Page 6 of Monstrous Grave

The only other person who treated me the way a woman should be treated except for Alec, was him. His name is forbidden to speak aloud. Like a ball of firecrackers, he entered my world when we were mere children, crashing and colliding with my universe until there was nothing left but the two of us. He made me feel things no one ever had. His gaze on me whispered things that made the butterflies in my stomach stutter and fly around in a chaotic whirlwind, and though he was so young and innocent, I knew he was the darker half of my soul.

The one I never wanted to be separated from.

Thinking about all the misdeeds we committed at the orphanage makes an unknown smile twitch my lips. Such a foreign emotion, I’m barely even aware of what the sensation within me is.

I quickly conceal the smile when the reality comes washing over me, a dreaded whisper lingering inside my mind, haunting and threatening me. His words. Cold, calculated words that cut through me like the sharpest knife.

“We’re going to play a game, you and I.”

It fucking hurts to think about the past and all he did to break my heart when he left. I fucking hate him for it. I fight my hardest to concentrate on what Mr. Valenti is about to say, his gaze sweeping over both Alec and me.

“Things are worse than we predicted. It means a power game is at play, with us and the entire town as the chessboard about to meet a brutal death, like peasants taken to slaughter.”

My leg bounces up and down as he continues his speech, the truth hitting me in my stomach like the hardest punch, as if it’s stealing my very breath.

“We know the real intel we seek holds the power capable of disrupting the underground’s order. We need to get that information immediately—secure the car and obliterate everything inside, unless we all want to fucking face defeat.”

His eyes meet mine once more, a lethal force that tempts me to avert my gaze, yet I hold it, my determination never wavering. I nod, already understanding the importance of this heist.

We must secure the car before the Grimaldi family seizes it. Inside lies highly sensitive information, that if uncovered, could doom us all. It contains details about all the families’ criminal activities, connections, and alliances that the Valentis have gathered throughout the years, information that allows them to gain power and leverage within the criminal world. But now, the USB drive has been stolen and sold inside a car on the black market, offering the traitor a fortune. The Grimaldis, unaware of its contents, saw it as a valuable asset. Once they acquire it, they might decrypt its content, putting every organization at risk if the sensitive information were to be leaked.

The thief is a rat, pretending to be one of our associates, working his way up in the hierarchy of our world, well on his way to truly joining us as a so-called made man.

That motherfucker cunningly stole it under a gala event he wasn’t even supposed to attend, which is how we ended up in this situation to even begin with.

I’d like to think I haven’t always been a violent person, seeking the pain of others, watching the blood gush from broken noses or torn flesh wounds.

I wasn’t always like this. These emotions within me have become bottled up, only fueled by the betrayal of the Grimaldis. I want to spit on their graves and break their gravestones until the surrounding relatives crave the answers as to who would dare do such heinous acts. And if these relatives discover it was me, I’ll kill them too. I’ll spill the blood of the family that failed me when all I craved was their fucking love and care, when my soul withered away inside.

Too bad they aren’t in their graves.

Not yet, at least.

Retribution and revenge are close. I can practically feel the sweet taste on my tongue.

The look in Mr. Valenti’s eyes, hardened and unmoving—not even flickering or blinking—tells me that what he’s about to say next will change it all. Even his straightened posture screams determination, every muscle in his body molded into a stance of unyielding resolve. I wait with bated breath to hear his next words.

“I made my decision a long time ago. You will have a companion with you during this heist.”

His words have my mouth gaping open before I quickly close it, my nails pressing so hard into my palms that I feel the skin breaking underneath the forceful dig.

It’s as if my lungs refuse to draw in a breath of air when I look at him.

“Who?” I don’t mean to sound so fucking pathetic or breathy when asking about the person, yet his statement caught me completely off guard.

This wasn’t what we agreed upon. What. The. Fuck?

I cast a side glance at Alec, his expression as indifferent as his father’s, seeing if he knew anything about this. Surely, Mr. Valenti must mean that I’ll be working with Alec?

Settling down at the head of the table standing in the center of his office, Mr. Valenti runs a hand through his hair before his eyes meet mine once again. He notices me looking at Alec and shakes his head.

“No, not my son. You’re going to work with Viper on this one.”

He drops the bomb with no regard whatsoever to me, his eyes penetrating through my soul while giving me that cold, calculating look as he waits for his words to hit me like an explosion. My face drains of all color, leaving behind a ghostly pallor. It’s as if a cold breeze from outside has slithered inside, sweeping through the room and stealing the very warmth that keeps me alive. Another second passes while a white-hot, blaring rage runs through my veins, poisoning me.

“Viper?” The words involuntarily slip out before I have the chance to stop them from tumbling out.

Viper, the notorious masked biker who’s involved in the worst criminal underground family this country has. He’s well-known in our world, rivaling with the Valenti family—much like all other organizations in this city. Yet, the fact that the name Viper just slipped out from Mr. Valenti’s lips stuns me the fuck out, having seen his hatred for the cartel Viper has been involved in for years. Why in the world would they want to work with him?

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