Page 94 of Bound By Flames

Thirty of my men were surrounding the perimeter, there was no chance for the men in there to come out alive. I was kneeled next to Carter and Blank under a window that had a direct clean shot to Nero. Ash, Shadow and the others were covering all the exits.

It was going to be clean, fast and bloody.

The pressure in my lungs was rising and pressing down on my chest like a tonne of bricks. It couldn't go wrong. I had led my men there, with their trust and their loyalty, I had to get them out of here alive, too.

Vox, who was situated on the opposite side of the warehouse, reached to me with our earpiece.

“Still sure about keeping him alive?” he asks. I had thought this through. Killing him was a matter of time, but we had to be smart and interrogate him first. Nero had many connections with the Italian mafia and I needed to gather all the intel I could if I wanted a chance at taking his cities back without heading blind into the hands of the mafia which was significant enough to represent a true threat to the Raven Sons. They had more men, more ressources, and weren't keen on newcomers. Nero would have no other choice but to talk in our basement and give us his suppliers, clients and all the fucking dirt he had on all of them.

Leverage.

That’s what was the best currency in our world and he was about to give me plenty of.

“I want him alive. For the others…no survivors,” I repeat, flexing my hand ‘cause fuck, it would have been sweet to see hisneck snap and fall on his chest. Guess I'll have to wait longer to get the satisfaction.

He had threatened the club and our families.

And Mia.

A clean shot wouldn't do for him. I would handle him personally and make sure he would die without a single centimeters of skin remaining on his battered body.

“They’re moving, boss. Do you authorize the shot?” says Tank in my earpiece.

Nero stood, buttoning his shiny navy Italian suits and shaking the guy's hand.

The party was over.

I had enough for the night, and I wanted to come back to my little tornado and pull her in my arms in the comfort ofourbed.

Three words.

That's all she was asking for her to let go.

To stay.

And still, I was petrified of pronouncing them out loud.

My phone vibrated in my pocket, the unique pattern I had chosen when Mia was calling.

Was she okay?

“Can’t really talk right now. What do you need, princess ?” We were about to launch the assault, and yet, I needed to make sure my girl was safe before moving a single muscle, even if my enemy was starting to move and potentially disappear from our sight.

“Target is moving, prez. What do we do?” says Shadow in the earpiece.

“Boss, we need to act now before he sees us,” Tank urges me.

“I've got him in a clear shot, do I have the go ahead?” Vox asks hurriedly.

My guys were shouting at me now, urging me to fucking decide. Yet, Mia’s safety was the only matter my blood was pulsing for.

“I think—I think there’s someone behind the door,” she says, her sweet little voice strained, panicked. Checking my notifications, I notice one of my guys making rounds upstairs.

“It’s Cal, one of my men. He’s making rounds. I got all of them tracked and reporting to me every fifteen minutes,” I tell her as calmly as I can despite my men shouting in my ear.

“Rea-really?” Relief washes over her, and at that second I wish I could kiss her hair and tell her she's safe.

“You’re safe, princess. Go back to sleep. I’ll be there soon,” I say, holding the barrel of my Glock right in the direction of Nero. The gun was heavy with bullets, all wearing his name.