Chapter six

“Whatever he says, you fucking give him an answer.” I repeated abusing my breath, recalling every waking Daniel has given to me.

I am in an office, it looked perfectly arranged, down to the pencils, everything was aligned in colors, it was perfectly organized, and it felt a bit creepy to be in the mist of all of this.

My heart skipped a beat, my mind hazed with thoughts and I fought back the tears that threatened to fall against my cheek, I have thought about a thousand escape route yet I didn’t listen to non because of how scared I was.

——

“Isabella.” I heard a voice from be behind, I didn’t dare to turn around and I did was stare at the ground when a tear finally falls out of my eyes, I stared at the ground and a cologne filled my nostrils, it was filled with manliness, power and strength.

He inched closer to me and I could see his shoes

“Look up, I want to see the face of the woman that dared to murder one of my men.” He said and I shivered in fear, I didn’t move, I wanted to, I wanted to listen to him but I was scared, this is not how it’s meant to be.

“I am sorry.”

“I didn’t ask you to speak.” He gritted through his teeth and when ask you to do something, I need to know that you are going to do it, do not make me repeat my words.”

As much as I didn’t want to do it, my eyes peered up and it met his, his eyes was nothing like I expected; it was not filled with darkness or with terror, it was filled with sadness, it was filled with sorrow, it was filled with pain, and filled with every little emotion I could imagine and non of it screamed happiness.

He inched closer to me and he crouched down, his eyes still on mine, was I making a mistake? Did I get played into something I can’t imagine.

“Isabella, what is the last name?” He asked.

“Menendez.” I breathed out

“Do you know who I am? I expected you not to lie to me and yet you did.” He smiled before he stood up, in a second someone walked in, his eyes didn’t mean mine get I knew who it was.

Daniel.

He didn’t look sad for me, he looked like a solider waiting and waiting for his master to tell him what he had to do.

“Daniel she lied.” The man smiled. And my eyes spilled with tears. “You killed someone I care about.”

“He tried to touch me.”

“I never asked you to speak.” The man said, his tone dangerously low as I stared at him, my heart skipped a beat, my mind dismembered with uncanny thoughts. “Your first mistake Bella, is killing my guard, your second mistake Bella is lying to me about your last name, your third mistake Bella.” He said stressing on the name.

This time, Daniel inches close to me and forced me to look at his nods.

“Is you have no idea who you are dealing with.” He smiled, if I thought Daniel is a monster then this man is a much worse version of him, he is something else; he is someone I never thought I would ever meet

El Diablo (The Devil)

“I believe in a life for a life Isabella, you killed and you will replace it.”

I can’t die; who is going to take care of Ethan if I do, I can’t break his heart, I promised him I will be back for him.

I promised him I will take care of him.

Tears spilled out of my eyes as I stared at him, Daniel lets go of me and my head faced the floor, I could hear noises coming from outside, who is this ma with great authority.

I know there is only one man here that is feared by everyone else; one name That everyone would do anything to avoid.

It can’t be him.

Liam Moretti.

“What did you say?.”

Fuck did I say his name out loud.

“Get her ready Daniel.” The man spat before he walked away, leaving his mark all over the room.

“You need to help me Daniel, please.” I breathed out, I stared at him as he mixed something inside a glass. He didn’t dare look at me, but it felt like he didn’t want this for me.

“I gave you rules and you messed up Bella.” Daniel whispered before he inched closer to me with the glass.

Fuck.

My chest tightened as Daniel’s shadow fell over me. The glass in his hand shimmered beneath the cold light, catching tiny reflections that danced across his face. His eyes weren’t cruel, but they weren’t kind either — they were empty, resigned. Like a man doing something he wished he didn’t have to.

“Daniel, please,” I whispered again, my voice breaking like glass against the silence. “You know I didn’t mean to—he tried to—”

“Don’t,” he interrupted softly, his jaw locking as he tilted the glass slightly. “You think explanations matter here? You think he cares why you did it?”

He.

Liam Moretti.

The name pulsed in my head like a curse, echoing in every corner of the room. Stories about him traveled through whispers — the Devil of the South, the man who made people vanish, the man who smiled while ending lives.

My breath hitched. “What’s in the glass?”

Daniel didn’t answer. He crouched, forcing me to meet his gaze again, and for a split second, I saw regret flicker across his features. “Drink it, Bella. Don’t make this harder than it already is.”

My hands trembled as he pressed the rim to my lips. The scent was sharp, chemical, wrong. “Please,” I choked, “Daniel, I have a brother. He’s only nine. I can’t—”

“I told you not to bring family into this,” he muttered, his tone rough, haunted. “You should’ve run when you had the chance.”

Tears streamed down my face, blurring everything. His hand lingered for a moment on my cheek — a ghost of comfort — before he forced the glass forward. I swallowed, coughing as the liquid burned down my throat.

My vision dimmed instantly. The room swayed, his face fading into haze.

And the last thing I heard before everything went black was Daniel’s voice — low, broken.

“I told you to listen, Bella.”