The wind was biting as I stood at the edge of the warehouse, staring out into the darkness. 

It was 4 am. in the morning, and it was 3°C outside, bone chilling, and yet somehow did nothing to cool down my boiling blood.

My body felt like it was being held together by frayed threads—tension coiling in my muscles, rage simmering under my skin.

I could still feel Lucien's absence beside me, a sharp reminder of everything that had gone wrong. 

But right now, none of that mattered. 

There was something more pressing. 

More immediate.

The Russians were testing us. 

Again.

The audacity of it filled me with a cold, familiar anger. 

How many times had I warned them? 

How many times had we made it clear that our territory was off-limits?

My hand flexed around the knife at my side, the blade cool against my skin. 

This wasn't just business anymore. This was personal.

"Are you going to keep standing there, or are you going to do something about it?" Luca's voice pulled me out of my thoughts, and I turned to find him leaning against the wall, arms crossed, watching me with that easy, knowing smile of his.

Luca. Always so steady, so sure of himself, even when everything around us was chaos. 

He'd been with me through thick and thin, and somehow, he still found a way to make it seem like none of this shit touched him.

But tonight, there was something different in his gaze. 

A quiet understanding that made my chest ache.

"I'm thinking," I muttered, though I knew that was a lie. 

Thinking wasn't what I needed. It was action. Violence.

Luca pushed off the wall and walked over to me, his presence calm, solid. 

The kind of presence that had saved me more times than I could count. 

He didn't have to say anything. 

His silence was comforting, a reminder that I wasn't alone in this. 

Even if everything felt like it was crumbling.

"What's the plan?" he asked quietly, standing close enough that his shoulder brushed mine.

I glanced at him, at the way his eyes held mine without flinching. 

He was always the one who looked out for me, who saw beyond the fury and the blood to the person I barely recognized anymore.

"I'm going to finish it," I said, my voice low, almost a whisper. "They won't get another chance."

Luca nodded, but there was no satisfaction in his expression. He knew what this meant. What it cost me every time I did this. But he also knew there was no stopping me.

"Need some help, or is Lady Moretti going solo on this one?" Luca's voice was a low murmur, the challenge in his tone softened by a hint of playfulness. 

"I mean, me and Massimo are at your service, Le Capetta."I snorted hard, looking away. 

I hated that he could still get through to me, that his words could still make me feel something other than the anger that had been fueling me for so long

"Three pairs of hands against five tied ones. Not ethical. Let's have some fun, shall we?" I said, though it came out more like a question than a statement. 

My voice wavered, and Luca's hand was suddenly on my arm, firm and reassuring.

"Let's go, princess," he agreed, his voice steady, certain. 

We burst into laughter, and then we called Massimo in for the execution.. I mean fun!

It was always like this with them. No pretense, no need for words. Just understanding. 

They knew what I needed even before I did.

But this time, it wasn't enough.

This time, the rage inside me was too big, too consuming. Massimo came, and we shared a knowing glance.

"So, where do you need my well-built muscles, ladies?"

"In the warehouse," I said, hitting his bicep. "Let's have some fun."

Luca nodded, his eyes glimmering. "Let's go!"

"Lets untie them," I said, the anger boiling over with a touch of playfulness. "They have to pay for that."

"Yes, Lady."they both said in unison as we entered the warehouse.

When we go inside, we'll make sure that this is the last time the Russians decide to fuck with us.

The warehouse loomed ahead of us, a dark, imposing structure that held everything I needed to release the fury coiling inside me. 

The Russians were inside, unaware of the storm that was about to descend on them. 

They'd taken something that didn't belong to them, tested the boundaries of what was acceptable in our world.

I would remind them of the consequences.

But there was no going back now. Not after everything that had happened.

This was my world. My territory. And they had no right to it.

Luca stayed close, his movements smooth, controlled, as we made our way toward the group. 

He was always like that—calm, calculated. 

The complete opposite of me.

Where as Massimo walked more carelessly, like a bull in the meadows, thinking that he owns that grassland.

He always had his chin held high, not bothered where he stood or in front of whom.

Massimo Vitale walked in the damn place like he own it and, he knew it.

Whereas I, just didn't gave a fuck about anything!

But that's why we 3 worked.

We stopped just outside the main room, the soft glow of the overhead lights casting long shadows across the floor. 

I could see them now—five men, tied and thrown on the ground, struggling to free themselves from the bounds.

"Cute little Russian worms,", I laughed as the three of us walked in front of them.

"You need a hand, brother?", Massimo asked as he crouched down to one of the guys.It has been more than eight hours since they were caught.

They were bruised and bleeding but not dead yet, still had the fight in them.

That's awesome , we get to do the honors our way.

Luca crouched down as well and begun to untie the first one, he second and the the third one.

By now, Massimo had unfastened the ropes of the rest two.

"We'll give you a chance. Run as far as you can and make it to the exit. You exit you live. If we catch you before you exit—"

"That's a surprise. And trust me. It's not death.", Luca smirked as he got up and took his jacket off.

"And your time starts now", Massimo said.

The men, ran and crawled, investing all the energy they had left in them.

We gave them some time, to go a little far as we split, running in our own directions for aur preys.

This is fun.

After a little jog, I could listen to deep breathes coming from a particular corner. 

Smirking, I approached it.

In that instant, he wasn't just another enemy; he was everything that had threatened what I'd fought for.

"Boo! You're caught." I whispered that guys shivered, feeling me o close to him.

This was that fear I got off on everyday.

The look they have in the eyes, the way their hands shake, the way the look like the helpless lambs ready to be slaughtered.

So full of fight but always in vain.

Now how do you get out of such situations?

You can't.

But prevention is always better than cure.

And the prevention is that, never ever, ever in your wildest dreams, you decide to fuck with Serafina Moretti or her family.

Easy, isn't it?

But the Russians have a long due of getting their minds cleaned.

And that won't let me show an ounce of mercy on them.

I held him by his hair, pulling him.

He punched my radius, and stood up quickly.

Lets go! Let's imagine him as the entity that has been haunting my marriage to my love, and beat the shit out of this man.

He charged, punching me in the gut.I held his hand that punched me, pulling him more towards me and kicked him with full ferocity in his balls.

Without giving him time to recover, I pushed him straight and punched him in his face.

Once, then twice and then thrice.

His blood pooled out of his face as he gasped for air and relief.

He kicked me in my abdomen, pushing me few steps back.

Motherfucker.

I lunged towards him, progressing my punch towards his face, but hit him in his abdomen.

He puked some blood as he was gasping for air. 

The man fought back, but his efforts were futile against my relentless assault. 

I reveled in the sight of his blood, the feel of his bones cracking under the force of my attacks.

This was her element, where the lines between deadly and playful blurred, and she held all the power.

As the man crumpled to the ground, defeated and broken, I leaned in, my breath caressing his ear.

"Tell your Russian dhole to never ever in their wildest dreams should you fuck with the Moretti's. This land, its money and its drugs mine. Mine. And if anyone decides to fuck with it, ruin it," I choked him, "or acquire it, will be signing their death warrant by be.", I increased the pressure on his throat, with each word I spoke.

Leaving him their, I left to find my next prey.

I stepped over his slumped form, my boots echoing in the silence of the warehouse as I approached him. 

The man was barely able to hold himself upright, his face already a battered mess of blood and bruises. 

I crouched down to his level, feeling the raw energy coursing through me as I took in his wide, fearful eyes.

"Scared?" I asked softly, the corner of my mouth curling up in a dangerous smile. 

My voice was calm, almost gentle, but I could see the way it made him flinch. 

Good. Let him feel that fear, let it crawl under his skin like the venom he'd tried to inject into my empire.

The man didn't answer, but his breaths were shallow, ragged, like he was trying to hold on to the last shreds of his dignity. 

I admired the pathetic attempt. 

But dignity had no place here.

"Think you can play games with me? With my family?" I whispered, leaning closer, so close I could see every line of panic etched across his face. 

My fingers trailed down to his jaw, gripping it hard enough that I felt his bones shift under the pressure. 

He whimpered, the sound cut off as I tightened my hold."Look at me," I demanded, my voice low but sharp, slicing through the thick silence. 

His eyes, reluctant and filled with dread, finally met mine. 

There it was—the exact look I wanted, the terror that seemed to drown out every other thought in his head. 

I wanted him to know exactly who he was dealing with, to understand that his choices had led him here, to this moment.

Without breaking eye contact, I drew my knife, letting the blade catch the light as I brought it to his throat. 

Slowly, I dragged the flat edge down, just enough for him to feel the cold metal pressing against his skin. 

He sucked in a breath, his body tensing, and I relished the way he trembled under my touch.

"What's the matter? Cat got your tongue?" I sneered, pressing the knife a little harder until a thin line of blood beaded along his skin. 

He gasped, his chest heaving, and I could see the defiance draining out of him, replaced by nothing but raw, animal fear."Not so bold now, are we?" I taunted, circling him as I kept the blade pressed to his throat, watching the way his entire body seemed to lock up in terror. 

"You should've thought twice before you crossed me. Before you decided to bring this fight to my doorstep."

With a quick flick of my wrist, I sliced a shallow cut across his shoulder, just deep enough to make him scream, the sound tearing through the quiet. 

I stood there, savoring the echo of his pain, the way he squirmed under my control.

"Beg," I commanded, my voice low and unyielding.

His lips trembled, a choked plea slipping out. It was pitiful, hollow—exactly what I wanted to hear. 

I crouched again, leveling my gaze with his, letting him see every ounce of rage in my eyes.

I plunged the knife deep into his shoulder, his scream ripping through the silence as he writhed in agony.

Leaving him there, I approached the exit, to see if anyone escaped or not.

Two bodies laid on the floor, while Massimo and Luca's fake was covered in smoke."How many, Lady?", Massimo's asked his voice a little hoarse because of the smoking.

"Two of them, one badly injured and the other one is injured enough to never fly in the Italian domain ever."

" That's good, we saved the last one for us to share it together." 

" Lets leave this one." I suggested. "He'll take back his brother to their dog master and show him what happens when you decide to screw us."

Luca snorted, taking a long drag from his cigarette. "Works."

He stood up as he approached the last who was thrown on the ground tied again.

"Now, Lady Moretti has some words to say and then, you'll gather your shit and go back to the shithole you came back Eto ponyatno?" (is that understood)

He shook his head and I walked towards him and crouched to his height."You go tell your sender to never ever look at my or my family's places. This land is mine. Mine. I acquired it by fighting along and against the greatest and the most fearful ones to build this. And is you and you Russian dogs thing that they can take what's mine, then you are heavily mistaken. And the next time I suffer any loss because of this little circus you guys pulled off, none of your Russian brothers will breathe the New York's air.", 

I said and stepped back.

This was who I was. 

This was what I had become.

My phone rung as Massimo starred to unfasten the man's binds.

The phone phone lit up with Cynthus's name on it.

I picked it up as I made my way out of the warehouse.

"Hey Cynthus, what's up?", I greeted him, voice a bit heavy because of all the cardio I did back there. 

"Woman, where in the world are you?", he exclaimed from the other side of the phone.

And then it hit me. Shit.

Today we were supposed to leave for our university trip at six am.

Well, fuck!

My bag is at home. My house and the venue are in opposite direction.

Its almost 7 right now

"Come on, where are you? We are waiting for you.", Cynthus pulled me out of my panicked thoughts.

"Well, you guys leave. I'll meet you directly at the venue.", I told him."

Okay fine, come fast. I'll send you the live location once we reach there."

I called Raphael and told him to get the bag from my room and meet me Liliana's house as it is close form here, so I can shower and get changed into fresh pair of clothes, devoid of blood, sweat and the intruder's misery.