Chapter Twenty-Eight

He's in his office at this late hour, which doesn't quite surprise me because what we do in the dark comes to light. I creep in while my men make sure there isn't a soul who saw my presence.

"Good evening, Rodriguez."

"Valentino. What are you doing in here? You shouldn't be here." His eyes are as wide as saucers, almost coked out. He peers outside, searching for something.

"Why would that be?" I challenge the high-and-mighty prick to tell the truth. This time, there will be no easy death until I get the answers I came for. Stella's everything to me, and I'll destroy the world to bring her peace.

"You shouldn't be here," he doubles down.

"Is that because I should be dead?"

"What? No." I rush on him in a heartbeat, lifting him off his feet and into the air before slamming him violently against the wall, sending his framed awards falling as the worthless shits should.

"I swear I have no idea what you're talking about, but if they see you here, they'll kill my wife and kids," he chokes out.

"Well, they tried to kill mine tonight, so excuse me if I don't give a fuck."

"Please, I didn't have anything to do with your wife and I didn't know you had children."

"She's pregnant."

"I just haven't ruled on the fires yet."

"Why?"

"They want you to turn over territory and property to them. They figured you'd be weakened with my office breathing down your neck when we accuse you of crimes. They have leverage. I wouldn't play ball, but they took my family tonight." The tears in his eyes are real and vulnerable. His family portrait on his desk reminds me that a man will do whatever to protect his own. Even someone who is dedicated to the right side of the law.

"Who are they, and where did they take them?"

"The Otero Family." Fucking Salazar's relatives. That piece of dirt's relations are behind all of this. I think back to that encounter in my office. No, it wasn't because I offed that prick because they never came after him; hell, no one even bothered to look for him. He was just another pawn of theirs. They were just stealing from me, and he was their first test.

"Which Otero took your family?"

"Miguel."

"If you're playing me…"

"I'm not. I swear. I had proof it was arson and even who started two of the fires, but I got threatened before I could report it. One of their family members works for fire department."

"By tomorrow, there will be no more Oteros," I promise. "We're going to leave. You don't speak to no one."

We walk out and wait because if they're watching him, someone will be in contact shortly. Adriano pretends to drive away when a man walks back into the station and into the office. We follow and listen. "What the fuck did you say to them?"

"Nothing. He threatened me, wanting to know who started the fires. I told him it's not that easy. It's not like people write their names on the fires."

"He let you live?" that bastard Otero says, voice laced with suspicion. He doesn't know I'm about to get his ass.

"Killing a city official investigating his properties doesn't seem like a smart move for him."

"What else did you tell him? He had to want more."

"Nothing. I swear."

"You're fucking lying, Cousin."

"We're not family anymore. Family doesn't do this to each other." Family?

I nod to Adriano, so he goes inside and pounces on Otero, knocking him out cold. I enter behind him and stare at Rodriguez. "Hiding secrets."

"I don't consider them family and haven't for two decades, and this is what they consider family—taking mine." We spent the next three hours taking down one house after another until we found the one that had Rodriguez's family.

"Miguel… Come out, come out, wherever you are," I greet the bastard, wanting a confrontation, craving it.

"You think you're slick, Valentino, but your men easily turn on you." He comes out of the shadows with Rodriguez's wife in his arms, her neck bleeding, but she's alive. "You aren't the top dog anymore. I am."

"Bullshit. So I had a couple of pussies out of thousands. One who wanted revenge, and two looking for handouts. They got what they deserved."

"What? Filo's dead?"

"Yes. He shouldn't have put his hands on my wife."

"I'm going to enjoy fucking that bitch once you're dead. She looked so damn good, and if that stupid Benz had done his job, she would have been in my grasp sooner, screaming my name on her knees." I've had enough. He thinks he's hitting a nerve, and truthfully and he is, but I'm deadly and so much more.

"She'd never. She'd slice your balls off first, and you'd be crying her name, begging to be saved."

"We'll see." He shoves Rodriguez's wife and lifts a gun, but he's too fucking slow. I shoot him between the eyes. He falls back but manages to get a shot off, hitting me in the arm. I've been hit before, so I brush it off because I need to get Rodriguez's family to him before some of Otero's allies come looking for revenge.

The little kids are petrified, but we work quickly to get them out of here and to safety before wreaking havoc on the rest of the family.

It isn't until the next morning that I'm able to return home and see my wife after destroying over half the Otero Family. There is more to do than kill all the heads and anyone who opposes my takeover, but I have an angel to look after.

The doc bandages me up, and then I head up to the only place I want to be. Opening my bedroom door with my father and Gabe following behind, we find all three of our ladies curled up on the bed together, clearly having kept each other company all night.

"Come on, sleeping beauties. It's time to wake up and go home," my father says.

Yawns rip through the room and it's actually adorable, but I want them the fuck out of my room so I can hold my sweet kitten. My father scoops up my mother, and Gabe does the same with Gracie. They all leave, and I strip down to my boxers to cuddle my wife.

"I love you, Angel."

"I love you, my dark prince."