Page 12 of Lured By the Cartel

Speaking of which, I needed to fill him in on our current predicament. Might as well start preparing him now; the sooner he knew, the safer he'd be later.

"Lucas,"I barked suddenly, halting mid-step to turn towards him. His eyes widened slightly, fear flickering briefly before determination hardened those dark irises. Good boy. At least he had some fight left in him. It was one of the reasons why I liked him.

"The family we're dealing with tonight,"I continued, jerking my chin towards the sounds of combat growing louder by the second."They're our rivals. Old enemies seeking control over territory Nightshade has held for decades."

His brows furrowed, confusion plain on his face."But why-"

"They want what we have,"I cut him off sharply, resuming our walk briskly."Power. Influence. Money. Same reasons everyone wants anything worth having, kiddo."

"But they can't just-"

"Not always logical, Lucas,"I interrupted again, impatient now."This world isn't ruled by logic or reason. It's chaos. Madness. And sometimes, brute force is the only language understood." He should understand that by now, to be honest.

We rounded a bend then, revealing the full-blown clash happening ahead. Men fought against men, blood spilled freely onto the earth beneath them, cries of pain echoing eerily through the night air. Despite myself, I glanced sidelong at Lucas, gauging his reaction. To his credit, he handled it betterthan expected, pale-faced but steady nonetheless. Maybe he was already getting used to it.

"Come on,"I urged gruffly, striding forward without waiting for a response. He followed closely, footsteps crunching leaves behind us. Side by side, we moved towards the heart of the fray.

As we approached, my men noticed our arrival, parting ranks to allow passage. Respect shown openly, trust earned through years of loyalty. They knew who led them into battle, who protected them fiercely even amidst enemy fire.

"You should stay back,"I told Lucas quietly, steering him gently behind a large tree trunk. Safe enough, hopefully. Not ideal, certainly, but better than nothing.

He opened his mouth to protest, only to snap it shut immediately, nodding instead. Smart omega. Knew when to push, when to yield. A rare quality indeed.

Turning away, I stepped into the thick of it, drawing my gun smoothly from its holster. Time to remind these fuckers exactly who owned this land. No use going soft now. Especially not when Lucas' safety depended on it.

"For Nightshade!"I roared, raising my weapon high before bringing it down hard, firing straight into the chest of the nearest DeLuca scumbag. Blood sprayed wide, painting the ground red beneath our feet as more bodies dropped around us, succumbing under our combined might.

The rest played out in a blur of motion—shooting, dodging, striking back. Every movement honed through countless battles, instincts reacting automatically to threats surrounding us. Until finally, silence fell, broken only by ragged breaths and distant moans of the wounded.

I lowered my gun, surveying the carnage littering the ground. Our temporary victory today wouldn't mean shit if we didn't finish the job completely. Turning back towards where I'dleft Lucas, I found him staring wide-eyed at the scene, shock etched clearly across those delicate features.

I wished I could do something about that, but made peace that I couldn't do much about it.

"It's... it's over?"He asked softly, voice barely audible above the ringing in my ears.

"For now,"I confirmed grimly, moving closer until I stood right beside him. Close enough to feel his warmth, hear his heartbeat racing rapidly. Close enough to see the fear lingering deep within those expressive eyes.

"This really is your life?"He whispered, looking up at me, seeking answers I doubted he truly wanted to know. Answers I couldn't give anyway, not truthfully.

"No,"I replied without thinking twice about my answer, cupping his cheek, and feeling the tremble running through him."This is their life."My thumb brushed lightly against his lower lip, tracing the plump flesh.So fucking soft. So damn tempting.

He leaned into my touch instinctively, ever so slightly, yet enough for my cock to twitch eagerly beneath my jeans. Fuck, how could he make me react so easily? How did he ignite desires buried deep inside me, making me forget every rational thought?

"We need to go,"I rasped roughly, tearing my gaze away. Now wasn't the time nor place for such thoughts. Not when violence still lingered heavily around us, not when danger remained present despite our recent triumph.

"Yes,"he agreed right away, stepping back first, breaking contact between us. Disappointment flashed briefly, quickly replaced by relief as space opened between us once more.

We then turned away from the battlefield, leaving behind carnage and chaos in favor of the quiet sanctuary awaiting us at the estate. As we walked side-by-side, I stole glances at himoccasionally, taking in his profile silhouetted against the moonlit landscape. Goddamn, he was something else. Something special.Something mine.

And Jesus Christ, I needed to get my mind off that line of thinking fast. Before I did something stupid. Again.

In the meantime, I couldn't stop thinking about my 'rise to power.'

Born in Italy to an American mother and Italian father, I spent most of my childhood bouncing between continents, learning two languages fluently, and adapting swiftly to new environments. My parents were both influential figures in their own rights—she, a diplomat; he, a businessman. Their love story was epic, legendary almost, inspiring tales whispered among friends and family alike.

When they died together in a car accident when I was sixteen, everything changed abruptly. Suddenly, I had no one guiding me, no one teaching me how to navigate the world alone. But I also gained something invaluable: freedom. Freedom to choose my path, forge my own destiny, and become whoever I desired most.

So, I chose the unconventional route. The dangerous one. The one leading directly into the arms of the Nightshade Wolves. Under their tutelage, I learned survival skills, honed fighting techniques, and absorbed every lesson necessary for thriving in a world filled with ruthless predators and deadly games. It was the only choice I'd had. Otherwise, I might have chosen something else.

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