Blade

Chapter 62: Heart in flames

This is a completely new chapter, as I’ve changed everything in Chapter 61. I still have a couple of new chapters left to post before I return to editing the older ones and connecting everything together. The ending of the book will remain the same, with just a few minor tweaks. I hope you’re enjoying it so far, and to the re-readers, I hope you prefer this new version over the old one.

Blade

With a cigarette tucked between my lips, its tip burning brightly, my eyes scan the rows of black containers marked with the Armani family’s insignia. Men move quickly, unloading the newly arrived crates.

I stand at the edge of the pier with Nico, pull the cigarette from my mouth, take a slow drag, and exhale a thick stream of smoke into the cool air. This shipment is our largest yet, far surpassing the usual loads. Each container is filled with weapons, ammunition, encrypted hard drives containing government intel, and untraceable diamonds I secured through black market deals.

I signal for Nico to inspect one and have it pried open. Inside, rifles and explosives are neatly stacked. I nod in approval, satisfied with the quality. Then one of my lieutenants hurries over, phone in hand, breath short and eyes wide.

"Boss," the man says, his voice shaky as my hard glare locks on him. "We've got a problem. Two of the trucks that left Palermo never made it to the checkpoint."

"What do you mean they never made it?" I ask, my tone calm yet cold enough to make him flinch and drop his gaze to the floor.

"They were hijacked, sir, about twenty minutes outside the city. We lost contact with the drivers." He barely finishes speaking before my fist connects with his face, sending him crashing to the ground.

Nico stands by, silent, watching with a cold expression.

I stride toward the man as he scrambles to his feet, grab him by the collar, and yank him upright until his eyes meet mine.

"How could that happen when I have soldiers tracking every move that truck makes?" I growl, tightening my grip on his collar.

He trembles, avoiding my gaze as if one look might burn him alive. "We don’t know yet, boss, but we’re trying everything we can to retrieve it."

I shake my head and give him a cold smile, pulling the cigarette from my lips and exhaling smoke into his face. He doesn’t dare cough, only swallows hard and keeps still.

"Clearly, you’re not doing enough. If you were, we wouldn’t be having this problem," I say, pressing the glowing cigarette butt to his forehead. He grunts in pain.

"Blade, what are you doing?" Nico’s voice cuts in, but I don’t spare him a glance.

The man drops to his knees the moment I release him, clutching his forehead, trying to hide the pain as if that’ll save him.

“Get up,” I command, my voice deadly calm. He hesitates, so I take a step forward and he scrambles upright, trembling like a cornered rat.

“You think I run this empire on excuses?” I ask, my voice laced with a murderous edge that makes the men around me hold their breath, afraid my anger might turn on them. “You think I tolerate mistakes?”

“No, boss,” he stammers, voice breaking.

“Then fix it,” I say, leaning close enough for him to smell the smoke on my breath. “I want that shipment found before sunrise. And if it’s not…” I pause, letting the silence choke him. “You’ll wish whoever hijacked it killed you first.”

He nods rapidly, muttering promises as he backs away.

I finally turn to Nico, who’s watching me with a concerned look. “Get me the list of drivers and routes. I want names, faces, and anyone who knew about that transport,” I tell him.