Is she capable?

RYAN

“No! Stop!” I roared, stepping in front of Bella before any of Ricardo’s men could make a move. “She didn’t do anything wrong.”

Ricardo arched a brow. “She’s a doctor,” I continued. “You said I needed to recruit someone for the hospital, right? That’s exactly what I was doing.”

Ricardo lifted his head slightly, then, without a word, he started walking toward me with slow, calculated steps that sent my pulse hammering.

Closer.

Too close.

I clenched my jaw as he stopped just inches away, so near that I could feel his breath ghosting over my face. My heart pounded, not out of fear, but something else. Something I couldn’t even name.

Ricardo chuckled lowly. “You’ve got balls, Ryan. You think you’re smart, don’t you?”

My throat tightened.

Oh, God.

Had he figured it out? Did he know the real reason I was here?

The silence stretched between us, and I was waiting for the worse to happen.

But then, Ricardo smirked. “I know you’re just trying to recruit your little girlfriend to work for me.”

A sharp exhale left my lips.

Oh, thank God. That wasn’t where he was going with this.

“Well,” I said, forcing my voice to stay calm, “you never specified what kind of people you needed.”

Ricardo’s gaze flickered toward Bella. He studied her for a moment before turning back to me. “Is she even capable of working for me?”

Bella’s whole body was trembling. The gun was still pointed at her, her breath coming out in uneven gasps. But when Ricardo asked again, she swallowed hard and nodded.

“Y-yeah.”

Ricardo’s smirk widened. “Good.”

Then, after a beat, he shifted his head. “And will you be able to cope with me fucking your boyfriend in front of you?”

The air in the room shifted.

Bella stiffened. My vision went red.

What the fuck…

“That’s enough,” I snapped before Bella could even process what he had just said. “You…”

Before I could finish, Ricardo lifted his gun and fired into the ceiling. The sharp crack of the shot sent Bella flinching, her breath hitching as she clutched my arm.

Ricardo turned his icy stare on me. “If you open your mouth one more time, Ryan, the next bullet goes into her skull.”

My entire body locked up.

I clenched my fists so tightly that my nails bit into my palms. Every fiber of my being screamed at me to tear him apart, but I couldn’t move. Not with Bella standing there, frozen in fear.

Ricardo turned back to her, completely unbothered. He studied her for a second, then signaled with a flick of his fingers. “Answer me.”

Bella’s lips trembled. She was shaking so badly that I wanted to reach for her, to pull her behind me… but I knew better than to push Ricardo right now.

“N-No, I… I don’t mind.”

Ricardo grinned, satisfied. Then, with a snap of his fingers, he turned on his heel and strode toward the door.

His men followed, filing out like they hadn’t just threatened to put a bullet in Bella’s head.

The door slammed shut behind them.

Silence.

For a moment, neither of us moved.

Then, Bella let out a shuddering breath and collapsed onto the couch, her hands gripping her knees.

I crouched in front of her, my hands cupping her face. “Bella, baby, look at me.”

I exhaled sharply, pressing my forehead against hers. “I’m so fucking sorry.”

She clutched onto me, her fingers curling into my shirt, trying to anchor herself. “Ryan…” Her voice broke. “What the hell have we gotten ourselves into?”

**************

We had barely settled into the building when I realized I couldn't let this slide.

Bella hadn’t spoken to me properly since Ricardo and his men left. She’d barely looked at me, answering my questions with short nods and muttered responses. The distance between us was growing, and I couldn’t start with this… not when she was the only one I could rely on here.

I ran a hand through my hair, exhaling sharply.

No. I couldn’t be treated like this.

Ricardo might be in charge, but I wasn’t some low-level pawn he could toy with. If I was going to survive here long enough to find out who was responsible for my mother’s death, I needed to establish some boundaries.

And I needed to talk to Bella… really talk to her… but that wouldn’t happen while she was still shaken up.

I pushed up from the edge of the bed, heading for the room.

Before I could get to his door, one of the gang members blocked my path.

He was tall, built like a tank, with a tattoo crawling up the side of his neck. His dark eyes swept over me, full of suspicion. “Where do you think you’re going?”

I met his stare evenly. “I need to talk to Ricardo.”

His expression remained blank. “And who the fuck are you?”

I clenched my jaw, keeping my temper in check. “The newly allocated doctor.”

He let his gaze drag over me, sizing me up. For a long moment, I thought he’d turn me away, but then he stepped aside.

“Go.” he growled. “But don’t waste his time.”

I didn’t bother responding. I strode past him, my fists tightening at my sides.

I didn’t care if Ricardo was the leader of this operation.

He wasn’t going to treat me like I was nothing.

I knocked twice, my knuckles rapping sharply against the heavy wooden door.

A beat passed before Ricardo called out, “Enter.”

Pushing the door open, I stepped in to find him pacing the room, phone pressed to his ear, his face twisted with frustration.

“I don’t care what it takes,” he snapped. “Fix it, or I’ll find someone who can.”

A pause. Then, with a final growl of irritation, he ended the call and tossed his phone onto the desk.

To my surprise, as he turned to face me, his lips curled into a smirk.

“Ryan,” he drawled, gesturing for me to come closer. “Good to see you.”

I didn’t move. “I have rules if you want me here.”

His smirk widened. “Rules? Interesting. Go on.”

I stepped forward just enough to meet his gaze head-on. “I need to be respected.”

Ricardo raised his brows, and then he let out a chuckle. “Respect?”

He leaned back against his desk, crossing his arms. “No, actually. I don’t respect just anyone.”

His words weren’t surprising, but they confirmed what I already knew… this conversation was going nowhere.

Fine.

I exhaled, turning on my heel. If he wasn’t going to listen, I’d stop wasting my time. From now on, I’d handle things my way.

I took one step.

Then another.

Before I could take a third, a sudden blow struck the back of my neck, sending a sharp jolt of pain down my spine.

I stumbled forward, my vision blurring for half a second.

“No one turns their back on me.”

Ricardo spoke calmly as he massaged his fists.

That was it.

I had enough.

Without thinking, I spun around and threw a punch, my fist slamming into his face with a force that sent him staggering back against the desk.

Oh God… what had I done?