Chapter Four

“Jude, get the car ready!” Keiran barked as he stormed down the stairs. Jude, already briefed on the attack, wasted no time following orders.

Within minutes, they arrived at the large warehouse in the South Eastern part of the city.

The sight that met Keiran made his blood boil. Bodies of his men were sprawled across the concrete floor, some groaning in pain, others lifeless. The metallic scent of blood mixed with the sharp tang of smoke and oil. Crates were overturned, and shattered glass glinted in the dim light.

“Work carefully! Avoid mistakes! What part of that don’t you understand?” he roared, voice echoing off the metal walls.

“Apologies, boss,” one of the men stammered, clutching a bleeding arm. “We didn’t think—”

“Of course you didn’t think!” Keiran snapped, stepping closer, jaw tight. “Do you expect the enemy to announce their attack? ‘Hey, we’re coming today—don’t kill our men!’?”

The men bowed their heads in shame, the weight of failure pressing down on them. Lives had been lost because someone didn’t anticipate the danger, and that thought enraged Keiran more than anything else. This was the third attack in a week, the eighth in a month.

He punched the wall, the impact reverberating through the warehouse. “What the hell is going on?”

“Keiran,” Jude said, placing a steady hand on his shoulder, “I think the Gambinos are behind this, and the others too.”

“Yes, boss,” a woman reported, her voice tight. “During the fight, I noticed the men wearing the Gambino family emblem.”

“Fucking Gambino!” Keiran roared, running a hand through his hair, teeth clenched. “Sam, find out everything. I want proof—names, times, locations. Every piece of information you can gather.”

“Roger that, boss,” Samantha replied, already pulling out her phone.

“Jude, call Theo. Get him here to tend to the injured. Compensate the families of the men who died—two million. No excuses.”

Jude nodded, stepping aside to make the calls.

Keiran clenched his fists, knuckles white, heart hammering with pain and anger. The Gambinos better pray he didn’t find out who was behind this.

~~~

Aaira sat at the long kitchen table, the evening sunlight streaming in through the tall windows. Zora, ever animated, was bustling about, pouring tea and arranging plates of fresh pastries. Dolly and Lula were chatting in low tones, occasionally throwing amused glances at Fabian, who was leaning casually against the counter, arms crossed, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

“So,” Zora said, settling a cup of tea in front of Aaira, “tell us, Aaira, what was life like before Keiran took you in? Your parents… what, did they keep you in a bubble or something?”

Aaira hesitated, her fingers twisting around the teacup. “I… I was homeschooled most of the time,” she admitted softly. “I didn’t go out much. My father… he was very strict. Everything had to be orderly, safe… predictable.”

Dolly raised an eyebrow. “Predictable? Sounds boring as hell.” She nudged Fabian with her elbow, smirking. “Imagine being wrapped in a bubble wrap your whole life, Fabian. Lucky girl.”

Fabian chuckled, rolling his eyes. “Oh, I can imagine. Poor thing. Never got to run wild, never gotten chased by the cops, never had a real adventure. Must’ve been tragic.” He leaned closer to Dolly, whispering with a grin, “Unlike you, of course. Queen of chaos.”

Dolly smacked his arm playfully. “Watch it, or I'll tell the boss you're screwed Marquez's daughter.”

A gasp escaped Zora's lips before she could stop it. “Jesus, Fabi! You fucked Sophie?” She asked, voice filled with disbelief.

“It was just once, okay?” Fabian raised his arms defensively.

“Boss had us raid Marquez's mansion and the man couldn't just help himself,” Dolly reported with a smirk. Zora and Lula stare at him intensely and he merely shrugged.

“What would you have me do? I had to go years without sex as per initiation rules, then on our final mission I met a pretty damsel lying in bed, naked with a vibrator in her pussy. Had to make the best of the circumstances.”

“You're such a pervert,” Lula said, throwing a chip at him.

Aaira smiled faintly, a mixture of wonder and envy swirling inside her. She never had such friends growing up. She never had anyone to talk to when the house got boring. The servants were too terrified of her father to speak to her longer than necessary.

But sitting with Zora and the others, and watching their playful banter arose a desire in her. The desire to have something similar.

“I… I’ve never had much freedom. Even my own choices felt like they weren’t mine.” She didn't know how the words found themselves past her lips, but the others had heard her.

Lula leaned forward, her warm eyes sympathetic. “Oh, honey, that’s rough. But look at you now. You’ve got a whole team ready to watch your back. Freedom tastes different when you’ve got people who care about you.”

Fabian grinned, tilting his head toward Lula. “Take it from Lula, freedom is everything.”

Lula glowered at him and he laughed. “Fabian, we should start charging you rent for the energy he wastes around here.”

Fabian raised his hands in mock surrender. “I accept. But only if Zora promises to give me a bj.”

Zora wagged a finger at him.” In your dreams, Fabi. I'll cut that thing off before it even comes near me.”

“I don't mean to sound dumb, but what's a bj?” Aaira asked.

“A blowjob,” Lula said. Aaira looked confused and lost. “Wait. You really don't know what that is?”

Aaira’s cheeks flushed an even deeper shade of red. “I… I’ve never… I mean, I didn’t… I don’t…” she stammered, fumbling with her teacup.

Zora rolled her eyes dramatically. “Oh shit. You really haven’t been exposed to the world much, have you?” She leaned closer, voice playful but instructive. “A blowjob, sweetheart, is when a guy… well… a girl uses her mouth on a man. That’s all you need to know for now. It’s nothing dirty if it’s consensual.”

Fabian chuckled, leaning against the counter. “Yeah. You’re practically a baby in that department. Never had a crush? Never kissed anyone? Never… anything?”

Aaira shook her head, fidgeting with her fingers. “I… I haven’t. You're the first male I've spoken to for more than thirty minutes.”

The soft clatter of the kitchen doors opening disrupted the cheerful atmosphere. Three women stepped in, their heels clicking sharply against the marble floor. The tallest, her dark hair pulled tight into a sleek ponytail, gave Aaira a long, assessing look, her lips curling into a smirk.

“Well, well, look who’s here,” she said, her voice dripping with mock sweetness. “I heard he brought a little toy home. How quaint.”

Her two friends giggled behind her. “Yeah,” one said, tilting her head. “Fragile little thing, isn’t she? Bet he’s going to get bored in a week. Maybe less.”

“Why are you here, Camille?” Lula asked, folding her arms.

“I heard Keiran got a new fuck toy. I came to see if she is worth his time,” she replied, assessing Aaira with distaste.

Aaira’s stomach tightened, but she straightened her back, refusing to show fear. She pressed her lips together for a second, then lifted her chin, her voice cool but firm.

“You know,” she began, letting her eyes sweep over the three women. “You should really get your facts right before gossiping about someone.”

The trio blinked, momentarily thrown off by her boldness. Camille's smirk faltered, replaced by a thin line of irritation. “Oh? Tell me then, who are you to Keiran?”

“Keiran is my uncle, and not whatever you make up in your head.”

“Oh? And what are you going to do about it, little girl?”

Aaira’s gaze didn’t waver. She might be sheltered but not a pushover “I’m not going to fight you. I don’t need to. You’re clearly insecure enough to use other people as entertainment. If belittling someone else makes you feel powerful then you are definitely the one who is weak.”

Zora, Dolly, and Lula exchanged impressed glances. Fabian’s smirk widened, clearly enjoying the showdown.

Camille's lips pressed into a thin line, and she shot a sharp glance at her friends. “Whatever. Don’t get too comfortable. He might change his mind about you.”

Aaira tilted her head, a small, sardonic smile forming. “Change his mind? He's my uncle. My place in his life is steady, unlike you who needs to get laid to be noticed. You can go now before I start thinking your manners are as thin as your patience.”

“You little…” Camille raised her hands to slap Aaira. A hand catches hers mid air

“What the fuck is going on here?” A deep voice cuts across the kitchen