DAVINAI walked down the stairs slowly, feeling the cold of the railing under my fingers. Each step echoed inside me like a racing drum, driven by anxiety and fear. Midnight was still in the shower, and Aaron had finally given up pounding on the door to find out what was going on. Now, all that was left was to face my men.Were they still mine? Did they wait for me? Did they miss me?Gutemberg said they did, but I didn’t fully trust him. The time I spent away felt like an eternity. And the worst part? Timmy and I had fought before I disappeared. The reason? I couldn’t even remember anymore, because it stopped mattering the moment I found myself alone without any of them. It all felt so insignificant compared to what I went through, the longing that ate me alive.
DAVINAI woke up slowly, my eyes opening with reluctance, as if reality was something to be avoided. The warmth surrounding me made me realize where I was. My body was pressed against someone’s, thick, almost awkward heat enveloping me. I was lying on my side, and his arms were wrapped tightly around me.I lifted my head, wiping my eyes with the back of my hand. It was Midnight!Holy shit.How did this happen?I went to sleep alone. And now somehow, I was in his arms? Me, Davina, spooning with one of the most dangerous men in New Jersey. Oh sweet mother of confused virgins. What had I become? First Vincent, and now Midnight?The shock hit m
HUXLEY (MIDNIGHT)I've always admired fire how the flames dance, the colors.The fire consumes the nightclub like a starving beast, roaring loudly against the dark sky. Leaning on my motorcycle, I watch the spectacle, feeling the heat on my face and the scent of gasoline mixing with burning wood. KJ is in there, reduced to ashes.I inhale deeply, letting the satisfaction spread through my chest. The Reapers of Derbim are leaderless now, but one question remains unanswered: who was backing KJ? That figure in the shadows needs to be found. And when he is, he won’t get as quick a death as KJ did.I hear footsteps behind me, but I don’t need to turn to know who it is. Timmy and Aaron stop beside me, their faces lit by the f
MIDNIGHT (HUXLEY)The air inside the old warehouse is heavy. The smell of oil and rust mixes with cheap cigarettes, and the only light comes from the flickering fluorescent bulbs overhead. My men are gathered around the table, discussing tactics for the attack on the Derbim Reapers. As they speak, my mind drifts elsewhere.I was never supposed to be here. I know that. My childhood was filled with luxury, good schools, opportunities. A bright future, they said. And I believed it, until the day my brother showed up at my door.A brother I never knew existed until that moment.He came without warning, no preparation, carrying the truth that would change my life forever. He was murdered days later, in my arms, before I even had time t
DAVINAThe night was so dark it seemed to conspire against us. Albania no longer wanted us around, and honestly, the feeling was mutual. The hideout was beautiful, Vincent’s mother had good taste, but I missed my mom and needed a greasy sandwich with fries straight from my hometown.I drummed my fingers on the arm of the sofa, watching Vincent on the other side of the room. He pretended to read a book, but no one was fooled. He scratched his forehead like he wanted to tear his own skin off and had been staring at the same page for several minutes.“If you keep rubbing your forehead like that, you’ll end up making a hole in your brain.”Vincent looked over the book at me, his gray eyes heavy with such deep ex
GUTEMBERGNow that we were alone in the room, reality settled in. The space was luxurious, like everything else in this house. The bed was large, with dark heavy sheets, and there was a fireplace in the corner.“Is there a bathroom here?” I asked, looking for any excuse not to think too much about her company.“Yes, over there.” She pointed to a door on the right, already sitting on the bed and taking off her shoes.I went over, opened the door, and was greeted by the sight of a huge bathtub, almost like a small black marble pond embedded in the floor. The whole bathroom looked like a spa, with glass shelves holding jars of bath salts and scented oils.“This i