00. Prologue

⚠️DISCLAIMER

THIS STORY IS A FORBIDDEN, EROTIC, AND DARK ROMANCE INTENDED FOR MATURE AUDIENCES ONLY (18+).

IT CONTAINS GRAPHIC SEXUAL CONTENT, PSYCHOLOGICAL MANIPULATION, VIOLENCE, AND MORALLY GREY CHARACTERS.

SOME SCENES MAY BE DISTURBING OR TRIGGERING TO CERTAIN READERS.

THEMES EXPLORED INCLUDE POWER IMBALANCE, OBSESSION, MANIPULATION, AND REDEMPTION IN A SETTING WHERE MORALITY IS BLURRED AND EMOTIONS RUN DANGEROUSLY DEEP.

PLEASE PROCEED ONLY IF YOU ARE COMFORTABLE WITH DARK, INTENSE, AND TABOO STORYTELLING.

READER DISCRETION IS STRONGLY ADVISED.

PROLOGUE

Kieran

~~~~~

It was time. I had waited for years, months, days, hours, minutes, and seconds that stretched into what felt like an eternity.

Russo’s men were gathered from the distance, with guns placed firmly on their hips. They didn’t even notice me; I simply stood there, watching them, my eyes tracing every movement, every gesture, as if memorizing the moment before it'll fall apart.

I moved towards the edge, carefully to avoid any suspicion. I was nervous, my fingers tightening at my sides, my heart beating steady beneath the cold surface of my chest.

I moved towards them till I came into view. Russo was threatening the guy who owed him some money.

His men pulled the trigger to shoot but a loud shot was heard before they could pull the trigger.

I smiled realising my plan was already beginning to surface.

The police lights flashed cutting through the dark alley, and the wail of sirens tore across the street, Russo's men began giving orders.

I scanned the crowd, sweeping over every face, trying to search for his son — Vicente.

The boy whom I was only a few years older than. Who had treated me like a real friend, who had trusted me, who had laughed at my jokes, who had leaned silently on my presence, calling me his right hand man when his dad passes his empire to him.

He should have been near his father, but he was nowhere to be found. Where was he?

My chest tightened, and my fingers curled instinctively. I stepped forward trying to search for him to pull him out from this but he was nowhere to be found.

I could hear the police giving orders, Russo men didn't look scared at all, they were about to shoot when Russo shaked his head signalling them not to.

I moved through the chaos, scanning, searching, my eyes refusing to settle on anything but to find Vincente. But still nothing, it was like he wasn't even here.

He was not near the car. Not at the edge of the alley. Not anywhere.

I ran back towards Russo, he was smiling at me when I halted, he placed a gun on the debtor's head and pulled the trigger, his blood spattering in different sides.

The police looked as shock, the same way I looked right now. His men were pointing guns at some police men.

Russo nodded at one beside him and I couldn't help the fear that gnawed in me. They all shut guns in the air, running but leaving Russo behind.

He stood his ground, his eyes not leaving mine, not even the freaky creepy smile he had left his face.

He pulled the gun to his head, his smile falling, then he muttered in a low whisper that I and a few police men nearby could catch, "You think you had it all figured out Hale? Just wait till I tell you who rules." and with that, he pulled the trigger on his head, his blood splashing everywhere even on my face.

Panicked wash over me as I noticed one thing. He had it all in control, I was just the puppet playing this game and he was just playing along with me.

He knew all this while that I have been bent on betraying him, he knew my origin, he knew my parents.

I could now figure out why I was the only one chosen in the orphanage out of all the good kids

What the hell have I done?