LOGINPain exploded through the back of Rico’s head instantly as Leah struck him with the metal. A sharp groan escaped him and the hammer slipped from his hand, dropping heavily to the ground.He stumbled forward, his vision blurring badly for a second. He slowly brought his hand to the back of his head, and he felt the warm liquid oozing out, blood trickling slowly down the back of his neck.Inside the boxes, muffled cries grew louder immediately. Rico blinked hard, trying to steady himself as dizziness hit him in waves. Behind him, Leah’s breathing came out shaky and uneven. Her hands trembled around the metal pipe she had used on him.“Just stop!” she cried desperately, her eyes wide. “Rico, stop!”Rico slowly turned around, blood running down the side of his head now. “What did you just do?" He growled lowly, his angry eyes on her. "What the fuck is wrong with you?”Leah looked half-terrified and half-hysterical. Tears streamed down her face as she shook her head wildly. “She ruined ev
Rico stood frozen for only a second, then his survival instinct kicked in. He ran, straight toward the boxes.His boots slammed hard against the dry ground as panic and adrenaline rushed violently through his body. His breathing came out rough and uneven, his mind spinning so fast it almost hurt.“LYRA?!” he shouted as he ran toward the boxes, breathing heavily, his hands still cuffed behind his back.When he reached them, his eyes moved wildly from one box to another as he kept calling Calla’s name desperately.“Lyra! Lyra!” Muffled cries answered him from inside the boxes. Rico’s chest tightened painfully in relief, and he rushed to the boxes.Then reality hit him again. He still had the cuffs on. His breathing turned rough as he looked down quickly, forcing himself to think.Without wasting another second, Rico bent forward sharply and tried pulling his cuffed hands downward.Pain instantly shot through his shoulders. He gritted his teeth hard but kept going. Slowly, and painfully
Rico’s body went completely still. He stared at Marco like the man had suddenly grown two heads. And maybe a horn sticking out of his forehead too.It was like the mighty Marco Bellini had finally stopped fighting the madness inside his head and fully embraced it.The man had gone insane. That was the only logical explanation for the nonsense Rico had just heard.For a few seconds, Rico waited, thinking Marco would laugh it off and yell about how he was only joking. But then he looked into his eyes and saw that Marco meant every word.Rico slowly shook his head once, breathing heavily. “No.”Marco’s grin remained. “No?” he repeated softly.“You’re sick,” Rico spat angrily. “Fucking sick.”Marco suddenly laughed again, throwing his head back like Rico had just said the funniest thing in the world. “Oh, come on,” he mocked. “Don’t look at me like that. You act as if you’ve never made difficult choices before.”Rico’s fists clenched tightly. “I’m not playing your fucking game.”Marco’s s
Rico pushed the large doors open slowly. The old church let out a long creak as the doors moved, and dust filled the air immediately.Inside looked just as dead as the outside.Long rows of wooden benches stretched across the church, most of them broken or covered in thick dust. Some had fallen sideways completely. The floor was cracked in different places, and pieces of glass from the shattered stained windows littered the ground.At the front stood the old altar, it was dull and abandoned. Behind it were the statues of the Virgin Mary and Jesus, both damaged from years of neglect. One of Mary’s hands had broken off, while cracks ran across Jesus’ face.The entire place felt cold and empty.Then Rico saw Marco, sitting quietly on the first bench closest to the altar, his back facing the entrance. He didn’t turn around after hearing the doors open. He didn’t even move.Rico’s jaw tightened. He walked deeper into the church slowly, his footsteps echoing through the silence until he fin
As Rico stepped outside, he heard someone calling his name from behind. It was Valentina.He didn’t bother looking back. He just kept marching toward his car, his fists clenched tightly by his sides.“Rico, wait!” she called again, hurrying after him. He ignored her completely.Just as he reached for the car door, Valentina grabbed the back of his shirt, and that finally made him stop.His upper lip twitched slightly in irritation before he slowly turned around and shoved her hand off him. “What?” he snapped. He didn't have time for chit-chatting, as every second was important. Valentina stared at him angrily, breathing hard from catching up to him. “Tell me you’re not actually going to Marco.”“I am.”Her face twisted instantly. “Are you insane?” she scoffed loudly. “You’re seriously walking straight into a trap?”Rico stared at her for only half a second, before he moved to open the car door again, but she stepped in front of it immediately.“No. No, don’t do that thing where yo
Everything and anything was beginning to get on Rico’s nerves—the ticking clock on the wall, the low hum of a device somewhere in the room, the constant tapping of Costa’s foot against the floor, even the mere presence of the men around him.It all left him irritated and angry.It had been over a day now, and Calla, Sophia, and Eli still hadn’t been found. Rico hadn’t slept. Had barely eaten and he looked terrible.His eyes were bloodshot from lack of sleep, dark shadows sitting heavily underneath them. His hair was completely unraveled, rough strands falling messily over his forehead like he had run his hands through it too many times to count.The stubble along his jaw had grown darker, making him look even more exhausted. His shirt sleeves were rolled carelessly to his elbows, wrinkled from being worn too long, and the top buttons still hung undone from how roughly he had pulled at them earlier.He looked like a man being slowly destroyed from the inside.He had done everything wit







