Emotionless Control ✔

Chapter 24

Jace's POV

I tap my fingers on the wooden desk, the steady rhythm doesn't falter as i'm deep in thought. The sweet noise of my fingertips colliding with the desk keeps me controlled or there would be nothing left of my office by now.

It has been two troublesome weeks since Tiger went to Jack. These weeks have been harsh, i don't know how to handle myself. I'm fidgety and anxious. My chest feels like it's being crushed by rusty emptiness.

It's strange that you never know how much you depend on something or someone until you have lost it.

I had been so stressed that i didn't even notice how my heart rate rose when she entered the room, how my eyes followed her every movement, how i enjoyed her intoxicating scent, how her smile and laugh made my day, how her stress and pain made me wanna cut a smile on her face in a creepy Joker-like way. I have never felt like this, my emotions have never been this opened. Only she can do that.

I'm worried. Jack must be giving her hard time. Hell, i don't even know if she is still alive and if she is not, i will go insane. I have my men low-key searching for her. She killed Mussolini but it was an accident, so i need to keep looking. I hope i can contain myself when i come face to face with her and doesn't instantly kill her.

It's not only about Pa's death. It's more about her hiding it, like it was intended and she wanted to get closer to us. She didn't trust enough with this and that angers me.

Matt's gang has been troublesome. They have stolen so many shipments from us. Many of my men have died and the tension between the gangs is thicker than ever. It takes a lot of planning and preparation to be able to somewhat protect the gang and our shipments to keep the business smooth.

Carol has also been cold and miserable. She lost her best friend and her lover? I don't know which labels they were using. She lives her frustration out by beating the fancy Lamborghinies with her basball bat. I feel for those cars.

She is also conflicted. It seems like Trix had said something before her departure. She hinted on it but refuses to share the details but i can see it's bothering her.

Demian in the other hand is always busy with her father's gang. He's violent and closed off. He loved Trix since childhood and now this is taking it's toll on him. He hates and loves her at the same time. Now thinking about it, Jack is probably feeling the exact same thing.

Love is strange, isn't it? By loving someone, you are giving them the power to destroy you. It's ridiculous what hormones can do to a person, unfortunately we can't avoid it.

A confident knocking interrupts the peaceful silence, forecefully pulling me back to the reality. The door opens and Carol strides in.

"Yes?"

"Our gun shipment was attacked again but our men were able to protect it and successfully prevent further loss!" She grunts. Her face is impassive and the posture is stiff. There's no need to ask who striked us.

"How many men did we lose?" I ask while running fingers through my hair in frustration.

"About five dead and seven injured, one of them probably doesn't make it." She answers. I breathe out heavily. I have lost many great men this week, luckily our opponent has lost more but both sides know that by this rate, one of us needs to attack directly to avoid further loss and end it for good.

"Anything else?" Carol hesitates before answering.

"I was wondering if you have made progress with finding Bellatrix." Her full name sounds foreign and distant, i don't like it at all. It makes me feel that we are speaking about a stranger, like one of our subjects in the cellars.