MasukMichael's POVAnthony's eyes burned with hatred. He kept the gun trained on me as though simply looking at me reminded him of everything he had lost."You murdered him," he said. His voice trembled with rage. "You killed my uncle in cold blood."I stared at him."I didn’t” I said.Anthony's expression hardened."Don't lie to me. You shot him and you expect me to believe you had a reason?"I took a slow breath."I don't expect you to believe anything but I'm going to tell you the truth anyway” I said.Anthony said nothing."Your uncle kidnapped my son. Henry was a child” I continued."That doesn't matter” he said."It matters to me” I replied."You murdered Santiago!""And Santiago threatened to kill Henry!" I yelled back.My voice echoed through the empty section of the parking lot and Anthony flinched.For a second, I saw something uncertain in his expression then the anger returned."My uncle wasn't a monster” he said.I almost laughed."You weren't there” I replied."I know enough.
Michael's POVThe moment Anthony Santiago told me who he was, every instinct in my body screamed that I needed to be careful.I kept my eyes on Anthony as he stood a few feet away from me, studying me with an expression I couldn't quite understand. There was anger in his eyes, certainly, but there was something else underneath it.Hatred.My gaze briefly shifted past him. Henry was there, Kim was sitting beside him. They weren't far enough away. That was the problem.If Anthony was here because of Santiago, then I couldn't afford to let this become a confrontation in front of Henry.My son had already seen too much.He had been dragged from one dangerous situation into another, and the last thing I wanted was for him to watch someone threaten me with a weapon.I couldn't put him through that again.I forced myself to breathe then I forced my expression to remain calm.I looked at Henry."Hey."Henry turned toward me."Yeah?"I gave him what I hoped looked like a reassuring smile."I n
Ashley’s POVA deep, throbbing ache pulsed through the back of my head, spreading down my neck and settling behind my eyes. My body felt heavy, almost as though someone had poured cement into my bones while I slept.I groaned and tried to move but something was wrapped tightly around me.My eyes flew open. For a terrifying second, I couldn't remember where I was. I tried to sit up, but the movement sent another wave of pain through my head."Ashley?"The familiar voice immediately cut through my confusion.I blinked.Nick was sitting beside me, one arm wrapped around my shoulders as he supported me.His face looked exhausted. More importantly, he looked relieved."Oh, thank God," he whispered.I stared at him."Nick? What..."I touched the back of my head and immediately winced."What happened?" I finally managed to ask.Nick carefully helped me sit upright."You were unconscious” he said.I looked around. We were in a room I didn't recognize.There was a small window covered by curta
Michael’s POVThe moment the ambulance doors opened, everything became a blur."Move!""Get the stretcher!""He's losing too much blood!"The paramedics rushed Fernando through the hospital entrance, and I followed them without thinking.My shoes squeaked against the polished floor as I hurried after them."Fernando!"One of the nurses stepped in front of me."Sir, you need to stay here” she instructed."But that's my—"I stopped. My voice failed me."My family," I finally managed.The nurse's expression softened."He's being taken into emergency care. You can't go inside” she said.I stared helplessly as the doors swung shut. Fernando disappeared behind them and suddenly, I had nothing to do except stand there.I looked down at my hands. There was still blood on them, his blood. I rubbed my palms together as if I could somehow erase what had happened but it wouldn't come off."Michael."I looked up. Kim was standing a few feet away with Henry beside her.She looked devastated. Her ey
Michael’s POVThe sirens were the first thing I heard.They grew louder with every passing second until an ambulance came racing onto the airport tarmac, its red lights flashing against the dark shy.For a moment, I couldn't move, I was still kneeling beside Fernando.His blood was all over my hands, ll over my clothes and I couldn't stop staring at it."Please," I whispered. "Please, Fernando."The paramedics rushed toward us with a stretcher."Sir, we need to move him."I immediately shook my head."No, let me hold him” I cried."We need to get him into the ambulance” they said hurriedly."Is he going to survive?" I asked.The paramedic glanced at Fernando's wound."We need to treat him immediately” he said."Is he going to survive?" I asked again.He looked at me."We're going to do everything we can” he replied.That wasn't the answer I wanted but it was the only one I was getting.I reluctantly moved away then the paramedics carefully lifted Fernando onto the stretcher.His head r
Fernando's POVFor several seconds, I couldn't believe what I was seeing. Michael was standing in the middle of the tarmac with a gun pointed directly at Theo.I couldn't help but feel an almost absurd flicker of pride."Michael," I called.His eyes immediately found mine and I glanced at the gun in his hand."You're full of surprises today."His lips twitched, but the expression disappeared almost immediately.Theo looked furious."Don't encourage him!" He said.I looked at Theo."You've done enough" I replied. "Stay out of this.""I don't think that's possible anymore" I said.Michael kept the gun trained on Theo and I slowly raised both hands."Michael, bring Henry to me."Michael nodded then Henry looked at him."Go to your father" he said."What about you?" Henry asked."I'll be right behind you" Michael answered. Henry hesitated but Michael gave him a reassuring look."Go."Henry finally moved and he walked carefully toward me. I stepped forward and reached for him. The moment
Michael's POV The front door slammed behind me, the echo bounced off the walls of Ashley’s apartment, the sharp crack ringing in my ears. I stood frozen for a second, my palm still on the doorknob, my chest heaving with each breath like I had run a marathon uphill in the rain. The air in the ap
Michael’s POV The night air hung heavy with stillness, broken only by the buzzing neon sign at the edge of the roadside motel. Everything around us was bathed in hush—muffled by the thick veil of darkness and the shallow breaths of sleeping bodies behind thin motel walls. I could still hear th
Michael’s POV The motel’s neon sign flickered overhead like a tired heartbeat as I guided Henry toward our room. His small hand clutched mine with a quiet trust. Henry yawned beside me, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand. “You okay, bud?” I asked, unlocking the door to our room. He nodd
Michael’s POV The sun was still high up in the sky, pouring it's golden streeks outside Ashley’s apartment window. The street was still, save for the two stone-faced bodyguards loitering outside the building entrance like shadows glued to the sidewalk. Their presence was a constant reminder th







