Her Reckless Lion -Mafia Romance (BOOK TWO)

One: Gedeon

Chapter One:

Gedeon

In chess, the probability of losing a game after losing the Queen usually meant to resign, because the chances of winning are slim to none if it's taken with no tactics. Right now, I felt like I was ready to forfeit my own life to go back in time to protect her. The thought of her without me right now made my heartache. And the ache in my heart didn't reside anytime soon.

In fact, I was standing in the driveway for half an hour now. My feet stayed planted as the rain came down, my eyes peeled onto where Dove usually was. The greenhouse that once belonged to my mother. It was now brimming with life, a few books resting where she had last left off because she enjoyed being outside more than being indoors. But even though it looked bright and new, it meant nothing without Dove there.

The thought of my other half not being there made me question how I lived without her before.

Everything seemed to be in black and white without her.

I failed her. I failed to protect my other half, my wife, my Queen.

The clouds above, grey and heavy, rumbled and I tensed. Dove was terrified of thunder and now, I wasn't there to comfort her anymore. It's been two days, and we had no leads of where she was. It felt like a cruel joke for the way I treated her. I balled my fists up, biting my tongue till the metallic flavor filled my mouth. It was only able to subside the pain in my chest at a bare minimum.

No, I knew what was going to make me feel alive.

Splattering the blood of my enemies till I have what was mine back.

I'll kill them all.

Walking in with a new goal in hopes it'll distract me from the pain of Dove not being there to greet me anymore, I stormed down into the cellar of our estate. On the way, I noticed my men. Timor, my right-hand man, greeted me with a nod along with Nicolai, one of my most trusted hitmen. Both stepped aside at the sight of me, their boss, their Pakhan.

"What are we dealing with?"

"Still the same bullshit," Timor informed me. His attire was covered in spatters of blood. His hair was slick to one side, and he looked just as tired as I felt. Although Dove's blood was Italian, our sworn enemy, she had managed to become a sole exception. And their loyalty to me meant extending it to my queen, their queen.

"I don't believe it," Nicolai growled. "Five men and none of them knew how Robert was able to get into the penthouse and take Dove? Then all the cameras went out? Four died of blood lost, but that's okay," he said with a twisted smile. There was a reason why he was deemed unstable among our families, but I trusted him. He was able to provide the results I needed. "Because after two days, we finally were able to narrow it down to Maxim. He has to know something, and his bank being wired half a million from an offshore account is all the proof we needed."

At that, Timor handed me a loaded gun. "We thought it's best if you finish it, Boss. Seeing how he's the one who allowed your woman to be taken, only seemed fair."

"Let's see what this fucker has to say," I snickered, entering the dark cellar. The poor bastard was tied to the chair for close to two days now. Though from the looks of it, he wouldn't last another day before being succumbed to his injuries. He was bloodied and battered. Covered in bruises and cuts of all shapes and sizes. A screwdriver was dug into his thighs, with blood oozing out of it. He was barely able to list his head to look at me as Timor and Nicolai closed the door behind us.

"Maxim, was it?" I began. "A sworn-in member by a blood oath to the loyalty of the Russian family. Tell me, do you know what happens to those who are sworn in and break their oath?"