Aria woke to the warmth of Alejandro’s body beside hers, his arm draped protectively over her waist. His steady breathing filled the dimly lit room, and for a brief moment, everything felt peaceful like the chaos of their world didn’t exist.But reality came crashing back the second her phone vibrated on the nightstand.Careful not to wake Alejandro, she slipped out of bed, grabbing the phone. The screen flashed with a message from Juan.“They took the bait. Miguel’s men are moving.”Her pulse quickened. It was happening.She turned back to Alejandro, who was still asleep, his features softened in rare vulnerability. He needed rest. She wouldn’t wake him not yet.After dressing quickly in black jeans and a fitted top, she grabbed her gun and stepped into the hallway, where Juan was already waiting.“You sure about this?” he asked, his expression unreadable.Aria nodded. “They walked right into our trap. We end this tonight.”Juan smirked. “That’s what I like to hear.”The docks were e
The morning sun cast a golden glow over the estate, filtering through the curtains as Aria stirred awake. Alejandro’s arm was wrapped tightly around her waist, his body warm against hers. She blinked, her mind replaying last night’s events the mission, the explosion, and then the way Alejandro had claimed her on his desk like he couldn’t get enough.A small smile touched her lips.But then reality crashed in. Miguel was still out there. This wasn’t over.Aria carefully untangled herself from Alejandro’s grip, trying not to wake him. She needed to think, to plan.She slipped into the bathroom, turning on the shower. The warm water cascaded down her body, washing away the remnants of the night. As she ran her fingers through her wet hair, she heard the bathroom door creak open.A knowing smirk played on her lips before she even turned around.Alejandro stood in the doorway, shirtless, his dark eyes locked onto hers with a heat that made her stomach tighten.“You thought you could sneak
The message from Miguel lingered in Aria’s mind long after Alejandro set his phone down. A cold shiver ran down her spine. This wasn’t just a threat it was a declaration of war.Alejandro’s expression was unreadable, but she could see the storm brewing in his dark eyes. His grip on the phone was tight, his knuckles turning white.“He’s pushing us,” Juan muttered, standing across the room with his arms crossed. “Trying to make us react first.”Alejandro exhaled sharply, standing abruptly. “Then let’s not disappoint him.”Aria’s heart pounded. “Alejandro, wait ”But he was already moving, grabbing his gun from the desk.Juan exchanged a glance with her. “You know him. He won’t stop until he gets the upper hand.”Aria rushed to Alejandro, placing a hand on his chest, feeling his heartbeat racing beneath her palm. “We need to be smart about this. If we rush into whatever trap he’s setting, we’ll lose.”Alejandro’s jaw clenched. “I’m not letting him take anything from me.”His eyes burned
Smoke filled the air, thick and suffocating. The explosion had rocked the estate, sending panic through the halls. Aria coughed, trying to clear her lungs as Alejandro held her tightly against his chest, shielding her from the worst of the debris."Are you hurt?" His voice was rough, urgent, as he ran his hands over her arms, checking for injuries."I'm fine," she gasped, her ears still ringing from the blast.Juan burst into the room, gun in hand, his face set in a grim mask. "They've breached the outer perimeter! We need to move, now!"Alejandro didn't hesitate. He pulled Aria to her feet, his grip firm but careful. "Stay close to me."Gunfire erupted outside, sharp cracks echoing through the estate. The sound sent a shiver down Aria’s spine. This wasn’t just an attack this was an all-out war.Alejandro grabbed a pistol from the table and handed it to her. “If anyone gets too close, you shoot.”She took it without hesitation. She wasn’t just some helpless prisoner anymore she was in
Aria's scream echoed through the ruined hallway as the gunshot rang out.For a terrifying second, she thought Alejandro had been hit. But he was still standing, eyes blazing with fury.Instead, Juan stumbled back, a crimson bloom spreading across his shoulder. He gritted his teeth, clutching the wound but refusing to fall.Miguel smirked. "Consider that a warning shot."Alejandro's jaw tightened. His gun was still raised, but now there was a deadly calm in his eyes one that sent a chill down Aria’s spine."You think this is a game, Miguel?" Alejandro's voice was dangerously low, dripping with barely restrained rage.Miguel let out a lazy chuckle. "Oh, it's not a game, my friend. It's a message." He tilted his head. "Surrender now, and I’ll be generous. I might let you keep your life. Maybe even your little pet here." His gaze flickered to Aria, and Alejandro’s grip on his gun tightened.Aria clenched her fists, stepping closer to Alejandro. "If you think he's going to surrender to you
The scent of gunpowder still lingered in the air as the dust settled. Bodies of fallen men lay scattered across the estate, and the distant sound of sirens reminded Aria that their battle was far from over.Alejandro kept her close, his arm wrapped protectively around her waist as his sharp eyes scanned the wreckage for any remaining threats.Juan, gripping his wounded shoulder, let out a groan. "That bastard got away again."Alejandro clenched his jaw. "Not for long."Aria swallowed hard, trying to steady her breathing. The rush of adrenaline was wearing off, leaving behind the weight of everything that had just happened.Miguel had escaped. He would regroup, and he would come back stronger.She turned to Alejandro. "What now?"His fingers traced along her jawline, his eyes dark with determination. "Now, we prepare for war."Aria’s heart pounded, but before she could respond, a soft groan caught their attention.Valentina.She lay a few feet away, blood pooling beneath her from a gun
Aria lay in Alejandro’s arms, her body still humming from the intensity of their night. His grip around her was firm, possessive, as if he feared she would disappear the moment he let go.But she wasn’t going anywhere.Her fingers trailed over his chest, tracing the faint scars that told stories she would never fully know. His heartbeat was steady beneath her touch, a stark contrast to the storm that awaited them outside these walls."You’re awake," Alejandro murmured, his voice thick with sleep.Aria smiled against his skin. "Couldn't sleep."He tightened his grip around her waist. "You're safe here."Safe. She wanted to believe that, but the reality was, as long as Miguel was out there, they would never truly be safe.She lifted her head to meet Alejandro’s gaze. "What happens next?"His jaw tightened, his dark eyes unreadable. "I find Miguel. And I end this."A lump formed in her throat. "And then what?"Alejandro exhaled slowly. "Then, I make sure nothing ever threatens us again."
Alejandro sat in his car, parked in a dark alley on the outskirts of the city, his fingers tapping against the steering wheel. His entire body burned with the need for violence.Miguel had taken Sophia. The words echoed in his mind, fueling his rage. Every second that passed was a second too long. He wanted blood. He wanted to rip Miguel apart with his bare hands.The low rumble of an approaching car made his muscles tense. His gun was in his lap, ready. But when the car stopped beside him, he recognized it immediately.Aria.She got out first, followed by Juan, their faces set in determination.Alejandro pushed open his door, stepping into the cold night air. He barely gave Juan a glance before locking eyes with Aria. "You shouldn’t have come."Aria crossed her arms. "We both know you wouldn’t have waited if I didn’t."He exhaled sharply, raking a hand through his hair. He hated how right she was. He had been seconds away from going in blind, consequences be damned.Juan leaned again
The plan was set. Alejandro had made it clear that this wasn’t going to be a simple operation. They couldn’t afford any mistakes. The stakes were higher than ever, and the deeper they went, the more dangerous it became. Santiago was no ordinary enemy; he was calculating, ruthless, and always three steps ahead. But Alejandro wasn’t backing down. Neither was Aria.The days that followed were a blur of action. They went underground, meeting with contacts in secret locations, gathering intel, and carefully plotting their moves. Each step was deliberate, calculated, and calculated risks were taken with caution. Alejandro’s mind worked like a machine, piecing together fragments of information and adjusting the plan as new pieces fell into place.Aria was by his side through it all, her presence a constant source of support. She had proven herself time and time again. From decoding encrypted messages to providing insight into Santiago’s possible moves, Aria had become an invaluable ally in t
The sun had barely begun to rise when Alejandro and Aria arrived at the secluded cabin. It was a temporary retreat, a place Alejandro had used in the past for moments of solitude, but now it had become their sanctuary, at least for the time being. The events of the night had left them both shaken, but there was no time to dwell on the damage. They had no idea what else Santiago had planned, and they needed to regroup, strategize, and make their next move before things spiraled further out of control.Aria could feel the weight of the moment pressing on her chest. The betrayal from Miguel, someone they had both trusted, had left an unshakable feeling of unease. She hadn’t expected to see him fall like that, but she knew there was no other choice. She was beginning to realize just how far Alejandro would go to protect her and his empire. But at what cost? How much more could they endure before everything crumbled?Alejandro had been unusually quiet since they’d left the scene of the con
The air seemed to grow colder as Alejandro’s mind struggled to process what Miguel had just revealed. Betrayal. It was one thing he had never fully allowed himself to believe. But here it was, standing before him like a brutal truth. Miguel, the man who had stood by his side through countless battles, had been working with Santiago this entire time. The betrayal was like a sharp knife cutting through the very foundation of everything Alejandro had built.Aria’s grip on Alejandro’s arm tightened, and he could feel the tension radiating from her, too. She could see it in his eyes the conflict, the fury, the disbelief. And just as quickly, she knew that nothing had prepared him for this. No one would ever expect it to come from the very man who had been so close.“I trusted you,” Alejandro’s voice was low but filled with anger, his words weighing heavily in the tense silence.Miguel took another step closer, his eyes glinting with malice. “Trust? You’re a fool, Alejandro. You were never
The deafening roar of gunfire still echoed in Alejandro’s ears as he dropped to the ground, pulling Aria with him. The explosion had been a diversion, a carefully planned tactic that had caught them all off guard. The sudden onslaught of fire from behind them shattered any sense of control they had fought so hard to maintain. Chaos reigned.Alejandro’s heart pounded in his chest as his mind raced. They had been set up, and Santiago had orchestrated this ambush with terrifying precision. Every step they had taken, every movement, had been anticipated. He cursed under his breath, his eyes scanning the darkness for any signs of movement. They were surrounded. But what could he do? What could any of them do now?Aria’s grip tightened on his arm, her voice barely a whisper against the noise of the battle. “We need to move. We can’t stay here.”He nodded, his mind working overdrive. Their options were limited. If they stayed in the open, they would be easy targets, picked off one by one. Th
The wind howled through the trees, a constant, relentless force that seemed to be a warning, an omen of what was to come. The clearing where they had parked their vehicles now felt too small, too exposed, the vastness of the surrounding woods closing in on them as if nature itself were closing ranks, waiting for the inevitable showdown. Alejandro stood at the edge of the trees, his eyes scanning the shadows, his senses heightened, every nerve on edge.Behind him, Aria was silent, her presence a constant source of strength, but even she could feel the tension, the weight of what was about to unfold. This was no longer a game of survival. This was war. A war that had been simmering beneath the surface for far too long, and now, it was about to boil over.Alejandro had been preparing for this moment for weeks, months even. Every move had been calculated, every decision deliberate. But now, as he stood on the brink of everything he had worked for, everything he had fought for, a gnawing u
The night hung heavy with an eerie silence, broken only by the faint whisper of wind sweeping through the trees surrounding the cabin. Alejandro stood at the window, his back to the room, eyes scanning the darkness. The uncertainty gnawed at him, tightening his chest. Miguel’s words echoed in his mind: “They’re closer than you think.” The weight of it, the urgency of it, suffocated him. He could feel the inevitable approach of danger, yet even now, as he prepared for what was to come, he couldn’t help but wonder if they were making a fatal mistake.Behind him, Aria moved closer, her presence a quiet reassurance in the storm. She stood beside him, her eyes searching his face, her gaze unwavering. He could see the worry in her eyes, but there was something else too something stronger. Determination. Courage. It was the same look she had given him when they first met, when he had pulled her from the wreckage of her old life, promising her safety. It was the same look she had given him wh
The tension in the cabin was suffocating, thick and oppressive. Alejandro’s mind raced, calculating their next move, but even his sharpest instincts couldn’t shake the feeling that they were already too late. The warning from Jace about Santiago forming alliances with some of the most dangerous players in the cartel world kept echoing in his mind. Everything had shifted in the blink of an eye. What had once been a battle for survival was now a full-scale war, and the stakes had never been higher.Alejandro couldn’t help but feel the weight of his decisions pressing down on him. He had always been a man who thrived on control, but lately, it felt as though that control was slipping through his fingers. No matter how many times he had managed to stay one step ahead, it seemed like the forces against him were always there, lurking in the shadows, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.Aria’s soft breathing behind him was a reminder of everything he was fighting for. He couldn’t let hi
The world had shifted beneath their feet, and the weight of that shift pressed heavily on Alejandro’s chest. The safe house had once been a temporary refuge, but now it felt like a fragile cage, and even the walls seemed to be closing in on him. Every time he let his guard down for even a second, something seemed to happen that reminded him of the cold, inevitable war they were trapped in. There was no escaping it, not for him, and certainly not for Aria.He paced the length of the cabin, his boots heavy against the wooden floor. The quiet crackle of the fire in the corner did nothing to quell the storm brewing inside him. He couldn’t shake the feeling that Santiago was always one step ahead, that despite their victory, their enemies were already closing in.Aria was in the kitchen, her presence like a grounding force that pulled him back to the present, but even that couldn’t erase the anxiety gnawing at his insides. He needed to act. He needed to plan. But every decision seemed like
The silence that followed the gunfire was almost eerie.Alejandro’s breath came in short, harsh bursts as he lowered his weapon, eyes scanning the blood-slick deck. Santiago’s men were either dead or retreating, their attack broken but the damage had already been done.The boat rocked harder now, not from gunfire but from the toll taken on its hull. Smoke curled from one side, black and thick, and the scent of diesel filled the air.“We need to move,” Jace called, his voice hoarse. “The engine’s dying.”Alejandro turned toward Aria. She stood a few steps away, her cheeks streaked with salt and blood, her knife still clenched in one hand. Their eyes met, and that one look grounded him.“We’ll reach the cove,” Alejandro said, stepping closer. “There’s no turning back now.”Valentina helped Miguel to his feet, but he was clearly fading, his hand pressed to the gunshot wound near his side. His face was pale, teeth clenched in pain, but he nodded in silent agreement.Jace took the wheel ag