“I have to go back to Florida. Now,” I blurt out.
“What? Now?” She straightens up, her brows furrowed and her tormented gaze fixed on me. “Damien, what happened?” she shrieks, her tone on the verge of anxiety and vexation.
“Lianne Beaumont,” I utter, panting, gasping for air. I feel like I’m drowning in a sea of despair.
“Oliver’s mother?” Avalyne whispers hesitantly, her chest moving up and down, slowly, heavily. She knows the worst has happened. She can sense it.
“She killed Black Widow and took the reins of Black Venom.” I clench my palm into a fist and hit the wall with full force. “I’ve lost everything.”
Ava lets out a deep sigh. “Damien…”
I turn to face Avalyne, inhaling heavily before I state with a lethal coldness in my voice, “I’m going back to Florida, Ava. I need to avenge my mother’s death. I need to regain control over Black Venom. It’s my duty. My legacy.”
My dark gaze flickers between Avalyne’s gorgeous eyes for a short moment before I walk past her, leaving the love of my life behind. I had my chance and I lost it. Now it’s Rocco’s turn. If that’s what Avalyne wants, then so be it. I have shit to take care of.
The ruthless bastard is back.
AVALYNE
Damien has just lost his mother. I know the pain waytoo well. I know how he must be feeling right now. He’s left all alone now. He lost his father, now his mother, and despite Oliver being wicked, Damien also lost his brother. All I want to do is to run after him and hug him. I want to hold him tight so as not to let him break into pieces. Take his pain away. Then why don’t I move? Why am I still here as if frozen? I fear I’m too broken myself to have enough strength to be there for the man who did this to me. I’m scared. I’m fucking scared that if I let myself be too vulnerable with Damien again, I might not bear the pain he caused me. He might have explained everything. He even killed for me. Yet, it is still not enough for me to trust him again. Nothing is harder to restore than broken trust.
“What is it,bella?” A deep voice rumbles behind my ear and I turn to meet Rocco’s cold gaze. “You look like you’ve just seen a ghost.”
“It’s nothing,” I mumble, still deep in thoughts about Damien and the pain he’s going through right now. I don’t want to talk, at least not with Rocco, but he examines me intensely as if he has x-ray vision and can see right through me.
“You don’t look like it’s nothing,” he states, his tone dry and face emotionless. “Mia bella, you know who I am. Don’t try to fool me.”
I swallow hard. He’s right. He’s not just anyone. He’s Rocco “The Phoenix” fucking Bianchi, the most feared and dangerous mafia boss you could ever come across. He’s definitely not someone you want to mess with. I should remember that. I take a deep breath, rubbing my temples as I close my eyes. I need a moment to process all of this. What am I doing here with this man when all I want in my life is Damien Alarie? My one and only. My life. My love. And he’s here, just a couple of steps away. I’ve never been so close to him yet so far at the same time. It’s killing me because I want him with all my heart and soul and yet my brain tells me I should know better this time.
Do I follow my heart or listen to my head?
“Avalyne.” Rocco’s stern voice snaps me out of my thoughts and its coldness sends shivers down my spine.
I slowly cast my eyes to meet his frigid gaze that I once considered alluring. “Damien’s mother died. He’s going back to Florida.”
Rocco narrows his eyes while slightly tilting his head. “And it concerns you because…?”
At this moment, something breaks in me and I snap, not caring that the man I’m speaking to could my life without batting an eyelid. “Because he lost his fucking mother and he’s just a human who’s hurting! You would know what I’m talking about if you were more human yourself!” I give him a cold-hearted look, pointing my fingers at him before I head down the grand hallway.
DAMIEN
“Alarie.” I turn toward the doorway where ThePhoenix stands, staring at me with his dark eyes, his facial expression stern. “I let myself in. Do you mind?” he says, not waiting for my response. He closes the door behind him, heading to a wooden cabinet with crystal glasses and a whiskey decanter on top of it before pouring himself a drink. “Fancy a drink?”
“No, thank you,” I hiss, trying to control the devastating hurricane of emotions storming inside me. Bianchi is the last man I want to deal with right now, but I am a guest in his house, so I have no choice but to put up with his shit.
“I’m sorry for your loss,” Rocco utters, his voice as indifferent as his intentions are.
I nod, waiting for him to cut to the chase. I know he didn’t come here to express condolences.
“Ava told me you want to go back to Florida immediately. I understand. I have ordered my people to prepare my private jet for you. It’s ready when you are.” Rocco finishes his drink, never breaking eye contact. “You can fly back to Florida anytime, my friend.”
My friend, huh?
I’m either imagining things or he wants to get rid of me as soon as possible.
Does The Phoenix feel threatened by my presence around his woman?
I can hardly fight a smirk forming in the corner of my lips at this thought. That’s the thing, Ava and I belong together. I know it. But now I have to forget about my feelings and accept help from my competitor. Regaining the charge of Black Venom takes precedence. It’s my priority now.
