Michael’s POVI stormed into my room, slamming the door shut behind me. My hands clenched into fists, my breath coming out in sharp, ragged bursts.This was insanity.A war against the FBI? Against the federal government?Fernando had lost his damn mind.I took off my jacket and threw it onto the bed. Every muscle in my body was filled with frustration. I wanted to scream, to punch something—anything—but I forced myself to stay calm.I needed to think.Moving quickly, I reached for my phone.Ashley.I needed to warn her.I needed to tell her everything.I dug through my pockets. Nothing.I searched the nightstand, throwing open drawers. Still nothing.“Where the hell is it?” I muttered under my breath, flipping the bed covers, checking every possible place I could’ve left it.Nothing.A sharp hit of panic shot through me.Had Fernando taken it?No. No, I had it earlier. I was sure of it.I took a deep breath and tried to focus.Ashley needed to know what was coming. If I could just
Fernando’s POVThe night was quiet.Too quiet.I leaned back in my seat, my fingers drumming lightly against my knee as I stared out the windshield. Across the street, under the dim glow of streetlights, an open-air restaurant was filled with life. People laughed, talked, ate, completely unaware of what was about to happen.My eyes weren’t on them, though.I was waiting.Beside me, Michael shifted in his seat. He’d been silent since we got here, but now, he finally spoke.“What are we doing here, Fernando?”His voice carried hesitation, laced with an edge of worry.He was being annoying again. I smirked. “Waiting.”Michael frowned. “Waiting for what?”I turned my head slightly, catching his expression. His brows were furrowed, his jaw tense. He already had a bad feeling.Good.It meant he knew me well enough to understand that I didn’t come here to play games.I exhaled slowly, enjoying the tension for a moment before answering.“I had my guy hack into the FBI’s internal phone sys
Fernando’s POVThe road stretched ahead, dark and empty.The only sound was the low hum of the engine as we followed the black van through the night. The lights from the van were bright and sharp, cutting through the darkness.I sat in the back seat, silent.Michael was beside me, arms crossed, deep in thought.Marlo was in the front passenger seat.For the past ten minutes, he had barely moved, staring out the window, his jaw tight. He wasn’t sulking—no, he wasn’t the type—but I knew he was holding back. Restraining himself.Smart choice.The last thing I needed right now was another argument.We drove in silence.Michael shifted beside me. His fingers tapped absently against his knee, his thoughts likely the same as mine.Then, I saw it.Up ahead, the road narrowed, leading into a more secluded area surrounded by trees.Perfect.I leaned forward slightly. “Stop the car.”My driver hesitated for half a second before obeying. The car gradually came to a stop.Michael turned to me,
Michael's POV I watched as Fernando stepped out of the car, his suit sleek despite the chaos that surrounded him. His expression was unreadable, but I could see the glint of satisfaction in his eyes as he moved toward the van. He didn’t hesitate, didn’t look back, didn’t say another word before climbing inside and slamming the door shut behind him.I felt my stomach twist.That only meant one thing—Fernando had no intention of bringing those men back alive.I clenched my jaw as I stared at the van, my mind racing. I should have known he had more in mind than just giving them a beating of a lifetime. I needed to stop this before it was too late. But my phone—damn it. I had misplaced it earlier, and I had no way to contact Ashley or my superiors.I turned my head slightly, scanning the car. That’s when I saw a way out.The driver’s phone was sitting on the center console, just barely in my reach.I exhaled slowly. If I was going to do this, I had to be careful.Marlo was sitting i
Fernando's POV I leaned back in my chair, one leg casually crossed over the other, my fingers tapping lightly against the armrest as I watched my men beat the hell out of the four FBI agents kneeling before me.Their faces were already swollen, blood dripping from their lips, their shirts soaked with sweat. I had to admit—I was enjoying the show.One of my men, Alejandro, delivered a particularly brutal punch to an agent’s stomach. The man fell down, coughing up blood onto the floor. Another agent let out a low, pained whimper as he was pulled back up by his collar, only to be struck again.Pathetic.I held up a hand, signaling my men to stop. Instantly, they stepped back, panting slightly from their work, but standing at attention, awaiting my next command.The agents gasped for air, their heads hanging low. One of them spat blood onto the ground, barely missing my shoe.I smirked. "You should be grateful. Most men don’t live long enough to hear me tell a story."They didn’t resp
Michael's POV I moved around my room trying to get a better reception so I could put a call through to Ashley and get to the bottom of this issue which was causing my entire plan to crumble before my very eyes.The FBI were supposed to wait before they attacked in such a way that was sure to attract Fernando’s attention. Now, four agents were somewhere being treated horribly by that monster who had no regard for human life.I stopped by the window and looked closely at the phone fixed in my hand.I willed its signal status to change, for even just a couple minutes and I would be able to get what I want.As if my prayers were heard, the phone let out a beep and I was filled with hope.One bar. But I will make it work. My hands trembled as I finally managed to dial Ashley’s number. I needed to move fast before I lost this signal again, ending back where I had started. The room was dimly lit, and the faint buzz of sounds coming from the excitement downstairs made me more determined
Michael's POV I didn’t have time to waste.My mind raced as the full weight of the situation sank in—Fernando was being played. Someone had orchestrated the FBI attack, purposefully baiting him into a war he wasn’t supposed to be fighting. And knowing Fernando, if I didn’t stop him now, it would be too late. He would burn everything down before realizing he had been manipulated.I needed to get to him.Turning sharply, I walked toward one of the parked black csrs in the driveway. I knew Fernando had ordered my personal guards to stick to me like glue, but I couldn’t afford their interference now. If I could just get in the car—A firm hand clamped down on my shoulder.I exhaled harshly, already knowing who it was.“Where do you think you’re going?” the taller of the two guards, a broad-shouldered man named Mortis, asked in a voice thick with authority. His partner, Emilio, a slightly leaner but equally imposing man, stood beside him with his arms crossed over his chest. Both of t
Fernando’s POV The safehouse smelled of sweat, blood, and fear. I stood in the middle of it all, my gun resting in my hand, my patience wearing thin.The FBI agent in front of me was trembling, his wrists bloody from the restraints, his lips slightly parted as though he was about to say something—but hesitation held him back.I had waited long enough.“You said you knew who the undercover agent is,” I said, my voice calm and measured. “So speak.”The man swallowed hard, but before he could open his mouth, one of the other agents scoffed.“This is ridiculous,” the agent said, his voice dripping with contempt. “He’s lying to you.”I turned my head slowly, my eyes locking onto the man who had spoken. He was trying too hard to sound confident, but I could see the fear in his eyes. He was afraid, afraid of me, afraid of what I might do if I didn’t like his answer.“Oh?” I said, raising an eyebrow. “And why would he lie?”The agent straightened his back, trying to compose himself. “Beca
Fernando’s POVThe loud sounds of two gunshots ripped through the walls like a scream slicing open the air. What the hell!?My head snapped toward the drawing room even before Santiago could react. For a moment, everything froze. Then chaos.“Those were shots,” Santiago said sharply.“No shit,” I snapped, already moving towards the door to see what had caused a gun to be fired. My mind instantly created two scenarios and I couldn't help buy fear for the worst.On one hand, I feared Andrew and Damian had subdued Santiago’s men, took their guns and shot them before making a run for it.Those fucking bastards would do anything to escape at this point.On the other hand, I considered the possibility that Andrew had annoyed one of Santiago’s men and they ended up killing him, just to shut the motherfucker up.I wouldn't be surprised if that was the case.We practically ran through the corridor, Santiago’s footsteps just behind mine. My pulse hammered like thunder in my ears, my mind ra
Michael’s POVThe door slammed behind Fernando, and for a while, I just sat there, paralyzed. The room was dark, the air still pulsing with tension and adrenaline. My knees pulled up to my chest, my arms hugging them tightly, my forehead resting on them.My chest ached. Not from the pressure of Fernando’s grip or the terror of his voice mere inches from my ear, but from something deeper. Something more devastating. That man who stormed out of here wasn’t the man I once felt strongly for. The man i thought i could save. Not entirely. Fernando had always been dangerous, but never to me. Never like this.The way he had looked at me—rage burning in those eyes, the tremble in his jaw when he grabbed me—there was no hesitation. No guilt. Just power. Just rage. Just the monster the FBI always warned me about.And still, there was a flicker… something I couldn’t name. Something like heartbreak.I stayed like that for a long time, breathing slowly, willing the tears not to fall, but they
Fernando's POVMy fingers still tingled.I stared at my hand as I stepped out of the room I had just left Michael in—my palm still carrying the memory of his skin, of the way I had squeezed his throat. My heart pounded in my chest, and not from exertion. From something darker, something wilder. The rage. The possessiveness. I should have let go sooner. I should have stopped when I saw the pain in his eyes—but I couldn't. Not after he said he would leave me.I pushed the thought from my head.He needed to know where he belonged. I wasn’t about to let sentimentality ruin everything I had built. Michael was mine. He would stay mine.The drawing room door swung open before I touched it. One of Santiago’s men stood to the side, eyes darting to the ground in submission as I stepped inside. Andrew and Damian still lay on the floor, both bruised, both in restraints. The guards kept their guns pointed at them, their faces hard and unmoving.Andrew lifted his head and sneered."Well, well
Micheal's POV I didn’t think.I just moved.My body, acting on instinct or something far more desperate, had shoved Fernando’s arm up at the last second.The bullet screamed through the air and struck the ceiling.Everyone in the room froze.For a heartbeat, silence rang louder than the gunshot. I could feel the weight of a dozen eyes pierce into my back, all of them stunned—and afraid. The smell of burnt gunpowder lingered, mixing with the tense air of the drawing room.Then Santiago roared.“What the hell just happened?!”Andrew laughed—a cruel, dry, almost unhinged sound. “Looks like the boyfriend still has a soft spot for the spy.”“Shut him up,” Santiago barked.His men didn’t hesitate. One shoved a gag into Andrew’s mouth, forcing him to the floor. Andrew glared at everyone with that same defiant fire, but it didn’t matter. He couldn’t speak now.Fernando didn’t say a word. His gaze cut through the room like a blade.I swallowed. My throat was dry. My hands had started to t
Fernando's POVThe echo of my boots was the only sound in the hallway as I led Michael back into the drawing room. My hands were in my coat pockets, fingers twitching for the comfort of power. Beside me, Michael was silent. Tense. His brows were furrowed, his thoughts clearly tangled. I didn't speak. Not yet. There would be time for words—my words—soon enough.Discovering that he has been so active during my time in coma only infuriated me more each time I thought about it.It was taking a huge amount of control for me not to beat him to a pulp just staring at him with his emotionless face.He had forgotten he belonged to me—only me—and he went ahead to fool around with the enemy which ended up bringing FBI agents to our doorsteps. Even thinking of the fact he was once an informant for the FBI brought fire in my mind because it meant he has been lying to me.What else has he been keeping from me?That would be a discussion I couldn’t wait to have.Michael was bad news for me but I
Michael's POVAshley was groaning in pain, her head leaned against the window of the FBI car I had carefully laid her in. It was hard for me to watch her I'm so much pain, especially when all she had done was help us even though it meant going against the FBI. Fernando was a real monster for doing this to her.The backseat was damp with blood, and the stench of metal clung to the air like guilt to my conscience. I glanced around, hoping and praying that Marlo would suddenly appear so that he can take Ashley to the hospital along with Anabelle. I needed someone I could trust to get Ashley out of here, someone who wouldn't let her down. But the world was quiet now, eerily so, and Marlo was nowhere in sight.I looked around, towards the mansion hoping to catch a glimpse of Marlo just as he is leaving but I didn’t see him.The realization of what I feared dawned on me like a cold, hard feeling."He already left, didn't he?" I muttered, my voice low with frustration. My fists clenched
Fernando’s POV I folded my arms across my chest while i watched in delight as Andrew’s battered body was dragged through the hallway of my old mansion. His punishment was just starting and I could alread visualise numerous way to make him beg for me to just end his suffering. Emilio followed closely behind, gripping Damian by the collar, the man nearly tripping over himself with each step. The floor, aged by time and conflict, creaked under the weight of our footsteps. Blood had been spilled outside—blood of men who thought they could outsmart me, the FBI agents whose corpses now served as a warning. But inside, it was quieter. The kind of quiet that precedes a storm.Santiago walked beside me. His slightly injured face was grim, jaw clenched so tightly the veins in his neck were visible. His other bodyguard followed us, his weapons drawn and alert. Mortis had joined us near the entrance, nodding silently when I gestured toward the drawing room. That would be the stage.The mo
Andrew’s POV The night had gotten far too quiet for my liking, and in that unnatural silence, every crackle of a branch or brush of the wind made my nerves twitch. I could still remember the wave of shock i had gotten when the sound that sent ice straight down my spine, gunshots, rang in my ears and i couldn't help but think of the worse. My men were capable of handling themselves, they were FBI agents, after all, but there was a dark feeling pooling in.my stomach just thinking what had caused such amount of gun fire to ring in the air.Not one, not two, but a lot of them, echoing violently through the forest like war drums. From the direction of Fernando’s mansion. I had made sure to tell me men not to attack without receiving orders from me to do so. Which means this could only mean one thingThey were under attack.My stomach dropped.Something had gone wrong.I hadn’t planned for a situation where Michael and his pack of goons would attack when I wasn’t there.I thought they w
Fernando’s POV I watched them through the small cracks on the front door, barely breathing as I tracked the movement of the agents. The trees concealed them well, but not well enough for someone like me. I knew the woods. I knew the mansion. And most of all, I knew how the minds of men like Andrew worked.Based on Marlo’s explanation, he was the leader of those agents of fools and if there was one thing I was good at, that was gaining a upper hand against proud men.Ashley winced as she leaned against a nearby wall. Her side was soaked with blood, and every breath she took looked like it cost her something vital. Still, she didn’t complain. I was impressed. I liked that about her.Michael, on the other hand, was fidgeting."You’re going to take her out the front," I said, my voice cold and unwavering.Michael blinked. "What? Are you insane? They’ll spot us the moment we step onto the lawn.""That’s the point."He narrowed his eyes. "You want us to be bait?"I tilted my head. "I