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I stubbedout my cigarette in the ashtray on my desk. It had been eight fucking hours since Ana left. Red informed me she was safebut didn’t disclose where. I wasn’t sure if he felt the need to keep her safe. Whether he was protecting her from me was unknown.

“Lorenzo.” There was a soft tap at the office door, which was accompanied by the voice of my mother.

“Yeah?”

She took that as a sign to enter. The second she stepped inside, my eyes found her face, and I knew something was off.

“What do I owe the pleasure of such an early visit?” I rubbed at my temples, squeezing my eyes shut.

“Oh, I just came to see my daughter-in-law, actually.” She remained expressionless. There wasn’t even a hint of her usual smile. Although, she didn’t feel I deserved one these days.

“She’s not here.” I lit another cigarette, wanting to be on my own.

“I know she’s not here, Lorenzo,” she snapped, slapping her palm on my desk. “She stayed the night at my house.” She narrowed her gaze at me, and my heart stopped for a split second.

“Your house?” I whispered, taken aback as to why Red would have dropped her off there.

“Yes, my house.” She snatched the cigarette from my lips and stubbed it out. “Red brought her to me. She had nowhere to go because my son, the one I raised to show at least a little compassion, let her fucking walk out at one in the morning!”

“She had another man in here.” I muttered, standing slowly.

“No. She didn’t and you know it.” She shoved her finger towards me. “You… I am disgusted with you,” she seethed. “That woman felt as though she couldn’t even go to her own father because of what he did.”

“Okay.” I shrugged, wanting her to leave. I already felt guilty enough, I didn’t need her rubbing salt in the wound.

“Wow. Your father drained any compassion you once had and you let him.” She sighed. “You should have seen the stateof her when Red knocked on my door, but then again, you don’t care.”

“Where is she now?” I asked.

“At mine, asleep.” Her voice turned calmer, but she was still pissed with me.

“You left her alone?”

“You have no room to talk about leaving her alone, Lorenzo.” She turned her back to me. “Red is there, guards are there, and as will I be by the time she wakes up.”

“So, you’re going to run to the daughter of a man who killed your husband?” I asked as she turned around and backhanded my cheek.

“Watch your fucking mouth,” she screamed. “Anastacia is innocent in all this, yet you want to hurt a good woman, and for what? For your pride? For revenge over something she had no clue about?” She stepped closer to me, jabbing her finger at my chest. “You might think you can break that woman, but mark my words, you won’t. So, either sort yourself out and give it a real chance or let her go.” That was her ultimatum? Really?

“Shut the door on your way out,” I ordered, turning away from her.

“Kill her father. Make yourself feel better or superior, but in the end, you’ll have nothing. She will leave you, and I’ll help her,” she threatened, and I knew she wasn’t bluffing. “You’re just like your father.” She sighed. “And unfortunately, that’s not a compliment.”

I knew it wasn’t a compliment, he was nowhere near an angel.

“If you want an update on your wife, I suggest you call Red, because you’ll get nothing out of me.” She slammed the door behind her, leaving me with nothing other than my fucked up thoughts.

The dimly litwarehouse reeked of sweat, blood, and the acrid smell of fear. I stood before Ryker, rage surging through me as his head drooped forwards, his chin hitting his chest.

The poor son of a bitch was bound to a chair in the centre of the room. He was a mess of bruises and blood. A beautiful sight. His once proud frame was slumped, his defiance the only thing keeping him alive. I leaned into him, my face inches from his. “Still not going to talk, huh?” I teased my blade between my fingers as his eyes met the steel. “You think you can cross me without consequences?”

Gino and Emmet grinned like hyenas from behind me, Ryker’s blood staining their hands.

“So, tell me, who paid you to do me over?” I trailed the blade across his chest before sinking it into his skin. The tear of flesh echoed the warehouse, and it was the most beautiful fucking sound.

“Fuck!” Ryker roared through the pain, his chest heaving as his breathing turned ragged.

He refused to break, refused to give me the names I wanted, and the satisfaction of hearing him beg. “Talk, you piece of shit,” I bellowed, slamming my fist into Ryker’s gut. His body convulsed against the restraints as he gagged. “Do you really think silence will save you?” I hissed. “You’re already a fucking dead man. You just don’t know when it’ll happen.” I glanced back to Emmet who strode over with his burning cigar in hand. “Last chance, Ryker.”