Diego "Diego, they kidnapped my sister-in-law. Of course I'm going with you," Camila protests. After finally telling her what happened, my sister appears on my doorstep dressed and ready in tactical gear. I don't know where the hell she thinks she's going though because if it's anywhere near Nathan and Celeste, she's got me fucked up. I fix her with a firm glare. "No. It's too dangerous." She glances behind me as my men scurry around the house, preparing to infiltrate Celeste and Nathan's hideout. A large, abandoned warehouse about an hour from here. Apart from Camila, my family are a bunch of slithering snakes, but I'm about to chop off their damn heads and leave them for dead in the dessert. "Good, looks like we're all set. I'll meet you in the car." She pivots on her heels to head to the driveway, but I grab her bicep, stopping her in her tracks. "You're. Not. Going." She returns my glare with equal intensity. "I wasn't asking for your permission," she snaps, tearing
DiegoSkillfully, four figures clad in tactical gear descend from the chopper's open door. Each one lands on the roof of the warehouse with practiced ease, their boots hitting the concrete with muted thuds. Damn. Obviously, Viktor is an ally worth having. Now that he isn't after my wife. Once Viktor is on the roof, a swarm of men emerge from the building with their guns drawn. I watch as Viktor draws his arm back, and hurls something towards them. The object hits the ground with a dull thud before erupting into a blinding explosion, engulfing the assailants in a searing wave of heat and light. Camila flinches into me, and as I hold her, I quickly check to make sure my damn eyebrows haven't been singed off. "Was that a damn grenade?" Danny asks in shock. "For fuck's safe, Viktor, no more grenades! I don't need my men blown up or risk the chance of Vanessa getting hurt!" I bark. Viktor snorts. "You begged for help, you don't get to dictate how I do it." Begged? He fuckin
Vanessa A sharp pang twists in my chest, squeezing the air from my lungs as I stand before my husband with Nathan's gun aimed at his head. He looks so worn out, so unlike the put-together man in a suit that I'm used to, like my absence has completely disrupted his life. But I won't be foolish enough to think that. Nathan showed me proof that Diego is perfectly fine without me. But why did he come? Did he regret his decision to let Nathan have me? I almost want to run into his arms and ask him to make it all better, but nothing will ever be the same between us. No matter what he says. I will never be the same. "Mama, it's me," Diego says softly, taking a cautious step forward. "Stay back!" My voice quivers, but I keep the gun steadily trained on him. He freezes instantly, scrutinizing me from head to toe. His gaze darkens as he observes every bruise and cut marring my skin. But what he doesn't see are the wounds on the inside, the ones that will never heal. After what I
VanessaOnly five days? It feels like I was locked in that basement for years. But that doesn't change the fact that in five days the person I was...the strong, confident queen at Diego's side...has vanished, never to be found again. The tears stinging my eyes finally fall, and with a shaky breath, I reveal the truth. "He raped me, Diego. So many fucking times. I'm ruined now, tainted. I understand if you'll never want to touch me again." Blue flames ignite in his eyes. "Is that what you really think, Mama? That I wouldn't want you anymore because that fucker touched you without your consent?" "The last time...I made him think I wanted it...and I..." My voice falters into a sob, choked by the guilt and shame that pierce through me like a knife. Diego's voice trembles with emotion as he pleads, "Please, let me help you." I shake my head violently, squeezing my eyes shut, trying to block out the sound of his pleading voice. After what Nathan did to me, I don't see a way I
Vanessa A shiver courses down my spine as a shadow crosses his face. "Fuck," he mutters before touching the inside of his ear. "Leo, I've got Vanessa. Have you found Sal?" The shadow deepens. "And?" After hearing Leo's response, Diego curses again, his features contorting with rage. "What happened?" I whisper, my pulse quickening with each passing second. Before he can answer, Danny shouts from the top of the stairs. "Jefe, we've wiped out everyone here. Brian said someone called the police, and they're on their way. We gotta leave, pronto." Diego turns to me, his eyes reflecting a mix of hurt and vulnerability. "Are you coming with me, Mama? Or do you want to make me hunt you down? A rush of warmth spreads through my chest. "I want to go home, Diego." His lips curve with a small smile. "Thank you," he whispers. With me still cradled in his arms, Diego carries me up the stairs, where a gather of familiar faces awaits us. Camila flashes me a wide grin, while Danny's us
Diego"How's Vanessa holding up, Diego?" Leo asks, leaning against the door of my office.My gaze drifts to the window, where my wife sits on her usual bench, her figure small against the expanse of the garden. She stares out at the pond that I had built for her after she lost her sister nearly a month ago. Danny stands nearby, silently watching over her. She spends most of her time out there now while I stand by, feeling utterly fucking helpless as I watch the woman that I love drown in her grief and trauma. I'm at a complete loss. She barely acknowledges my presence. She recoils from my touch, refusing even the most simple gestures of affection. The only time I'm allowed to hold her is when she's ensnared in the grip of her nightmares, crying and screaming for my brother to stop hurting her. At this point, I'd give up anything to erase her pain, and bring her back to me.With my heart sinking like a lead weight, I finally respond, "She's not getting any better, if that's what you'r
Diego "I'm not hungry," Vanessa repeats in a monotone tone. Frustration and hurt bubbles within me, but I swallow them down, taking a deep breath to force myself to remain calm. "Vanessa." I slowly reach out, extending my hand to her, but she flinches away as if my skin is coated in poison. The action fucking stings, but I'm used to her rejection. "Can I at least sit down?" I ask, my voice tight with the desperate plea. I hold my breath, waiting for her response, until she finally nods, her movements stiff and reluctant. I settle beside her, allowing my gaze to wander out onto the garden. I may have hired the gardeners, but this is all her creation. The array of flowers remind me so much of the happy, carefree side she showed me during our honeymoon. That time seems like a lifetime ago. I don't even miss sex as much as I miss her willingly submitting and trusting me. "Mama, I can't help you unless you talk to me," I say quietly, "Or fuck, if you won't talk to me, will you at lea
DiegoI stare at Vanessa like she has three goddamn heads as we stand facing each other. "I'm sorry...what did you just say to me?" I ask calmly, but with a dangerous edge to my voice.Vanessa doesn't flinch. With defiance blazing in her eyes, she meets my gaze head on. "I said I want a divorce, Diego. She repeats the words coldly as if they mean nothing to her. "I don't want to be here anymore. I don't want you anymore."I let out a bitter laugh. "Yeah, I think I may need to clean out my ears because what I'm hearing sounds like a load of bullshit."Her hand lands across my cheek with a sharp crack. It stings like a bitch, but my face doesn't move an inch. I grit my teeth and swallow down the surge of anger, knowing it's exactly what she wants. She looking for an excuse, any excuse, to walk away from me. To pack her shit and disappear to a place I won't be able to find her. But I'll never give her that satisfaction.I take a deep breath, and let it slowly. It's not just the slap that
Vanessa This was a mistake. I thought I could do this, but how could I have been so wrong? "Eyes on me, mama," Diego growls, his voice low and commanding, yet laced with tenderness. "You're here with me. No one else. It's just us. Focus on the way I feel inside of you." I want to believe him, but my voice trembles as I whisper "I-I can't-" My eyes clamp shut, as if doing so could block out fear crashing over me in relentless waves, threatening to pull me under. What was I thinking? Of course, I can't do this. I shouldn't have even tried. Now, I'm disappointing both my husband and myself. Diego's voice slices through my thoughts like a knife. "You can do anything you put your mind to, mi amor. Focus on me. Ride me and take your pleasure. I know you can do it." His words are an anchor, pulling me from the abyss. I take a deep breath, my hands bracing against his chest as I start to move again, each roll of my hips a defiance against the darkness trying to reclaim me.
Vanessa After washing the remnants of Celeste's blood from my skin, Diego lifts me into his arms and carries me to bed. He gently lays down beside me, his warmth seeping into my body as I rest against his bare chest. "We don't have to talk about what happened tonight," Diego's voice is a low murmur as his fingers trace soothing patterns along my spine. "But how are you feeling?" I take a moment, feeling the steady rise and fall of his chest beneath me. "Good. How are you feeling?" I tilt my head to meet his gaze, seeking reassurance. The gravity of what I've just done hangs between us—killing his stepmother and revealing that I thought I was pregnant with his brother's baby. I didn't mean for it to come out like that, but Celeste needed to know just how much she had lost before I took her life. It felt so fucking good. Better than I anticipated, to end her life with my own hands, to see the light leave her eyes as I stole it away. The power and retribution was exhilaratin
Diego Vanessa turns to me, hurt and betrayal clouding her eyes. "Diego, you knew about this?" Shit."Yes," I reply without hesitation. I've known since Alicia was first abducted, but I didn't want her to harbor ill feelings toward her sister. Not while she's still mourning her. "See? As the collar around your neck implies, you are nothing but a pet to him. A piece of ass like your mother."Vanessa's head snaps back to her, and in an instant, she holds the blade to Celeste's throat. "I'd shut your fucking mouth if I were you," she hisses. I can tell it's exactly what Celeste wants. If Vanessa gets angry enough to just slit her throat, she won't have to endure torture anymore. Vanessa must see through it too. She lowers the knife, shaking her head. "I won't let you go out the easy way. It isn't fair to everyone you've hurt," she says quietly. "Vete a la mierda (fuck you)," Celeste spits.As soon as the words are out of her mouth, Vanessa drives the knife into her bound hand. Celes
Diego "Are you sure about this, Mama?" I ask, zipping up the back of her leather jumpsuit, my fingers lingering longer than necessary. She looks so fucking sexy in this. The smooth, black material hugs her curves, and knowing she's about to kill my stepmother makes it nearly impossible to fight a hard-on. Her grey eyes gaze back at me through the mirror. "You already said I could," she points out, her voice steady and unwavering. "I know, just wanted to make sure." When she turns around, I study her face for any flicker of uncertainty. Instead, I find only determination. I should feel fucking ecstatic that she's going to kill my biggest traitor and the bitch that made my childhood hell, but worry gnaws at me. I fear this might bring Vanessa more nightmares, or worse, trap her in her own head again. But I also have so much faith in her. Danny couldn't protect her while he was dying. I got the report from my men: twelve men were taken out, most of them by her alone. My feisty mama.
Vanessa"Your mamá called looking for you. What do you want me to tell her?" Diego interrupts, pulling me into his lap in the chair beside Camila's sleeping form. His mom? I've never heard Danny mention her before. I wasn't even aware he had family, since they haven't visited him. Danny's response catches me off guard. "Don't tell her shit. She'll have a heart attack.""Wait, you're not going to tell your mom you technically died and you're in the hospital?" I ask incredulously. "Nah, she actually might come try to kill Jefe, and I doubt she wants to mess with you. I realize you're kinda loco, Nessa.""Me?" I point to myself. "Yes, or did you forget that you took down what had to be like ten men by yourself?""Oh, I guess that's true," I muse. "But that was only out of desperation. I don't think I could do something like that if our lives didn't depend on it.""I believe you could," Diego purrs in my ear. I shudder at the compliment, making him laugh. "Why would she come after hi
VanessaDressed in all black, Diego and I stand side by side, silently watching the expensive coffin lower into the freshly dug grave. The sight is somber, but the weight of the occasion presses harder on my chest than the physical cold of the day. Diego had assured me that I wasn't required to attend this funeral, just like the four others. It's only been a week since Danny's entire team was murdered, and I feel compelled to pay my respects to each of them. These men sacrificed their lives to protect me. The least I can do is say goodbye to them.I've never spoken to Julio personally, but the sight of his wife and two little children crying over his grave breaks my heart. The raw grief on their faces is a reminder that I'm still alive while a husband and father is gone forever. He's another name added to the long list of those I feel responsible for letting down. After offering my condolences to Julio's family, Diego and I make our way to the hospital. In the town car, Diego sits b
Vanessa "Camila! Danny!" I scream, my voice barely audible over the chaos. Danny's the first to reach me, pulling me to my feet. His face was pale, his eyes filled with shock and disbelief. "Are you okay?" he demands, his hands gripping my shoulders. "My head hurts, but I'm okay I think," I reply, trembling from the shock. We both turn to see Camila stumbling to her feet, looking dazed but otherwise unharmed. Danny rushes to her side, helping her up and checking her for injuries. "Are you okay, Camila?" he asks, his tone urgent. "Yeah, what the fuck just happened?" she shouts, her voice shaking with fear. "We need to get you both back to the SUV, now," Danny commands, his tone brooking no argument. As we step towards the vehicle, gunfire erupts, and Danny grunts, clutching his bleeding shoulder. "Fuck, come on," he hisses through gritted teeth. He grabs both of us by our arms and guides us behind another jet. Grabbing his gun from the holster, he orders us to st
Vanessa "I want you home now," my husband's voice crackles through the speaker, filled with anger and concern. "I told you, I'm safe. Besides, it's pouring buckets outside. I don't feel safe flying home in this storm," I insist, trying to keep my voice calm despite the nerves knotting in my stomach. It feels like we spoke the bad storm into existence last night. After leaving the doctor's house, we barely made it back to the hotel before the downpour, lightning, and thunder hit. Even Camila's fashion show was canceled and postponed to next weekend. Diego's frustration seeps through the phone. "I refuse to lose you again, Mama. The second this storm lets up, Danny will have you on a jet back here." "You know what, I'm going to come get you and my sister right now," he grits out, his voice lowering to a dangerous growl. "Diego, stop. You know Danny wouldn't allow anything to happen to us. You trust him, right?" I try to reassure him, though I know he won't calm down unt
Vanessa "Where's Diego?" I grit out, rage boiling in my veins. "I want to speak with him." "Busy at the moment, but he said he'll call once we're back on the jet." Which means he's likely torturing her. "Well, like Camila said, it's nearly midnight. We can leave tomorrow," I argue, defiance lacing in my tone. Danny fixes me with a pointed look. "Do you really want to argue with him about that?" I have to. Time is slipping away. I'm more afraid of continuing this pregnancy than I am of Celeste and whatever sinister plans she's concocted. I tap my right arm where the microchip is embedded. "I have a tracking device in my arm and more security than the goddamn president. I'll be fine. Just tell him we'll leave tomorrow, and you'll be sure to keep us extra safe." He scowls, clearly torn. "I'm not promising him that." "I know you heard what I said, that I have something important to take care of here tomorrow. Can you please come up with an excuse to buy me more time?"