is called Los Sombrosos."

The revelation sent shockwaves through the room, its impact reverberating with a chilling finality. 

Los Sombrosos, one of the most feared and elusive gangs in all of Texas, had declared war against Bruno's empire, but it wasn't anything he could not handle. The Los Sombrosos will burn to the ground, and that was a promise.

The captured man fell to his knees, his body racked with sobs as he begged for mercy, pleading for the lives of his wife and daughter. 

But his pleas fell to deaf ears, drowned by the currents of retribution that surged through Bruno's veins.

He issued a single command, the man's fate was sealed, and with it, the lives of his innocent family.

A heavy silence settled upon the room, broken only by the sound of Bruno's footsteps as he turned to leave, his face cold as it could ever be.

As I watched this chilling display unfold before me, I couldn't help but question the path I had chosen. 

The darkness that enveloped Bruno's world was consuming, sparing no one in its wake. 

At that moment, the weight of my own secrets bore down upon me, for I know that my allegiance was divided and I feared that one day, the love I had for Luca would be found out. I needed to act first before it was too late. 

Thus, as the world around me prepare for the impending storm, I resolved to gather my courage, navigate the treacherous labyrinth of Bruno's empire, and find a way to safeguard the love I held so dear, to forge a path that led to a future free from the clutches of darkness, where Luca and I can be united without the constant threat.

I remembered Luca's words, "I'm going to make you mine and mine alone.”

I froze.