Chapter 22 #2
Serenity sits beside me. Not touching me. Not pulling away either.
Progress.
“Ettore’s not in D.C.,” Miff says. “He crossed into Jersey yesterday morning.”
That gets everyone’s attention.
“Can’t believe Aleksandr and Ettore risked their lives coming to Jersey. We have an army,” Serenity says.
“Seems they're driven by revenge,” I announce.
Miff nods. “Aleksandr said Ettore wants to finish this personally.”
My jaw tightens.
Good. Saves me a trip.
“Where?” Ritchie asks.
Miff pulls up drone footage. “Old shipping district in Elizabeth. Warehouse he’s using as temporary base.”
The screen shows rusted loading docks, abandoned shipping containers, chain-link fencing, and multiple access points.
Kicks whistles. “That place is a death trap.”
“Yep,” Miff agrees.
Serenity leans over the screen. “Too many sightlines.”
Catch nods. “Snipers could sit on three adjacent rooftops.”
“Not could,” I say. “Will.”
Angel studies the layout. “Main gate’s suicide.”
“Agreed,” Ritchie says.
Serenity taps the screen near the water access. “Boat route?”
Miff zooms in. “Possible.”
“No,” I say.
Everyone looks at me.
“Too obvious. If I were Ettore, I’d expect water access.”
Serenity crosses her arms. “So, what’s your brilliant idea?”
I stand and move to the map.
“Distraction at the front.”
“Meaning?” Angel asks.
“Kicks and Rémy create noise.”
Kicks grins. “I love startling motherfuckers.”
We laugh.
“Catch takes the east rooftop,” I say.
Catch nods.
“Ritchie and Miff disable cameras, exterior surveillance, alarms.”
“Done,” Miff says.
I point at the west loading dock. “That’s our entry.”
Serenity studies me. Then her eyes move over those around us.
“This is my fight. With my enemies. But I thank every last one of you for helping get the bastards.”
“You’re welcome,” everyone says.
“Serenity, there won’t be that many places to hide. You should stay here. I’ll bring Ettore to you,” I tell her.
She chuckles. “You’re cute.”
Her smile drops. “No.”
“Serenity,” I warn.
“Just because we’re husband and wife…” She stabs a finger in the air. “In an arranged marriage," I might add. “Doesn’t mean you can control me in my war,” she yells.
I step closer. “He came for you. My wife. The mother of my child. I need to bring him down.”
Her gray eyes flash. “I’m bringing him down, too.”
Angel mutters, “Second argument of the day.”
“Stay out of it,” I snap.
“You came tonight. We got Aleksandr. I hated you being shot at.”
“I didn’t get hit. But you did,” she grits out.
Gasps fall from our team.
“I noticed you pulled the vest from your chest in my peripheral. You took a sharp breath. I wanted to say something. But then you smirked at me like it was nothing. We both know it wasn’t. You almost died for me before.”
I curl a hand around her throat, holding her close. “And I’ll do it again.”
She swallows against my hand. “We lie to each other and keep secrets. Our marriage is a farce,”Serenity chokes out.
“You will be punished for saying that shit,” I growl.
“Nico, I’m going,” she pushes.
I want to throw her over my shoulder and lock her in one of the bedrooms.
Instead, I grind my teeth.
“Fine.” I release her neck.
“But you stay beside me.”
She smirks, resting a hand on her neck. “Bossy.”
“Alive. The word is alive.”
Ritchie clears his throat. “As much as I enjoy this toxic foreplay, Ettore?”
I forgot our team and my cousins were here. It felt like it was just me and Serenity in that moment.
I look back at the map.
“We hit before dawn. Minimal civilian traffic. Less visibility. Everyone wears tactical gear. Full armor.”
“Kill order?” Catch asks.
I glance at Serenity.
She doesn’t hesitate.
“Everyone dies.” Her voice is cold enough to freeze blood.
Then she lifts a finger.
“Except Ettore.”
The room goes quiet.
I study my wife.
No emotion on her face. No visible cracks. Just ice.
Her gray eyes meet mine. “He joins Aleksandr.”
Cold. Sharp. Absolute.
A proud heat moves through me.
Something in her tone makes everyone at the table pay attention.
Serenity slowly walks along the stainless steel countertop, fingertips gliding over the edge like she’s thinking through every ugly memory.
“When I was fourteen, Ettore sent men to my family’s home.”
No one speaks.
“They weren’t there to negotiate. They weren’t there to scare us.”
Her jaw tightens.
“They were there to kill me, my brother, and my mother.”
Her eyes move over us. “Dad gave up his territory without a second thought. For us. His family. But that just wasn’t enough. They wanted my father left alive to suffer the loss of his family.”
Serenity’s voice drops lower. Deadlier.
“One of Ettore’s bodyguards beat my mother so badly she lost the baby she was carrying. My sister.”
My blood goes cold. Hearing her relive that moment again rips something inside my chest.
Her gaze hardens into steel.
“That man helped create every nightmare I’ve ever had. Every panic attack. The reason I didn’t want children. The reason I believed this life destroys innocence.”
She steps to the table, pointing at the warehouse layout.
“So no. Ettore doesn’t die in battle.”
Her lips curve, but there’s nothing warm about it.
“He gets dragged out, breathing.”
Silence stretches.
Then Angel nods once. “Understood.”
I stand slowly. Move toward her.
“What’s the plan?” I ask quietly.
Her gaze never leaves mine.
“Ettore will join Aleksandr in the torture chamber.”
Kicks whistles low. “Sounds like fun times are in their future.”
The team chuckles, breaking the tension.
Ritchie folds his arms. “Alive won’t be easy.”
“I understand,” Serenity says. “But it needs to happen.”
Her lip twitches, and I step closer, gingerly gripping the back of her neck.
“Ettore has to pay for what he did to my mother,” she whispers.
“I want him terrified, Nico.”
Something primal moves through me.
Not lust. Not exactly.
Something darker.
Protective. Violent. I’m proud.
I brush my thumb along her jaw.
“Then terrified he’ll be.”
She exhales slowly.
Serenity finally sits beside me. Not touching. But closer than before.
Progress.
I glance at her profile.
Beautiful. Furious. Broken in ways she hides well.
And tomorrow?
The men who helped create that damage will beg for mercy.
They won’t get it.