SARAHI woke up to the softest light pouring into the room, like the sun was taking its time this morning. The sheets were cold against my skin, the AC turned up too high again. I grumbled quietly, reaching out to switch it off, still half-asleep. But as soon as I opened my eyes, there he was. Marco. Sitting at the edge of the bed, sipping his coffee like he owned the whole world.He didn’t say anything right away. Just stared at me with that usual serious face. The one that always made me wonder if he was solving a problem or planning to break someone’s legs before lunch. But then, just as I was about to tease him, his mouth curled into the smallest, rarest smile.“You sleep like a baby,” he said, voice deep and scratchy from the coffee or maybe just from being Marco.I yawned, still fighting to stay under the covers. “I’m pregnant, I think I’m allowed.”He leaned closer, voice dropping a little as if it was just for me. “No, like a baby baby. Drooling, little pout, the whole thing.”
SARAHMy heart slammed against my ribs as Marco’s words sank in, ringing inside my head over and over. “They found us.” The beach felt like it got smaller, like the whole world shrunk to just the two of us sitting there in the fading light. The soft crash of waves, the breeze off the ocean, the smell of salt in the air—all of it faded behind that one sentence. Marco’s body was already moving, already shifting into that other side of him. The side I hated. The one that made him untouchable and far away, like no matter how close I stood, I could never quite reach him.I just sat there for a second, watching him. The man who had been laughing with me minutes ago, struggling to set up a picnic table like a regular guy, now moved like the man who ran half of New York. His face was stone. Cold. Like every wall I’d been trying to chip away at all these years just slammed back into place. He pulled out his burner phone, barking short, clipped orders to whoever was on the other end. His voic
SARAHMy breath caught in my throat as I spotted him. A man moving slow around the side of the house, gun raised behind Marco’s back. For a second, I couldn’t think, couldn’t move. Just stared at the glint of the barrel. My heart slammed so hard it felt like it might break through my chest. My fingers were sweating, gripping that little pistol Marco gave me like it was glued to my hand. I could barely breathe.Do I shout? Do I shoot?I could hear Marco’s voice from earlier—stay behind me, no matter what. But this guy was right there, ready to pull the trigger on him. And Marco hadn’t even seen him yet.My finger curled around the trigger before my mind even caught up. I squeezed it. The shot cracked so loud it rang through my ears and echoed across the beach. The man dropped fast, hitting the sand like a sack of bricks. Marco spun around fast, eyes wide, then caught sight of the body behind him. His gaze snapped to me, sharp and full of something wild.“You good?” he barked.I nodded,
SARAHWe were still crouched low behind the grass when Marco gave me the signal. His hand brushed against mine and then pointed straight ahead. Through the tall grass, I spotted it too—the Hilux parked with two Rossis pacing around it, just outside the floodlight’s reach. There was a gap, not wide but enough. I could feel Marco watching me, making sure I understood. My pulse was hammering so loud I swore they could hear it.Marco mouthed, “Stay on me,” then started moving. I followed, every inch of me tense as we crept low. The night felt heavier, thicker, like the air itself didn’t want to give us room to breathe.Marco moved like he had done this a hundred times before. His steps were light, careful, and fast. Mine, shaky. I was fighting not to trip on the roots or snap a twig that would give us away.When we got close enough, Marco paused, eyeing the first guard leaning lazily against the truck, rifle slung low. In one motion, Marco slipped behind him, wrapped an arm around the guy
SARAHMarco moved like the world outside didn’t exist. He swung the Hilux door open and was already walking toward the chaos. No hesitation. Just that sharp, cold focus that always made me forget to breathe. He linked up with Tony and Petrov, who flanked him like they’d been waiting for this moment all night.Before I could even think about following, Marco cut me a sharp look. A silent command. Stay down. Stay close.My fingers clenched tighter around the pistol. My heart was thumping hard enough to shake my ribs, but I nodded. I slid back behind the Hilux, knees brushing the dirt as I tried to stay small.Marco’s men were moving like a machine, fast and hard. Tony barked sharp orders to his crew as they fanned out. The Rossis were scrambling, caught off guard by the pushback. Their line was breaking and I could feel it. The tide was turning, but it wasn’t clean. Not yet.From my spot behind the Hilux, I could see Marco weaving through the fight like he belonged in the middle of it.
MARCOThe rest of the ride was dead quiet. The only sound was the hum of the engine and the tires rolling against the road. I kept my hands steady on the wheel, but my eyes kept drifting toward Sarah. She was staring straight ahead, eyes locked on nothing, her body stiff. I could feel it coming off her, that storm brewing inside. She wasn’t like me. She wasn’t meant for this kind of blood and dirt.She killed a man tonight. Pulled the trigger and watched him drop. I could still see it in her face, the way her jaw clenched afterward, how her hands shook when she thought I wasn’t looking. I wondered what was running through her head. Was it guilt? Fear? Shock? Hell, maybe all of it.I tried to tell myself she’d be fine. But deep down, I knew that was bullshit. My world does not leave you fine.As we got closer to the estate, I felt that familiar weight pressing on my chest. The streets were too calm, like they didn’t know the kind of chaos that just happened out there. The city lights w
*********Damien sat in the corner of the safehouse office, dim light hanging above him, casting long shadows across the room. The drink in his hand did nothing to calm the storm brewing inside him. His jaw clenched as he stared at the blank wall ahead, fingers tightening around the glass. He could still hear the gunfire from earlier, see the chaos in his head like it was happening again. The plan was supposed to go clean, fast, efficient. Now, Marco had taken back control.He slammed the glass down on the table, sharp enough that the few men waiting outside the office flinched. He could hear them murmuring beyond the door, probably too scared to step in. He paced the room, every step heavy, every thought sharper than the next. How the hell did Marco’s people turn it around so fast? How did they know? How did this slip through the cracks?Finally, the door creaked open, and two of his men stepped inside, stiff like they were walking into a lion’s den.“Well?” Damien barked, crossing h
MARCELI lifted the gun, aiming for the center of the target, steadying my breath as I pulled the trigger. The first shot hit, the second landed a little off, the third barely grazed where I wanted. I lowered the gun, exhaling slowly. Three out of five. That wasn’t good enough.I turned to the guard standing a few feet away. “Bring me the other model,” I said, shaking my head as I set the gun down. My aim wasn’t usually off. Maybe it was the drink in my hand. Maybe it was the news I hadn’t gotten yet but could feel coming.The guard nodded quickly and disappeared. I poured another glass, taking a slow sip, letting the liquor burn its way down. The air in the room was thick with smoke and gunpowder, a mix I usually found calming, but not tonight.Then the door creaked open. I didn’t turn. I knew hesitation when I heard it. Someone was about to tell me something I wouldn’t like.“Boss,” the man started, voice uneven. “There’s been… a situation.”I swirled my drink, watching the amber li
MARCOThe city blurred past me as I drove, headlights cutting through the darkness. My fingers tapped against the steering wheel, slow, steady. My pulse didn’t spike. My breathing didn’t change. But inside, something cold settled in my chest.They really tried to kill me. Again.And I wasn’t surprised. That was the thing. It didn’t shock me. It didn’t make me pause. This life, this war, it only ended one way. You either take out the enemy, or they take you out. No in-between. No second chances. And last night? They took their shot. Sarah had to pull the trigger to survive. My wife. My unborn kid in the middle of it. Because of them.The Rossis thought they could take something from me. They thought they could shake me. And maybe years ago, I would’ve given them the benefit of the doubt. Maybe I would’ve given Damien Rossi a call, laid it out, given him a chance to fix it before I burned his whole fucking house down.But those days were gone.This wasn’t business anymore. It wasn’t neg
MARCOI sat on the edge of the bed, watching Sarah sleep. The room was quiet, the kind of silence that felt heavier after a night like last night. The gunfire, the chaos, the blood. It was all still sitting on my chest, but none of it weighed more than the fact that Sarah had pulled the trigger. That she had to.She wasn’t built for this. I knew that from the beginning. But life didn’t care what someone was built for. It threw them into the fire anyway. And now, she was in too deep.I ran a hand through my hair, exhaling slowly. I didn’t like the way she looked even in sleep—tense, uneasy, like her body was still trying to fight off whatever threat it thought was coming next. I reached for my glass of water on the nightstand, taking a slow sip, keeping my eyes on her.Sarah shifted, her body stirring like she was fighting her way back to consciousness. Her eyes fluttered open, unfocused at first, then landing on me.“Morning,” I said, my voice quiet.She barely responded, just blinkin
MARCELI lifted the gun, aiming for the center of the target, steadying my breath as I pulled the trigger. The first shot hit, the second landed a little off, the third barely grazed where I wanted. I lowered the gun, exhaling slowly. Three out of five. That wasn’t good enough.I turned to the guard standing a few feet away. “Bring me the other model,” I said, shaking my head as I set the gun down. My aim wasn’t usually off. Maybe it was the drink in my hand. Maybe it was the news I hadn’t gotten yet but could feel coming.The guard nodded quickly and disappeared. I poured another glass, taking a slow sip, letting the liquor burn its way down. The air in the room was thick with smoke and gunpowder, a mix I usually found calming, but not tonight.Then the door creaked open. I didn’t turn. I knew hesitation when I heard it. Someone was about to tell me something I wouldn’t like.“Boss,” the man started, voice uneven. “There’s been… a situation.”I swirled my drink, watching the amber li
*********Damien sat in the corner of the safehouse office, dim light hanging above him, casting long shadows across the room. The drink in his hand did nothing to calm the storm brewing inside him. His jaw clenched as he stared at the blank wall ahead, fingers tightening around the glass. He could still hear the gunfire from earlier, see the chaos in his head like it was happening again. The plan was supposed to go clean, fast, efficient. Now, Marco had taken back control.He slammed the glass down on the table, sharp enough that the few men waiting outside the office flinched. He could hear them murmuring beyond the door, probably too scared to step in. He paced the room, every step heavy, every thought sharper than the next. How the hell did Marco’s people turn it around so fast? How did they know? How did this slip through the cracks?Finally, the door creaked open, and two of his men stepped inside, stiff like they were walking into a lion’s den.“Well?” Damien barked, crossing h
MARCOThe rest of the ride was dead quiet. The only sound was the hum of the engine and the tires rolling against the road. I kept my hands steady on the wheel, but my eyes kept drifting toward Sarah. She was staring straight ahead, eyes locked on nothing, her body stiff. I could feel it coming off her, that storm brewing inside. She wasn’t like me. She wasn’t meant for this kind of blood and dirt.She killed a man tonight. Pulled the trigger and watched him drop. I could still see it in her face, the way her jaw clenched afterward, how her hands shook when she thought I wasn’t looking. I wondered what was running through her head. Was it guilt? Fear? Shock? Hell, maybe all of it.I tried to tell myself she’d be fine. But deep down, I knew that was bullshit. My world does not leave you fine.As we got closer to the estate, I felt that familiar weight pressing on my chest. The streets were too calm, like they didn’t know the kind of chaos that just happened out there. The city lights w
SARAHMarco moved like the world outside didn’t exist. He swung the Hilux door open and was already walking toward the chaos. No hesitation. Just that sharp, cold focus that always made me forget to breathe. He linked up with Tony and Petrov, who flanked him like they’d been waiting for this moment all night.Before I could even think about following, Marco cut me a sharp look. A silent command. Stay down. Stay close.My fingers clenched tighter around the pistol. My heart was thumping hard enough to shake my ribs, but I nodded. I slid back behind the Hilux, knees brushing the dirt as I tried to stay small.Marco’s men were moving like a machine, fast and hard. Tony barked sharp orders to his crew as they fanned out. The Rossis were scrambling, caught off guard by the pushback. Their line was breaking and I could feel it. The tide was turning, but it wasn’t clean. Not yet.From my spot behind the Hilux, I could see Marco weaving through the fight like he belonged in the middle of it.
SARAHWe were still crouched low behind the grass when Marco gave me the signal. His hand brushed against mine and then pointed straight ahead. Through the tall grass, I spotted it too—the Hilux parked with two Rossis pacing around it, just outside the floodlight’s reach. There was a gap, not wide but enough. I could feel Marco watching me, making sure I understood. My pulse was hammering so loud I swore they could hear it.Marco mouthed, “Stay on me,” then started moving. I followed, every inch of me tense as we crept low. The night felt heavier, thicker, like the air itself didn’t want to give us room to breathe.Marco moved like he had done this a hundred times before. His steps were light, careful, and fast. Mine, shaky. I was fighting not to trip on the roots or snap a twig that would give us away.When we got close enough, Marco paused, eyeing the first guard leaning lazily against the truck, rifle slung low. In one motion, Marco slipped behind him, wrapped an arm around the guy
SARAHMy breath caught in my throat as I spotted him. A man moving slow around the side of the house, gun raised behind Marco’s back. For a second, I couldn’t think, couldn’t move. Just stared at the glint of the barrel. My heart slammed so hard it felt like it might break through my chest. My fingers were sweating, gripping that little pistol Marco gave me like it was glued to my hand. I could barely breathe.Do I shout? Do I shoot?I could hear Marco’s voice from earlier—stay behind me, no matter what. But this guy was right there, ready to pull the trigger on him. And Marco hadn’t even seen him yet.My finger curled around the trigger before my mind even caught up. I squeezed it. The shot cracked so loud it rang through my ears and echoed across the beach. The man dropped fast, hitting the sand like a sack of bricks. Marco spun around fast, eyes wide, then caught sight of the body behind him. His gaze snapped to me, sharp and full of something wild.“You good?” he barked.I nodded,
SARAHMy heart slammed against my ribs as Marco’s words sank in, ringing inside my head over and over. “They found us.” The beach felt like it got smaller, like the whole world shrunk to just the two of us sitting there in the fading light. The soft crash of waves, the breeze off the ocean, the smell of salt in the air—all of it faded behind that one sentence. Marco’s body was already moving, already shifting into that other side of him. The side I hated. The one that made him untouchable and far away, like no matter how close I stood, I could never quite reach him.I just sat there for a second, watching him. The man who had been laughing with me minutes ago, struggling to set up a picnic table like a regular guy, now moved like the man who ran half of New York. His face was stone. Cold. Like every wall I’d been trying to chip away at all these years just slammed back into place. He pulled out his burner phone, barking short, clipped orders to whoever was on the other end. His voic