Page 12

SERGIO

It was about to go down. Just a few minutes and I would be able to breathe.

I stood in front of the buyers in the abandoned warehouse, a place I had chosen because of its distance from the town and multiple exits. It was a tactic I had learned in this business. The number of exits in a location sometimes determines if you would come out alive. I kept my voice calm and steady. They didn’t look like the trusting type, and frankly, I wasn’t in the mood to coddle them.

This was business, and right now, no one could be trusted. Not even your shadow. I peeked a glimpse at Mirella. She seemed unfazed. She sure knew how to handle herself in a tense situation. She didn’t even let off that “It is my first time” attitude. Most newbies in the game do.

“The shipment’s here,” I said assertively, gesturing toward the crates stacked against the wall. “Premium quality, exactly what you’re paying for.”

The lead buyer, a wiry man with a scar running down his cheek, took a step forward. His gaze flicked to the crates, then back to me. “We don’t pay for talk. Let’s see it.”

Ryan was standing off to my side, his hand twitching near his holster. Mirella was behind me, quiet but present, and I could feel her eyes on me. I’d been stealing glances at her all day, and every time, it threw me off just a little.

“Open it,” I ordered one of my men, keeping my voice even. The top of the nearest crate was pried off, revealing what we were selling.

The buyer stepped forward, inspecting the contents. He didn’t speak for a moment, but his expression gave nothing away. “Not bad,” he finally said.

I didn’t let myself relax. “Not bad doesn’t pay bills. Do we have a deal or not?”

He looked at his partner, a thick-necked man who hadn’t said a word since we arrived. They exchanged a nod. “We’ll take it. Transfer’s ready.”

Before I could respond, a faint sound reached my ears—the crunch of gravel outside the warehouse. My instincts kicked in immediately. Something wasn’t right.

I glanced at Ryan. He’d heard it too. “Stay sharp,” I muttered under my breath. He nodded. It could be nothing, but it was better we stayed at alert.

“Let’s get this…” I was about to conclude when all hell broke loose.

The first shot rang out like a crack of thunder, and the buyers dove for cover, shouting curses. I grabbed Mirella without thinking, pulling her down behind a stack of crates as bullets started flying.

“Stay here,” I told her sharply.

Her wide eyes met mine, but she nodded, pressing herself against the wood. I turned back to the chaos, my gun already in my hand.

“Ryan, take the left!” I barked.

Ryan was already moving, firing back at the shadows outside the warehouse. My men were scrambling, some returning fire, others yelling orders. It was chaos, but my focus was split between the ambush and Mirella.

Another wave of shots slammed into the crates, and I heard her gasp behind me.

“Stay down!” I shouted, keeping my voice firm.

She didn’t answer, but I could feel her tension from where I stood. The attackers were closing in, their silhouettes becoming clearer in the dim light of the warehouse.

“Who the hell are these guys?” Ryan growled as he ducked behind a pillar.

“Doesn’t matter,” I snapped, taking aim and firing. “Just keep them off us!”

My chest tightened when I realized some of the attackers were making their way toward Mirella. There wasn’t time to think.

“Cover me!” I yelled to Ryan before breaking into a sprint toward her.

Without wasting a second, I darted as I reached her. One of the attackers grabbed her arm, trying to drag her out from behind the crates.

“Let her go!” I roared, firing a shot that hit its mark. The man crumpled, and I yanked Mirella to her feet.

“You, okay?” I demanded, gripping her arms.

She nodded shakily, but her eyes darted toward the chaos. “Sergio, the shipment—”

“Screw the shipment!” I cut her off. “You’re what matters.”

I didn’t wait for her to argue. Wrapping an arm around her, I pulled her toward a side exit. The gunfire behind us was relentless, but I kept moving, shielding her as best I could.

We burst out into the night, the cold air hitting like a slap. I turned to Mirella, scanning her for injuries.

“You’re fine,” I said, more to reassure myself than her. “You’re fine.”

She was trembling, but she nodded. “I’m fine.”

Ryan stumbled out a moment later, his face twisted in anger. “They got the shipment!”

“Let them have it,” I muttered, still holding Mirella close.

Ryan stared at me like I’d lost my mind. “You’re joking. That shipment was worth—”

“I don’t care what it was worth,” I snapped. My voice was sharper than I intended, but I didn’t care. “We’re alive. That’s what matters.”

Ryan muttered something under his breath, pacing in frustration, but I tuned him out. My focus was on Mirella.

Her eyes met mine, and for a moment, everything else faded. She was safe. That was all I needed.

****

The drive back to Don Carlos’ estate was suffocatingly silent. Ryan was fuming in the front seat, Mirella sat beside me, quiet as a shadow, and I was gripping the steering wheel so tight my knuckles ached. The failed deal played on a loop in my head: the gunfire, the chaos, and the moment I chose Mirella over the shipment. It didn’t matter how justified I felt; Don Carlos wouldn’t see it that way. The man I called my father would never understand.

We pulled into the driveway, the mansion looming over us like a disapproving parent. Ryan slammed the car door shut and stalked off, muttering curses. Mirella followed me inside, her presence a steadying weight I didn’t know I needed.

The moment we stepped into Don Carlos’ office, his fury hit me like a freight train. He was pacing behind his desk, his face red and his fists clenched.

“You lost the shipment,” he spat, his voice cold. “Do you have any idea what that cost me?”

I met his glare, forcing myself to stay calm. “It wasn’t exactly a peaceful negotiation. We were ambushed.”

“Ambushed?” He slammed his hand on the desk. “You had men. You had weapons. And yet, you lost everything.”

His words stung, but I refused to back down. “I prioritized lives over goods. My men made it out alive, and so did Mirella.”

He scoffed, his gaze flicking to her briefly before locking back on me. “You’re incompetent. I trusted you with this, and you failed.”

I felt Mirella shift beside me, and before I could stop her, she stepped forward. “Don Carlos, Sergio saved my life. The situation was—"

“Enough,” he snapped, cutting her off. “This isn’t about you, Mirella. It’s about him failing to do his job. I gave him just one fucking job, but he comes here with some bullshit about all lives matter.”

Her cheeks flushed, and she stepped back, her hands balling into fists. I hated seeing her dismissed like that, but I knew better than to push Don Carlos when he was this angry.

“I’ll figure out a way to get the shipment back,” I said through gritted teeth.

“You’d better,” he snarled at me, his voice like ice. “I don’t want excuses. I want results. And if you are not up to the task let me know. I don’t want liabilities.”

With that, he stormed out of the room, leaving a suffocating silence in his wake.

I exhaled, the tension in my shoulders finally releasing. Mirella stood by the corner, her expression a mix of worry and frustration.

“You didn’t have to step in,” I told her, my voice softer now.

She crossed her arms. “I couldn’t just stand there while he tore into you.”

I didn’t respond, too tired to argue. Instead, I made my way to my room, shutting the door behind me.

****

I was sitting on the edge of my bed, staring at the faint scratch on my arm from the chaos earlier. It wasn’t much, but the sting was a reminder of the mess I’d just crawled out of. There was a knock at the door, and before I could answer, Mirella stepped in.

“You should lock your door,” she said, holding a small first-aid kit.

“I’m not hiding from anyone,” I replied, leaning back against the headboard.

She walked over and set the kit on the bed. “Let me take care of that.”

“It’s fine.”

“Stop being stubborn.”

Her tone left no room for argument, so I held out my arm, careful not to give her the arm with the tattoo. I wasn’t sure if she would still recall her hands trailing over it that night, but I couldn’t take that chance. She knelt beside me, her touch gentle as she cleaned the wound. I watched her work, the way her brows furrowed in concentration, the soft curve of her lips.

“Thank you,” I said quietly.

“For what?”

“For stepping in earlier. For this.” I gestured to my arm. “For… being here.”

She glanced up at me, her expression softening. “I should be thanking you. You saved me back there.”

I shook my head, a humorless chuckle escaping. “I didn’t even think about it. When I saw them grabbing you, the shipment didn’t matter anymore.”

Her hand paused for a moment before continuing. “Why?”

Her hand stilled on my arm, and she placed the bandage over the wound. I didn’t respond. I didn’t know how to tell her all I felt, how she was the world to me, and how I would gladly choose her over the fucking world.

That would be saying too much. It could scare her away. Instead, I chose to say nothing. She gently observed my silence, and when she saw that I was unwilling to respond, she spoke out.

“You’re not your father. You’ve built your own life and your own legacy. That’s worth more than any shipment.”

Her words hit me harder than I expected. I reached out, my hand finding hers. “You always knew what to say.”

Her cheeks flushed, and she tried to pull back, but I held on.

“You’re more than a friend, Mirella,” I blurted out before I could stop myself, my voice low. “You’ve always been more.”

She didn’t pull away this time. Instead, she leaned in just slightly, her eyes searching mine.

“I should go,” she whispered.

“Stay,” I said, the word coming out before I could stop it again. There was this edge Mirella had over me. With her, I felt safe enough to let my inner thoughts out. I felt safe to let out my struggles without the fear of being judged. “Please,” I added.

She hesitated. I could feel her resolve melting, and then, she nodded. I shifted over, making room for her on the bed. She climbed in beside me, and for a moment, we just lay there, the silence between us comforting.

I wrapped an arm around her, pulling her closer. “You asked why I chose you over the shipment.”

She tilted her head to look at me, her eyes wide and curious.

“The shipment can be replaced,” I whispered, my voice coming out a little bit shaky. “You can’t. If I had to choose again, I’d choose you every time.”

Her lips parted slightly, her gaze softening. “That’s… a lot to say.”

“It’s the truth,” I replied. It wasn’t a lot to say. It was the truth. It was exactly how she made me feel.

She rested her head on my chest, her hand resting over my heart. “Thank you for saying it.”

I pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “And I meant it. I’d take a bullet for you, Mirella. No hesitation.”

Her grip on me tightened, and for the first time in years, I felt a sense of peace I didn’t think I’d ever find.