39. Damian

39

DAMIAN

I ’m on my knees, the cold concrete scraping against my skin as I pound my fists into the ground. My vision blurs as tears stream down my face, my body racked with uncontrollable sobs. The overwhelming grief and sorrow threaten to consume me whole.

“Dammit, Mikayla,” I choke out, her name tasting like ashes in my mouth. The image of her lifeless eyes haunts me, a constant reminder of the depth of my pain and loss. Those beautiful eyes that once sparkled with life are now dull and empty, staring back at me from the abyss of my nightmares.

“Please…come back,” I whisper, my voice barely audible even to myself. But I know she’s gone, taken from me far too soon. My chest tightens as an unbearable weight settles within me, crushing what remains of my shattered heart.

My hands tremble, coated in a mixture of blood and sweat, as I remember the last moments I shared with her. The way her lips felt against mine, the softness of her touch, the warmth of her embrace—all memories that will forever be etched in my mind, never to be experienced again.

“Why?” I demand, gritting my teeth. “Why did you have to leave me?”

I can’t help but feel responsible for her death, the gnawing sense of guilt consuming every fiber of my being. If only I had been there, if only I had been able to protect her—maybe then she’d still be alive. But instead, I was left with nothing but the haunting image of her lifeless eyes, a constant reminder of my failure to save her.

As I sit here, drowning in my grief, I know that I must find a way to move forward. I need to honor Mikayla’s memory by ensuring that those who hurt her pay for their actions, and by protecting the ones I still have left. It’s the only way I can begin to heal and make sense of this senseless tragedy.

But for now, all I can do is cry, my tears staining the cold concrete as I mourn the loss of my beautiful Mikayla, gone from this world but never forgotten.

The guards around me stand silently, their gazes averted, giving me space to grieve. They know better than to intrude on my moment of vulnerability. But the silence is suffocating, and I feel my rage building with each passing second. The air is thick with tension, like a taut wire waiting to snap.

“Enough,” I growl, pushing myself up from the cold concrete. Each movement feels heavy, as if the weight of my grief is physically holding me down. But I can’t afford to be weak, not now.

“Who saw it happen?” I demand, my voice harsh in the quiet room. My gun appears in my hand as if by instinct, its cold metal providing a grim sense of comfort. “Who witnessed Mikayla getting shot?”

My eyes narrow, scanning the faces of the guards for any hint of hesitation or deceit. They’re all loyal to me, but right now, I don’t know who to trust. Someone must have seen something, and they will answer for their silence.

“Speak!” I bark, my impatience growing. “I want answers, and I want them now.”

The guards exchange uneasy glances, but none of them step forward. They seem to understand the storm brewing inside me, and no one wants to become the target of my wrath.

“Fine,” I seethe, gripping my gun tightly. “If none of you will talk, I’ll find the answers myself.”

As I stalk out of the room, I can’t help but feel the crushing weight of my responsibility to protect those I love. I couldn’t save Mikayla, but I won’t let her death be in vain. My mind races, fueled by anger and determination, as I plan my next move.

“Find Annalise,” I order, my voice barely controlled. “She’s our priority now. Nothing else matters.”

With every step I take, my resolve strengthens. For Mikayla, for Annalise, and for myself, I will do whatever it takes to protect those I love and bring justice to those who dare cross us.

My heart hammers in my chest as I scan their faces, searching for any hint of guilt or fear. It’s then that I notice one of the guards near the back of the room, his face bruised and battered, eyes downcast.

“Step forward,” I command, and he obeys, moving to stand before me with a slight limp. “What happened to you?”

“Sir, I tried…I tried to protect her,” he stammers, his voice on the verge of breaking. “I fought them off as best as I could, but there were too many, and they were armed.”

His words pierce through my anger, deflating it like a popped balloon. I study his injuries and see the truth in his eyes. He did everything in his power to save Mikayla, but in the end, it wasn’t enough.

“Thank you,” I tell him quietly, my voice thick with emotion. “You did your best. This isn’t on you.”

But deep down, I know where the blame truly lies—with me. It’s my responsibility to protect those I love, and I failed Mikayla. The image of her lifeless eyes haunts me, a constant reminder of my inability to save her.

“Everyone, listen up!” I shout, forcing myself to focus on the task at hand. “We need to find Annalise and bring her back safely. No one sleeps until she’s found!”

The guards nod in agreement, their expressions determined. They understand the gravity of the situation, and I can see the fire burning within them, fueling their need to make things right.

“Damian,” Cassius calls from the corner of the room, his voice strained. “I’m here with you, brother. We will find her.”

“Thanks, Cass,” I reply, clapping him on the shoulder. “Now let’s get to work.”

As the guards disperse, I take a moment to compose myself. I can’t afford to be distracted by my grief for Mikayla, not when Annalise is still out there, potentially in danger. The guilt and regret gnaw at me, but I push them aside, focusing on the mission at hand.

I won’t lose Annalise like I lost Mikayla. I refuse to let history repeat itself.

My heart races as I stand in the center of the control room, surrounded by guards. “Find her,” I growl, my voice tight with urgency. “No stone unturned. She’s out there, and she needs us.”

“Understood, Damian,” one of the guards responds, his fingers flying across the keyboard as he pulls up security footage from around our compound.

“Wait!” another guard exclaims, pointing at a screen showing the entrance to the cemetery. “There she is! Annalise just entered the cemetery.”

I rush over, studying the grainy footage. It’s her, all right—her wavy brown hair and petite frame unmistakable even on the low-quality video. Relief floods through me, but it’s short-lived as I notice something else—a black car idling nearby.

“Who’s that?” I demand, my jaw clenched and my blue eyes narrowing in suspicion. The car seems out of place, and I can’t shake the feeling that it poses a threat to Annalise.

“We’re not sure, boss,” the guard replies. “It pulled up shortly after Annalise entered the cemetery, but we don’t have a clear view of the driver.”

“Keep an eye on it,” I order, my mind racing with possibilities. Is this someone sent to harm her? Or perhaps a rival gang trying to gain leverage over me by taking her hostage? Either way, I won’t let them get away with it. Not while I still draw breath.

“Damian, what if she’s in danger?” Cassius asks, his voice tight with worry. My brother knows as well as I do that every moment counts when it comes to Annalise’s safety.

“Then we’ll protect her,” I vow, my voice filled with determination. “We’ll tear this city apart if we have to. Nothing comes before Annalise’s safety.”

“Let’s move!” I command, and my guards spring into action. As we race through the compound toward the cemetery, the heavy weight of responsibility bears down on me. Mikayla’s lifeless eyes haunt me, a painful reminder of the price of failure.

I won’t lose Annalise like I lost Mikayla. I refuse to let history repeat itself.

The tension in the room is palpable, fueled by the unknown danger lurking in the shadows. I glance over at Cassius, who leans heavily against the wall, his usually confident demeanor crumbling under the weight of his concern for Annalise. His knuckles turn white as he clenches his fists, and I can see the muscles in his jaw clenching as he struggles to keep his emotions in check.

“Hey,” I say softly, placing a hand on his shoulder. “We’ll find her, Cassius. I promise.”

He looks up at me, his blue eyes filled with a mixture of gratitude and fear. “I know you’ll do everything you can, Damian. It’s just…I can’t help but think about what happened with Mikayla.”

His words hit me like a punch to the gut, and my heart aches for both him and myself. The pain of losing Mikayla still lingers, a festering wound that never seems to heal. But this time, things will be different. They have to be.

“Listen to me, brother,” I say, gripping his shoulder firmly. “I won’t let anything happen to Annalise. She means more to me than anything else in this world, and I will move heaven and earth to keep her safe.”

Cassius nods, trying to regain his composure. “You’re right. We can’t let our past dictate our future. We need to focus on finding Annalise and making sure she’s unharmed.”

“Exactly,” I agree, determination burning within me. “And we won’t stop until we’ve found her, no matter what it takes or who stands in our way.”

“Thank you, Damian,” Cassius murmurs, swallowing hard as he straightens up, attempting to regain control of his emotions. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

“Likewise,” I reply, clapping him on the back before turning my attention to the task at hand. My mind races with thoughts of Annalise, her safety, and how I refuse to let history repeat itself.

I won’t lose her like I lost Mikayla. I can’t.

“Find out where that black car went!” I command, my voice echoing off the walls as I address my guards. Their eyes widen at the urgency in my tone, and they scramble to their stations.

“Damian, what about Cassius’s rehearsal dinner?” one of my men asks hesitatantly, glancing nervously between Cassius and me.

I whip my head around to face him, my brow furrowed in frustration. The safety of Annalise is paramount—everything else can wait. “Nothing comes before finding Annalise,” I assert, my words laced with steel. “The rehearsal dinner can be postponed.”

“Of course.” The guard nods quickly, understanding the gravity of the situation.

Cassius, who was quiet for a moment, finally speaks up. “You’re right, Damian. Annalise’s safety is more important.” His voice is steady, but I can see the turmoil in his eyes, a storm brewing beneath the surface.

“Stay focused, brother,” I say, gripping his shoulder in reassurance. “We will find her.”

“Thank you, Damian,” he murmurs, swallowing hard as he straightens up, attempting to regain control of his emotions. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

“Likewise,” I reply, clapping him on the back before turning my attention back to the task at hand.

My mind races with thoughts of Annalise, her safety, and how I refuse to let history repeat itself. I won’t lose her like I lost Mikayla. I can’t.

Cassius looks me dead in the eyes before giving a solemn nod, signifying our unspoken understanding and unity in the mission to find Annalise. The weight of her safety lies heavily on both our shoulders.

“Let’s get to work,” I say, my voice filled with determination as I pull up the surveillance footage on the screens before us, searching for any clue that might lead us to Annalise.

As we scan through the images, my thoughts drift back to Mikayla, her lifeless eyes haunting me like a specter refusing to let go. I clench my fists at the memory, anger and grief surging through my veins like wildfire. And yet, despite the pain, I can’t afford to let these emotions consume me—not when Annalise is out there, potentially in danger.

“Damian, focus,” Cassius urges, snapping me out of my reverie. His words are gentle but firm, reminding me of the task at hand.

“Right. Focus,” I repeat to myself, forcing my mind back to the present. Every fiber of my being tells me I have to protect Annalise, to save her from the fate that befell Mikayla. I won’t let history repeat itself; I refuse to lose another person I care about.

“Check the south entrance,” I instruct one of the guards while scouring the footage myself, my heart pounding in my chest as though it’s trying to escape. The urgency of finding Annalise consumes me, threatening to shatter the fragile composure I’m struggling to maintain.

“Anything?” Cassius asks, his voice laced with desperation.

“Nothing yet,” I reply, frustration mounting as the minutes tick by. Time is slipping through our fingers, and with each passing moment, I can feel the grip of despair tightening around my throat.

“Wait! There!” Cassius exclaims, pointing to a figure appearing on one of the screens. I can feel my heart skip a beat as I recognize Annalise in the grainy footage.

“Finally,” I breathe, relief washing over me like a tidal wave. But within seconds, that relief is replaced with a new rush of anxiety—we still don’t know where she is or if she’s safe.

“Track her movements,” I command the guards, my voice steely and resolute. “We need to find her before it’s too late.”

As we follow Annalise through the labyrinth of surveillance images, I can’t help but be reminded of Mikayla and the crushing weight of guilt that still lingers in my chest. The memory of her loss threatens to overwhelm me, but I shove it aside, focusing all my energy on the task at hand.

“Damian, I promise you, we’ll find Annalise,” Cassius reassures me, his hand gripping my shoulder for support.

“We have to,” I reply, my voice barely above a whisper. I can’t lose her—not like I lost Mikayla. There’s a fierce determination burning inside me, fueled by the memories of past failures and the hope that this time, I can make a difference.

“Let’s go,” I say, steeling myself for whatever lies ahead. “We’re bringing Annalise home.”

The dim light from the surveillance room casts eerie shadows across the faces of my guards as they work tirelessly to trace the black car. I clench my fists, the cold sweat on my palms betraying my anxiety. I can’t shake the image of Annalise in that cemetery, and the nagging fear that she might slip through my fingers.

“Damian,” Cassius murmurs, his voice strained with concern. “You need to calm down. We’ll find her.”

“Easy for you to say,” I snap back, immediately regretting my harsh tone. I sigh, rubbing a hand over my face. “I just…I can’t lose her too, Cass.”

“Hey,” he says gently, his eyes locking on mine as if trying to anchor me to sanity. “We’ve got this. We’re going to bring her home safe and sound.”

I nod, taking a deep breath to steady myself. But still, my mind races, Mikayla’s lifeless eyes haunting me. The weight of grief threatens to crush me, but I push it aside, focusing all my energy on finding Annalise.

“Boss, we’ve got something!” one of the guards shouts, drawing my attention to the screens. He points to an intersection where the black car is barely visible as it speeds away.

“Where’s that?” I demand, my heart pounding in anticipation.

“South side of town, near the docks,” he replies, his fingers flying across the keyboard.

“Get everyone ready,” I order, my voice laced with determination. “We’re moving out.”

“Roger that,” Cassius says, already barking orders into his radio.

As we rush out of the surveillance room, my chest tightens with the pressure of responsibility. I know that every second counts, and the thought of failing Annalise fills me with dread.

“Damian,” Cassius calls, his voice barely audible over the sound of our boots pounding on the concrete. “What if we’re too late?”

“Shut up!” I snarl, my heart aching with the mere suggestion. “We won’t be.”

“Right,” he agrees, nodding solemnly as we pile into the waiting SUVs.

The tension in the air is palpable as we speed through the darkened streets, each of us lost in our thoughts and fears. But there’s one thing that I’m certain of—I won’t lose Annalise. And whatever it takes, whatever the cost, I’ll make damn sure that I never feel this helpless again.