Page 6 of Sweet Revenge

She tried to hide her fear, but I could feel her trembling. "What do you want from me?" she whispered.

"Answers," I replied smoothly. "And until I get them, you're not going anywhere."

She was silent, her body tense against mine. I could tell she was trying to think of a way out, but there was none. She was mine now, whether she liked it or not.

"What's your name?" I asked, my grip still firm on her wrists.

"Adriana," she replied reluctantly.

"Adriana," I repeated, letting the name roll off my tongue as I spun her around to look her in the eye. She was more beautiful than I expected. No wonder Ignacio had hired her, even if he had failed to properly look into her background. "You made a big mistake tonight. But maybe, if you tell me everything I want to know, I might let you live."

She swallowed hard, the fear evident in her eyes. "I don't have a choice, do I?"

I smiled. "No, you don't. Now, tell me why you want my father dead."

She hesitated, and for a moment, I thought she wouldn't answer. But then she took a deep breath and began to speak. "My father, Giuseppe Gorga, was murdered by Carmine Capuzzo four years ago. I've been planning my revenge ever since."

Her words stirred something within me. She was young and probably a teenager when her father was killed. My father had enemies, that much was true, but this woman was different. She had come dangerously close to achieving her goal, something even his biggest rivals had failed to do.

"Interesting," I said softly. "But you must understand, my loyalty lies with my family. Attempting to kill my father is a death sentence."

She tensed in my arms, bracing herself for what she thought was inevitable. But I had other plans. I needed to understand her, to know how and why she had gotten this far. And maybe, just maybe, there was more to this story than she was letting on.

"Relax," I whispered. "For now, you're safe. But remember, your life depends on your honesty and cooperation. Try anything else, and you won't get a second chance."

Adriana's body relaxed slightly, though I could tell she was still wary. Smart girl. She knew better than to trust me completely.

"Let's get one thing straight," I said, my voice firm. "You belong to me now. You'll do as I say, when I say it. Understood?"

She nodded, her fear mingling with a flicker of defiance. I admired her spirit, even if it was misguided.

"Good," I said, releasing her wrists but keeping her close. "Now, tell me everything you know about my father's operations. Leave nothing out."

As she began to speak, I listened carefully, piecing together the puzzle of her life and her vendetta against my family. She was smart and resourceful, as well as ambitious. I fingered one of my gold cufflinks, thinking. Her determination could be a valuable asset to the organization, and I intended to use her to my advantage. But more than that, I was curious. Curious about her, about what drove her, and about how this little game between us would play out.

As Adriana continued to talk, I realized just how much she had learned about our operations. I deduced that her father had probably been a small-time player, but his death had clearly left a mark on her. She knew that our club was just a front to launder the money from our real business in illegal arms and drug trafficking. She detailed our safe houses, the routes we used for our shipments, even the names of some of our more prominent associates. It was impressive and concerning.

"You're very thorough," I commented, once she paused to catch her breath. "How did you manage to gather all this information?"

She looked at me, a mix of defiance and resignation in her eyes. "I've been watching. Listening. I know people who know people. It wasn't easy, but I had a lot of time and motivation."

Motivation indeed. I was well aware that revenge could be a powerful driver. But I couldn't let her see how impressed I was. "And what was your plan after you killed my father? Did you think you'd just walk away?"

Her silence told me everything. She either hadn't thought that far ahead or had been willing to martyr herself for the sole purpose of vengeance. Her life had become consumed by her need for revenge. It was sad, in a way. But it also made her dangerous.

"Well, Adriana," I said, leaning back a little, though still keeping her within my grasp. "It looks like you're going to need a new plan. Because you're not killing my father, and I can’t let you leave."

She didn't reply, but the look in her eyes was enough. She knew she was trapped.

As the night went on, I kept Adriana close. I couldn't afford to let her out of my sight, not until I was sure of what to do with her. She was a wild card, and in our line of work, wild cards could either be useful or deadly.

"Why didn't you just come after me?" I asked, genuinely curious. "Why my father?"

She hesitated, then sighed. "Because your father killed mine. I wanted him to feel the same pain I felt. I thought...I thought it would be justice."

"Justice?" I echoed, a bitter laugh escaping me. "There's no justice in our world, Adriana. Only power and survival."

She turned her head slightly, her eyes meeting mine. "Then why keep me alive? Why not just kill me and be done with it?"

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