Book two of 'The Vengeance Duology'
Five years ago, the lads and I made the biggest mistake of our lives-a reckless decision that shattered everything.
We destroyed what mattered most, but my deepest regret is how much I hurt her.
Every moment of pa...
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Valentina hasn't spoken to any of us since that night. Two weeks have passed in a suffocating silence that feels heavier with each tick of the clock. I haven't seen her or Jacques, and the absence of their presence gnaws at me, a relentless ache that refuses to fade.
Sitting alone in the dimly lit apartment, I try to fill the void with distractions, but the shadows seem to whisper reminders of her pain, her torment. The warmth that once radiated from this place has been replaced by a chill, a hollow echo of what once was.
I reach for my phone, fingers trembling as I scroll through my contacts. I pause at Donno's name, my heart pounding with a mix of desperation and hope. I hit call, praying for news that could ease the suffocating dread in my chest.
"Boss," Donno answers, his voice a low rumble. "What's going on?"
"Any updates on the Mexican mafia?" I ask, trying to keep my voice steady, though it shakes with suppressed rage.
There's a heavy pause. "Nothing solid. They're slippery, harder to pin down than I anticipated. After their last attack on the warehouse, they've been keeping a low profile."
Frustration bubbles within me. "We need to do something. We can't just let them hide after what they did to Valentina. They need to pay for their brutality."
"I agree," he replies, but there's a caution in his tone that I find infuriating. "But we have to be strategic. Charging in without a plan could get us killed."
"I'm not talking about a reckoning; I'm talking about a war," I retort, anger flaring. "They think they can operate in our territory without consequences? I refuse to let them get away with what they did."
"Boss—"
"No," I cut him off, my voice rising. "I can't just sit here while Valentina's suffering. Every second we waste gives them more time to regroup, to plot. I want every lead, every scrap of information you can find on them. We will burn their empire to the ground."
Silence stretches on the other end, and I can almost feel Donno weighing his words. "I'll see what I can dig up. But you need to keep your head clear. We don't want to act out of rage; we need to act with purpose."
I hang up, the frustration coursing through my veins like wildfire. The silence of the apartment closes in around me, suffocating. I can't afford to feel powerless.
With a deep breath, I stand, pacing the floor, determination hardening within me. I won't allow fear or caution to dictate my actions. I'll gather every resource, every ally, and we will strike at the heart of the Mexican mafia. I refuse to let their cruelty go unpunished.
They crossed a line, and I will make sure they understand the consequences of their actions. I'll bring hell down upon them, and I won't stop until I see their empire crumble to ashes.
Suddenly, the front door swings open with a creak, jolting me from my thoughts.
"Lad, you have to look at this!" Nicco calls out, his voice slicing through the tension in the air. I turn to see Theo, Lucas, Estelle, Nicco, and Gio filtering into the apartment. The weight on my shoulders momentarily lifts as I focus on their presence.
