DAMIAN.

I sighed with impatience as I kept my eyes fixed on the studio's door, like the building was magically going to vanish before my eyes. Ava's modeling shoot was supposed to wrap an hour ago, but she was still inside, probably laughing with those unbothered colleagues of hers. She should know better than to hang around after her shoot.

I stepped out of the car, the evening air cool against my skin, and leaned against the hood. The studio door swung open, and Ava stepped out, her hair catching the last of the studio light's glow behind her. She was in a loose sweater and jeans now, the kind of casual that made her look like she'd stepped out of a dream. But she wasn't alone. She was chatting away with a colleague, her laughter making me jealous of what was so funny. The guy stood too close, his smile all teeth and charm. I clenched my jaw, getting pissed as he whispered something to her, and she tossed her head back, laughing again. The sound twisted something in my chest, one I knew I didn't like at all.

"Damian!" Ava's voice snapped me out of my haze. She waved, breaking away from him and jogging toward me. Her bag bounced against her hip, and her smile was so bright I got lost staring. "You're early."

"Am I?" I said, I shoved my hands into my jacket pockets, trying to shake the image of the guy's hand grazing her elbow. "Looked like you were having fun."

Her brow quirked, and I could tell she had caught the edge in my tone. "Jake? It's just work, Damian. You know that." She stopped a foot away, close enough that I could smell her perfume.

"Yeah," I muttered, opening the passenger door for her. "Let's go."

She slid into the seat, her eyes lingering on me. I didn't meet them. I couldn't. Not when my head was a mess of jealousy and things I couldn't say.

The drive to her apartment was quiet, as I intentionally let the radio hum some of the pop songs she liked. She tapped her fingers against the window, her nails clicking softly. I kept my eyes on the road, but my mind was on her, taking in how her sweater slipped off one shoulder, on the way she hummed under her breath, oblivious to the war raging inside me. I wanted to ask her about Jake, to ask if there was anything more. But what right did I have? She had the right to warm up to any guy; I had made my choice, and perhaps to my dismay, she was making hers too.

When we got to her place, she didn't let me off the hook like I'd expected. I had planned to drop her off, make sure the locks were secure, and head out. Do my job. Keep my distance. But as I turned to leave, her hand caught my wrist.

"Stay," she said. "Just for a bit."

I should have said no and pulled away, perhaps mumbled some excuse about checking the perimeter. But the way her eyes were on me made my excuses crumble. "Fine," I said, stepping inside. "Just for a bit."

Beaming her smile at me, she walked to the mini-bar and retrieved a bottle of champagne. She poured us both a drink. I took the glass she offered, our fingers brushing for a split second. My pulse kicked up, and I cursed myself for it.

We settled on the couch as we sipped the drink silently. She tucked her legs under her, facing me, her glass cradled in both hands. The silence wasn't awkward, but it was oddly weird. It was loaded with things neither of us were saying. I took a sip, then another, trying to drown the thoughts clawing at me.

"So," she said, breaking the quiet. "You going to tell me why you looked like you wanted to punch Jake earlier?"

I froze, the glass halfway to my mouth. She'd seen it, then. Of course, she had. Ava always saw through me, even when I wished she wouldn't. I set the glass down, buying time. "Didn't like the way he was looking at you," I admitted. "Too... familiar."

She laughed, a soft, throaty sound that sent heat curling through me. "Damian, it's just work. He's a photographer. He's supposed to look at me." She tilted her head, her eyes glinting with mischief. "You're not jealous, are you?"

The question hit as precisely as she had wanted. I wanted to deny it by laughing it off, but the truth was burning in my chest. "Maybe," I said, the word slipping out before I could stop it. Her eyes widened.

"There's nothing between us," she said. "You know that, right?"

I nodded, my throat tight. "Yeah. I know." And I did. I believed her. But believing her didn't erase the ache of the part of me that wanted to pull her close and claim her as mine.

We drank more, the wine loosening the edges of my restraint. She shifted closer, her knee brushing mine, and the contact sent a jolt through me. I let my hand rest on the couch between us, inches from hers.

"Damian," she said. "Do we have a chance?"

The question landed like a blow, stealing my breath. I'd known it was coming, someday, but I wasn't ready. Not now, not with her so close, her scent wrapping around me like a memory. I stared at the wine in my glass, the dark liquid catching the lamplight. "You know why not," I said finally.

"That's not the whole truth," she pressed, leaning forward. Her hair fell over one shoulder, and I fought the urge to tuck it back. "Would you, for once, stop with the excuses and give me an answer, Damian?"

"I am scared," I admitted, the words tearing free like they'd been caged too long. "Scared of how much I wanted you. Scared of what it'd do to me if I let myself have you and then lost you."

I looked away, clenching my hands into fists. "I think pushing you away is the only way to keep you safe. From me."

She was quiet for a long moment, and I braced myself for her anger. But when she spoke, her voice was gentle, almost tender. "You idiot," she said, and there was a smile in her words. "You don't get to decide what's safe for me."

I looked at her then, and the sight of her eyes, soft and parted lips undid me. She set her glass down and slid closer, her hand finding mine. I didn't pull away.

"I'm not that girl anymore, Damian," she said. "I'm not fragile. I don't need you to protect me from yourself."

My heart pounded in a wild, desperate rhythm. "Ava," I started, but the words died as she leaned in, her breath warm against my cheek.

"Hmmm," she whispered, her hand tightening on mine. "But what about you? What about what you want?"

I wanted to tell her it didn't matter, that my wants had no place here. But her eyes held mine, and the truth spilled out. "You," I said. "I've always wanted you."

Her breath caught, and for a moment, the world stopped. Then she moved, closing the distance between us, her lips finding mine in a fierce kiss. Her warm mouth tasted like coming home. I kissed her back, my hands sliding to her waist, pulling her closer.

My fingers tightened around her neck, then I moved fast. When my mouth slammed into hers, she instinctively pressed her free hand against my chest. Either to push me away or pull me closer, I couldn't tell at that moment. When her tongue sweeps into my mouth, all common sense vanishes from my mind.

Having Ava kiss me at that moment was the last thing I expected, and it was too overwhelming to process anything.

Her tongue massaged mine in a way that made tingles engulf my entire body. Her lips nipped at mine, leaving me completely breathless. Just as quickly as she initiated the kiss, she pulled away from me. She lifted her hand slowly to my face until her fingers brushed over my tingling lips.

When we pulled apart, her forehead rested against mine, her breath uneven. "Damian," she murmured, her voice trembling with something that mirrored the ache in my chest. "Don't push me away again."

I swallowed hard, my hands still on her, grounding me. "I won't," I said, and it was a vow, not just to her but to myself. "I'll keep you safe, Ava. From everything, even me."

"Show me, Damian," she winked at me, leaning further away.

That was a challenge, one I had no intention of not winning. Desire bleeds through my veins, and it makes me grab hold of her hips. I lift her from her feet, and as my mouth takes her prisoner, I stalk to her bed, where I slam her down onto the couch.

A shocked breath explodes from her, and I drink it like the sweet nectar it is.

When my body covered hers, Ava's hands pressed against my shoulders. I grabbed her wrists and pinned her arms down on either side of her head, and she had no choice but to spread her legs so she could accommodate my hips.

I fucking feasted on her mouth, my mind quickly clouding with a hunger I had never felt before. It was fucking insatiable and dangerous. Dangerous because this woman already had a hold on me. I couldn't shake. She was beneath my skin and crawling into my chest where my heart was supposed to be.

My tongue lashes against hers, memorizing her mouth and her sweet, sweet fucking taste. My hands move down her arms and over her sides. When my palms found her ass, I rubbed my aching cock against the scorching heat coming from her pussy. We both groaned, and I almost lost my fucking mind.

The kiss turned wild, and with zero control, I started to thrust against her pussy, my hard-on rubbing her clit through the fabric.

"Damian," she moaned into my mouth. She took her hands to my jaw, and then she started to kiss me back with so much passion that stars exploded behind my eyelids.

My hips continued to move, and I rubbed her pussy raw, my cock fucking desperate for every bit of friction I could get. When Ava lifted her hips, and she began to meet my thrusts, gasps spilled from her lips. "Da...Da...Damian."

Her body strained against mine, and I broke the kiss to watch her face as she came apart beneath me. She looked fucking angelic, her swollen lips parted, and her eyes clouded with pleasure. There's no stopping me as I move down her body. Grabbing her jeans, I ripped them down her legs.

"Take off your sweater," I ordered, my tone way too fucking harsh with impatience. My eyes burned over every inch of her skin as she carried out the order, and when she lay naked on the white couch, something shifted in my chest. She's fucking perfect.

I shove my sweatpants down, and Ava's eyes widen when they land on my cock. She remembered it. The words drifted somewhere in the back of my mind as I crawled back over her sweet little body that was trembling from the pleasure she had just experienced.

The thought fleeted as I pressed a kiss to the valley between her breasts before my mouth found her nipple. I sucked it into my mouth while my hands feasted on her soft, as fuck skin. My touch grew rougher as my palms burned a path from her sides to her breasts. I kissed my way up her throat before taking her mouth again.

Ava wrapped her arms around my neck, and when I felt her fingers twist in my hair, my body shuddered with satisfaction. My hands moved down, and I positioned my oversensitive cock at her soaked entrance. Fuck, it's been too long.

I freed her mouth and locked eyes with her. As I stared down at Ava, her hands slipped over my shoulders and down my chest before moving back up to settle on the sides of my neck. I should be gentler. I should ask if she's ready.

There's a lot I should do, but I have zero self-restraint when it comes to Ava. I braced a forearm beside her head, and my free hand gripped her hip tightly. I thrust again, managing to force myself a couple of inches into her wet heat.

I felt her breasts against my chest as I thrusted deeper, and this time, she clenched her jaw to keep from making a sound.

I braced her leg over my ass to open her wider. When I slammed into her, she pulled her arms away from me to cover her mouth as a cry was torn from her.

"Breathe," I grind the word out.

She gasps, and I take hold of her wrists and pin them on either side of her head. I kissed a tear away from her temple, and not able to keep still for much longer, I pushed an arm beneath her and held her to me.

"Hmmm," I growled right before I started to move.

The pleasure of being inside her becomes an inferno that engulfs my entire being. I felt like a possessed man as I hammered into her, and I couldn't control the pace at all.

Fuck.

I heard the sounds of our bodies colliding as mine claims hers. I heard her gasps and pain-filled whimpers, and I sealed my mouth to hers because each one belongs to me.

AVA.

"Uhmmm D..." I whispered, as I leaned in to give him a peck on his jaw. The air in the room was thick with the lingering warmth of our closeness, the kind that made the world feel soft and safe for a fleeting moment. Damian and I were snuggled on the old leather couch, my head nestled against his bare chest, his heart beating slowly beneath my ear. His boxers were the only thing he wore, just like me. After the blissful moment we shared, he had kept whispering promises we both knew might be tested soon. But who cares? I only wanted the moment to last longer.

Damian's fingers traced lazy patterns on my back, his touch sending a shiver through me, reminding me yet of the cartel's threats. I could feel the weight of it in the tension in his shoulders too, even now, when we were supposed to be lost in each other.

A sharp knock at the front door pulled me back to our reality, ruining the moment at once. My body stiffened, and Damian's hand paused mid-stroke.

"Expecting someone?" Damian asked, his tone hinting at his guard.

"That's probably the food delivery," I murmured, trying to sound casual as I untangled myself from him. "I ordered some jewelry for my Paris trip, a few days ago."

Damian sat up, his eyes narrowing toward the hallway. "I'll come with you," he said, already shifting into that protective mode. He stood, the morning light catching the lean lines of his body, his boxers riding low on his hips. That made my breath catch at the sight of his beautiful body.

"You don't have to," I said, but he was already leaving for the door. I followed. My heart thudded, not just from the knock but from the way Damian scanned the windows, his posture alert.

What if it wasn't just a delivery? What if the cartel had found us? Stop it, Ava. It's just jewelry.

At the door, Damian peered through the peephole, his shoulders relaxing slightly. "Can't see the delivery guy," he said, but he stayed close as I unlocked the door and swung it open.

But before I could swipe my key card, the door clicked and it chimed unlocked. My stomach dropped in fear. Damian's hand had tightened on my arm too. When the door swung open, my breath stilled, seeing who was standing before us.

It was Zane, my brother, his broad frame filling the doorway. He had a duffel bag slung over one shoulder. Beside him was Sienna, his fiancée, her eyes bright with excitement, her mouth opening to shout, "SURPRISE!"

The word died in her throat as Zane's gaze landed on Damian, who was shirtless, in boxers, standing in my house. His face darkened, and I could see a storm brewing in his eyes. Sienna's smile faltered immediately, her hands fluttering as she sensed the shift.

I opened my mouth to explain, but Zane moved faster than I could think, his fist swinging toward Damian's jaw.

"No!" I screamed. Damian staggered back, catching himself against the wall. Zane rushed in, raining more blows on Damian until blood trickled from his lip, and he raised a hand to touch it.

"Zane, stop!" I threw myself between them, my hands on Zane's chest, pushing against him. "Calm down! I can explain!"

"Explain?" Zane yelled, his voice echoing in the hallway. He loomed over me, glaring at Damian. "He's half-naked in your house, Ava! What the hell's going on?"

Sienna grabbed Zane's arm, her voice high and panicked. "Zane, let's just talk..."

"Stay out of this, Sienna," he snapped, not taking his eyes off Damian. "You got some nerve, man, prancing around my sister's place like you own it."

Damian straightened, wiping the blood from his lip with the back of his hand. His voice was controlled, but I could hear the edge in it. "You wanna hit me again, Zane? Go ahead. But maybe listen to Ava first."

I turned to Damian, my heart pounding. I could see the tension in his jaw, the way his hands clenched at his sides. He was holding back, for me.

"Let's take this inside," I said, grabbing Zane's hand and ushering everyone into the house. Zane stormed in, tossing his duffel onto the floor, while Damian lingered by the door, his posture guarded expecting another attack.

֍

The air in my sprawling living room hung heavy with the scent of leather and the faint metallic tang of blood from Damian's split lip. The floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked the glittering city skyline, but right at that moment, it all felt like a fragile facade. Zane, my brother, the cartel leader whose name sent shivers through underground circles, had finally uncoiled from his rage. His massive frame slouched in the oversized armchair, the kind I had bought during a Milan fashion week splurge, his tattooed knuckles no longer clenched into fists. Sienna, his fiancée and co-leader of the cartel, perched on the armrest beside him, her lithe body pressed close, one hand resting possessively on his shoulder. Her nails, painted blood-red, drummed lightly against his collarbone, a subtle signal of her readiness to unleash the brutality she was known for orchestrating hits with a smile that could charm and chill.

I stood by the bar cart, pouring myself a glass of scotch with hands that trembled slightly, the amber liquid sloshing against the crystal. God, I wanted nothing more than to cross the Persian rug and sink into the couch beside Damian, to feel the heat of his body against mine, his arm draping over my shoulders like a shield. His love had thawed the ice in him, turned the cold-blooded enforcer I had fallen for into something almost tender. But Zane's dark eyes, like our father's, tracked every movement. One wrong step, one brush of my fingers against Damian's, and he would erupt again, his cartel instincts kicking in.

He's always seen me as the little sister to protect,

I thought, bitterness twisting in my gut. Even now, with my face on billboards from New York to Tokyo, billions in the bank from endorsements and my own line, he treats me like I'm still the girl hiding behind him from bullies.

I chose the chaise lounge across the room instead, far enough to keep the peace, but close enough to catch the subtle hitch in Damian's breathing. He sat on the edge of the couch, still in those damn boxers from our stolen moment earlier, his muscled chest rising and falling with controlled restraint. The bruise on his jaw bloomed like a dark flower, a mark from Zane's earlier punch, but his eyes were cold steel, the kind that had earned him a reputation for brutality, now held a flicker of the softness only I saw.

Zane cleared his throat, the sound rough like gravel under boots, breaking the stifling silence. When he spoke, his voice carried the authority of a man who'd built an empire on loyalty. "Alright, since we've all cooled our jets," he said, glancing at Sienna with a nod. She leaned in, her lips brushing his ear in a whisper I couldn't catch, her eyes flicking at me with a mix of sisterly concern and cartel wariness. "Sienna and I didn't come here to start a war in your fancy pad, Ava. Though walking in on... that," he gestured vaguely at Damian, "didn't help."

Sienna's lips curved into a sly smile, she was as brutal as Zane, co-running operations with a ruthlessness that had expanded their territory. She personally handled interrogations, leaving no loose ends. "We were worried, Ava," she added,

"Zane's been hearing things on the streets. With the wedding coming up, we thought a drop-in might clear the air. Show you the invites, talk dresses." Her hand slid down Zane's arm.

I nodded, sipping the scotch, "It's good to see you both. Really."

Good to see them, but not the storm they brought.

Damian shifted, his bare feet planted firmly on the rug, his posture straightening into that cold, unyielding stance I knew too well, the same one he had used to dismantle rivals before we met. "Zane, I got the surprise visit. But let's cut off the bullshit. You want to know why I didn't loop you in on the threats against Ava."

Zane's eyes narrowed, leaning forward, elbows on knees. Sienna mirrored him, "Damn right. She's my only blood left, Damian. After what happened to our parents..." His voice roughened, "You know the score. Threats on her? That's Cartel business."

Damian met Zane's gaze without flinching, his voice dropping to that icy timbre that had once commanded fear in boardrooms and back alleys alike. "I kept it quiet to protect her. You and Sienna, you're swamped with wedding prep. Venues, security details for the event, all that. Last thing you need is this blowing up, pulling resources from your operations."

Sienna's laugh was low, "Protect us? Sweet, but cliché, Damian. The cartel's our life. If threats are circling Ava, they're circling us. And I don't like loose ends." Her fingers tightened on Zane's shoulder.

Zane nodded, "The wedding's important. Yes, Sienna's making it a fortress affair but family's priority. You've gone soft, Damian. That cold side of yours, the one that used to gut rivals without blinking? You're becoming a shield instead of a sword."

Damian's eyes flashed as he replied, "I haven't gone soft," Damian growled, his voice low and lethal. "I'm strategic. The company's under threat from Vanessa Kane or some other rival sniffing for weakness. I'm protecting Ava by handling it my way."

Zane leaned back, a predatory smile curling his lips. Sienna mirrored it, her eyes gleaming with approval. "Your way? Hiding like a rat. No. It's time we bring in Liam, Ethan and Noah, the whole crew. Draw up a plan. Eliminate the threats. Whether it's Vanessa Kane or another cartel pushing boundaries. We end it. Brutal, clean."

I set the glass down with a clink, my voice steady despite the storm inside. "Zane, wait..."

But Damian cut in, standing now, his body taut with restrained fury. The boxers did nothing to diminish his presence; he looked like a predator ready to strike. "I think we can handle it between us. Why involve the others? You're talking escalation, Zane. If Vanessa or whoever hits full force, we'd be ready. But your bloody plan? I won't risk Ava like that."

Zane surged to his feet, Sienna rising with him, her hand slipping to her waist. "Risk? You're the risk, Damian! Keeping secrets, playing house while rivals' circle. Ava's a target because of you, her fame makes her visible, but your softness makes her vulnerable."

Sienna's voice sliced in, her eyes locking on mine. "He's right, Ava. We love you, but this? The cartel's no place for half-measures. We have to bring in the brothers."

Damian stepped forward, "You forget who I am, Zane. Before Ava, I was the one leaving bodies in alleys, building this company on broken bones. But now? I protect what's mine. Full force from Vanessa means war, yes but your way invites it home."

Zane's face twisted, "Vanessa has to die, or whoever. End it!"

I couldn't stay silent any longer. "Stop treating me like a prize to protect! Zane, Sienna, you're both right, these threats need ending. But Damian's worry is real too. We have to handle this wisely, or we lose everything!"

Zane turned to me. "Ava, that's why we act! Once they see our empire's weakness, we are done. We've eliminated the worst anyway."

Sienna nodded, "For Atlas, we would burn it all."

NOAH.

Dressed in black cargo pants, a long-sleeved shirt, a coat, and boots, I tucked my Glock behind my back as I left my suite. As I took the stairs down to the first floor, my phone started to buzz like crazy. I dug the device out of my pocket, and a dark frown formed on my forehead as I answered, "What?"

"The club is on fire!" Damian shouted, sirens blaring in the background.

Anger exploded in my chest, my fingers tightening around the phone. "Fuck," I muttered. "I'm on my way."

When I step out onto the veranda, I glance at the house and see Harvey standing on her balcony. She was only wearing a bathrobe, and it was freezing outside. Especially now that there was a fire, clearly arson from whoever had marked us. I yanked my phone out, and I sent a text to one of our men.

Keep your eyes on her. Don't leave her, not for a second.

I climbed into the driver's seat and started the engine, ready to go to Club Eden. The roads were fucking busy, and as I got closer to the area where the club was, and I saw the plumes of dark smoke, rage shuddered through me.

Damian is going to kill whoever's responsible for the fire.

The road was closed, and I had to park two blocks away. I climbed out of the SUV, and pushing my hand beneath my coat, my fingers curled around the handle of my Glock as I began to walk in the direction of the club. Rounding the corner, I was met by fire trucks and police cars.

"It's a fucking shit show," I growled as I looked up at the flames licking from the windows. "Christ."

"Noah!" I heard Damian shout as he came running toward us. When I got closer, I asked, "How did it start?"

"Don't know yet," Damian answered.

My eyes lift to the burning club, and I watch as months of work and a fuck ton of money go up in smoke.

"We have to go into the club, they will stay and clean up the mess," Damian said. "It's too dangerous for us all to be out in the open like this."

He was right.

Then he turned to one of our men and ordered, "Pay off whoever you have to. I want complete control of the situation."

"I'll handle everything," the guy assured him.

I turned around, and we walked back to the SUV, Another of our men came with us to offer extra protection. Once we were back in the safety of the armored SUV, I asked, "Do you think it's arson?"

"We won't know until the inspection's been done," Damian replied, his tone harsh with anger. If it's arson, then someone's attacking us.

"Probably Miguel because I sent men to wipe out his family after the fuckers tried to rob Eden. Fuck." Damian banged the seat with his fist.

I pulled my phone out and stared at the device for a moment before I brought it up to the number I had saved from Harvey's profile. I pressed the dial, and was not surprised when it said the number was not in service. She must have blocked me.

When we reached the club, we walked inside and headed straight for his private lounge, which was not touched by the fire. Damian gestured for me to pour him a tumbler of whiskey, and I obliged, filling my cup too.

He had barely taken a sip of his whiskey when he dialed someone on his phone and when it was answered, he muttered, "I want all available men in the streets. Kill every fucking motherfucker you can find."

"Everyone?" I said to double-checks. "Not just the men who did this?"

Damian ignored me and repeated his command, "Every-fucking-one," he said, grinding the word out. Then he tossed the phone on the tabletop.

"Why would you want to do that?" I shrugged,

"Even if I don't know who is not behind the club burning down, I'm done waiting for Zane to find the fucker." He picked up the tumbler and poured the whiskey down his throat.

The past hour had been fucking tiring. It was going from one fucking problem after another, making the anger in my chest reach boiling point. We had lost six good soldiers, the alcohol delivery to the club was hijacked, and the bloody fight that Damian had started had gotten out of control.

When his phone rang from one of our men who was supposed to update him about the fire, Damian was in a piss-poor mood and barked his response placing the call on speaker, "What?"

"They said the fire was started on the fourth floor. It was arson."

Uncontrollable rage poured like hot lava through my body as He muttered,

"We're definitely under attack. Put everyone on high alert." "Okay. "Zane is on his way to the club," he informs us.

He ended the call and immediately phoned Rico. "Tell me you have the bitch's location pinned?"

"Venessa was last seen in South America," he answered.

"I want the fucker found, Rico," He ordered, his tone low and deadly. "Stop fucking around and make it happen."

"Hold up," he said. "The whereabouts of Nessa's uncle just came in."

"Send it to me."

"Okay."

"Be extra careful out there," Rico muttered as he ended the call, and when the uncle's details came through, he forwarded them to our men.

I just sent you a message," he said. "Have men bring her to me."

"On it," He replied.

Then he started a group video call with the other brothers, and when they all answered, he said, "Vanessa Kane is attacking. She burned down the new club and took out six of our men. Be extra vigilant while we deal with the problem."

"Christ," Liam was the first to mutter his words. "Anything I can help with?"

"Are you hurt?" Ethan said, gasping.

"They have managed to contain the fire, and we are handling this," Zane cut in before Damian could respond. I noticed a bit of indifference in Zane's demeanor, which was a bit unusual, but I decided to just silently listen.

"The second Rico finds out where the fucker is hiding, we're attacking."

"Okay." Ethan and Liam said. Zane merely nodded, then he ended the call. I have to suppress the urge to ask Damian what was up with Zane just as he threw the fucking phone against the wall.

"We'll find Vanessa," Damian said. "She can't hide forever."

"We'd better," I snapped.

I poured him another drink, and while I took a sip of the whiskey, my thoughts turned to Harvey. I haven't been able to make direct contact with her since our last argument, and I'd give anything to ease some of the tension by sinking deep into her sweet pussy.

Suddenly, one of Damian's staff rushed into the lounge, and it drew my attention back to the lounge.

"You'd better have good news for me," Damian yelled to Rico.

"My men killed the fucking uncle. And Vanessa's in Woodley."

"Then wheels up in thirty minutes," Damian ordered. "Let the others know we're meeting at the airfield."

"On it." Rico said, leaving at once. Climbing to his feet, Damian said to me, "Let's go."

As we walked out of the lounge, he signaled for some of our men to join us.

When they caught up to us, he muttered, "Get a group of men to meet us at the airfield. I want them heavily armed. We're attacking Vanessa."

"Got it, boss," one of the men said, immediately pulling out his phone to make the call.

We hurried out of the club, and once we were all in the SUV, Damian started the engine. "Fucking finally."

"You can say that again," I muttered, more than ready to put an end to this Vanessa mess.

I haven't been home in three days since they attacked Harvey, and was exhausted. Fuck, it feels longer than three days.

The drive to the airfield took forty minutes, and by the time Damian stopped the SUV, he had zero patience for the one-hour flight to Woodley.

Hopefully, the fucker doesn't disappear before we get to her. He would lose his fucking shit if that happened.

We climbed out of the SUV and walked to where Rico and four of our men were waiting.

"It is going to end as a good evening," Rico said. "We know where Vanessa is. Why aren't you happy?"

"I am," he growled.

"Sure as fuck doesn't look like it."

"Rico, we are not in the mood for your shit today. Let's get this over with so we can all take some time off to deal with..." I caught myself before mentioning Harvey and our little entanglement.

I could feel everyone's eyes on me, and to cover up my near-slip-up, I shouted, "Get on the fucking plane."

When I entered the cabin, I took my seat and Damian sat beside me giving me a questioning look. I shook my head so he wouldn't start asking questions.

Once all the men had boarded, the private jet took off. Once in the air, Rico and his men inspected the weapons we always kept onboard.

My thoughts turned to the past week. Lila showed up, discovering who she was, the threats on her, and now Club Eden was up in flames, resulting in the attack on our men.

The attack on our men had been bothering us more. Even though Rico had said it wasn't some intoxicated drug dealers, I still believed they were all connected in a way. If it wasn't Vanessa, then who would have the guts to gun down the Atlas men?

Rico's phone chimed a notification and when he picked it up, he let out a sigh,

Damian turned to face him and asked, "What?"

"Vanessa hasn't been spotted again." Fuck. With my eyes locked on the oval window beside my seat, I asked, "Where was she last seen?"

"A set of traffic lights near one of her clubs."

"She will probably be there until late," Damian said. "Which means we'll have to wait her out."

"Or we go in." I muttered, "We want this done as quickly as possible. We've wasted enough time on this fucker."

"How do you want to do this, Noah?" Damian asked. I didn't miss the hint of amusement in his voice.

I played out a couple of scenarios in my head before answering, "We'll all go into the club. Our men as well. We'll walk up to the fucker as a family, and kill him in front of everyone. It will send a message not to fuck with us."

Just in case someone else is behind the fire and stalking Harvey.

"And the witnesses?" Damian asked.

I wave a careless hand in the air. "Let them talk."

"Hmm, I love this side of you, Noah." Damian said, his eyes glinting with approval.

When we finally touched down in Woodley, we headed straight to the SUVs Rico had arranged for us and piled into the vehicles.

During the drive, I tapped my fingers impatiently on my thigh until we pulled up to Vanessa's club. It was quiet, and I figured it was because it was still early in the evening anyway.

We climb out of the SUVs, and I lift my arm signaling for my men to move closer. I looked at Rico, who was carrying a grenade launcher, and ordered, "Blow the door." Damian ordered.

"But..."

"Do what's asked now" I yelled impatiently. All their questions were starting to get me angrier.

I can feel Damian, Rico, and the others staring at me, but I ignore them.

Rico launched the grenade, and we watched with satisfaction as it blew a hole in the front of the club. When we walked toward the hole, our men followed. I pulled my Glock from behind my back and took off the safety.

Damian shoved an extra magazine into my hand before he took the lead while ordering, "Stay behind me."

The air was filled with smoke, and I glanced over my shoulder, finding Rico right behind me.

Damian had barely set foot in a dance area when gunfire erupted around us.

"Move!" Damian shouted as he ducked to the left. I followed him, lifting my arm to return fire to the second floor, which was the VIP area.

"Vanessa is definitely here." Rico screamed.

We ducked into a hallway that led to a restroom, and with the meager cover, Damian and I tried to pick off the enemy one by one.

When Rico tried to move forward to help out, I muttered, "We've got this."

Noting there was a lone fucker with a submachine gun hiding behind the pillar. And not knowing the whereabouts of the rest of my team, I shouted, "Where the fuck are you?"

"DJ's booth," one of them yelled at us.

Suddenly, Damian darted out from behind our hiding place, and my heart fucking stopped as I watched him slide across the floor before he ended the fucker with a kill shot to the head. When he climbed to his feet, I nodded at him with pride filling my chest, then I shouted at the others, "Get your asses out here."

Damian caught up to me as I headed for the stairs, and when we were heading up them, I muttered, "Good job."

"Thanks," he breathed as he reloaded his gun.

Halfway up, I glanced behind me where some of our men were, then I saw Rico running toward us while another kept an eye out for any stragglers.

This is too fucking easy.

As soon as the VIP area came into view, my eyes locked on Vanessa. She was seated at a table, with her men forming a half circle around her.

What the fuck is she playing at?

"Did you really have to go to all this trouble?" Vanessa asks, her eyes locked on Damian.

"Yes," he muttered as I pulled out a chair and took a seat at the table. Looking at Rico, I nodded toward the bar.

I turned my gaze back to Vanessa, and staring at the fucker, I let out a sigh. "All you had to do was ask for a cut but no, you had to be stubborn and come into our territory, stealing our shipment and burning up my club." Damian started.

"There's a lot of money to be made in LA," she says. "There was no rule on who could take it."

I noticed the sweat beading on her forehead.

Damian picked up a tumbler of whiskey on the table, and he took a sip.

When he set the tumbler down again, he murmured, "You really should have asked, Nessa."

His eyes narrowed on the fucker, and unable to hold back a second longer, his arm flies up, and he pulled the trigger. I watched as the bullet hit Vanessa right between the eyes. Her head snapped back, and her mouth dropped open.

Intense relief poured into my chest as I watched her drop dead to the floor.

As more bullets started to fly, one of her men plowed into Damian and tackled him off the chair. Hitting the floor, his knee slams into Damian's thigh.

The gunfight lasted for just five minutes, and when the last of Vanessa's men dropped dead, Damian lifted his hand and held his thumb and pointer finger an inch apart. "That fucker came this close to kneeling me in the balls."

I let out a burst of laughter, then said, "I'm pretty sure he took a bullet for you."

"What?" He snapped, and, darting up, he checked him for gunshot wounds.

Just as he saw the blood on his side, he said, "Flesh wound on my back."

He shoved off the body before climbing to his feet.

"That's not taking a fucking bullet." I glanced around the area, then asked, "Everyone okay?"

"Yeah, just need to visit the clinic," one of our men muttered. "I took a bullet in the leg."

Another moved closer to help him down the stairs. I glanced at Vanessa's body.

She won't be the last enemy we will have to face, but we will take that as a win.

"Let's go," I muttered.

"Someone going to give me a hand?" Rico asked where he was still lying by my feet.

I glanced down at him, and shaking my head, I grabbed hold of his hand and hauled him to his feet.

As we headed down the stairs, I reached for the tumbler of whiskey Damian had poured before he killed Vanessa and downed the amber liquid.

"One down. God only knows how many to go," Damian muttered. I patted his shoulder. "Let's go home."

"Never seen or heard you this excited about going home before. What's going on with you?"

"Nothing that's your business, Damian." I shrugged, increasing my walking pace to the SUV.