30. Damian

30

My world descended into a waking nightmare ever since Alexis was taken, and I'm losing my fucking mind. The agonizing uncertainty of not knowing where she is or whether she is even alive is slowly driving me mad.

I can barely sleep or eat, my mind consumed by the horrific scenarios playing out on a loop—Alexis being tortured by Scarlett, being sold to some faceless man who takes her away forever, her blank, lifeless eyes after the sale, her spirit gone and only a hollow shell remaining.

I had stormed The Brotherhood's headquarters, desperate for answers, but it was completely abandoned. The eerie silence and emptied room only fueled my rage and despair. I interrogated their captured soldiers, but they either genuinely knew nothing or refused to talk.

In my unraveling state, I couldn't hold back. With my own hands, I ended their lives, slitting their throats as they pleaded for mercy.

Fucking coward.

The act provided no solace, only a momentary release from the all-consuming anguish threatening to shatter my sanity.

Alexis's disappearance has broken something deep within me. The cool, level-headed strategist is gone, replaced by a feral, single-minded creature driven solely by the need to find her, no matter the cost.

As days pass, I teeter dangerously close to the edge, unsure whether I will ever be whole again. All I can see are her lifeless eyes, her spirit snuffed out, and it's destroying me from the inside.

And I can't stop blaming myself. I never should have gone to that lunch with Uncle Vinny. I should have had Alexis spirited away to another safehouse. It's obvious now that Vinny figured out exactly who Alexis was the moment he saw her in the house.

But how could he allow the slaughter of our own people? How could he team up with The Brotherhood? This is a betrayal I will never forget.

The guilt is eating Edo alive. He keeps replaying that fateful day in his mind, berating himself for not doing more to protect Alexis. "I should have been faster, stronger, more vigilant," he tells me, his face twisted in anguish. "I failed her."

It's hard to not blame Edo for Alexis's disappearance. His only goal was to protect her and he failed. He allowed her to be captured.

But Nat doesn't allow me to pin the blame solely on Edo. "If you had only been more careful, more proactive, maybe you could have prevented this," she hisses at me after I snarl at Edo.

But I can't help it. Alexis's disappearance weighs on me. The not knowing where she is or whether she's even alive torments me endlessly.

As I pore over maps of Chicago, trying to figure out more Brotherhood safehouses, Nat slams her hands down on the table, startling me.

"What the fuck, Nat?" I snarl, looking up at my sister. "I'm busy."

"We need help to find Alexis," she insists. "We have to swallow our pride and call in Invicta."

"Fuck no," I snap. "They tried to fucking kill us not too long ago, Nat. Or do you not remember that?"

She scowls at me, dark circles under her eyes indicating she also has not been sleeping. "Don't fucking patronize me, Damian. I'm trying to get you to think as the Boss again, instead of a wet behind the ears idiot. But think of their resources—the weapons, the military-grade tech, the extensive network. If anyone can track Alexis down, it'll be them."

As much as it pains me to admit it, Nat is right. We're out of options, our own efforts proving futile. I've reached the end of my patience. I need to find Alexis now.

The phone feels heavy in my hand as I dial Bobby's number. I can practically feel the loathing rising in my chest, the memory of him ruthlessly murdering my parents and sister still haunting me. But I swallow my pride and bitterness because Alexis is all that matters now. When Bobby answers, I don't beat around the bush, asking to meet with him.

"Why the fuck should I meet with you?" Bobby's gruff voice cuts through the line, laced with disdain.

I take a steadying breath, steeling myself. "It's about Alexis Hartley."

The line goes silent, and for a moment, I wonder if he's hung up on me. But then his voice returns, clipped and devoid of emotion. "The Ballroom. One hour."

The call ends, and I let out a heavy sigh. Nat and Edo watch me with concern, knowing the weight of what I'm about to do.

"He agreed to meet us," I say. "The Ballroom, one hour."

They nod solemnly, understanding the risks we're about to take. Aligning ourselves with the Invicta Boss, our sworn enemy—it goes against every fiber of our being.

But for Alexis, there is no choice.

We soon arrive at The Ballroom, a lounge deep in Invicta territory. The message is clear—play nice or die.

As Nat, Edo, and I enter the dimly lit establishment, the tension is palpable. Invicta's men watch our every move, hands hovering near concealed weapons. I keep my own team close, ready to react at the slightest provocation.

This is Invicta's domain, and we are mere guests here at their sufferance.

As Bobby Shields emerges from the back, flanked by his most trusted lieutenants, I can't help but study him closely. He's a towering, muscular figure, every inch the quintessential Mafia Don. His hazel eyes bore into me with a piercing, calculating gaze, and I have to stamp down the loathing I feel when I look at the man who ruthlessly murdered my parents and sister.

His expression hardens as he approaches, sizing us up with a calculating gaze. "Damian," he greets, his voice even as he sits down, motioning for us to sit as well. "What do the Iacopellis want with Alexis Hartley?"

His tone makes me bristle, but I stamp it down. Alexis's safety depends on it.

"We need your help, Bobby. Alexis has been taken by The Brotherhood, and we've exhausted every other avenue. You have resources, connections—things we desperately need right now."

Bobby's brow furrows, and for a moment he looks… almost concerned. "Alexis Hartley," he repeats slowly. "Why are you keeping that girl safe?"

I meet his gaze unflinchingly, determined not to show any weakness. "Because I've fallen in love with her."

Nat and Edo's eyes widen at my admission, though I know they've suspected as much for some time.

"The Brotherhood is going to sell her to the highest bidder, and I'll be damned if I let them take her from me forever."

Bobby is silent for a moment, his penetrating stare seemingly boring into my very soul. Then, he speaks again. "Let me see a picture of her."

Nat quickly pulls out her phone and shows him a photo of her and Alexis. In the image, Alexis stands tall, her slender frame belying the strength in her posture as she firmly grips the gun Nat is teaching her to fire. Her brow is furrowed in concentration, her hazel eyes alight with a fierce determination that makes my heart swell with pride.

For the briefest of moments, I swear I see Bobby's features soften as he gazes at the photo. But then it's gone, his face once again a mask of stone.

"How and why was Alexis Hartley taken?"

I straighten my shoulders, slipping back into the calculated, authoritative persona of a seasoned Mob Boss. "Alexis was targeted by The Brotherhood. They discovered she had escaped her foster family and boyfriend, who had sold her to them in the first place."

His brow furrows slightly, but he remains silent, gesturing for me to continue.

"My men and I have been sheltering her for months, ever since we found her being held at gunpoint by one of your soldiers." I pause, gauging his reaction. The tightening of his eyes tells me he doesn't appreciate that particular detail.

"When her abusive ex-boyfriend, Mark, tried to drag her back to the Carter house, Alexis was forced to kill him in self-defense." I meet Bobby's gaze steadily, refusing to show any sign of weakness.

"The Brotherhood has had a soldier stationed outside the Carter house—in your territory—for months now, hoping for any sign of Alexis." It takes everything in me to not ask Bobby how the fuck his men managed to miss a rival gang member in their territory, but I resist the urge.

This is for Alexis.

"And then," I continue, "my fucking traitorous uncle Vinny must have recognized Alexis when he came into my home unauthorized. He tipped off Scarlett, which is why they lured me and Nat to Basil and Olive—so Scarlett could storm my home, slaughter my men, and take Alexis."

Bobby's jaw clenches, a muscle twitching in his cheek. For a long, tense moment, he is silent. Then, finally, he speaks.

"Done," he says, his tone clipped. "Invicta will help."

I can't help but be taken aback at his ready agreement, given the longstanding animosity between our families. Edo voices the question on all our minds. "Why are you helping us? What's in it for you?"

The Don's expression hardens, his jaw clenching. "That's my business." He stands, his hulking frame casting an imposing shadow over us. "But know this—when I see Scarlett Rafa and Vincente Iacopelli next, I'm going to fucking kill them."

With a final nod, he turns and strides away, his lieutenants falling in behind him. "I'll be in touch."

As we withdraw, I can't ignore the sinking feeling in my gut. I've just made a deal with the devil, and I pray I won't live to regret it.

Edo and Nat remain silent, their expressions grim. We all know the risk we're taking, aligning ourselves with our sworn enemies. But for Alexis, we have no other choice.

Whatever the cost, we have to find her, no matter what it takes.