💔 Will Michael fight Fernando’s impulsive claim, or will he be forced deeper into Fernando’s world? What will happen to Archer’s broken heart—and Ashley’s determination to save him? 👉 Don’t miss the next explosive chapter.
Fernando’s POV My car sat like a wounded beast on the outskirts of the city, its once-pristine body riddled with bullet holes. And across from me, standing too calmly for a man who had orchestrated such a stunt, was Harold.I clenched my fists, my chest rising and falling with fury that burned so hot it blurred the edges of my vision.This was how they wanted to stop me? This was what they thought I would accept?A polite conversation wrapped in gunfire and bullet casings.Marlo stood at my left, his face twisted in disbelief. His eyes darted between the ruined car and Harold. Emilio stood to my right, his jaw tight, lips pressed thin, his usually calm demeanor straining under the weight of insult.“Are you seeing this?” Marlo finally broke, his voice trembling with outrage. He gestured wildly at the smoking wreck that used to be my car. “Are you actually seeing this? You riddled our car with bullets just to… what? What, Harold? To talk?”His voice cracked on the last word, sharp as
Michael’s POV I could still feel Ashley trembling against me. The both of us were pressed into the hardwood floor of her apartment, the coldness of it biting through my clothes, the smell of anger and fear clinging to the air.My arms wrapped tightly around her, not only to comfort her, but to remind myself that I was still alive—that, somehow, despite the cold metallic crowd of guns aimed at us, I was breathing.Archer’s shadow loomed above us. I could hear his breath, ragged, uneven, the kind of breath that belonged to a man who was seconds away from unraveling. His gun didn’t waver, not really—he had too much discipline for that—but his eyes were a storm.Behind him, his men stood in a semi-circle, weapons drawn, their focus split between us and the muffled bursts of gunfire echoing through the building’s hallway. Every shot was a reminder that this was no bluff—Fernando’s men were here, fighting, clawing their way toward us.The war outside only proved what Archer already feare
Fernando’s POV The sound of automatic fire became a storm around us. Emilio cursed under his breath, gripping the steering wheel so tight his knuckles went pale. Marlo already had his gun out, his body shielding mine as if he would absorb every bullet if it came to it.I stayed bent low in the backseat, every nerve in my body alive with fury. Who had dared? Which of my enemies had grown insane enough, suicidal enough, to attack me like this?I had seen betrayal before, I had lived with it, but this was a declaration of war.The windshield cracked again. Emilio slammed his head lower as sparks flew from the dashboard. “We can’t stay like this, boss! They’ll rip the car apart piece by piece!”Marlo’s arm pressed hard against me, forcing me lower. “Stay down, boss. Do not move. I’ll deal with whoever the bastard is that thought this was smart.”I swallowed a sharp breath, my voice a low growl. “Who? Who would be insane enough to come at me in broad daylight?”“They’re not cartel,”
Archer’s POV I had Michael right where I wanted him, and I wasn’t about to let him get close enough to change that.The sharp crack of my gunshot still echoed off the apartment walls, leaving behind the sharp smell of gunpowder that clung to the air. Michael froze where he stood, his chest rising and falling, his hands half-lifted in that practiced way he always did whenever he wanted to look less threatening. But I knew better. I had learned my lesson the hard way—he was fast, sharper than he looked, and dangerous when underestimated.I still remembered the humiliation of the last time I tried this—when Michael had turned the tables on one of my men, stripping the gun right out of his hand as though he were taking candy from a child. Never again. My pulse hammered at the memory, and the sound of my warning shot was as much for me as it was for him.“Stay the hell where you are,” I snapped, my gun pointed straight at his chest. My voice came out harsher than I had intended, vibrat
Fernando’s POV My hands were tight around my phone, the veins in my hand obvious. The call had ended only seconds ago, but its echo still roared inside me. I felt my chest rising and falling too quickly, fury burning me.Archer.That bastard.He had gone too far.I pressed the phone flat on Santiago’s polished desk and leaned back in my chair, trying to keep my breathing even. But my fury wasn’t something that could be contained. It was bleeding out of me, a storm with no walls strong enough to cage it.Marlo moved closer to me.“Boss?” His voice was calm, but the sharpness of his gaze betrayed his unease. “What happened? You look like you’re ready to kill someone.”Emilio straightened from where he had been standing.“Who was on the phone, Boss? What’s wrong?”I looked at them, both men I trusted with my life. And yet words didn’t come easily. Finally, I spoke, my voice low, cold, and laced with restrained rage.“We’re leaving. Now.”Both of them exchanged quick glances. Emilio f
Michael’s POV It felt like the air itself was thick with danger and metallic with the scent of guns. My pulse beat against my throat so hard I could barely swallow.Ashley gasped beside me, her body stiffening, but she didn’t run. She didn’t even flinch when three guns swung toward her. She simply pressed herself closer to me, her fingers curling into my sleeve as though bracing herself against a tidal wave.Archer was all fire and ice. His hair was slightly scattered, his eyes bloodshot and wild, his jaw tight with fury. His chest rose and fell in sharp heaves, and I could see the tendons in his neck straining with the effort to keep his voice from breaking into a roar.He looked past me at first. His eyes landed on the bags by the wall, the neatly stacked luggage that betrayed me better than any confession could have.His lips curled.“You filthy betrayer.” The words came out low, guttural, and venomous. “So it’s true. You’re moving into his house, into his bed. You—” He stepped c