Page 5 of Galen

Before he could respond, the door burst open, and a man with a gun stepped into the room. Bianca’s breath caught in her throat as the intruder leveled the weapon at them, his face hard and unyielding.

“Don’t move,” the man ordered, his voice cold and commanding.

Bianca froze, her mind racing. What was happening? Why was this man here? She looked at her father, searching for any sign of reassurance, but found none. Instead, he seemed even more terrified than before.

“Bianca, come here,” her father said, his voice strained. He turned to the gunman, his eyes pleading. “Please, let me hold my daughter. Just for a moment.”

Bianca hesitated, fear and confusion paralyzing her. She didn’t know what was going on, but the desperation in her father’s voice pushed her to obey. Slowly, she got up from the chair and walked over to him, every step feeling like a lifetime.

As she reached his side, another figure entered the room, and Bianca’s heart skipped a beat. The man who walked in was striking, with dark hair and sharp, dangerous green eyes that seemed totake in everything at once. There was something about him that made her pulse quicken, a ridiculous reaction given the situation.

“Hello there, Mario,” the man said, his voice smooth and dripping with contempt.“It’s time for you to pay your debts.”

He flicked his gaze to Bianca, and she felt it like a physical touch, her skin prickling under his intense scrutiny. His eyes held a dangerous glint, but there was something else there too—interest, curiosity. Hunger. Bianca’s heart raced, her breath catching in her throat.

She didn’t know what this man wanted, but she had the sinking feeling that whatever it was, it wasn’t going to end well for her father or for her.

Chapter Three

Galen had come to Mario Bruno’s house with a clear purpose: to do the job quick and painless, no unnecessary complications. But the moment he saw her, that plan unraveled.

The woman—no, the captivating beauty—standing in the dim light of her father’s office was not what he had expected. She had dark hair that tumbled over her shoulders, and her green eyes were striking, drawing him in despite the tense situation. He intended to ask Mario who she was, but the old man, visibly terrified, volunteered the information before Galen could speak.

“Please, Galen,” Mario begged, his voice trembling. “I know you came for me, but please, spare my daughter.”

Galen observed the man closely, noting the stark whites of his eyes, wide with fear. Mario was downright terrified, and for good reason.

Galen and his brothers had a reputation—a reputation that made grown men like Mario quake in their boots. But this … this was something new. The fear in Mario’s eyes wasn’t just for himself, it was for her.

“Didn’t know you had kids, Mario,” Galen remarked, his tone almost casual, but his eyes were sharp, focused. He kept his gun trained on Mario, his grip steady. “We’ve known each other so long, and you didn’t think to divulge such important information? I’m hurt.”

Mario swallowed hard, his throat bobbing as he struggled to find the right words.

“Her mother and I divorced a long time ago,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

Galen didn’t need Mario to spell it out for him. The old man had kept her a secret for a reason. Mario had always considered Galen and his brothers to be monsters—beasts that thrived in the darkness, capable of unspeakable things. Keeping his daughter hidden was likely Mario’s way of protecting her from the monsters he believed them to be. Galen’s gaze shifted to the woman, who stood still as a statue, her eyes locked onto his.

She was wearing a pair of Snoopy pajamas, which made her appear almost innocent, a stark contrast to the situation. Despite the childish attire, Galen could see she was in her mid-twenties, and there was nothing innocent about the way she held herself.

She was scared, that much was clear, but there was also a spark of defiance in her green eyes—a spark that was glaringly absent in Mario’s. And that intrigued him.

“What’s your name, sweetheart?” Galen asked, his tone softening just a fraction as he addressed her. But his gun never wavered, still trained on Mario.

Before she could respond, Mario snapped, “That’s not important.”

“I can answer for myself,” she said, her voice steady despite the fear Galen could see in the way her hands trembled slightly at her sides.

She raised her chin, meeting his gaze head-on, and Galen felt a spike in his pulse. She was bold, fearless in a way her father wasn’t.

He wondered what it would be like to be with a woman like her, to unravel that defiance layer by layer. Galen bet her soft curves would feel amazing under him. Would she fight him at first only to submit after he unreleased his talented hands and mouth on her? Would she beg him for his dick, after she had a taste of it?

“It’s Bianca,” she said, her voice firm. “What has my father done?”

Galen held her gaze for a moment longer than necessary, feeling something stir inside him—something he hadn’t expected to feel tonight. He pushed it down, focusing on the task at hand.

“He made the worst mistake of his life and betrayed my family,” Galen said, his voice hardening as he nodded to his men behind him. “Take them both.”

“Wait, no. Bianca’s not involved in this,” Mario argued, his voice rising in desperation as Benny, Galen’s second, moved to haul him out of the office.

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