DETECTIVE JOHNI rubbed a hand down my face and leaned back in my chair, staring at the wall in front of me like it might start talking.The board was a mess.Photos. Notes. Red strings connecting people who shouldn't have ever crossed paths. And in the middle of it… Bella.What the hell was she doing in that building?I reached for the file again, flipping it open like I hadn’t already read it five times tonight. My coffee had gone cold. It was already late. But sleep wasn’t happening… not with this puzzle jabbing at my brain like a thorn under skin.Bella. Ryan. Ricardo.What was the connection?Bella was supposed to be Ryan’s girlfriend, right? That’s what I’d heard. But then I found out Ryan used to strip at a club Lena managed. Why was he in that building posing as a damn doctor?I dragged a hand through my hair, sighing.None of it made sense.Ryan’s mother had died in the crossfire of a gang clash between Ricardo’s crew and their rivals, the Cortega family. That much I’d confi
RAFAEL"All the goods in their right warehouses already?" I asked, leaning against the hood of the black SUV, my arms crossed, eyes on Marco.He gave a single nod, chewing on a toothpick. "Yeah. Everything’s sorted. Westport, Edenville, and South Ridge. Tight security, all tagged and locked down.""Good." I shifted my gaze to the man under the hood, his sleeves rolled up, hands greased, wiping sweat from his brow."How’s the car?"The mechanic straightened and gave a slight shrug. "Running well now. But she’ll need a service in a few weeks… oil, filters, the usual. She’s been pushed hard lately."I nodded. “Fine. We’ll bring her in.”The guy nodded, then glanced at me with a small grin. “How’s your brother, Ricardo?”I paused, then gave a subtle smile. “He’s good.”“Tell him I said hey. Been a long time since I saw him. We used to run into each other a lot back in the day.”“I’ll let him know,” I said, already stepping toward the passenger side. “He’ll appreciate that.”With a flick
RYAN“Where are we going?” I asked, watching the city lights blur past the windows.Ricardo’s grip on the wheel was steady. “Chill,” he said smoothly. “We’ll be there soon.”He reached over with one hand and took mine, his thumb rubbing small circles into my palm. The tension that had been coiled tight in my chest since Lena showed up slowly began to unwind. I exhaled and leaned back against the seat, letting the hum of the car and the feel of his touch calm me.“I’m glad you’re here with me now,” Ricardo said after a pause. “I’ve waited a long time for this.”“For what?” I asked.“For you to stop running,” he replied. “To stop hiding from who you are. From what you could be.” He glanced at me briefly, a gentle smile playing on his lips. “And I can’t wait to teach you everything.”I didn’t respond. Just stared out the window, wondering what the hell I’d gotten myself into.Minutes later, we pulled into a wide, gated compound. No sign on the outside. Just a tall concrete wall and a st
RYANSteam still clung to my skin as I stepped out of the bathroom, towel in my hand and hair damp. I was drying my chest with lazy strokes when I walked into the room and nearly jumped out of my damn skin.Rafael was sitting on my bed, his legs crossed, completely comfortable like he’d been there for hours. His eyes flicked up from his phone… and landed right on my dick.“Dude!” I quickly yanked the towel around my waist, glaring at him. “Ever heard of knocking?”Rafael grinned, completely unbothered. “Ever heard of pants?”I rolled my eyes, turning to grab a T-shirt off the dresser. “What are you even doing in here?”“Came to check up on you earlier. You weren’t around,” he said with a shrug, dropping his phone to the side. “So I figured I’d wait till you came back. How are you feeling now?”“Better. Went out with Ricardo.”His eyebrows lifted slightly. “Oh?”“Yeah. He took me to some training center. Said it’s time I learned how to survive in his world.” I pulled on the shirt, stil
RYANI couldn’t remember the last time I laughed that much. Rafael had dragged me all over the damn city and I had a blast. And what’s more… I was starting to like how both brothers were into me. Like, really into me. Just a little more time, a few more pushes… and I’d have them exactly where I wanted.Rafael nudged my shoulder with his on our way through the front door. “We should do this more often,” he said with a lopsided grin.I shot him a smirk. “Oh, for sure. I really had a great day.”Rafael smiled as he slipped his fingers between mine. “Thank you… for doing this with me,” he said softly, his thumb brushing against my knuckles.I didn’t pull away.He stepped in closer, his free hand gently resting on my waist as he leaned in and pecked my lips. “Goodnight,” he whispered against my lips, then pulled back with a smile that made something twist in my chest.I watched him walk down the hallway, disappearing into his room with the quiet click of his door shutting behind him.I t
RICARDOI couldn’t believe it.Who the hell had the guts to attack us like this?The shots kept coming, making the whole damn car shudder around us. My men outside fired back, but it was clear… we were outgunned. Outnumbered. Trapped."Stay down!" I barked at Ryan again as I peered through the shattered window.Then a voice thundered over the chaos."RICARDO!"I froze.I knew that voice.Matteo.My blood boiled instantly."We have you surrounded," Matteo shouted. "You and your little crew. Come out now, or we end every last one of you!"Ryan was trembling beside me, breathing hard, his hands gripping the edge of the seat so tight his knuckles turned white.I reached out, placed a steady hand on his lap. "Look at me," I called out. "Stay calm. You hear me? Stay calm, Ryan. I got this."His wild eyes locked onto mine, and after a shaky breath, he nodded.Good.I snatched up my phone and dialed fast… Rafael's number.He answered immediately, gunfire echoing on his end too."Ricardo! We’
RYANRicardo’s gaze snapped toward me. "What?" My heart hammered against my ribs. I needed to think fast… say something that wouldn't raise suspicion.Because the truth?It was Lucas who helped me. Helped me find my way into Ricardo's home. Sure, I wasn’t doing exactly what Lucas wanted anymore, but deep down, a part of me still didn't want to stand here and watch Ricardo end him.I swallowed hard, forcing my voice steady."Killing Lucas would be too easy," I said quickly, meeting Ricardo’s dark, burning stare. "Way too easy for what he’s done."Ricardo cocked his head slightly,"Go on."I exhaled slowly."Lucas burned down your warehouse. He threatened you, humiliated you. If you kill him now, that's giving him an escape. A mercy."I paused, seeing Ricardo’s eyes narrow just a fraction."But if you take from him," I said carefully, "bit by bit, destroy everything he built, everything he loves... and make him watch it crumble? That’s real suffering. That’s worse than death."A slow,
RYANWe got back from the meeting, and the weirdest part wasn’t the silence.It was the looks.Everyone was still shell-shocked, glancing at each other like they were all waiting for someone else to explain what the hell had happened back there.But no one could.It was like they all knew they had witnessed something... wrong.Something that bent the rules of reality itself.But trying to put it into words?Impossible.So they didn’t.Nobody asked questions.Nobody spoke.We just walked.Straight into the house.Straight past the guards who pretended like they didn't notice the blood still drying on our clothes.And honestly?There was something almost... fun about it.Knowing it was just me and Ricardo who actually knew what had happened out there.Everyone else was left in the dark, fumbling for answers they'd never find.I was halfway down the hall, about to reach my room, when I felt a hand close around my wrist.I turned sharply.Ricardo."Come with me," he whispered.I didn’t he
RYANI opened my eyes slowly, the lights above me a blur of white and shadow. The smell hit me first, then the beeping. Rhythmic.I blinked, heart thudding in my chest as the walls spun.Where…?My breath caught in my throat.The chair. The wires. The burning pain. The sound of my own screams.I was still there.I was still…“No!” I gasped, jerking upright, my arms flailing, chest heaving like I was drowning.“Ryan!” a voice cried. Soft hands pressed against my shoulders, trying to steady me. “It’s okay… hey, look at me. Look at me, sweetheart, it’s Elena. You’re safe now. You’re in the hospital.”My eyes locked onto her face. Blurry at first, then slowly sharpening into focus.“Elena…” I choked out, my throat raw. “I… I thought…”“I know,” she whispered, brushing a damp strand of hair from my forehead. “I know what they did. But you’re okay now. You’re out. You’re safe.”I wanted to believe her. I wanted to melt into that safety, let her words anchor me. But my body was still shaking
RICARDOI stumbled back and hit the floor hard, but I didn’t feel it.What the hell had I done?My breathing turned ragged, shallow, like my lungs couldn’t remember how to work. My hands trembled as I stared at the spot where Ryan had been… blood-stained, broken, barely holding on. And it was me. I did that. I fucking did that.I gripped my hair, dragging my fingers down my skull like I could tear the guilt out of me.“Fuck,” I muttered. “Fuck… fuck, fuck!”My voice echoed off the walls, but it didn’t make me feel any less hollow.I thought he wanted me dead. I really believed that. After everything I’d given him… every piece of myself I let him see, every wall I let down… I thought he was playing me. That he'd been waiting for the perfect moment to twist the knife.And now?Now I find out he was innocent.I’d hurt him.Nearly killed him.All because of Marco’s lie. Because I couldn’t see past my own damn paranoia.I slammed my fist into the concrete. Pain shot up my arm, but I didn’t
RAFAELI watched as Ricardo stumbled back, the weight of Elena’s words hitting him like a gut punch. For a moment, he looked like he might collapse right there on the cold concrete floor. His breathing came in ragged bursts as the paper Elena held trembled in her hand.“Bring the chef,” Ricardo barked, his voice hoarse and raw with disbelief. “Now!”I stared at him, disgusted. “If you’d learned to control your temper,” I snapped, “you wouldn’t be jumping to conclusions like a goddamn lunatic. Look at what you did.”He didn’t respond.Couldn’t.Guilt had already begun chewing at his insides. Good.I rushed to Ryan’s side. His body was limp, slick with sweat and smeared blood, but he was breathing… barely.“Elena, help me,” I said.She dropped to her knees beside me, gently easing one of the wires off his arm as I worked on the rest.Ryan winced weakly, his eyes fluttering open just enough to register our faces. “Rafael…” he croaked.“Shh,” I muttered, swallowing the tight knot in my th
ELENAI looked at Rafael, and for a split second, the disgust I’d been suppressing twisted inside me like bile rising up my throat.Almost everyone in this godforsaken house reeked of secrets… rotten motives, false loyalties, and buried truths so deep they thought no one would dig them up. Ricardo with his obsession for control. Marco, pretending to be harmless while cloaked in shadows. Bella, hiding behind silence and feigned concern. Even Rafael wasn’t left out.I forced a breath, composing myself before the emotions showed on my face. I had to stay sharp.Rafael was still staring at me, waiting.“It’s Marco,” I said flatly.His eyes widened. “What?”His thoughts screamed louder than his voice;Who the hell was this girl, and how did she know it was him? See her here spouting nonsense.I almost laughed. Idiot. He didn’t even try to hide his disbelief.I forced a small smile instead. “Yes. Marco. It’s him.”He opened his mouth, probably to challenge me again, but I turned away. “Com
RAFAELI tried to stand up, but the room tilted violently around me."Damn it," I muttered, clutching my head as a wave of dizziness nearly knocked me over. I collapsed back onto the mattress, groaning as a sharp pain exploded at the back of my skull.What the hell?I sat up slowly this time, blinking through the blur in my vision until the outlines of my room came into focus.Wait… this is my bed.How did I get here?And then it hit me.Ricardo.His men.He really ordered them to knock me out?What the actual hell is wrong with him?I reached back and touched the throbbing spot behind my head, my fingers coming away sticky with half-dried blood. A growl rumbled in my throat.Ryan.My heart leapt.Shit… Ryan.I swung my legs off the bed, ready to jump up and storm out…And froze.There was someone sitting by the window.A woman.She was perched on the armrest of the sofa, legs crossed, staring out into the garden “Who the hell are you?” I snapped, still too disoriented to filter my to
RYANRicardo didn’t answer me.Instead, he turned slightly and snapped his fingers at one of the guards standing by the door."Bring in the chef," he barked, and that made my stomach twist tighter.A few seconds later, the door swung open again and in rushed a woman in a white chef's jacket, her hands trembling, her eyes darting between me and Ricardo like she already knew she was standing in the middle of a war zone."Tell him," Ricardo growled. "Tell Ryan exactly what you told me."The chef swallowed hard, wringing her hands."I…" she squeaked, then cleared her throat and tried again."Yesterday, while I was taking Ricardo's dinner up to his room... Ryan stopped me in the hallway."I stiffened."What?" I said sharply, but she didn’t even glance at me."He said..." she continued, voice shaking, "he said Ricardo had ordered something special for the night. That he… Ryan… had made changes to the meal based on Ricardo's new preference."She squeezed her eyes shut for half a second, as i
RYANThe crack of it echoed off the sterile walls.My head snapped to the side from the force of the slap.I let out a low whistle under my breath, slowly turning my face back toward her."What the hell do you take me for, Ryan?" she spat, her chest heaving."You think I'm some replaceable toy you can just toss aside when you're bored? You dare bring a replacement for me right under my nose?"Her voice was shaking with anger, I kept my face unreadable, even as my jaw tensed.She jabbed a finger into my chest. "I’m done playing by your rules. You hear me? I'm going to Ricardo. I'm telling him everything I know."A slow, dangerous smile crept across my lips."Okay, you're free to do that.” I said casually.Bella’s eyes widened, thrown by how calm I was."Yeah," I said, leaning down a little so we were eye-level. "Go ahead, Bella. Run to Ricardo. Tell him everything."I let the words hang for a beat, then added. "And when you do, I'll make sure he knows that you were the one who installe
RYANThe shrill ring of my phone jolted me out of sleep.Groaning, I slapped around blindly on the nightstand, knocking over a half-empty water bottle and a pack of gum before finally snagging the vibrating device.I squinted at the screen, my brain still foggy.Elena.Who the hell is Elena?Oh. Right.The doctor.The pretty lady with perfect aim who I somehow convinced yesterday to work for me.I thumbed the green button and pressed the phone to my ear."Yeah?" My voice came out rough and groggy."Hey," Elena said brightly. "I’m at the gate."For a second, my brain struggled to compute what she meant.Gate? What gate?Then it clicked.The building."Shit. Uh… right," I mumbled, sitting up and scrubbing a hand over my face. "Give me a sec. I’m coming."I ended the call and let the phone fall onto the bed beside me.For a moment, I just sat there, blinking into the dim light of my room, still half-asleep and fully stunned.She actually came.She actually agreed.Even after I told her s
RYAN"Marco," I said, "I don't trust him."Ricardo frowned, looking confused. "What are you talking about?"I sat up a little, rubbing the back of my neck. "I don't know exactly. It's just... I've been seeing some weird behavior lately. Feels off."Ricardo let out a short laugh, shaking his head like I was being ridiculous. "You're overthinking it, pretty boy. Marco’s been with me for years. Him and Matteo... before Matteo decided to be a backstabbing little shit."He chuckled again, but softer this time. "I can vouch for Marco. Or maybe it’s just his cold-ass demeanor. He’s always been like that. Makes you feel like he's planning to kill you in your sleep when he’s really just deciding what sandwich he wants."I gave a tight smile, but inside, my stomach twisted.Oh, if only you knew, I thought grimly.If only you knew who Marco really is… what he really wants from you."Alright," I said, forcing lightness into my voice as I stretched my arms overhead. "If you say so, bossman. But I