Healed (Kindle Published)

Chapter 3 - Harley's Tears

Vivian

"Fuck, who the hell is this woman?" I gritted my teeth.

Leo typed something on his laptop before replying, "I really don't know, but they say she calls herself the Blood Queen."

I let out a dry, humorless laugh not because it was funny, but because it pissed me off. "Blood Queen? Seriously?"

He shrugged, unfazed. "You call yourself the Dark King. Why can’t she call herself the Blood Queen?"

I narrowed my eyes at him, running a hand through my hair. "People gave me that name. I don’t slaughter for pleasure. I kill the ones who deserve it. But this fucking woman..." I leaned forward, my voice low and dangerous. "This is the third time she’s crossed me. She stabbed to death three of my fucking clients."

"Sounds like a badass," Leo muttered.

"Fucking killer," I hissed. "Leo, you're a fucking genius, the smartest hacker in the damn world. Why can’t you just hack into her account details? I need to find her."

Leo was more than an employee. He was family. Years ago, I saved his life, and since then, he dedicated every breath to me. He was Italian, sharp as a blade, and without him, my empire would’ve crumbled long ago. He made my dirty money look clean, and no government dog could trace it back to me.

He glanced up from his laptop, his green eyes serious. "Boss, she’s the smartest woman I’ve ever seen. She changes identities like clothes. She steals names, scrambles records... She’s a ghost. I can hack every single person she's crossed paths with, but the problem is they don’t even know their identities are being used. It's hacking, not mind-reading, and she’s way out of reach." He lifted his hands in surrender. "Sorry, boss."

I drummed my fingers on the table, anger building inside me. "Third time she crossed me," I muttered again. "Fucking woman. If I ever find her, I’ll strangle her with my own hands. I don’t care if she’s the prettiest thing in the world. She’s asking for death."

Leo had told me that she lured her victims with beauty. A siren in the night.

My train of thought was broken when Harmony marched into my office. "Boss, I’ve got news on Tobias. Saturday, he’s hitting his favorite club that is Cassandra. I’ll take him out there." Her voice was steel, like always. Ruthless. Reliable.

Harmony was my hammer. A gorgeous Black woman, sharp as a knife and cold as ice. She didn’t hesitate to pull the trigger when loyalty demanded it.

I crossed my legs under the table, calm but firm. "No. You won't kill him. He’s my problem."

Tobias had betrayed me. He was a cardinal sin. I'd trusted him, traded him weapons worth millions, and he spat on my hand. That kind of betrayal needed a personal touch.

"But boss..."

"I said I’ll take care of it," I cut her off, lighting a cigar. "Now both of you get out."

There were only two things I loved in this godforsaken world: darkness and my daughter.

My phone buzzed with a message.

I think you should invite Pearl to dinner. She has a thing for you. Have mercy, give her a chance. She's beautiful and smart, Vivian.

Only one person could dare send me shit like that was Alice.

I didn’t trust people, didn’t let them close. But Alice was different. She was my daughter's guardian angel, her light in my darkness. She jumped in front of a car for her. Gave up everything even risked Henry’s wrath just to protect her. For that, I would always owe her.