Her gaze hardens into steel.
“That man helped create every nightmare I’ve ever had. Every panic attack. The reason I didn’t want children. The reason I believed this life destroys innocence.”
She steps to the table, pointing at the warehouse layout.
“So no. Ettore doesn’t die in battle.”
Her lips curve, but there’s nothing warm about it.
“He gets dragged out, breathing.”
Silence stretches.
Then Angel nods once. “Understood.”
I stand slowly. Move toward her.
“What’s the plan?” I ask quietly.
Her gaze never leaves mine.
“Ettore will join Aleksandr in the torture chamber.”
Kicks whistles low. “Sounds like fun times are in their future.”
The team chuckles, breaking the tension.
Ritchie folds his arms. “Alive won’t be easy.”
“I understand,” Serenity says. “But it needs to happen.”
Her lip twitches, and I step closer, gingerly gripping the back of her neck.
“Ettore has to pay for what he did to my mother,” she whispers.
“I want him terrified, Nico.”
Something primal moves through me.
Not lust. Not exactly.
Something darker.
Protective. Violent. I’m proud.
I brush my thumb along her jaw.
“Then terrified he’ll be.”
She exhales slowly.
Serenity finally sits beside me. Not touching. But closer than before.
Progress.
I glance at her profile.
Beautiful. Furious. Broken in ways she hides well.
