2. 2 Nico
2: Nico
I don't react when the spit hits my cheek. It’s a small thing, but it says a lot. She’s angry, frustrated—feels trapped, like a cornered animal. I get it. I’d probably do the same if I were in her shoes. But she just sealed her own fate.
I wipe the saliva off my cheek with the back of my hand, my eyes never leaving hers. She thinks a little defiance is enough to make me bend, but I’ve seen fire worse than hers.
Her chest rises and falls with every breath, that pulse of adrenaline humming in the air between us. I can practically taste the bitterness radiating off her, feel the way her body is wound tight, ready to snap. She’s staring at me like she could kill me with nothing but her glare.
“Bad move, sweetheart,” I murmur, my voice low as I lean into her. She’s scared even if she doesn’t want to admit it.
My hand moves fast, the slap ringing through the small room like a gunshot. The force of it snaps her head to the side. The impact shakes her, but she doesn’t stop glaring at me. I like that. She’s not weak. There’s a rage that’s rising inside her, ready to explode.
God, I can’t wait to break her.
I reach for her chin, forcing her to look at me, digging my fingers into her skin. My grip is firm, tight. Her eyes lock onto mine, full of fire. Her lips tremble slightly, but she doesn’t cry out.
I like that, too.
“Do you think I’m just playing around?” I lean in close, my breath mingling with hers.
She doesn’t flinch, doesn’t back down. Instead, she spits at me again.
“I think I’m not your fucking toy,” she says, the words sharp, full of venom. She’s trying to stab me with them, trying to get a reaction.
She’s certainly succeeded.
I let her go, pushing her away with a single, harsh shove. She stumbles back, catching herself against the wall.
“You’re my property now,” I say, my voice cool, but there’s an edge to it. “And I don’t like my property acting out.”
She’s still staring at me, eyes blazing with that fire she thinks she’s controlling. She’s breathing hard, her fists clenched at her sides.
“That’s the last time you disrespect me, Tori,” I say, quieter now. My voice is like ice, demanding her respect. “Next time, it’ll be worse.”
She doesn’t respond. Doesn’t move. She just stares at me, like she’s trying to show me she isn’t scared of me. Maybe she isn’t, but that will change. I turn and walk toward the door, my boots heavy on the cold concrete floor.
As I reach the door, I pause for a moment, just to let her know I’m not done. “Remember this,” I say, staring at her over my shoulder. “You’re mine now. And if you try anything like that again, I won’t hesitate to make you regret it.”
The metal door clangs shut behind me as I step out into the dimly lit corridor. Tori might think she’s got control, but she doesn’t. Not anymore. She’s mine, and I’ll make sure she knows it.
She’ll learn. Eventually.
I can’t afford to waste any more time on her right now. Not with everything that’s happening. I’ve got a meeting with my lieutenants.
I’m already shifting gears. There’s a bigger plan at play. And Tori? She’s just a small part of it.
I need to focus.
I walk out of her cell, her defiance still lingering in my mind like a nasty aftertaste. Every part of her screams stubborn, and yet, in a twisted way, that’s what makes me want her more. She’s not just some girl with a lot of attitude; she’s Diablo’s blood.
Diablo’s name has been whispered in the underworld for years, mostly from men cursing his iron grip on everything he touches. But recently, I’d heard a different story—the rumor that Diablo’s wife had run off years ago while pregnant with his kid, leaving him with nothing but rage and a reputation scarred by a betrayal he couldn’t control.
He found his wife years later, they said, but no amount of pain he put her through could make her reveal where she’d hidden their daughter. His lost heir. It had been an itch in the back of my mind for a while, the person I never thought I’d find.
But then Tori walked into my casino, escorted by her three shadows—Blaze, Thorne, and Ryder—desperate enough to step foot in my world for information only I could provide. She was scared, but she refused to break, even when I made it clear her boys’ lives were mine to control.
She had her spine of steel, and it caught my attention. I wanted to know more about her, know who she was. Why was the Iron Triad with her? What was so special about her?
Since then, I had my people dig deep. It turns out she’s the lost daughter Diablo had been tearing the world apart to find. Now she’s here, inside my territory. And that’s what makes her so damn valuable. It’s not just her stubbornness that appeals to me; it’s what she can do for me.
She’s a direct link to Diablo, a weapon that, once sharpened, will give me the upper hand over one of the most powerful men in this world. All I have to do now is lock her into place, make sure she’s mine before he ever gets a chance to realize she’s here.
But having her as my property isn’t enough. No, I need something permanent. Irrevocable. Which is why I’m going to marry her.
As my wife, she’ll be bound to me in every way that counts. Her loyalty, her power, her very identity—all of it will become mine to wield. With her by my side, Diablo’s influence will be mine to command. His loyalists will see me as the rightful heir to his empire, and his territory will merge seamlessly into my own.
Of course, I know she’ll resist, just like she resists everything I throw her way. She’d sooner walk through fire than agree to an alliance like this of her own free will. But I’m not looking for her cooperation. She can fight, claw, scream all she wants. In the end, it won’t change the outcome. By the time I’m done, she’ll have no choice but to accept her place beside me.
Not to mention, I have someone valuable to her. I have Alicia.
The pieces are already in motion. I’ve given myself two weeks—enough time to maneuver, to arrange the necessary steps to make this happen. My lieutenants have their instructions, and soon enough, she’ll realize the position she’s in. By the time she understands the full weight of what I’ve planned, it’ll be too late.
For years, I’ve built my empire from the ground up, piece by calculated piece. And now, with her as my bride, I’ll finally have the power I need to make Diablo’s empire bow.
I step into the conference room, the doors closing softly behind me. The lieutenants are already seated, waiting in silence, their eyes flicking toward me as I enter. There’s respect in their gaze, maybe even a little fear, but they don’t speak unless spoken to. None of them would dare interrupt my thoughts.
I take my seat at the head of the table, every movement calculated, controlled. There’s a power to being still.
Patience is not just about waiting. It’s about controlling the space around you until you decide to act.
I let that lesson hang in the air as my eyes scan the room, assessing every face, every subtle shift in their posture. The more I learn to read the silence, the sharper my instinct becomes.
The table is mostly the same—silent, obedient. Jorge, always calm, his hands folded neatly on the table. Raul, ever vigilant, watching for threats before they even appear. And then there’s Marcus, the youngest, his ambition visible in every twitch of his hand.
I’ve spent years building this inner circle, my closest confidants. And yet, none of them know the full truth about Dante. Dante—my mentor, my father figure, the man who made me what I am today. The man who taught me the value of control, of patience, of the weight of power. He was more than just a leader. He was a god to those who followed him.
His teachings run deep in me. Power is in knowing when to strike, and when to wait.
I wait for the room to settle, for the moment to stretch out long enough to build the tension. Dante was a master at making everyone in the room feel like they were waiting for something inevitable to happen. I will be the same.
“None of you need to ask what’s coming next,” I begin, my voice smooth, deliberate. “You will listen, and you will remember. Because there’s no room for failure. Not now.”
I pause, letting my words sink in. Jorge, Raul, and Marcus are all waiting, their eyes locked on me, no trace of defiance. Good. I’ve trained them well.
Control the pace, Nico. You’re in charge here. No one moves without your command.
I lean forward, folding my hands together. “I’ve found Diablo’s daughter.”
The room goes still, the air hanging thick as the news lands. It’s not just important—it’s dangerous. A piece of intel like this could set everything in motion, send ripples through the underworld. The last thing I need is someone sniffing around and trying to claim her before I make my move.
“This information stays between us. If it leaves this room, I’ll make sure the consequences are severe. I’m not asking for discretion. I’m demanding it,” I continue, my voice lower, sharper. “If even a whisper reaches the wrong ears, Diablo will know. And if that happens, this operation ends. Do you understand?”
Jorge nods first, followed by Raul, then Marcus. They know how much this means to me.
“Good.” I pause, letting my eyes linger on each one of them. “As for her—Tori—I’ll be marrying her in two weeks. That’s all anyone needs to know. She’s my future wife. No one questions that. No one talks about it. If anyone asks, you shut it down. Understood?”
The room doesn’t hesitate, immediately nodding their heads in compliance.
I sit back, letting the silence stretch just a little longer, the weight of my announcement settling in. The thought of Tori, of having her close, still stirs something in me—something possessive. Tori is mine. She’ll be a weapon in this war, but more than that, she’s the foundation I’ll build my future on. And I won’t let anyone take that from me.
After a beat, I turn my attention to Jorge, my eyes narrowing slightly. “What’s the status of the Iron Triad?”
He doesn’t flinch, doesn’t even hesitate. That’s why he’s been with me so long. Jorge is reliable—he sees the world for what it is and doesn’t shy away from the truth.
“They’re making their move,” he says, his voice cool and unruffled. “They’re heading our way, and according to our intel, they’ll be here tonight or early morning tomorrow.”
I let the words sink in, my fingers tapping on the table as I think. The Iron Triad was once very dangerous, but now they're a ghost story. A loose alliance of former gang members, but I won’t let them take Tori back without a fight. I won't underestimate them, though, knowing all too well how much an underdog can achieve when left unchecked.
“They might be a problem,” I say, my voice hard. “If any of them set foot on this property, you take them down. No hesitation. We kill them on sight. Marcus, move Tori to the house and keep guard. I want her with me.”
Jorge nods in agreement. He doesn’t question orders. That’s why I trust him. I look over at Raul now, my focus shifting. His eyes meet mine without blinking, his face a mask of calm.
“What’s the latest from the Diablos?” I ask, my tone still quiet but no less deadly.
He leans forward, his voice low. “There’s a scout lingering nearby. He’s been checking the perimeter, getting closer. We’ve been keeping an eye on him, but he hasn’t crossed the line just yet. Should we kill him?”
Diablo knows we’re back, and like before, he won’t take kindly to me being here. He’s the reason we had to leave in the first place, but this time it will be different. I built my empire back in California. I’m stronger now than he remembers, and I’ll use that to my advantage.
“No,” I say, cutting off his suggestion before he can finish. “We don’t kill him. Let him dig, but when he gets too close, we make sure he finds nothing. I want him to think there’s nothing for them to worry about.”
I lean back in my chair, the thought of Tori filling my mind again. The pressure’s mounting. I can feel it, but it won’t matter. My plans will come to fruition.
“We need to move faster,” I say, my voice hardening. “With the Iron Triad coming and Diablo sniffing around, it might be better for me to marry Tori sooner rather than in two weeks. If we let this drag out, things might not go as planned.”
I rise from my seat, signaling the end of the meeting, but I’m not done for the day yet. There’s one more thing to handle. I need to ensure everything falls into place for the next stage of my plan.
I make my way through the compound, past rooms full of men and women who would follow me to the ends of the earth until I reach her room. Alicia’s room is quiet, almost too quiet, as I open the door. She’s seated by the window, the dim light spilling over her like a halo. It would be beautiful if not for the fact that Alicia is nothing more than a means to an end. She doesn’t understand the depth of my disregard for her. She doesn’t see that she’s just a pawn in my game.
Her gaze sharpens as I walk toward her. “Nico,” she says, her voice low, and there’s that edge of expectancy in her tone. She’s waiting for me to tell her what I want, what she’ll need to do next.
“I need your help, Alicia,” I say, my voice cold, sharp. She doesn’t flinch.
“Of course,” she responds smoothly, having learned her role well.
“We both know how much Tori loves you.” I say, seeing her nod, her eyes unwavering as she holds my gaze. “I know you want to get her away from the Iron Triad. It’s why I took her with us, but now you need to play your part to keep her here. Can you do that?”
“Yes, of course. Just tell me what I need to do.” She’s eager, but only because I’ve fooled her. I used that hatred she has for Blaze, Thorne, and Ryder to my advantage.
“While she’s here, you’ll act as my hostage, play along with my plans, and when I bring her to you, convince her you’re scared of what might happen to you if she doesn’t do as I say,” I order, my voice thick with authority.
“I understand,” she says. Her words are sharp, clear. She’s not just following orders—she’s involved in this, inextricably.
“You can do it, can’t you?” I press, knowing the answer but demanding it from her anyway. It’s part of the control I hold over her, the way she’s bound to me.
Alicia’s lips curl into a small, satisfied smile. “Yes, Nico. I’ll make her believe it.” She stands up, moving toward me with a slow, deliberate grace. “I won’t let her go back to them,” she adds quietly.
I step forward and she looks up at me expectantly, stepping closer to me and resting her hands lightly on my chest. I grab her by the wrist, pulling her closer. Her eyes flicker with something—desire, maybe, but more likely anticipation. She’s used to this, used to the way I take what I want without hesitation, without the need for any pretense of affection.
“Good,” I reply, my tone low.
Then, with a swift motion, I push her down to her knees, watching her without a shred of emotion. Alicia is nothing more than a tool.
But as she submits to me, as I feel the warmth of her mouth around my hard shaft, her willingness to comply, a thought crosses my mind, unbidden but persistent.
Dearest Tori, you don’t know what you’re in for.