Galen (Savage Arrows #3)

Chapter Three

Galen had come to Mario Bruno’s house with a clear purpose: to do the job quick and painless, no unnecessary complications. But the moment he saw her, that plan unraveled.

The woman—no, the captivating beauty—standing in the dim light of her father’s office was not what he had expected. She had dark hair that tumbled over her shoulders, and her green eyes were striking, drawing him in despite the tense situation. He intended to ask Mario who she was, but the old man, visibly terrified, volunteered the information before Galen could speak.

“Please, Galen,” Mario begged, his voice trembling. “I know you came for me, but please, spare my daughter.”

Galen observed the man closely, noting the stark whites of his eyes, wide with fear. Mario was downright terrified, and for good reason.

Galen and his brothers had a reputation—a reputation that made grown men like Mario quake in their boots. But this … this was something new. The fear in Mario’s eyes wasn’t just for himself, it was for her.

“Didn’t know you had kids, Mario,” Galen remarked, his tone almost casual, but his eyes were sharp, focused. He kept his gun trained on Mario, his grip steady. “We’ve known each other so long, and you didn’t think to divulge such important information? I’m hurt.”

Mario swallowed hard, his throat bobbing as he struggled to find the right words.

“Her mother and I divorced a long time ago,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

Galen didn’t need Mario to spell it out for him. The old man had kept her a secret for a reason. Mario had always considered Galen and his brothers to be monsters—beasts that thrived in the darkness, capable of unspeakable things. Keeping his daughter hidden was likely Mario’s way of protecting her from the monsters he believed them to be. Galen’s gaze shifted to the woman, who stood still as a statue, her eyes locked onto his.

She was wearing a pair of Snoopy pajamas, which made her appear almost innocent, a stark contrast to the situation. Despite the childish attire, Galen could see she was in her mid-twenties, and there was nothing innocent about the way she held herself.

She was scared, that much was clear, but there was also a spark of defiance in her green eyes—a spark that was glaringly absent in Mario ’ s. And that intrigued him.

“What ’ s your name, sweetheart? ” Galen asked, his tone softening just a fraction as he addressed her. But his gun never wavered, still trained on Mario.

Before she could respond, Mario snapped, “That’s not important.”

“I can answer for myself,” she said, her voice steady despite the fear Galen could see in the way her hands trembled slightly at her sides.

She raised her chin, meeting his gaze head-on, and Galen felt a spike in his pulse. She was bold, fearless in a way her father wasn’t.

He wondered what it would be like to be with a woman like her, to unravel that defiance layer by layer. Galen bet her soft curves would feel amazing under him. Would she fight him at first only to submit after he unreleased his talented hands and mouth on her? Would she beg him for his dick, after she had a taste of it?

“It’s Bianca,” she said, her voice firm. “What has my father done?”

Galen held her gaze for a moment longer than necessary, feeling something stir inside him—something he hadn’t expected to feel tonight. He pushed it down, focusing on the task at hand.

“He made the worst mistake of his life and betrayed my family,” Galen said, his voice hardening as he nodded to his men behind him. “Take them both.”

“Wait, no. Bianca’s not involved in this,” Mario argued, his voice rising in desperation as Benny, Galen’s second, moved to haul him out of the office.

“Keep your hands off her!” Mario shouted, struggling against Benny ’ s grip, but his strength was no match for the younger man.

“Mario, I ’ m fine, ” Bianca said, her voice cutting through the chaos with surprising calm. She stepped forward, her eyes locked on Galen ’ s, and for a moment, everything else seemed to fade away.

Galen didn’t know what it was about her—maybe it was the fire in her eyes, or the way she refused to cower in fear like her father—but something about Bianca drew him in.

He couldn’t help but admire her courage, even if it was foolish in this situation. He had seen plenty of people beg, cry, and plead for their lives, but Bianca was different. She wasn’t begging for herself, wasn’t even pleading for her father. She was simply standing her ground, determined to face whatever was coming head-on. And that made Galen hesitate.

“Bianca,” Mario began, his voice a mixture of desperation and regret, “this isn’t your fight. You don’t understand—”

“I understand enough,” she interrupted, her gaze still fixed on Galen. “If my father has done something wrong, then he’ll face the consequences. But I’m not going anywhere.”

Galen felt a flicker of something—was it admiration?—as he watched her. She was brave, there was no doubt about that, but bravery wouldn’t save her in this world. He had seen too many good people broken by it, had broken too many himself. And yet, here she was, standing in front of him, refusing to back down.

He could feel the weight of her gaze, the heat of her defiance, and it stirred something dangerous within him. In another life, under different circumstances, he might have found himself drawn to her, intrigued by the challenge she presented. But this wasn’t another life.

This was the life he had chosen, the life he was bound to. And in this life, she was nothing more than a complication—one he couldn’t afford to entertain.

But despite knowing this, he couldn’t help but be drawn to her.

Galen stepped closer, the tension in the room thickening with every move. He could see the way Bianca’s breath quickened, the way her pulse fluttered at the base of her throat, but she didn’t back away. Instead, she met his gaze with unwavering resolve, her green eyes challenging him in a way no one had dared to do in a long time.

“Bianca,” he said, his voice low and dangerous, “you have no idea what you’re getting yourself into.”

“ Maybe not, ” she replied, her voice steady. “ But I ’ m not letting you take my father without a fight. ”

He couldn’t help the smirk that tugged at the corner of his lips. She was fearless, or maybe just reckless. Either way, he found himself liking it more than he should.

His hand itched to reach out, to touch that dark hair, to feel if her skin was as soft as it looked. But he restrained himself. This wasn’t the time or place for such thoughts.

“ You ’ re bold, ” Galen said, his tone almost amused. “ But boldness can get you killed. ”

“ Is that a threat? ” she asked, raising an eyebrow, her defiance only making her more appealing.

“Just a fact,” he replied, his voice turning serious. “This isn’t your world, Bianca. It’s ugly and brutal, and it will chew you up and spit you out without a second thought.”

“ Then let it, ” she shot back. “ I ’ m not afraid. ”

Her words hung in the air between them, and for a moment, Galen wondered what it would be like to test that fearlessness, to see just how far she would go.

But he couldn’t afford to be distracted, not now. He had a job to do, and he couldn’t let this woman—no matter how intriguing—get in the way.

With a sharp nod, he signaled to his men. “ Take them both, ” he repeated, his voice leaving no room for argument.

As Benny moved to escort Bianca out, Galen couldn’t help the pang of regret that settled in his chest. He had never let emotions interfere with his work before, but something about Bianca made him wonder if maybe, just this once, he should.

But as he watched her disappear through the door, he knew it was too late for second thoughts. The job was the job, and he had to see it through to the end—even if it meant silencing the part of him that was undeniably drawn to her.

****

Galen gripped the steering wheel of his sleek black car, eyes fixed on the road ahead, but his mind was miles away. He was intently aware of the other vehicle trailing behind him—Benny and David were driving Bianca and Mario back to Arrow Tower.

Initially, Galen had debated having them ride with him, but he ’ d changed his mind at the last second. Being too close to Bianca was bad news, for both him and her. The fiery defiance in her eyes haunted him, making him second-guess every decision he ’ d made since stepping into Mario Bruno ’ s house. What had he done?

Galen clenched his jaw, the tension rolling off him in waves. He could have—should have—eliminated Mario right then and there, tied up the loose end like he was supposed to. Leaving witnesses was never an option.

And yet, when it came to Bianca, something inside him rebelled at the very thought of laying a finger on her. She wasn’t just another pawn in this deadly game. She was different, and that difference was dangerous.

His phone beeped, snapping him out of his thoughts. Glancing at the screen, he saw Carver ’ s name flashing. Not in the mood to speak to his brother, Galen let the call go to voicemail.

Moments later, a text from Carver lit up the screen: Is the job done? Need help cleaning up?

“Shit, what have I done?” Galen muttered to himself, tossing the phone onto the passenger seat. His mind was a whirlwind of conflicting thoughts, each one more chaotic than the last.

As their entourage entered the underground garage of Arrow Tower, Galen felt the weight of his decision settling on his shoulders. He and his brothers owned the entire building. Some floors housed legitimate businesses, others were the headquarters of their own legitimate companies. But the lower levels, particularly the basement, were reserved for the darker, more unsavory aspects of their empire. And it was there, deep in the belly of the beast, that Galen had ordered Benny and David to take Bianca and Mario.

Mario’s pleas for his daughter’s safety echoed in Galen’s mind as he parked his car. The old man had begged for mercy, fully aware he was a dead man walking. But Galen hadn’t pulled the trigger, not yet.

He told himself that Mario might still be useful as a bargaining chip, but the truth was murkier. What was he bargaining for? Was it just about power and leverage, or was there something more?

Galen shook his head, trying to dispel the doubt gnawing at him. He made his way to the elevator, descending to the basement where the air grew colder, the walls more oppressive.

By the time he reached the cells, Benny and David had already secured the father and daughter duo inside one of the empty holding rooms.

Mario looked every bit the broken man, but Bianca … Bianca still had that spark in her eyes, even as she sat in the corner of the cell, trying to comfort her father. Galen’s gaze lingered on her for a moment longer than he intended before he turned to Benny and David. He couldn’t afford distractions, not now.

“Tell no one about this,” Galen ordered, his voice cold and firm. “That includes my brothers.”

David shot Benny a puzzled look, uncertainty flashing in his eyes. It was rare for Galen to keep something like this from his brothers. But Benny, ever the loyal enforcer, only nodded.

“Sure thing, boss,” Benny replied, though his tone hinted at a question he didn’t dare voice.

Galen could sense the unease in the room. This wasn’t just another routine job, and they all knew it. But he wasn’t ready to explain himself, not even to Benny, who had been with him through thick and thin.

“Just follow orders,” Galen added, his eyes narrowing as he looked between the two men. “I’ll handle the rest.”

With that, he turned and left the cell, the heavy door clanging shut behind him. As he walked away, the sound of his footsteps echoed in the dimly lit corridor, each step a reminder of the choices he had made tonight.

Galen’s thoughts kept drifting back to Bianca, the way she had looked at him with a mix of fear and defiance. He and his brothers dealt in fear and violence, but Bianca had stirred something within him, something he didn’t want to acknowledge.

It wasn’t just her beauty—though she was undoubtedly stunning—it was her spirit, the fire that refused to be extinguished even in the face of danger.

He reached the elevator and punched the button for his apartment, but as the doors slid shut, he couldn’t shake the feeling that he had just crossed a line he might never be able to come back from. He had always prided himself on being able to separate his emotions from his work, to do what needed to be done without hesitation. But Bianca Bruno had thrown a wrench into that carefully constructed armor.

As the elevator ascended, Galen leaned against the wall, closing his eyes. He had made a choice tonight, one that could have far-reaching consequences. He had brought Bianca into his world, a world she had no business being in. And now, he had to deal with the fallout.

But even as he resolved to see this through, to do whatever it took to protect his interests, he couldn’t deny the truth that gnawed at him: Bianca was no longer just a complication. She was something more, something that had the potential to unravel everything he had built. And that realization scared him more than anything else.