Shadows of Desire

Tough Attitude?

Pain rippled through me, sharp and unrelenting, as the man's boot connected with my stomach once again. I curled into myself, trying to shield the life growing inside, but it was no use.

Every kick felt like fire spreading through my body, each blow more agonizing than the last. I bit down on my lip to keep from crying out, refusing to give him the satisfaction.

Tears welled up in my eyes, not just from the physical pain but from the sheer helplessness of the situation. I had never felt so vulnerable, so powerless.

My entire life, I had been the one in control, the one calling the shots. But now, with every brutal strike, that control was slipping away.

"Where's your tough attitude, now, Cassietta?" he sneered, his voice dripping with malice. I looked up at him through my tears, defiance stilI burning in my eyes, even as my body screamed in protest.

He bent down, grabbing a fistful of my hair and yanking my head up to force me to look at him. "Let's see how strong you really are," he taunted, his face inches from mine.

The stench of his breath made me want to gag, but I held his gaze, refusing to show him any more fear than he had already seen.

The pain in my abdomen was almost unbearable, but I couldn't think about that now. I had to stay focused and had to find a way out of this. I couldn't afford to give up, not when so much was at stake. I had to survive for me, for Dominic, for the baby.

A wave of nausea hit me, and I struggled to keep it down. The man released my hair, and my head fell back to the cold, hard floor.

I could hear him pacing, muttering to himself, but his words were lost to me as I tried to breathe through the pain.

I closed my eyes, blocking out everything around me. I thought of Dominic, of his strong arms around me, of his voice whispering promises of protection in my ear.

I clung to that image, letting it be my anchor. I couldn't give up. I wouldn't. I would find a way out of this. I would get back to him.

Dominic's PoV

Four months. Four excruciatingly long months, and still, no trace of Catalina. The days bled into nights, and the nights into days, an endless loop of frustration, anger, and a gnawing fear that I couldn't shake. Every lead turned into a dead end. Every glimmer of hope was extinguished before it could fully form.

I leaned over the map spread out on my desk, the edges worn from the countless times I had traced my fingers over every possible route, every hideout that might hold a clue. My eyes were bloodshot, my head pounding from lack of sleep, but I couldn't stop. Not until I had her back.

Her crew, my crew, everyone was out there, turning over every rock, interrogating anyone who might know something. But it wasn't enough. Nothing was enough.

I clenched my fists, my knuckles white with the force of it. I could feel the tension coiled within me, ready to snap at any moment. I'd already taken it out on those unlucky enough to cross my path-rival families, informants who didn't talk fast enough, even some of my own men who hadn't moved quickly enough for my liking. The body count was rising, but still, I was no closer to finding her.

I threw the pen I was holding across the room, the sharp clatter as it hit the wall doing nothing to ease the storm raging inside me. I couldn't think straight, couldn't breathe without the constant reminder that Catalina was out there somewhere, suffering God knows what at the hands of those bastards.

Alex knocked lightly on the door before entering. He looked just as worn as I felt, dark circles under his eyes and a grim set to his mouth. "Any news?" I asked, though I already knew the answer from the look on his face.

He shook his head. "Nothing yet, boss. We're still following up on some leads, but..." He trailed off, knowing better than to finish that sentence.

I nodded, my throat tight. "Keep looking," I ordered, my voice rough from days of barking commands. "Double the men. Triple them if you have to. I want every corner of this city and the next scoured until she's found."

Alex nodded and left without another word, leaving me alone with the crushing silence of the room. I ran a hand through my hair, slicking it back as I tried to get a grip on the raging emotions inside me. This wasn't just about Catalina anymore. This was about our child-the child she was carrying, the one I'd promised to protect.

But I'd failed. I wasn't there when she needed me most, and now, every moment that passed was another moment I was losing her, losing them both.

I turned to the wall of monitors in the corner, each one displaying a different angle of the city, the outskirts, the places we'd already torn apart in the search. The faces of the men responsible for this were burned into my memory. They wouldn't escape this. None of them would.

I stepped closer to the monitors, my reflection staring back at me in the glass. The man looking back was a shell of who I'd been just months ago. The power, the control I'd always prided myself on-it was slipping. I could feel it.

But that didn't matter anymore. All that mattered was finding Catalina.

And God help anyone who got in my way.