Vanessa A shiver courses down my spine as a shadow crosses his face. "Fuck," he mutters before touching the inside of his ear. "Leo, I've got Vanessa. Have you found Sal?" The shadow deepens. "And?" After hearing Leo's response, Diego curses again, his features contorting with rage. "What happened?" I whisper, my pulse quickening with each passing second. Before he can answer, Danny shouts from the top of the stairs. "Jefe, we've wiped out everyone here. Brian said someone called the police, and they're on their way. We gotta leave, pronto." Diego turns to me, his eyes reflecting a mix of hurt and vulnerability. "Are you coming with me, Mama? Or do you want to make me hunt you down? A rush of warmth spreads through my chest. "I want to go home, Diego." His lips curve with a small smile. "Thank you," he whispers. With me still cradled in his arms, Diego carries me up the stairs, where a gather of familiar faces awaits us. Camila flashes me a wide grin, while Danny's us
Diego"How's Vanessa holding up, Diego?" Leo asks, leaning against the door of my office.My gaze drifts to the window, where my wife sits on her usual bench, her figure small against the expanse of the garden. She stares out at the pond that I had built for her after she lost her sister nearly a month ago. Danny stands nearby, silently watching over her. She spends most of her time out there now while I stand by, feeling utterly fucking helpless as I watch the woman that I love drown in her grief and trauma. I'm at a complete loss. She barely acknowledges my presence. She recoils from my touch, refusing even the most simple gestures of affection. The only time I'm allowed to hold her is when she's ensnared in the grip of her nightmares, crying and screaming for my brother to stop hurting her. At this point, I'd give up anything to erase her pain, and bring her back to me.With my heart sinking like a lead weight, I finally respond, "She's not getting any better, if that's what you'r
Diego "I'm not hungry," Vanessa repeats in a monotone tone. Frustration and hurt bubbles within me, but I swallow them down, taking a deep breath to force myself to remain calm. "Vanessa." I slowly reach out, extending my hand to her, but she flinches away as if my skin is coated in poison. The action fucking stings, but I'm used to her rejection. "Can I at least sit down?" I ask, my voice tight with the desperate plea. I hold my breath, waiting for her response, until she finally nods, her movements stiff and reluctant. I settle beside her, allowing my gaze to wander out onto the garden. I may have hired the gardeners, but this is all her creation. The array of flowers remind me so much of the happy, carefree side she showed me during our honeymoon. That time seems like a lifetime ago. I don't even miss sex as much as I miss her willingly submitting and trusting me. "Mama, I can't help you unless you talk to me," I say quietly, "Or fuck, if you won't talk to me, will you at lea
DiegoI stare at Vanessa like she has three goddamn heads as we stand facing each other. "I'm sorry...what did you just say to me?" I ask calmly, but with a dangerous edge to my voice.Vanessa doesn't flinch. With defiance blazing in her eyes, she meets my gaze head on. "I said I want a divorce, Diego. She repeats the words coldly as if they mean nothing to her. "I don't want to be here anymore. I don't want you anymore."I let out a bitter laugh. "Yeah, I think I may need to clean out my ears because what I'm hearing sounds like a load of bullshit."Her hand lands across my cheek with a sharp crack. It stings like a bitch, but my face doesn't move an inch. I grit my teeth and swallow down the surge of anger, knowing it's exactly what she wants. She looking for an excuse, any excuse, to walk away from me. To pack her shit and disappear to a place I won't be able to find her. But I'll never give her that satisfaction.I take a deep breath, and let it slowly. It's not just the slap that
Diego"Please, stop! It fucking hurts!"His cries escalate to desperate screams as I press the staple gun into the flesh of his hand once again. Each metallic thud is a reminder that I'm in control, that he's at my mercy. The sound echoes through the desolate building that, only moments ago, was filled with the tortured cries of young women being taken against their will.That was before we stormed in and killed every man but the giant piece of shit in charge. Now, their lifeless bodies are scattered across every inch of the room, blood pooling in wide arcs around them.I hear the muffled footsteps of my men as they carefully free the women who have been chained, gagged, and violated by these disgusting motherfuckers. At this point, my men are used to this grim routine. They work to get the women to safety, while I deal with the night's main attraction.Benjamin Smith, the so-called ringleader, hasn't spoken a word worth a damn to me yet. He's just sitting there, zip-tied to a chair,
VanessaThe two faint lines on the test stare back at me, confirming my worst fears—the reason why my period is so late. I'm pregnant. The uncertainty of whether this baby belongs to my husband or to my rapist tightens in my gut like a venomous snake. I sink to the floor, cradling my knees to my chest, allowing the tears to flow freely down my cheeks. My sobs echo off the tile walls, the anguish and loneliness too heavy to bear. Two months. It's been two months since Alicia was murdered, and her death is a constant weight on my chest. No matter how many times I try to blame Diego, I know that it's my fault she's gone. Celeste retaliated after I killed her son.And nothing will ever change that. Since the day she died, I've been a prisoner in my own mind. Most of the time, I feel hollow, but there are days when I just randomly break down. It feels like no progress has been made. There's still no justice for my sister, I have no fucking idea where my mom is, and Diego and I seem to
VanessaAs we get back into the car, the driver pulls away, heading to some unknown location. I grow rigid in the seat. The last time I didn't know where we were going, we pulled up in front of a church, and I was forced to get married. Where the hell are we going now?"You said we needed to hurry up and go after I finished here. Where are we going?" I ask Danny, my voice tight with apprehension. Danny's sitting across from me with his eyes glued to his phone as usual. He lifts his gaze briefly, his brown eyes meeting mine before returning to his screen. "We're picking up a custom-made dress for you. Diego wants you to wear it tonight."This is fucking news to me. It's not like Diego and I talk, and for this to just be sprung on me like this, something is up. Something that makes my blood turn into a slushy in my veins. "What's going on tonight?" I press, my suspicion mounting. "Just a sex auction at the club," he replies nonchalantly, like it's no big deal.Anxiety tightens in my
DiegoBANG! BANG! BANG!Bullets fly from my gun, ricocheting through the chest of the bastard who betrayed me. "What a fucking waste," I sigh, watching blood pool onto the floor. I shove the gun back into my waistband holster, inhaling the addictive scent of gun powder and revenge.Turning to my second-in-command, Leonardo stands near the door, gazing down at the body with a stoic expression. "Leo, get somebody to clean this up!" I bark.With a curt nod, he's on the phone with the "cleaning" crew. They'll have this piece of shit in a body bag within the hour, ensuring there's no trace of him left behind.I storm back into the club, where loud music fills the building, drowning out the sounds of sex. I head straight to the bar and order a shot of tequila. Axel places it in front of me, worry etched on his countenance. "Is it done, Jefe (Boss)?" he asks, his voice tight with emotion.This has deeply affected each of my men, whether they admit it or not. We're supposed to be a familia,