I stood there frozen as I watched him leave without another word, my mind was spinning, and everything felt fuzzy. ‘Vincenzo’ I called out as the door slammed shut, ‘Vincenzo’ the worry and fear laced his name as it left my lips in a hurry. as I went to hurl myself at him. Maria grabbed me from behind along with Ariana as I fought them both to get out of their grip. ‘VINCENZO’ I yelled as the fear officially sunk in.
Getting out of the girl’s grip I run outside to try and catch them, but the cars already took off, leaving nothing but a trail of dust in the air. I stand there as tears begin to blur my vision and fear of losing people dear to me overtakes me. I look over to my right and take off to the one person I know who would be able to help.
I rush into the house; all the men again immediately step aside as I dart for Hacker’s security room. ‘Hacker’ I called out breathlessly. ‘Woah Isabella you, okay?’ he asked as he stood up seeing my current state. I shook my head and grabbed him by his arms and ushered him to sit back down, ‘I need you to track Vincenzo now’ hacker did a double take as he stared at me like I have officially lost my mind. ‘You want me to track the boss?’ he asked trying to make me realise how stupid I sound to him.
I grabbed him by his shirt and started shaking him back and forth ‘HACKER NOW’ I let go and he eyed me suspiciously before doing as I said, ‘why?’ he asked as he was typing in the codes. ‘His being set up, wherever he’s going is a trap.’
‘How can you be so sure?’ he asked me I let out a sigh ‘Serpiente’
FLASHBACK
I jumped on my motorcycle and speed off, the wind prickled at my skin as I increased my speed. I smirked feeling completely new … completely free. When I watched Dante lay on my lap dying, that was also the day Isabella Knight died. I am and will always be Dragon, a girl who broke her heart before anyone can break it.
Xavier tried to break me, and he did, months in that dark cell. No human contact, torture and no sleep as the fear of what would happen if you simply shut your eyes and let your guard down were scarier then staring the devil in the face. Xavier broke me, but he broke the wrong parts of me. He broke my wings, but he forgot I had claws.
Life taught me that it’s not a fairy tale, it will drag you through hell and it’ll whisper you’re not strong enough to survive the storm, what you whisper back is what will determine your life. I zoomed past the cars and in and out of lanes as everything began to blur together.
I smirked as I realised what my answer is, I whispered to the air ‘I am the storm’ as I accelerated. The smirk never leaving my lips. Finally arriving at the abandoned warehouse, I step off my bike taking of my helmet and quickly brushing my fingers through my hair. I grab my guns out as I aim both of them at the guards on each side as I slowly approach the doors.
‘Pst’ getting their attentions they both turn around in shocked and go to reach for their gun’s but they were too slow, shooting both of them in the head I walk up to the wall and press my back up against it waiting for the man guarding the other door to spot the men laying on the floor in their own blood.
‘que carajo’ he rushed out as he reached for his gun. Kicking it out of his hand then aiming both my guns at his head I pursed my lips as I warned him to be quit. ‘Shhhhh’ the fear in his eyes as he stared at me sent shivers down my spine as I smiled enjoying his current state. ‘Open the door’ I demanded in a whisper. He swallowed his fear in one gulp and stood up slowly, ‘no intentes nada estúpido no tengo ningún problema en matarte ¿Entendido?’ (don’t try anything stupid I have no problem killing you got it?)
He nodded his head as he opened the door, immediately I noticed five armed men. I stayed on the side hidden from sight as I nodded at the man to move, he took out his gun and aimed it at my head. Wrong move.
I shot him in the head faster than he had time to put his finger on the trigger, I stepped into view as the man falling to the ground alerted the rest of them. I extended my arms as I shot two of the men who stepped towards me, going inside I flipped one of the tables taking cover as bullets began flying my way. I looked to my right and shot two guards then quickly peaking over the table and shooting the remainder two in the head.
Everyone on the floor dead I stood up and saw his men trying to get him out of here before I kill him. Looking around the warehouse trying to come up with a plan I smirk as I jump and pull myself up by the pipe and swing myself on the next floor as I stand in front of them.
Grabbing my guns from my back pocket I aim it at their heads as I smirk, ‘¿A dónde vamos chicos?’ (Ready to play girls) I asked excited as I waited for them to answer, they aimed their guns at me as I shot both of them in the hands resulting in them dropping their guns. I watch as their guns land on the bottom floor smiling, I look back up at them.
The grip their hands in pain as they let out a scream, ‘Oh how their screams make me tingle.’ I walk closer to them as they stand up to fight me, to protect that scum standing behind them. Throwing my guns behind me, I duck one of the man’s hooks and twist his arm behind his back and I kick the man behind me in his stomach. Pushing the man off the floor his body falls to the bottom making a loud smacking sound. I turn around and knee the man as he grips his stomach.
He falls flat on his stomach probably passed out; I push him of the floor as well. No witnesses. I heard footsteps as my head snapped back up as the coward tried running away. Slamming my fist on the rail I let out a groan. Running to the opposite end near the door I jump off and land in front of him.
‘Going somewhere?’ I spat out as I grabbed him by his hair and threw him outside, I aimed my gun at the man’s chest as I watched his chest rise and fall at a fast pace, ‘Where is she?’ I asked as he kept him mouth shut, I aimed my gun at the sky and shot. His body jumped at the sound as he tried to move back and far from me. Kicking his face as he stayed on the floor looking at me as he pleaded with his eyes for me to let him go. ‘Were. Is. She.’
‘Inside the locker’ He pointed at the locker inside as I eyed him suspiciously, ‘open it’ I spoke back calmly as I ushered with my gun for him to get up. He stood up slowly as he walked towards the locked locker, taking out a key he opened the lock and opened the locker revealing a shaking girl tied up, with a gag in her mouth and material wrapped around her eyes.
Smiling I look back at the guy who kidnapped her, shooting him in the head. The girl jumps as she lets out a muffled scream. I put my gun back in my back pocket and quickly take the gag out of her mouth. She screams ‘please don’t kill me, I was just looking for my sister’ My heart tugged as I heard her words. I shut my eyes as I grabbed her arm and helped her out of the tight locker. Her body was trembling as I held her, I walked her outside and saw cars swerve and park in front of me, men coming out holding guns as they approached me. Smirking at Xavier I pointed at the warehouse then pointed right indicating where his stolen goods were stashed.
He eyed me up and down looking at the girl, he went to touch her I gripped his arm as I pulled him down to me and stared at him. I tilt my head upwards, my eyebrows slightly raised as my eyes widened and my lips in a straight line. I shook my head slowly before letting go and taking the girl with me.
I put her in one of the cars and closed the doors, I turned to Mateo and pulled him aside so she wouldn’t hear me. ‘I need you to take that girl back home, reassure her in the car that she’s okay and nothing will ever happen to her. Make sure you leave the material on her eyes until you reach city streets. Call me when she gets there’ Mateo eyed me, but didn’t ask any questions knowing I wasn’t planning on answering anything. ‘Go’ he nodded his head and headed in the car, I watched as they took off and smiled. ‘I was just looking for my sister’
I walked back inside and saw Xavier looking at all the dead bodies on the floor, then back at me as he shook his head ‘you took on all these men alone … and you don’t even have a scratch. How?’
‘Be like a snake, mesmerising to look at, soft to touch but full of venom.’ I answered him, ‘a snake?’ he asked as he eyed me full of judgment. I laughed and pointed at him
‘you see that right there, your arrogance. Your readiness to step on anyone or anything you don’t understand. Your arrogance to look down on what you deem worthless. That’s what will get you bitten … and that’s what got them bitten’ I gesture to the bodies lying on the floor.
I turn on my heel and walk away getting on my motorcycle Xavier stands in front of my bike, ‘finish’ he demands, sighing I place my helmet on my lap and lean on it, ‘Serpiente’ I whispered, he looked at me with his full attention as he grew interested in every word I had to say. ‘Serpiente was an ancient term to allow men within their groups to know there planning a sly attack on the enemy a phrase not many use anymore … Snakes are sly creatures, they move about without a sound. Nothing to let you know or warn you of its presence. The only time you are aware of the Serpiente is when it wants you to know … and by then it’s too late.’ I shrug my shoulders, ‘you already fall prey to its bite and once its locked its fangs in you the only way out is to die.’ I smiled remembering my dad telling me the story as a little girl, I look back up at Xavier as I study his facial expressions. He looks amazed by the meaning behind Serpiente, ‘let’s bring back the tradition’ He smiled.
END OF FLASHBACK
‘That’s how I know it’s a trap … he wanted me to hear the message, because he knows only, I would understand it.’ Hacker nods his head slowly as he lets my story sink in, shaking my head I look at the computer screens understanding nothing as a million codes appear. ‘Got it’ he shouts, sending me the address now.
I rush out of the house and towards the head sniper his names Michael but everyone calls him by his nickname Bullseye, he never misses. He looks at me with a slightly terrified expression knowing how unpredictable I am. “you’re coming with me’ I smile at him, ‘now’ I demand. He looks at me with caution before deciding it would just be better to listen to me than fight me. He nods his head and asks me to lead the way, I jump on the motorcycle I’ve come to adore and order him to go by car and meet me at the location I sent him.
Grabbing what he needed he puts his rifle in the car and takes off behind me. I only had one thing on my mind, get them out alive. Increasing my speed every time the feeling in my stomach worsened. The closer we got to pier 57 the more I felt sick, parking the bike in front of the abandoned two-story factory I usher for bullseye to follow me to the roof, close behind we walk up the flight of stair as my eyes immediately search for Vincenzo.
When I see him alive my nerves calmed down.
Vincenzo’s POV
The entire ride to the pier, consisted of me thinking about Isabella. The lightning of electricity that shot through me when she grabbed my arm, the way my body lite on fire when I saw the worry in her eyes that I was being led to a trap. Never in my life did I allow myself to feel things like this, and she came out of nowhere and interrupted my entire world and I didn’t care … and that scared me more than anything.
Isabella Knight, a force to be reckoned with. A girl who holds so much power but restrains it out of fear her flame is too hot, if only she knew I was ready to burn. I stared at the open road as I replay everything in my head. Aria coming to see me and alert me of talk amongst rival’s that they finally found my weakness, that they will use her to take my throne.
I couldn’t care less about my seat, but I couldn’t be selfish … not with her. I had to let her think she wasn’t of any importance to me because if she believes I don’t care, then the rest will too. It’s funny how we both expressed our hatred to one another but never love, I shook my head trying to gain focus.
x
Lorenzo parked the car as we all stepped out, we had a few men with us not to many seeing that it was only two of Xavier’s men on our territory, I wave my men away and usher them to let go of the boys they’re holding down. I usher at Lorenzo and Luca as they approach the boys and kick them in the back of their knee and make them kneel. Four men standing behind me I look down at the boys ‘did your boss really think two of you can ruin a Kings shipment?’
‘Of course, not’ I looked over my shoulder and saw him approaching. ‘Xavier’ I stated as I studied his posture. ‘Hello boy, funny seeing you here’ he laughed out as he plastered a cocky smirk sending my stomach to twist and turn. Something felt off, I kept silent as he continued talking. ‘How’s my Bella’ he asked, my hands balled in a fist and my jaw clenched automatically at the mention of her name coming out of his mouth.
‘If I hear you say my girls name one more time, I’m going to break your jaw.’ I threatened him calmly as I calmed down, knowing she’s at home safe. I shook my head praying that she for once stayed put.
‘Ah I see you’re a little touchy about her son’ he drifted off as he looked up at the sky then back at his shoes like he was reminiscing. My body tensed up, narrowing my eyes as I stare at him with pure disgust. ‘She went through a lot, granted it was because of me, but did she make a lot of enemies along the way. A smart woman is a beautiful woman, a beautiful woman is a dangerous woman. Granted again she was only a girl when I had her’ he smirked as he looked down then back up ‘until I forcibly made her a women-‘ My fist collided with his jaw in an instant hearing those words come out of him.
Lorenzo pulled me off the bastard as he spat out the blood and looked back at me ‘She’s dangerous … intimidating and those reasons alone are too much for some. She cared though; she tried not too but she cared … for a while she carried some of the dead weight she swore to shed. It wasn’t easy letting everyone and everything go as she become who she was … Dragon.’ His eyes bulged as he spoke of her criminal name ‘After all you can’t force a flower to bloom, it does so at its own pace, under the right conditions. In her case death, torture and darkness helped her become dragon. And there was no going back, only growth. Only forward, I suppose that’s what the thorns were for. Whether you could handle her or not, you sure as hell would feel her.’ He finished off as he wiped the blood from his mouth.
‘You stand here proudly speaking of the trauma you put her through, and you wonder why she never loved you?’ I spoke as I stared him down, ‘I made her what she was destined to be, a weapon’ I shook my head as I wiped the corner of my mouth with my thumb. ‘Now you will watch as she destroys you for destroying her’ I spat. He nodded his head ‘I’m surprised she wasn’t here with you … did you not give her my message’ he smirked as realisation sunk in.
It’s a trap.
