Page 6 of Galen

“Keep your hands off her!” Mario shouted, struggling against Benny’s grip, but his strength was no match for the younger man.

“Mario, I’m fine,” Bianca said, her voice cutting through the chaos with surprising calm. She stepped forward, her eyes locked on Galen’s, and for a moment, everything else seemed to fade away.

Galen didn’t know what it was about her—maybe it was the fire in her eyes, or the way she refused to cower in fear like her father—but something about Bianca drew him in.

He couldn’t help but admire her courage, even if it was foolish in this situation. He had seen plenty of people beg, cry, and plead for their lives, but Bianca was different. She wasn’t begging for herself, wasn’t even pleading for her father. She was simply standing her ground, determined to face whatever was coming head-on. And that made Galen hesitate.

“Bianca,” Mario began, his voice a mixture of desperation and regret, “this isn’t your fight. You don’t understand—”

“I understand enough,” she interrupted, her gaze still fixed on Galen. “If my father has done something wrong, then he’ll face the consequences. But I’m not going anywhere.”

Galen felt a flicker of something—was it admiration?—as he watched her. She was brave, there was no doubt about that, but bravery wouldn’t save her in this world. He had seen too many good people broken by it, had broken too many himself. And yet, here she was, standing in front of him, refusing to back down.

He could feel the weight of her gaze, the heat of her defiance, and it stirred something dangerous within him. In another life, under different circumstances, he might have found himself drawn to her, intrigued by the challenge she presented. But this wasn’t another life.

This was the life he had chosen, the life he was bound to. And in this life, she was nothing more than a complication—one he couldn’t afford to entertain.

But despite knowing this, he couldn’t help but be drawn to her.

Galen stepped closer, the tension in the room thickening with every move. He could see the way Bianca’s breath quickened, the way her pulse fluttered at the base of her throat, but she didn’t back away. Instead, she met his gaze with unwavering resolve, her green eyes challenging him in a way no one had dared to do in a long time.

“Bianca,” he said, his voice low and dangerous, “you have no idea what you’re getting yourself into.”

“Maybe not,” she replied, her voice steady.“But I’m not letting you take my father without a fight.”

He couldn’t help the smirk that tugged at the corner of his lips. She was fearless, or maybe just reckless. Either way, he found himself liking it more than he should.

His hand itched to reach out, to touch that dark hair, to feel if her skin was as soft as it looked. But he restrained himself. This wasn’t the time or place for such thoughts.

“You’re bold,” Galen said, his tone almost amused.“But boldness can get you killed.”

“Is that a threat?” she asked, raising an eyebrow, her defiance only making her more appealing.

“Just a fact,” he replied, his voice turning serious. “This isn’t your world, Bianca. It’s ugly and brutal, and it will chew you up and spit you out without a second thought.”

“Then let it,” she shot back.“I’m not afraid.”

Her words hung in the air between them, and for a moment, Galen wondered what it would be like to test that fearlessness, to see just how far she would go.

But he couldn’t afford to be distracted, not now. He had a job to do, and he couldn’t let this woman—no matter how intriguing—get in the way.

With a sharp nod, he signaled to his men.“Take them both,” he repeated, his voice leaving no room for argument.

As Benny moved to escort Bianca out, Galen couldn’t help the pang of regret that settled in his chest. He had never let emotions interfere with his work before, but something about Bianca made him wonder if maybe, just this once, he should.

But as he watched her disappear through the door, he knew it was too late for second thoughts. The job was the job, and he had to see it through to the end—even if it meant silencing the part of him that was undeniably drawn to her.

****

Galen gripped the steering wheel of his sleek black car, eyes fixed on the road ahead, but his mind was miles away. He was intently aware of the other vehicle trailing behind him—Benny and David were driving Bianca and Mario back to Arrow Tower.

Initially, Galen had debated having them ride with him, but he’d changed his mind at the last second. Being too close to Bianca was bad news, for both him and her. The fiery defiance in her eyes haunted him, making him second-guess every decision he’d made since stepping into Mario Bruno’s house. What had he done?

Galen clenched his jaw, the tension rolling off him in waves. He could have—should have—eliminated Mario right then and there, tied up the loose end like he was supposed to. Leaving witnesses was never an option.

And yet, when it came to Bianca, something inside him rebelled at the very thought of laying a finger on her. She wasn’t just another pawn in this deadly game. She was different, and that difference was dangerous.

His phone beeped, snapping him out of his thoughts. Glancing at the screen, he saw Carver’s name flashing. Not in the mood to speak to his brother, Galen let the call go to voicemail.

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