Page 23 of Depraved

CHAPTER 8

Layla

We tore down the winding desert road, kicking up clouds of dust. My fingers drummed an impatient rhythm on the leather armrest as Sarge navigated the familiar route back to the villa. The detour chafed at me, precious hours wasted when we should have been racing towards the safe house—towards my mother.

My mother.The words still felt foreign on my tongue, a concept I'd long ago buried along with my innocence. And now she was in danger, waiting for me. I wanted to fucking scream.

I pushed it all down, locking it away in that dark place inside me where I kept all my weakness hidden. There would be time for feelings later. Right now, I needed to focus.

"How bad is it?" I asked, breaking the tense silence that had fallen over the vehicle.

Sarge's jaw clenched, his knuckles white on the steering wheel. He just hung up the phone moments ago and was already cursing. "Effren says they fought 'em off, but not before those fuckers did some serious damage. Blew a hole in the east wing, took out half our security system."

"Casualties?"

"Two of ours dead, a handful more injured. They didn’t find Carlos though—bastard's still locked up tight in the white room."

I nodded, a cold satisfaction settling over me.Good.I had plans for that piece of shit.

I caught Alex's reflection in the rearview mirror, his dark eyes blazing. His jaw was clenched tight, muscles twitching beneath the intricate tattoos that snaked up his neck. I knew that look all too well. It was the same cold rage that had consumed him when we'd discovered his father's initial betrayal.

"That fucking bastard," Alex clipped. "I'll gut him myself for this bullshit."

The raw pain in his voice made my chest ache. For all his faults, Alex had always been fiercely loyal to his family—to Raul. To have his own father betray his uncle, to try and usurp power while we were gone, it was a wound that would never fully heal.

As we pulled up to the villa, the extent of the damage became clear. The once-pristine white stucco was marred by scorch marks and bullet holes. Shattered glass crunched beneath our tires, glittering like deadly diamonds in the harsh desert sun. The air was thick with the acrid stench of smoke.

Vinny met us at the door, his usually immaculate suit streaked with blood and soot. "Boss," he nodded to me, then looked at Alex. "We’re secure for now."

I frowned at Vinny.Boss?Since when was I Boss?

An ugly sensation churned in my gut. “Where's Raul?”

He straightened his shoulders. “Resting, but he’s not looking good. Sleeps all damn day and doesn’t want to eat anymore.”

Without another word, Sarge stalked off, presumably to check on Raul.

I turned back to Vinny just as Tomasso headed over, looking haggard. "Status report. Now."

"Carlos's men hit us hard and fast. Blew through the east gate with a truck bomb, then stormed the grounds. We managed to push them back, but not before they did some serious damage."

"And Carlos himself?" I asked, already knowing the answer but needing confirmation.

"Still locked up tight in the white room. Bastard was grinning like a loon when I checked on him an hour ago."

"Double the guard on him," I ordered. "No one goes in or out without my express permission. And get a team working on repairing that security system ASAP."

"Already on it," Vinny said, then hesitated. "There's... something else you should know." I raised an eyebrow, waiting."Raul's been asking for you. Says he needs to talk to you alone. Urgently."

A knot formed in my stomach. I had a feeling I knew what this was about, and I wasn't sure I was ready to face it.

"Alright," I said, keeping my voice steady. "I'll go to him now. The rest of you, start assessing the damage and shoring up our defenses. I want a full report in an hour. And Vinny?" He paused, clearly biting back a retort for the stupid nickname as I said, “You know what needs to be done, right?” He nodded, the look of irritation suddenly replaced with one of excitement.

As the others dispersed, Alex caught my arm. His dark eyes searched my face, worry etched in the tightness around his mouth. "Layla, whatever he says in there, just remember, you don't owe him anything. You want out, then you get the fuck out."

I gave him a tight nod, touched by his concern even as irritation flared. I didn't need his protection or his advice. I knew what I wanted, and this shit with my mom didn’t change it.

The walk to Raul's private wing felt endless. Each step echoed hollowly off marble floors. By the time I reached his door, my heart was pounding.

---