Page 5 of Monstrous Grave

As I enter the pristine white marble, its opulent estate boasting a beautifully tended garden behind me, the halls are eerily quiet. Drenched from the relentless rain that intensified the faster I pushed my bike forward, I remove my sodden leather jacket upon stepping inside, revealing the tattoo on my arm. It’s a butterfly surrounded by water, reminiscent of how I felt when he left, yet a reminder that I can and will survive.

The grandeur of the hall, adorned with a hanging chandelier and crystal decorations, greets me as I navigate the three-building mansion. A swirl of discomfort twists in my stomach, leaving me with a parched mouth. The absence of the usual activity—no bustling kitchen staff or guards—only intensifies my apprehension.

With a frown, I hear faint murmurs from the room ahead. Something is amiss; I feel it in the way goosebumps skitter across my arms.

“Arcane, is that you?” A deep voice cuts through the silence, drawing me closer to the conference room.

I swallow hard, knowing all too well that there is no possibility of escaping this life I’ve found myself trapped in. It isn’t as if I can leave—they won’t let me get away. I owe them my life after they saved mine.

Soon, a man stands before me, dressed in a well-tailored suit with his tie hanging loose and hair tousled in disarray. His gaze, reminiscent of his father’s, sweeps over me, making me squirm. He has gotten his father’s eyes, that’s for sure. Large and piercing, beautiful yet holding a lethal glint.

“Hi, Alec.”

He cocks his head to the side, an uneasy expression flickering across his face—a subtle indication that there’s something he’s not telling me, something he knows that I don’t. Something I won’t like.

I eye the opening of the conference room, nervous energy coursing through me. The room is rather large, adorned with a whiteboard at the front displaying a meticulously planned heist, including photos of all the targets and red dots on a map. At the forefront stands our boss, his presence emanating a shrouded force, veiled in darkness and lethality. Standing beside him is his right-hand man, Antonio Cadell, while positioned at the room’s rear are our most trusted made men—ranked lowest, commanding respect nonetheless. They have all sworn an oath of silence and committed deceitful acts to secure their place within our organization.

Alec closes the door behind us, and I suppress the rapid pounding of my heart with an almost bored expression. I cannot show any sign of hesitation.

I feel our boss’s piercing eyes dissecting me with an intensity that drags up memories I would rather forget. They take me back to a past life, a girl I once was who isn’t me anymore, now forever lost. The weight of his gaze transports me to the unforgiving streets, where I had to survive on my own without having anything to myself. I remember his gaze back then, bothering and terrifying me, until Alec dared show a glimmer of humanity. He took my dirty hand in his, offering me a smile as he helped me to my feet, dirt and mud clinging to every inch of my skin.

Benjamin Valenti looks at me in the same way he did five years ago the moment he found me, seeing the youthful rage and hatred in me. He’s not someone you’d want to fuck over.

He exudes fear and respect, demanding the latter by instilling terror in those around him. Even the slightest transgression, like someone cheating in his illegal casinos, is met by brutality. A single dollar stolen can lead to blood splattered all over the room in a sight too grotesque for most to accept, with screams reverberating through the room. A single misplaced word is enough for entrails to be exposed and the echoes of a once-functioning brain to be cleaved apart.

I was both lucky and not that they found me, forcing me into this shadowed world of criminality and secrecy. Once you’re in, there’s no way out unless it’s in a body bag. I’m ensnared here, trapped against my own will, and have been for the past five years since my parents kicked me out on the streets.

The criminal life is not for me. He is the reason my innocence was killed long before I could truly explore who I was, all my dreams drowned in the waves, only to never return.

He left me when all I needed was him by my side, us against the world when nothing else mattered.

He fucking ruined me.

And now, I’m thrust into this world with nowhere to go, a rage burning inside my veins that I cannot release. There’s a snake within me, slithering in my blood, crawling through me with the toxin of rage that makes it impossible to control my own emotions some days.

I stare at Mr. Valenti leaning casually against the desk, his well-maintained physique belying his age. A smirk hints at his lips, one full of resilience.

I fucking hate him too, but at least he’s preferable to the parents who abandoned me. At least he took me in when no one else would, even though it came with its own set of consequences.

Benjamin possesses an uncanny ability to manipulate me, exploiting my desire for revenge and promising me all the things I’ve ever wanted. This is what keeps me leashed to his side.

Alec is like the best friend I lost all those years ago, slowly stitching together my broken heart and the pieces he tore out. In a world where trust is a scarce commodity, his loyalty has been unwavering; always watching out for me, caring about me, and understanding the need for revenge I’ve sought for so long.

“What took you so long?” a voice barks at me, and I try to suppress my evident annoyance as I turn to look at Mr. Valenti.

“If I had known earlier, I would have arrived much sooner,” I mutter irritably.

Mr. Valenti shoots a glance at his son, the tension in the room palpable.

“Sit,” Mr. Valenti demands, and I feel my heart beating hard inside my chest as I settle down in one of the chairs while intently listening.

Blood rushes in my ears like a relentless force with the knowledge that I’m one step closer to proving my fucking worth in this world where no one believes in me.

For far too long, I became a pawn in their games, a woman they could do whatever they wanted with. I’ve always been a chess player who was moved around the board without any particular goal except to entertain the men around me or keep the eyes of the enemies locked on me, luring them into the depths of the darkness.

I’ve always known I had bigger dreams than becoming a toy for men who have no regard for others, and executing this heist will be the final nail in the coffin, sealing my fate and proving my worth.

Alec locks eyes with me, seemingly able to decipher my thoughts. His encouraging smile draws one from me in return.

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