25. Cian

WatchingVictoria as she sits through her lectures, she knows I'm looking at her but ignores me to try to concentrate. It's cute. But this is bullshit. We don't belong here. Not anymore. Me, Luke, Gianluca, and Victoria, we are our own family, and we are above the laws laid down by our parents. It's time we proved that.

When the last lecture finally ends, I grab Victoria's hand and kiss her knuckles. "We need to talk. All of us back at home."

Victoria's eyes meet mine, but her expression gives nothing away. She nods once, and we walk back to the townhouse without saying a word. I can tell she's going over everything that happened in her head, just like I am.

Luke is already inside when we enter, his laptop open on the kitchen table. He looks up at us, and his gaze lingers on Victoria before turning to me.

"We should have a chat," I say, repeating the words I had just said to Victoria.

Luke nods, his expression serious. "I know."

We gather in the living room, the tension thick in the air. Gianluca joins us and sits on the arm of the couch, his arms crossed over his chest, while Victoria perches on the edge of the chair. I pace back and forth, trying to gather my thoughts.

"This is it," I say finally. "This is the moment we take control of our lives. No more playing by the rules of our families, no more hiding who we are."

Luke nods in agreement. "It's time we show them that we're not just puppets to be manipulated."

Victoria's eyes meet mine, curious but not as surprised as I thought she'd be.

"I'm in," she says, her voice steady. "I'm tired of pretending to be someone I'm not."

I smile at her words. She's fully committed to our cause.

"So, what's the plan?" Gianluca asks, his voice gruff.

I take a deep breath, knowing that what I'm about to say will change everything.

"We need to make a power play. We need to show our families that we're not just their children, but legitimate players in this game."

Luke nods, his fingers drumming on the armrest of his chair. "We have the resources, the connections. We just need to be smart about it."

Victoria leans forward, her eyes flashing with excitement. "Are you saying we break away and make a whole new family?"

My smile turns slightly more sinister. "That's exactly what I'm saying. The other bosses have shown me massive disrespect, and to be honest, I'm done with them. You, me, us. We are what I believe in."

Victoria grins, her eyes lighting up with excitement. "I'm all for it. Let's do this."

Luke nods, a determined look on his face. "We need to be strategic about this. We can't just make a power play without thinking it through."

Gianluca speaks up. "I agree. We need to be smart about this. We have the resources, but we need to use them wisely."

I nod, my mind already racing with ideas. "We have our own connections here and out there. But this is the part where I need you all on board. It's a two-fold deal." I turn to Victoria, and knowing G will kick my ass for stealing his idea, I drop to my knees in front of her. "Marry me."

"What?" she asks, her mouth dropping open as G rises and growls at me.

"You heard me, bitch."

She giggles and drops to her knees as well. "Yes, fuckface, I will, but not in the usual way."

"What do you mean? This has to be legit."

"And it will with a civil ceremony, whatever, but I want this to be a binding of blood. All of us." She cups my face and brushes her lips over mine. "We've already shared everything else. I want this."

Staring into her eyes, wondering how she keeps making me love her more, I nod. "I want it too."

She grins and looks up at Luke and G. "You in?"

Luke's gaze flickers between us. "I'm in."

Gianluca grins, his eyes alight with excitement. "I've been waiting for this moment for a long time. But I do need that legal-can't-fuck-with-it aspect nailed down."

I stand up, pulling Victoria to her feet with me. "Not a fucking problem. We'll do the blood ceremony first and then head to the Town Hall tomorrow and sort out the legalities. It might be a few weeks before we can make it official, but once we do this, that's it for us. We are our own entity."

"What's the second part?" Victoria asks, her eyes shining in a way that thrills me. I thought she'd turn me down flat, but I underestimated her love for me. For us.

"Sorcha," I say with a sigh. "I want her in this family. If that means accepting the Reapers, if she is part of them, as an ally, then that's what we will have to do. I have a feeling their endgame will change if they know a group of next gen are making their own rules. I feel strongly that this group are also next gen trying to do better than their low life families."

"Yeah, that makes sense," Victoria says. "But we don't know any of this for sure. We need confirmation."

"We'll get it. Sorcha won't disappear for long if she has already made contact. But the person she wants is you, Tory. She came to you."

"Yeah." She blows out a breath. "You all need to leave."

"What?" Luke snaps. "No. That is not an option."

"Look. This is the best way to draw her out," Tory argues.

"I agree," I say slowly, hating it but knowing she's right. "If we fuck off, Sorcha will come. I know it. Whatever she is after starts with Victoria."

"Are you sure about this, Victoria?" Gianluca asks, his voice laced with concern. "We can find another way."

She nods, a determined look in her eyes. "I'm sure. This is the only way. I'm positive that once I'm alone, she'll show."

"Okay, but tomorrow," Luke says. "I want to make sure the windows and doors are reinforced because we still don't know who the asshole is who broke in and tossed the place."

"And himself," I mutter with a smirk.

Victoria bursts out laughing. "Whoever it is, they won't be back anytime soon. Not if I'm here and I'm not leaving. Not until Sorcha shows up."

"So blood ceremony first, dirty sex to consummate it, Luke does his thing and then we fuck off. Sounds like a plan."

Victoria grins and laces our fingers together. "I love a good plan, and I love you. All of you. I don't want to be tied down anymore to the University. We've outgrown it. Petty crime and bust-ups are more irritating now than what we can really achieve if we lose these shackles."

I pull her closer and kiss her lips before saying, "Exactly my thoughts, killer."

"Let me get on the security first," Luke says. "I won't be able to focus on anything else until that's done."

"Have at it," Victoria murmurs. "I'm going to get ready for the ceremony." She pulls away from me and heads for the stairs, turning as the doorbell chimes.

"Do not get that!" I roar as she aims for the front door.

She gives me a sassy smile and hauls it open as the three of us pile up behind her.

"Oh, you have got to be shitting me!" she hisses and bends down to pick up a black box. "What the fuck, man. I thought we were done with this bullshit." She spins and barges through us to throw the box on the side table.

Reaching it before Luke and G, I flip open the lid quickly and stare into it. "Pretty and not exactly like the others."

"Sorcha," she says as Luke flicks through the cams.

"She fucking looped me again. This bitch is getting on my last nerve!" he hisses.

"Hey," I growl. "That's my sister."

"Sorry," Luke mumbles, looking apologetic. "But, fuck, she is good." The pride in his voice appeases me somewhat. However, she came to be in this world; she is my blood, and I won't turn my back on her.

Victoria reaches in and scoops up the diamonds left on a sea of red rose petals.

Gianluca holds his hand out for them, and Tory hands them over. He inspects them, holding them up to the light. "I need my loupe, but I would say black market, very dangerous, possibly blood and makes one hell of a statement."

"Fuck," I mutter. "She is not messing about."

"No," Victoria murmurs. "I need to get a face-to-face with her."

"You will. She'll be back."

Victoria suddenly looks up at me. "Fuck!" she roars. "I know what that asshole was after!" She runs for the stairs, and we exchange glances but shrug and follow her quickly. When we find her, she is peeling up a corner of the carpet in her bedroom and using her knife to pop up a floorboard.

"What the fuck are you doing, Tory?" I ask.

"I hid something here," she mutters, her eyes focused on the task at hand. "Something I know now that asshole was looking for."

I watch as she pulls a small metal box from the floor and pops it open. Inside, I see a stack of passports and a small, unmarked USB drive.

"Jesus, Victoria," Luke murmurs, his eyes wide with surprise. "What the fuck is this?"

"Insurance," she whispers. "It was the one thing I couldn't hide at my parents' house because, well, they're on it."

"What?" I snap. "What is this?"

"Mullen," she sighs. "He was a South African who came here to get away from a rebel group in Angola. He stole blood diamonds from them to pay for his funding here, to start a new organised crime group. It didn't get off the ground, because my dad found out the diamonds were conflict and while he doesn't give a shit if he buys a certified diamond necklace stolen from Lady Margaret of Hemsway or where-the-fuck-ever, this is a no go for anyone in my family." She casts a glance at G, whose family are less moral when it comes to this kind of thing. He doesn't take offence, but that's G for you. You do you; he'll do him.

"So your dad found out, and what? Mullen tried to kill him?"

"Yeah," she snorts. "It went badly, obviously. Quinn…" She gulps, but my girl rallies instantly. "Quinn was obviously aware of this. He and my dad were tight, and I found out that he paid Mullen off for the diamonds after my dad declined." She holds up the drive.

"Fuck. Why did you never use it?" I ask, frowning. "Take Quinn down the legal way?"

"Because I was scared my dad would get implicated and all the rest. I don't need to explain myself to you," she adds, her eyes fiery.

I hold my hands up. "No, you don't. You did what you thought was best. So Quinn took out Mullen because he knew about this deal, obviously, the Reapers have found out about it and wanted the evidence to take down Quinn. But you already got him, so…"

Victoria and I lock gazes and it's like lightning flashes between us.

"You think Mullen and Sorcha are somehow connected?"

"Her mother is an unknown to us. But some fucker knows who she is, and yeah, I'd bet my last quid she is related to Mullen."

"Fuck."

"Fuck," I agree.

"Jesus," G pipes up. "Shit just got more complicated."

"Not really," I say, shaking my head as the revelation crashes down on me like a thunderclap. "All roads lead to Quinn. Or rather led. Sorcha wants Tory, because she knows you killed him."