Don't call him by his name

“Fuck you!” I spat, my rage evident as I hit him right in the face.

Pedro had warned me about Ray's ruthlessness, but I hadn’t expected him to be this ruthless. He should have taken me instead.

Pedro was innocent, and now he was dead because of me. It was my fucking fault. Regret swirled through me, and the urge to cry was hard to suppress.

Every ounce of revenge I craved felt like an impossible mission now that I was about to breathe my last breath. For once ever since I regained from a coma, I regretted not ever listening to him. Carlos was damn right. ‘You can't do anything when you're like this, Sia.’ So pathetic.

One of his men stomped over when he saw what I did to their boss’s face, however, Ray gesticulated to him with the motion of his hand. “I thought you'd be happy to reunite with your friend.” I struggled with him but it was futile. He pulled my hair, making me groan. 

“That’s not a fucking reunion. You killed Pedro!” I clenched my jaw so hard that I felt the pain.

A sly smirk lingered on his face. “It won't be good to kill you right away. I heard you don't remember anything after the car crash so I believe Carlos didn't tell you who the fuck you're looking for.”

Puzzles, I lifted a brow. “What do you mean?”

He glanced over the face of the man behind him before averting his gaze. “So your brother didn't tell you the truth. Marx, Fuego,  and I weren't the people that killed your father. Your father was an asshole. Yes, we betrayed him but we didn't kill him. I was surprised when I heard you killed them. You had the wrong people, sweetheart. The man you're looking for is dead.”

Dead? Who?

I had many questions I wanted to ask him; I bet he was never going to answer anyway. 

Perhaps he noticed the look of puzzlement on my face. He smirked devilishly. “Martello. He killed your fucking father on your birthday. He's the only bastard that can pull that shot from such a far distance, but he's also dead. I'm sending you to hell to join him, you can get your revenge there, sweetheart.” 

“Who the hell is he? How did you know?”

“Beats me,  sweetheart. But it'll be my pleasure to send your dead body to your son of bitch brother…” Ray was cut short by thunders of gunshots from outside. In a second all his men pulled out their hidden guns, aiming at the entrance.

I had no idea who was coming, but I caught a glimpse of fear on Ray's face. He adjusted on his seat, looking vaguely around as if lost. 

“Seems like we've got a company,” I said,  smirking while trying to conceal my fear. I prayed silently that whoever was coming should be after Ray alone because I needed to get the hell out of this hellhole.

“We’re under attack. The sniper is down.”

“Alert others to keep them away from the warehouse.”

“Yes, boss.” The man exited the grand room.

“Screw it. Carlos, that son of a bitch. Check who they are and make sure they don't get too close, Jayden.” He ordered.

I slyly smiled when I heard my brother's name from his mouth. Every time they said his name, their voice always trembled with fear.

“Yes, boss.” Jayden gestured to some men to follow him. As he skipped a step forward, we heard echoes of gunshots. One after the other, Ray's men started dropping dead as bullets pierced their bodies from every opening in the room.

His phone buzzed in his pocket. “Did you set this up?” Ray retrieved his phone from his pocket. I had no idea what he read, but his face darkened with ferocity. He crouched a little bit, then grabbed my neck roughly.

I coughed hard, finding it difficult to breathe. I held his hand to free myself but he wasn't letting go.

“Boss, we're surrounded by his men. They're coming for her.” 

“Stand close. Don't let them in.”

After more than ten already dropped dead, the rest of his men moved reluctantly toward the exit.

“He cares for his sister dearly, isn't he? How dare he threaten me?” He aimed his gun at my thigh and fired off once.

I squirmed excruciatingly.

“I hope he fucking kills you,” I squeezed my eyes shut, gnawing on my lip to conceal the pain.

“And we're fucking dying together.” He tried to fire another shot, but unfortunately, there was no bullet left in his gun. Just before his men move closer to offer him a new gun, Carlos’ men stomped in and surrounded the room like flies. In a few seconds, all of Ray's men were shot until he became the last man standing.

“Not with my sister.” Carlos snarled, kicking Ray on his jaw as the gun he was holding fell to the floor and he staggered backward.

I crawled away. Watching as both of them engaged in a fistfight. “Take Sia home, Lenox.” He ordered. 

Soon, his right-hand man ambled closer, he squatted in front of me and swooped me in his arms. I groaned and then looped my hands around his neck. “Time to go home, queen.” He joked. 

“What about Carlos? Are you going to leave your Don behind?” 

Carlos’ men led the way out of Ray's warehouse to the frontcourt. “Oh. Let's hope he doesn't get home before us. I bet he has an unsettled matter with Ray. Let's get you treated first. You need that before your retribution.” 

“Please just take me to my apartment. Becca is going to treat me.”

“You heard him. I dare not defy him.” Nico opened the car door, and Lenox put me in the backseat before joining me. They shut the door, all his cars started trailing after each other to the mansion.

It was already late. Perhaps it was almost morning now. I'd have to make it home before she found me gone. I sneaked out on her while she was sleeping.

Furthermore, we got close to the mansion after driving within the forest for about twenty minutes. The mansion was located on the outskirts of the town. 

My mind drifted to Pedro. “Did you check Pedro before getting me?”

With a shake of his head, he replied. “We were late.”

“How did you find out I was at the Red House?” I asked.

“Pedro alerted the house at the last minute. He was too afraid that you were about to get yourself killed. It was a good thing Ray already killed him before we arrived, Carlos would brutally cut him limb to limb and send him to his family.”

“It’s my fault.” I shook my head, guilt gripped my heart like reprimand chains. I sniffled back the tears that were threatening to fall. I recalled how I forced Pedro to give me names when Carlos refused. I forced him into this. It shouldn't have been him.

“There’s no time for regret, queen.”

As the cars pulled into the mansion, my heart palpitated terribly. I gulped down anxiously knowing what was coming.

When all the cars halted in front of the building, Lenox alighted from the car and got me out. I looked around the enormous mansion, the huge walls around us like a prison; there were many men holding guns of different models like soldiers ready for a battle. 

Lenox swooped me up in his arms again and took me inside.

“Rosetta, we need you,” Kevin called out.

Rosetta, who was a doctor and their cook, came out in an apron; when she saw blood dripping from my thigh, she gasped. “For fuck sake,” She rushed back in, then came back with her equipment.

Lenox put me on the couch, standing behind Rosetta, who was about to treat me. 

“Tell me it won't leave a scar.” I groaned while she was taking out the bullet.

“I’ll find you an ointment for that.” 

Ten minutes later, the air in the living room suddenly became suffocating. That instant I knew Carlos had arrived. I looked toward the entrance to see him walking majestically like a beast on his territory.

“Welcome, boss.”

“Leave us.” 

Rosetta put her equipment back in the box and left with his men. Now that we were alone, I suddenly became scared of my brother. There were bloodstains all over his body. If Ray was indeed dead, I could swear on my goddamn life that Carlos tortured him before finishing him off. “You reek,” I joked, hoping that he'd let what happened tonight slide.

“I told you to fucking lay low. I told you not to fucking do anything, Sia!” He furiously fired off a shot in the air that was meant for me.

Startled, I jumped off the seat. “What would you rather have me do when you booked me for a stupid primal therapy while the men that killed our father were going on with their fucking lives? You have no slightest idea of how scared I am every night knowing that the scene will repay itself in my sleep. At least I'm not like you. I will do what you can't, for our father.”

He gazed at my thigh. “You have no idea of what you're saying.” Fury reverberated through his voice. He threw his gun away and paced around the living room. 

“I know. Ray called me Black Fang. All of them were afraid of me. Why? Who the hell am I?”

“You are not ready for the truth, Sia. If you know what Black Fang means, you'll be hiding right now. Once Rosetta treats you, Lenox will drive you to your apartment. Go back to your life.”

“Living like a loser? Pretending this isn't my life, too?”

“I swear you don't want this kind of life, Sia. Dad despises the woman he made of you. Just pretend none of this ever happens. Since Ray is dead, more of his men will be prowling after you. Lenox and Milet will always be by your side to protect you.” He asserted. After that, he headed toward the stairs.

I rose from the couch, groaned softly, and gnawed my lower lip. “Martello. You know him, right? It wasn't them, it was him. Who the hell was him and why am I just learning about him now?”

Without turning back, he pivoted his head over his shoulder, his eyes darkened. “When you hear his name, run. Run, Sia. He's a nightmare!”