Adrian sat in the darkness of his study long after Selena left. The glass of whiskey in his hand trembled slightly as he lifted it to his lips, his mind replaying her final words. "One day, you’ll look back and realize what you lost."He growled low under his breath and slammed the glass onto the desk, the sound of shattering crystal breaking the suffocating silence. Selena paced the length of her bedroom, her mind filled with anger and confusion. Adrian's coldness, his refusal to let her in—it was infuriating. She glanced at the clock on the wall. Midnight. Sleep was out of the question. Her thoughts kept drifting to Nathan’s cryptic words and the look of barely contained rage on Adrian’s face. What was he hiding? Her pacing was interrupted by the sound of her phone buzzing on the bedside table. She hesitated before picking it up. The caller ID read "Unknown." Frowning, she answered. "Hello?" "Selena." Nathan's voice was smooth, teasing. Her grip tightened on the phone. "
Selena’s breath hitched as the tension in the room thickened. Adrian stood tall and menacing, his gaze locked onto Nathan, who remained calm, a smug grin on his face. “Adrian, I—” Selena began, but he cut her off with a sharp glance. “Stay back,” Adrian ordered, his tone leaving no room for argument. His eyes never left Nathan as he stepped forward. “What the hell do you think you’re doing, Nathan? Coming here, sneaking into my home?” Nathan shrugged, leaning casually against the balcony railing. “Relax, cousin. I was just having a little chat with Selena. She deserves to know the truth, don’t you think?” Adrian’s fists clenched, his knuckles turning white. “You don’t get to decide what she deserves.” Selena’s frustration boiled over. “Stop talking about me like I’m not here!” she snapped, stepping between them. “I’m done with this. Both of you need to tell me what’s going on. Now.” Nathan smirked, his gaze flicking to Adrian. “See? She’s curious. Why don’t we give her wha
Selena stared at the pale green walls of the motel room, her thoughts swirling. The room was small, with a lumpy mattress and threadbare curtains that barely kept out the glow of the flickering neon sign outside. The faint hum of passing cars on the highway did nothing to calm her nerves. Adrian’s betrayal was fresh in her mind. He hadn’t loved her—he’d bought her, forced her into his life like she was some item he owned. And even after everything, he had the audacity to act like she was the one in the wrong. She clenched her fists. This wasn’t the life she wanted. This wasn’t the freedom she craved. But what choice did she have? Adrian had ensured she was tied to him financially, emotionally—every which way. The only money she had was from the account Adrian had set up for her. Her eyes drifted to the wallet on the nightstand. The money wasn’t hers, but right now, it was all she had. She hated using it. Hated the reminder that, even here, far away from Adrian, he still had powe
The air smelled of gunpowder and sweat. Shouts echoed through the dark alleys, and the occasional crack of gunfire sent shivers down Selena’s spine. The night, which had started with tension, had quickly spiraled into chaos. "Boss, the place is surrounded by Lucian's men, almost as if it was a setup," Matteo said, his voice urgent. "Matteo! Make sure Selena is safe," Adrian ordered, his voice steady but laced with tension. "Nothing must fucking happen to her." Matteo nodded and grabbed Selena's arm. "Come on, miss" he said firmly, pulling her toward the back door. Now, as Selena stumbled behind Matteo, trying to keep up, her chest burned with panic. She clutched her side, her breathing ragged. Her heart pounded in her ears, drowning out most of the noise around her. “Stay close to me, Miss Selena,” Matteo barked, his tone leaving no room for argument. “Where is Nathan?” Selena shot back, her voice trembling. Matteo spun around, his eyes blazing. “We don’t have time for th
The night smelt of smoke, blood, and gunfire. The club had turned into a battlefield, and Adrain was right in the middle of it. It didn't faze him, this was his usual night routine. Fighting for his life and that of his men.Then his phone began to ring, he checked it and saw it was Matteo."What's the problem?" He asked after picking the call. Matteo never calls unless it is urgent.“Boss, we’ve got a problem!” Matteo’s voice crackled over the phone, urgency thick in his tone. “I already know, Matteo,” I growled, scanning the dark street ahead of me. “Lucian’s bastards are everywhere. Fucking rats.” “Your wife—she’s hurt,” Matteo said. My blood ran cold. “What the fuck do you mean hurt?” “She got stabbed. It’s bad, Boss. Nathan’s with her, but…” Matteo’s voice trailed off. “Where are you?” I barked, gripping the steering wheel so hard my knuckles turned white. “We’re heading to the Sade house for cover. It’s the closest safe spot.” “Stay there,” I ordered, my voice low
The air in the hospital waiting room was tense. Adrian paced back and forth, his boots thudding heavily against the tiled floor. Matteo sat slouched in a chair, rubbing his temple, while Nathan leaned against the wall, his arms crossed and face pale.Adrian stopped abruptly and glared at them. “How the hell did this happen? You were supposed to protect her!”Nathan’s jaw tightened. “I didn’t know she’d jump in front of a knife for me, Adrian. She—she didn’t give me a choice.”“Bullshit!” Adrian roared, his fists clenching at his sides. “You always have a choice. You should’ve been faster, smarter—”“She’s alive because of me!” Nathan snapped, his voice rising to match Adrian’s. “If I wasn’t there, she’d be dead already.”Matteo stood, raising a hand. “Enough, both of you. This isn’t helping. Let’s focus on her.”Adrian shot Matteo a look but stayed silent. The truth was, his anger wasn’t just at them—it was at himself. He should’ve been there. He should’ve protected her.The waiting d
The room was quiet, save for the beeping of the machines that surrounded Selena. Adrian sat beside her bed, his eyes tired and full of worry. His hands were clasped tightly together, and his jaw was clenched. He hadn’t slept or eaten for days, only staying by her side, watching over her, praying she would wake up. But now, the quiet seemed deafening.As his gaze shifted toward her, a memory from his past suddenly hit him, sending a cold chill through his body. It was a memory he had tried to bury for years, but now, it felt like a reminder of everything he had lost and everything he feared he could lose again.He remembered two years ago when his parents were murdered.The sound of the door to the hospital room had creaked open, and Adrian had slowly stepped inside, his heart heavy with dread. He had been called in the middle of the night. His mother had been gone. The world had seemed to freeze around him, and his feet had felt like they had been stuck in place. The sterile scent of
Adrian stood up suddenly, his chair scraping loudly against the hospital floor. Selena blinked, confused, her hand instinctively reaching out toward him. He didn’t look at her, didn’t even pause. He just stood up from the bed, straightened himself, and walked toward the door without a word. “Adrian?” Selena called weakly, her voice barely a whisper as she pushed herself up with difficulty. Her body still ached from the injury, but her heart hurt more as she saw him walking away. “Where are you going?” she asked, her voice trembling.He stopped at the door, his back still turned to her. “I’ll be back soon,” he said, his words flat, emotionless. Without looking at her, he opened the door and stepped out of the room. The door clicked shut behind him, and the silence in the room seemed to grow louder, wrapping around Selena like a heavy blanket.She sat there for a long time, staring at the door he had left through. Her thoughts were jumbled, her emotions a mess. She had been hurt, confu
The hospital smelled of antiseptic and fear.Selena sat in the hallway, her arms wrapped tightly around herself, Adrian beside her, silent. The last hour had felt like a lifetime. Paramedics had managed to stabilize Nathan, but the bullet had done damage, too close to his lungs. Now, he was in surgery, fighting for his life.“He saved me,” Selena whispered, her voice barely audible. “He could have let me die... after everything...”Adrian turned his head slowly, eyes shadowed with guilt and pain. “He wasn’t always a traitor.”“He’s still your cousin.”Adrian’s jaw clenched. “And he was still working with the woman who tried to destroy us.”Selena didn’t argue. Because he wasn’t wrong but neither was she.“I want to see her,” she said suddenly, her tone sharp.“Who?” Adrian asked.“Isabella.”---The police had taken Isabella into custody, but Adrian still had strings to pull. Within the hour, Selena stood behind a pane of glass, watching the woman who had nearly taken everything from
Isabella's phone buzzed sharply that evening. She answered without checking. The voice on the other end made her sit up straighter.“It’s done,” Your father said. “He was one of them. Adrian’s sister, she was caught in our crossfire that year.”Isabella gasped, hand flying to her mouth. “Are you serious?”“She trusted one of us. And it got her killed.”Isabella’s shock quickly twisted into excitement. “Adrian doesn’t know, does he?”“He doesn’t. But you can change that. Leave a trail. Let him find it himself. If he connects the dots, he’ll never look at Selene the same again.”A slow, dangerous smile spread across Isabella’s face. “Consider it done.”She ended the call and practically flew out the door, her mind racing. She reached Nathan’s place breathless and laughing.“I’ve got it,” she said, barging in.Nathan raised an eyebrow. “What?”“The information that will destroy them more. Since they have reconcile too quickly, I have found something to break them back. Adrian’s sister’s
Adrian stood by the window of his study, hands clasped behind his back. He hadn’t slept.Not out of fear or restlessness, but because his mind was already three steps ahead—plotting, calculating, ensuring no detail escaped him. The blueprint sat in a locked briefcase on his desk, untouched since he'd retrieved it from the safe.Every line on that paper held power. Power people had killed for. Power that could dismantle empires or birth new ones.A soft knock disrupted his thoughts.He turned, voice low. “Come in.”Matteo entered, freshly changed, though his knuckles were still stained red. “The chamber is secured. Both men are restrained. Specter’s injuries are worse, but they’ll live.”Adrian nodded once. “No one gets near them unless I authorize it.”“Understood.”Matteo hesitated. “And the court tomorrow—are you sure it’s wise to go yourself?”“I won’t trust this to anyone else,” Adrian said, his voice like steel. “Too much has been sacrificed for it. I need to see it through.”Ma
Silence.Not the peaceful kind that comes after a storm, but the haunting type, the one that settles over a place that has seen too much blood, too much loss. The kind of silence that screams.Adrian stood in the middle of the aftermath.His estate, his home was now a battlefield littered with corpses. Blood pooled around bodies, soaking into the soil, painting a gruesome picture of what had transpired only moments ago. He didn’t flinch. His eyes were steady, scanning the carnage with a sharpness that betrayed no emotion. He had seen worse. But he had never tolerated betrayal.His boots crunched over gravel and glass as he moved, his gaze settling on one of the only bodies that still drew breath. The figure was barely conscious, chest rising and falling in shallow, labored intervals. A black veil obscured the face.Adrian narrowed his eyes.There was something about this one.He crouched slowly, his movements controlled, almost calculated. He reached forward, fingers tightening aroun
Matteo blinked hard, blood draining from his face the moment Rosco stepped out from behind Alvarez. His breath hitched, and for the first time in a long while, the hardened warrior faltered.“No…” he whispered.Rosco smirked, eyes gleaming with venomous satisfaction. “Hello, Matteo. Still wagging your tail behind him, I see.”Matteo took a step forward instinctively, but Adrian raised a hand, his arm sweeping across Matteo’s chest to stop him. The motion was subtle but firm.Matteo’s chest heaved with betrayal, his eyes fixed on Rosco. “You were with us… you trained with us.”Rosco chuckled, slow and condescending, before turning to Adrian, the amusement on his face deepening.“But him?” Rosco nodded toward Adrian. “He trusted me. Gave me everything. Took me into his inner circle. Showed me where the real power lies.”Adrian arched a brow, his expression unreadable.“Power?” he echoed, voice cool and distant. “What power?”Rosco sneered, reaching behind him.With a flourish, he reveal
Nathan stood by the window, his arms crossed as he watched another group of Adrian’s men load ammunition into vehicles. He didn’t like the feeling in his gut.“What the hell is he planning?” he muttered, more to himself than anyone else.Isabella sat on the edge of the couch, scrolling through her phone in frustration. “Victoria still isn’t answering. I’ve called her five times.”Nathan’s brows furrowed. “She’s not the type to ignore calls but since it is yours she can definitely ignore you. Isabella tossed the phone beside her and stood. “Something is going on, Nathan. This silence… this secrecy, it’s not just about protecting the pack. Adrian is hiding something.”Nathan’s gaze flickered to her, unreadable. “Then maybe it’s better we stay out of it.”Isabella looked at him, stunned. “You’re just going to sit back and do nothing?”He shrugged slightly. “It’s not my fight. Adrian made that clear a long time ago. And honestly? I’m not about to throw myself into a war that has nothin
A large map was spread out before them, covered in markings and notes detailing every inch of the Ghosted’s operations.“The celebration will end soon,” Alvarez muttered, his fingers tracing a key location. “Their leader thinks he’s untouchable, but his arrogance will be his downfall.”The masked leader tilted his head slightly. “You want him dead, or do you have something else in mind?”Alvarez smirked. “Dead, but not yet. I want him to watch as everything he built crumbles first.”The leader nodded in understanding. “Then we’ll strike fast and without mercy. We have our entry points secured. The Ghosted will never see it coming.”Meanwhile, deep within Adrian’s pack territory, the Ghosted were moving ahead with their own plans, Their informants had pinpointed a potential weakness in the pack’s security—an underground passage leading to a hidden vault where the blueprint was rumored to be stored.Three elite members of the Ghosted, clad in dark tactical gear, crouched near the pass
The Cartel had been shattered, And yet, amid the wreckage, Alvarez still drew breath.His body ached, every nerve screaming in agony as he forced himself to move. He pressed a hand to his bleeding side, the warm, sticky sensation of his own blood soaking through his fingers. The pain was nothing compared to the fury burning in his chest. He had been played. The Ghosted, his supposed allies, had turned against him at the last moment, throwing the battlefield into complete chaos. But why? Who had ordered this betrayal?His fingers curled into fists as he staggered forward, his boots crunching against shattered glass and spent shell casings. He needed to find answers. He needed to find the one who had orchestrated this disaster.A low groan echoed from the rubble. Alvarez turned sharply, gun raised, but his aim wavered when he saw who it was—one of the masked assassins, barely alive, clutching a deep wound in his stomach. Blood seeped through his gloves as he struggled to breathe, his ma
The air vibrated with gunfire, screams, and the rhythmic thunder of boots pounding against the cracked asphalt. The war had begun.Mikhail, the ruthless leader of the Monadikos, stood atop the ruins of an old industrial complex, his sharp gaze cutting through the chaos unfolding below. His fingers clenched into a fist as he watched his men swarm the abandoned shipyard where the Cartel had foolishly stationed their latest shipment of illicit arms. The plan was simple, wipe them out, seize the weapons, and cripple their operations."Push forward! No mercy!" he bellowed, his voice slicing through the night.His men responded with a battle cry, surging ahead like a tidal wave of vengeance. Gunfire erupted from every angle. Sparks flew as bullets ricocheted off rusted shipping containers, and the metallic scent of gunpowder thickened in the air. The Cartel, caught off guard by the ferocity of the attack, scrambled to mount a defense.****Alvarez, the cold and calculating leader of the Car