RAVENNA~~~~~~~♤♤♤♤♤“Great. You already ordered coffee,” a tall, leggy blonde who wore a lot of pink, said, taking the seat opposite me. “Tell me you’re fucking with me. You’re not the leader of that freaky organization,” I said with a smile. “I know. I get that a lot. It’s the pink, isn’t it?” She asked, crossing her legs. The guard she brought with her sat a few tables away from us. “Yeah.” “How did you get my number?” “The motorcycle club you hired to kill Callum collected triple the amount you paid just to give us your number. Set us back a couple million.” “Nothing that will hurt your bottom line, considering the billions of dollars your family stole from us,” she said, scrutinizing her nails. “Down to business, it is. My family didn’t take your gold.” “And I’m supposed to take your word for it? Honey, I like you because we’re both females in a male-dominated field, but that doesn’t mean I trust you. Hell, I don’t even trust my gua

RAVENNA ~~~~~~~ ♤♤♤♤♤ “Before you see her, you need to agree you’re not gonna hurt her,” I said, blocking Valentino’s path to the basement.It had taken hours before the storm had blown over, and during those hours, Valentino had been a raging mess. Even now, he looked murderous. “That fucker’s got my family. Forgive me if I’m not willing to be sensible right now. If she doesn’t cooperate, she’ll force my hand.” “Calm down. I'm also worried about them, but you don't see me losing my shit.” He had gotten a text from one guard that accompanied Jasmine and Sofia that someone had attacked them on their way back from the movies, and Sofia and Jasmine had been kidnapped. With the anger boiling in his eyes, I feared for Alaina and what he might do to her. “You said you didn’t put your hands on women.” “Not when that woman is the only key to finding two of the people I care the most about. Both Sofia and Jasmine might have come at the wrong time,

RAVENNA~~~~~~~♤♤♤♤♤“This doesn’t look like anyone is here,” Cruz said, walking around the front of the car to stand next to me. “He said he’s inside. He’s probably up in his apartment,” I said, moving towards the slightly ajar gate. “I have a bad feeling about this,” Cruz said as we made our way into the warehouse. “Relax. It’s just Drake.” I made a beeline for the stairs that led to his apartment. I knocked on the door several times, but there was no reply from inside. “I think we should get the fuck out of here. If someone’s in here, there has to be movement inside. No one is in here.” I distinctly recalled Alaina punching in the code to the apartment the first time we came up here together. I moved my fingers over the numbers, hoping I didn’t get it wrong. Luckily, I got it right, and I opened the door, walking into the dark apartment. There was a blur of movement in front of me, but before I could pull out my phone to turn on the flash

VALENTINO ~~~~~~~~♧♧♧♧♧♧“It didn’t escape my notice that you ate nothing. Are you sick?” I asked, startling Ravenna, who was cleaning up her kitchen. “You actually noticed that when you and Drake were glaring at each other all night? Shocking,” she drawled, returning to wiping down the counters. “I was staring at Alaina. He grew overprotective. Sue me.” “The answer to who and where her mother is will not be slapped on her face,” Ravenna said with amusement. It was surprising that she knew what had been on my mind while I’d been staring at Alaina. She was the only one who could disclose her mother’s whereabouts, and she was proving stubborn. “I got the who part figured out. I’m more worried about the where part.” “Really? Who’s her mother?” “She used to work for your mother. Aria said to ask Leonardo, but I have no way of reaching him.” “So you need my help,” Ravenna concluded. I nodded my agreement. “I do.” “I’m afraid I can’t

VALENTINO ~~~~~~~~♧♧♧♧♧♧I came to a halt when I found Fiore on a chair, Ilda on her knees next to him with his gun pointed at her head. Where the hell was Leonardo? “Surprised to see me here this early? I know I’m an hour early, so why don’t we get this meeting started?” He asked, his lips curling up in a sly smile. “Please, Tino. Just give him whatever he wants. I don’t want him to kill me,” Ilda wailed, tears streaming down her cheeks. She had bruises around her neck and on her arms. They looked new, which meant he took her recently. “I’m giving you one last chance to come with me, son. There is no going back. Staying on Ravenna’s side will only lead to your death.” “This isn’t only about Ravenna. This is about me, Ciro, Sofia, Aria, and all other people you’ve caused pain. Do you know the shit you put Aria through?” “Not enough, seeing as she was still chasing your dick about. What? Did she finally give you her pussy? Is that why you’re tak