DAMIAN.
I stood in the bedroom, staring at the half-packed duffel on the bed, my heart pounding a rhythm that echoed the ticking clock on the nightstand. The air felt heavy, thick with the scent of last night's passion and Ava's perfume lingering on the sheets, a reminder of the endless pleasure we'd chased until dawn. But now, in the clarity of day, reality crashed in. My stand with Zane had sealed my fate. I had decided to defy the leader of our can artel. No one walked away from that unscathed. Zane valued loyalty above all and his traitors were furnished with a ruthlessness that left no room for mercy. I had seen it and helped bury bodies under his command. And that meant that my days were numbered, a countdown I could feel in every breath.
I zipped the duffel, shoving in essentials like cash bundles wrapped in rubber bands, a burner phone still in its packaging, a change of clothes that wouldn't scream fugitive. My fingers brushed the cold metal of my Glock at the bottom.
Eloping with Ava meant leaving the cartel, the brotherhood, the power that had defined me. But for her? I didn't mind. Her curious questions dawned on me, what would become of the cartel without us? Zane's iron grip had held it together, Atlas's tech investments masking our operations, billions flowing like blood through veins. Without my strategies, would it hold? Or would rivals swarm, the empire's fate in chaos? The thought sent a shiver down my spine, but I pushed it aside, slinging the duffel over my shoulder. No time for what-ifs. To survive it was action first and wondering later.
I pulled out my phone, dialed Ava's number, the line ringing twice before her voice filled the earpiece. Softly she said, "Damian? I'm almost done packing. Where do we meet?"
"The train station on the outskirts, the one by the docks," I replied, my voice low, glancing at the door cautiously. The line crackled faintly, "Thirty minutes. We'll disappear from there. Are you ready?"
Her pause was brief, but I heard the shy hesitation in her tone, the way her breath caught. "Ready. But Damian... what if Zane finds out? The cartel is his life. Ours too.
The question mirrored my own curiosity, a deep pull that made me pause, leaning against the wall. "Ava, that's his fate to face. Ours is together. See you soon."
I ended the call, pocketing the phone, my heart racing with excitement. The apartment felt too quiet now, letting me feel the tick of the clock as a countdown to our freedom or doom. I grabbed my keys from the dresser, the metal jangling like a warning bell, and headed for the door. My hand turned the knob, the latch clicking open, and I stepped into the hallway, the duffel thumping against my back.
The door behind me swung wider, and I froze, assuming it was Ava arriving early. Her bright smile flashed in my mind, the way she had blush after our nights together. But then a throat cleared, low and deliberate, and the hair on my neck stood up.
I spun, my hand instinctively reaching for the Glock at my waist, my fingers brushing the grip, ready to take aim.
Zane.
He stood there, his broad frame filling the doorway, his eyes locking on mine with that unreadable intensity that had commanded our cartel for years. His coat was unbuttoned, revealing the holstered pistol at his side, but his hands were open, non-threatening.
"Easy, Damian," Zane said, his voice a low rumble that echoed in the hallway, his stance relaxed but alert, like a predator choosing not to pounce...yet. "Not here to fight. Or kill. We need to talk. Brother to brother."
My fingers hovered on the gun, adrenaline surging as every muscle in me coiled. No one defiled Zane and walked free. Traitors like me met ends that left no traces. My curiosity spiked, wondering what his play was? Kill me quietly? Or something else?
The hallway felt narrower, and only the distant elevator hummed a faint lifeline. "Talk? After everything? You made your stand clear. Ava's off-limits."
Zane stepped inside, closing the door with a soft click that resonated like a lock engaging, his eyes never leaving mine. "And you made yours. But let's sit. No guns, no threats. Just words."
Curiosity warred with caution, the fate of my decision hanging over us. What if this was a trap? But his open palms, the lack of backup, either Liam or Ethan lurking made me pause. I nodded, holstering the gun but keeping it in reach, gesturing to the living room couch.
The leather creaked as we sat, "Fine. Talk. But if this is about Ava..."
"It's about her," Zane interrupted, leaning forward, elbows on knees, his gaze piercing through me, "My sister and your intentions. What are they, Damian? Love? Or a way to challenge me?"
The question hit like a gut punch, my mind racing through disbelief. What did he want to hear? The truth, or a lie to save face? If I pushed the wrong button, would he strike? Or bend? I met his eyes, my voice steady despite the pulse thundering in my ears. "Love. Pure and real. I'd give my life to protect her. From rivals, from our world, even from you, if needed. She's not a challenge I held against, she's everything to me, Zane."
Zane's jaw tightened, his fingers interlacing; the room's quiet amplified the tension. "Protect her? By dragging her into this? The cartel life is bloody, Damian. You know the risks. No one defies me and walks free. Tell me, why her? Why now?"
what was his angle? Testing my loyalty? Or seeking understanding? I leaned back on the couch, feeling the leather cool against my back, my duffel still slung over my shoulder. "Because she's worth it. The cartel's been my life, but Ava, she's the light in the shadows. I won't hide it anymore. If you can't accept that, what happens to us? To the cartel? I'm curious... does the brotherhood survive if you push me out?"
Zane's eyes narrowed, but a flicker of regret crossed his face. He stood, pacing slowly, his boots thudding softly on the rug. "The brotherhood? It's everything. But love has it growing soft. Makes us vulnerable. You going soft on me, Damian? I miss that fierceness of the strategist who saw every angle and struck without mercy."
The tease surprised me, loosening the tension a notch, my curiosity piqued, wondering if he was relenting. I stood, facing him, a grin tugging at my lips despite the stakes. "Soft? Says the man who's gone all domestic with Sienna. She's got you wrapped, Zane. Admit it, love has made you soft too."
Zane stopped pacing, a low chuckle rumbling from his chest, the sound unexpected in the charged air. "Touché. Sienna... she's the one who convinced me, actually. Talked sense into my thick skull. Women, huh? Ruling the cartel from the sidelines."
We both laughed then, the sound echoing off the walls, breaking the ice like a hammer on frozen ground. What if this love actually help mend us? Zane stepped closer, pulling me into a hug, his grip firm, brotherly, the kind that spoke of shared history. "Missed you, Damian. That fire. Welcome back."
The embrace surprised me, and relief flooded in, my arms returning the hug. "Good to be back. But Ava..."
The words had barely left my mouth when the door opened then, and Ava walked in, her eyes widening in alarm as she saw us, her bag dropping to the floor with a thud. She froze, her cheeks flushing shy pink, her hair tousled from the wind outside. "Damian? Zane? What's going on?"
Zane released me, turning to her with a soft smile, his voice gentle. "No fight, sis. Just talk. And... I've given my blessing. You two, you're back as a team."
Ava's eyes shimmered with elation, her shyness melting into joy as she rushed forward, hugging Zane tightly, then me, her arms warm around my neck. "Really? Zane... thank you."
Curiosity drove me to ask Zane as Ava stepped back, her hand finding mine, fingers interlacing with a squeeze. "What about the cartel? If you're accepting this, what's the fate? Noah's out there. Does this change everything?"
Zane's smile faded slightly, his eyes meeting mine with that leader's resolve, but softer now. "It changes what it needs to. The empire holds because we do. But Noah... we'll bring him back together."
His words eased the knot I felt. Ava tugged my hand, her eyes shining. "Is it really okay? No more fighting?"
Zane nodded, pulling her into another hug. "No more. You're happy together and that's what matters."
