Chapter Eighty-three: Tear It All Down

Lillianna’s Point of View

I woke up and rolled over, expecting Xavier to be in the bed beside me in my half-asleep state. We had found peace in each other many times, and although we had never defined our relationship, I always felt a connection. It seemed like things meant as much to him as they did to me.

The cold side of the bed quickly shattered my sense of comfort. I closed my eyes and sighed deeply, then screamed in frustration. A chill hung in the air, and I sensed I wasn’t alone. Although I couldn’t see anyone, I felt a presence that was far from comforting. In defiance, I raised my middle finger and muttered, “Fuck off.” Whether real or imagined, I was determined that no one would ever make me feel threatened again.

I rolled out of bed and tossed my clothes from yesterday into the laundry machine. I headed to the kitchen, brewed myself a cup of coffee, and checked the fridge's contents for breakfast options. There wasn't much there, but Xavier was known for only buying what he needed every few days to avoid food waste. I searched through the cupboard and found some cereal, which I poured into a bowl and topped with milk. Wrapped in a blanket, I settled onto his couch, turned on the television, and enjoyed breakfast. As I ate, I realized that I needed to come up with a plan soon; I couldn't stay here indefinitely.

If I went to Emmanuel, there was safety in numbers. But that would also be where the Brzezinski family would look first. I was safest here because I didn’t think Xavier would be coming back to his place anytime soon. Not when he was with Rei.

Would they go back to her place or Aamon’s home? I thought back to how Aamon valued family above all. He would want Rei and her children with him. Would he allow Xavier to stay, though? Would he accept Xavier in his step-sister’s life? Navigating my head was becoming quite the task. I hated it.

I knew what I wanted to do. I wanted to remove Rei from the equation, but I also wanted to live. And yet, I wanted Xavier. I needed access to them back. There had to be some way to make that happen.

Aamon’s home was like a fortress. I’d never been permitted to go there. Even though Grace and I had been friends, and she’d been fucking our boss, I was never welcome there. He would be well protected, even if most of his enforcers weren’t the most intelligent. I could take out a few of them, but not all. It wouldn’t be a wise move. It would be a death wish to try and get to Rei there.

My only chance was to entice her out. Which of her friends could I persuade easily? While Chloe appeared fragile, it was Sam who had caved during our last encounter. Even when I approached her, she flinched. Yes, Sam would be the key to reaching Rei.

A sinister grin spread across my face as I crafted my intricate plan. My heart raced with anticipation as I envisioned using Sam as a pawn to lure Rei and Xavier to me. The thought of causing pain to that annoying bitch only fueled my excitement, but I would have to make sure Sam survived this ordeal - beaten, broken, and begging for mercy.

Chloe’s Point of View

"I think it's time to call it a night. We won't find Lillianna in the dark, and she's smart enough to stay hidden. Do you want to stay over or meet me here tomorrow?" I asked Iris.

"Will you be ready this time?" Iris asked with a hint of annoyance.

I couldn't blame her; she had been waiting for me in the car for a while before coming inside earlier. But, since I hadn't heard from Ethan, I assumed she hadn't arrived yet.

“I’ll be ready,” I said and was met with an indignant look.

“I’m sorry, I really am. You are more than welcome to stay over if you’d like. I have a spare room,” I sighed.

“Just be ready this time, and I’ll be here at 6 a.m. You can buy us both breakfast,” Iris said as she parked in front of my place.

I gave a quick nod and opened the door but then paused.

"Remember to call Alex," I reminded Iris. "He'll probably be disappointed that you cancelled tonight."

"I know," Iris said, her voice softening.

"We had a job to do, but I was really looking forward to seeing him. And I thought maybe tonight would have been the night, you know? But it's fine. It'll happen when it happens. I don't want to pressure him. He's a great guy, and after everything Lillianna did to him, it's understandable that he's cautious," Iris added.

“For what it’s worth, Alex really likes you. I know it’s fast, but he’s fallen hard for you. Lillianna didn’t break him, but she hurt Alex badly. Just be patient with him, please,” I explained.

“I don't mind waiting for Alex. As long as I'm not assigned to a different area, I'll stay here,” Iris said nonchalantly.

“That's highly unlikely. We're both in high demand here, especially after what happened with the Brzezinski Don and the threat Lillianna poses to the mafia. Aamon is too distracted right now, so we'll need to take care of her and clean up the aftermath,” I assured her.

Iris's lips quirked up in a small smile, and as soon as I shut the car door, she sped off from the parking lot. I let out a sigh and made my way inside. I was utterly drained and desperately needed some rest. We would find Lillianna and ensure she never harmed anyone we loved again.

Alex’s Point of View

I opened up my messages to see one from Iris.

Iris: I'm sorry we couldn't meet tonight. I can't wait to spend time with you.

Alex: It's all good. I hung out with the boys. Let me know when you're free. I really miss you.

Iris: I promise I'll let you know. Work has been overwhelming lately, but my team is working on a solution, and hopefully, we can spend more time together soon.

I couldn't help but wonder what Iris did for a living. My best guess was something related to marketing. Maybe we could discuss it further over dinner next week.