Chapter 18

eighteen

MARCO

My knuckles ached as I gripped the steering wheel, navigating through the dimly lit streets. The city’s nightlife buzzed around me, a cacophony of neon lights and people out and about, looking for a good time—or as I used to call it, a midweek pick-me-up. It felt completely at odds with the grim reality of my world right now.

Worry gnawed at my gut, a constant companion since I’d learned Enzo had gone missing. And Nick…

I swallowed, unable to even think about it.

Just… fuck!

Every passing moment amplified my concern, each street that came up empty pissing me off as I continued my search. We’d been out all day, checking all the safe-houses and patrolling our territory lines to find our man, but the chances of him being found alive were dwindling. It had been my suggestion to comb Silver City from the outside in, looking for any sign of Enzo.

After exhausting all the bars and clubs we frequented, I’d taken to searching alleyways as a last fuckin’ resort. My gaze darted along the backstreets and thruways, continuously scanning and assessing every damn shadow.

Another hour later, and I was almost ready to give up when a hunched figure caught my eye. A man limped down the sidewalk before skirting into an alleyway. He leaned heavily against the brick, head dropping back while his arm clutched at his ribs.

Even in the dim light, the silhouette was unmistakable.

“Thank fuck.” Recklessly, I veered the car around, cutting off traffic before zooming to a stop at the mouth of the alley.

Enzo’s hand darted towards his gun before relaxing as he recognized my vehicle.

Without a word, he slid into the passenger seat; the leather creaking beneath his weight. The second his door slammed closed, I tore away from the curb.

Enzo groaned as he reached for the seatbelt. “Good to see you, man. Thanks for the ride.”

“Holy shit, you fucker. We’ve been looking everywhere for you.”

My fingers flew over my phone as I divided my attention between my cell and the road. Muscle memory took over as I sent a terse message to my brothers.

Marco

Found Enzo. He’s alive. Heading back.

The soft blue glow of the screen illuminated my friend’s face for a moment before I clicked the damn thing off and shifted to tuck it into my pocket. But that dim light had been enough to note his split lip, the wicked bruise blooming over his cheekbone, and the gnarly cut across his eyebrow. Anger bubbled up inside of me, hot and sharp, at the sight of his injuries. The metallic notes of blood tinged Enzo’s natural scent of cinnamon bark and citrus.

“What the hell happened?” I finally demanded, unable to help but steal glances at my friend. Relief mixed with my frustration.

Enzo grimaced, his gaze fixed on the passing scenery. The lights of the city painted his bruised face in a kaleidoscope of colors. “Vincent,” he muttered darkly, the name dripping with venom. “Bastard caught me. Got a few solid hits in before I could shake him off.

My grip tightened on the steering wheel, the leather creaking in protest. The mention of Vincent sent a surge of rage through me. We may have struck first, but we had a damn good reason. This fucker had the audacity to put his hands on one of my guys, and he was going to pay for that lapse of judgment. If the Valentinos wanted to escalate shit, we’d escalate shit right back.

“Why the hell didn’t you call us?” I hissed, the words escaping through clenched teeth. “We would’ve been there.”

Enzo shook his head wearily, wincing at the movement. “Don’t you think I wanted to? My phone got trashed in the scuffle,” he explained, shoving a hand through his hair.

The sides were shaved to the skin, but the top was usually impeccably styled. That he looked like a fucking mess spoke to how bad shit had gotten. That man spent more time in the bathroom than any chick I’d ever known.

“Had to lay low,” he finished.

I let out a slew of curses; the words echoing in the quiet, confined space of my car. My fingers drummed wildly against the steering wheel, the tension in my body coiling like a spring ready to snap. “They were already fucking with us,” I growled, “but everything’s heightened since we picked off half their guys and took Kitania.”

At the mention of her name, my heart rate sped up. The memory of my Omega’s scent, sweet and intoxicating, flooded me. I had to push the thoughts of her aside so I could focus on the present. I didn’t trust myself not to jerk the damn wheel and drive straight back to the penthouse where Gio was keeping an eye on our girl. The temptation to return home was strong.

Enzo’s brows furrowed before he hissed, the cut on his brow splitting again. A thin trail of blood made its way down his face, and he lifted the hem of his shirt, the fabric rustling as he used it to blot at the wound. “Kitania? The Omega you saved?”

“I’m sure the Valentinos would use the word ‘stole,’ but yeah. The woman we rescued… she’s our scent match.” The words felt surreal coming out of my mouth, even now.

“You’re shittin’ me.” Enzo’s voice was a mix of disbelief and awe.

I chuckled. “I guess D left that out when he was giving you orders. Trust me, I wouldn’t joke about something this serious.”

Enzo huffed a laugh. “Well, fuck me,” he muttered, shaking his head.

I flashed him a million watt smile, happy to find our way back to our natural state—bickering assholes. “You’re very pretty, but no thanks, man. I’ll pass.” The familiar quip was comforting, despite the gravity of our situation.

My friend smirked, wincing as the expression pulled at his split lip. “So you think the Valentinos are escalating shit with us to… what? Get her back?”

The muscles in my jaw clenched, teeth grinding together. “You know they’ve been making moves for the past couple of months. My guess? They’re more motivated to eliminate us now. Their retaliation was as strategic as it was personal.”

He took a moment, lost in thought as the streets rushed by. The rhythm of traffic created a hypnotic pattern of light and shadow as we crossed town to the club we’d set as our designated meet.

Scrubbing a hand down his face, mindful of his injuries, he mulled over what I’d said with a frown. “Even though their forces are depleted, Rocco and Vincent are some scrappy bastards. I wouldn’t put it past them to up recruitment or use hired guns. Or fuckin’ both.”

My attention flicked to Enzo, studying his battered profile. “Did you learn anything when you tracked ‘em down?”

Enzo shifted uncomfortably, his gaze fixated out the windshield. The silence stretched between us, heavy with unspoken words. His voice was low and tinged with regret when he finally relented. “Nah. We’d followed them to a safe-house, but they burned it when they caught our tail. We got cocky and comfortable, and we didn’t see ‘em before it was too late. They got a jump on Nick and I, and... well, fuck , you know the rest.” He waved a hand down his body, gesturing toward his injuries. His attention snapped back to me. “Have you heard from Nick?”

The question hung in the air as my heart dropped into my damn stomach.

You’d think I’d be used to this shit by now, but there was a reason I preferred not to be at the forefront of things. This life wasn’t one I’d chosen for myself. Like my brothers, I had been born into it, and while I would always have their backs, I tended to hang in the background as much as I could when it came to handling the ‘business’ side of things. I followed orders, did what was necessary, and stayed out of the rest.

Fuckin’ hell. The tension in the car was palpable, thick enough to cut with a knife. I swallowed hard, my throat suddenly dry.

Enzo’s jaw tightened, the muscles in his neck standing out, and I knew he’d read into my silence. “We split up,” he admitted with a heavy dose of guilt. “It was my call. Vincent and Rocco were hot on our tails. I led Vincent away, and Rocco went after Nick. I thought we could lose ‘em.”

The words stuck in my throat, bitter and painful. “Nick didn’t make it,” I whispered, feeling the dark car fill with sorrow. “They mutilated him, Enzo. It was a fuckin’ massacre.”

The silence that followed was deafening. Enzo’s breath caught, his expression darkening with grief and anger. “Shit.” The word was strangled, and he dropped his head, pinching the bridge of his nose. “I thought... I hoped we could get away clean.”

The weight of shared loss settled over us, fucking suffocating. My mind raced, replaying the gruesome aftermath I’d seen pictures of. Nick’s broken body, the blood, that goddamn V… I scrubbed a hand over my forehead like I could physically dispel the image.

It wasn’t as though I hadn’t witnessed my fair share of blood and gore, but there was something different about a clean headshot or a normal corpse than the sick, twisted shit they’d done to Nick.

I had to get the thoughts out of my mind. Desperate for a shift in conversation, I asked, “How’s your head? You need to see Doc?”

“Nah, just sore. Nothing a drink won’t fix.”

I nodded, expression hard. “We have to figure out what Vincent and Rocco are planning next. And we have to keep Kitania safe. She’s a target now more than ever.”

The mere thought of my Omega in danger made my blood boil. The desire to protect her clawed at my insides, demanding action. Vengeance. The Valentinos wouldn’t get their hands on her again. I’d die before I let that happen.

Enzo’s eyes narrowed with his resolve. “I owe Rocco for this.” His fingers curled into fists, adding to how pissed he appeared. “He won’t get away with what he did to Nick.”

His anger mirrored my own, the rage and grief swirling together, mixing into a potent cocktail. “We’ll get him and Vincent both, Enzo,” I promised unwaveringly. “But we’ve got to protect the home front first.”

As we neared the club, my thoughts turned to Giovanni and Kitania back at the penthouse. I knew Gio was capable, but the thought of being seperated from my Omega for so long made my stomach churn with unease. I needed her safe, ideally protected by all four of us. We couldn’t afford any more losses. Just the possibility of losing her nearly stopped my fucking heart.

“Almost there.” The familiar neon sign of the club came into view like a beacon. “Let’s get inside, regroup with the others, and figure out our next move.”

With grim determination, I stepped on the gas, making the engine roar as the car smoothly lurched forward. The sooner I reunited with my brothers and devised a plan for revenge, the sooner I could return to my mate.

And God help anyone who tried to stand in my way.