ELI

My mind has been moving in a dangerous direction. I''m trying to hold onto the patience I no longer have for the sake of my wife.

If it were up to me, this shitty town would be in ashes as we speak. But I promised Ari I''d hold on a little and trust Luca.

My phone vibrates, making me release my now sleeping wife and carefully ce her on the couch. She has refused to leave our sons side for any reason.

She has been practically staying in this hospital, and she fainted when the doctors rushed in once his heart stopped beating.

I tried getting all kinds of hearts paying ten times their worth, but none was a match.

Frustration was slowly building up, and I felt like if I spent another minute sitting, I''d lose the little control I''m holding to.

This is my son we''re talking about.

The only one we have.

If anything happens... I don''t even want to go there.

Sliding to the right, I pick up Luca''s call.

"Talk to me." I grit out.

"I''m sending something to your encrypted email." He says and hangs up.

A secondter, my phone vibrates, and sure enough, it''s a video attached to it. I press y immediately and what I see makes my blood fucking boil to a point I''m not sure if I''m still seeing correctly.

In it is my fucking brother and nephew, beating up Elias''s little Erand boy and grabbing what I assume is Athena''s fucking box.

The thing my son wouldn''t shut up about till he passed out. Trying to stop this from leaking must have taken a toll on him.

I dial Luca''s number, "I can see what you''ve sent."

"Do You think Noah told his parents about it and helped his father?" Luca asks as I pace back and forth trying to recollect my thought but all I see is fucking red.

"No. Noah has been obsessed with Athena. I don''t think he did. I however think he purposely removed his mask to send us a message. Get back here, I''ll find him. Bring Athena with you, I don''t give a fuck what they fought about, I need her to do the surgery.n can''t do it alone."

"She can hear you just fine, Uncle. I''m with her. And what about Dr. Quinn snr.? Wasn''t he the one in charge?"

"Not anymore!" I cut and rush back in to grab my car keys.

I know where to find the fucker.

"Come with me." I say to Ryan who joins me as we rush to the car and speed for the road.

"Your Job is simple. Once we secure the box, drive back here and give it to Athena. Luca will make sure no one stands in his way. Do you understand?"

"Yes sir."

I focus my eyes on the road as I drive like a man possessed. Red lights blur past me. Horns re, but I don''t give a single fuck. My mind is a warzone, every thought erupting with betrayal, rage, and the image of my son''s lifeless face.

I underestimated that fucker. I should have paid more attention to him after the will was read.

"You sure this is it?" Ryan asks from the passenger seat, watching the GPS pulse over a location not even the government has mapped.

"I''m fucking sure," I growl, tightening my grip on the wheel until my knuckles pop.

"He thought he was smart, hiding a second house behind the charity front. But I''ve been smarter. I always have been ten steps ahead. Maybe that''s why the bastard hates me so much!"

The gates appear up ahead. Tall, iron, and guarded. Two men with guns stand at either side. The moment they spot my car, they move into position.

Big mistake.

I m the brakes just in time, sending the car into a screeching halt that kicks up

a storm of dust. I''m already out before the tires finish spinning.

"Sir, this is private-"

My fist crashes into the first guard''s jaw before he finishes the sentence. He crumples like dead weight.

The second pulls his weapon, but Ryan tackles him from the side. I follow up with

a brutal kick to his ribs, and the satisfying crack makes him scream.

Blood stains my shoes, but it''s not enough.

These bitches are lucky I''m on a clock right now.

I storm up the front steps and kick the door open so hard it nearly unhinges.

And there they are.fn388f Content originallyes from find{n}ovel/fn388f

Katya, John and his precious little princess Noah.

Sitting on plush couches,ughing like they just won a lottery and had to celebrate.

Noah, however sits on the dinning and the moment he looks up and our eyes lock, I ce my finger on my lips.

What he will do next will tell me if I''m right or wrong.

If he proves an enemy, I''ll have to console Sloer on. luckily for me, the boy nods at me telling me to follow him.

I point at Ryan to do it.

I''m sure Noah will give him the box. I just need to make sure we don''t leave any loose ends.

I walk to the counter and grab an open wine bottle and hurl it across the room.

It shatters against the TV, sparks flying as the screen dies with a high-pitched squeal. Katya screams and scrambles back.

John bolts to his feet.

"What the fuck are you doing, Eli?!" he shouts, his voice more surprise than fear. "Guards!"

I take a step forward, my voice calm enough to make him shit his pants.

"Will you look at that dear bro. You finally grew some balls and stole something from me."

"I don''t want any trouble, Eli, just leave!" He growls and I chuckle.

"Leave? I don''t think so. I''m here to take the fucking form you stole. If it won''t work I''ll rip your heart out so Lean put it in my boy its tainted but it will have to do till I find another!"  s

John swallows, his jaw clenching.

"You''re making a mistake."

"I am the mistake," I whisper, stepping into the room. "The one you should''ve

never fucking crossed."

Katya clutches her chest, trembling as I pull a small de from my belt.

"I hope you enjoy the view, since you enjoyed walking in my wife''s shadow so much, might as well die with it." I sneer at her before turning my eyes back to John.

"Because I''m going to skin your man alive. Inch by inch. Until he begs me to fucking kill him."

"You stole everything from me! Everything! Mum''s love, Ariana and the empire. It should have all been mine!" He shouts.

"Did you hear that?" I turn to his pathetic Little bitch, "Your husband is still obsessed with my wife. Something we will have to fix. But first things first, does Noah know that you used to sell Sloane in exchange for information from powerful men? Using your own daughter as a sex and drug ve? You''re one piece of shit John. On?” fucking piece of shit bet you''ll be mum''s biggest regret until the day her heart stops!"  s

"Shut up!"

"Why? Did I hit a nerve?" I raise my brow.

Behind me, I hear footsteps halt. John pales and Katya falls to the couch.

She was in on it, why is she acting innocent?

Tires screech outside telling me

Ryan has taken what we need. Now we can only pray the side effects don''t kill him because I don''t know how I''ll handle seeing my wife broken.  s

"Dad," Noah''s voice breaks pulling me back to the mess I came to fix.

"Is it true?"