Leah's POV
Liam stared. "What the hell are you?"
I wiped my hands on his jacket. "Hungry."
He laughed then, wild and unhinged. "You're crazy."
"Crazy enough to fix your problems. If you obey."
"Obey?" He raised an eyebrow. "That's kinky."
I stared at him. "You want to save your grandmother? Stop playing gangster. You're a joke."
His smile died. "Yeah? And what's your deal? Some kinda runaway mob wife?"
"Like you can't even imagine." I released him.
Silence.
He rubbed his neck. "Fine. What's the plan, boss?"
I glanced at the photo. The old woman's eyes glared back, unyielding. "First, we get some money."
"From where?"
-
Vinny's nightclub reminded me of Sheridan Club. It was a cacophony of neon lights and pounding bass, the kind of place where secrets were buried under the weight of too much noise and too many bodies.
I walked in with Liam trailing behind me, his face still bruised but his eyes wide with a mix of fear and curiosity. The air was thick with the smell of sweat, alcohol, and something darker - desperation, maybe, or greed.
I hadn't meant to think of Finn. Not here, not now. But the way the disco ball fractured the light into diamond shards - it was too familiar. It's raining men. I'd hated the song. But I'd loved him instantly.
Now, walking deeper into the chaos, I could almost smell his cologne over the stench of spilled beer. My chest tightened. Why do I fall so fast? The question gnawed like a rat in the walls of my mind.
I glanced back at Liam. The neon blues and pinks caught the angles of his face - sharp jaw, tousled hair, that faint scar curling above his brow like a question mark. He was beautiful in a way that made my pulse skip, all restless energy and unguarded smiles. My type, a traitorous voice whispered. The type that made me forget to breathe, to think, to survive.
Stop it. I clenched my fists, nails biting into my palms. All my relationship ended with bloodshed and death. Never again.
The boss sat at a table near the back, a cigar dangling from his fingers. He was the kind of man who thought he owned the world, his confidence as loud as the music. When I approached, he looked me up and down, a smirk playing on his lips.
"You lost, sweetheart?" he asked, his voice dripping with mockery.
"I'm here for 20 grand," I said, my voice calm but cutting through the noise like a blade.
He laughed, a deep, throaty sound that made the men around him join in. "And what makes you think I'm just gonna hand it over?"
I didn't answer. Instead, I let my power surge, the energy crackling beneath my skin. The first bodyguard lunged at me, his movements slow and predictable. I sidestepped, my fist connecting with his jaw. The impact sent him sprawling, his body crashing into a table.
The second bodyguard was faster, but not fast enough. I ducked under his swing, my knee driving into his stomach. He doubled over, and I brought my elbow down on the back of his neck, sending him to the floor.
The smirk on the boss' face vanished, replaced by a look of pure fear. He fumbled for something under the table, but I was already in front of him, my hand slamming down on the surface.
"The money," I knocked on the table, my voice low and dangerous.
He hesitated, his eyes darting to the men on the floor. "You think you can just walk in here and..."
I didn't let him finish. My hand shot out, gripping his collar and pulling him close. "I don't have time for this," I hissed. "Give me the money, or I'll take more than just your pride."
He nodded frantically, his hands shaking as he counted out the bills. I took them, my eyes never leaving his.
"Now," I said, my voice calm but firm, "how much do you make every month?"
"... 3 or 4 million... Give or take..."
"You're going to pay Liam 1% of your monthly turnover. Every month. On the first."
The boss' face turned red, his anger bubbling to the surface. "Please remind me of how this works... I pay him 1% of my turnover, and what do I get in return?"
I leaned in, my voice a whisper that sent a shiver down his spine. "You get to keep your teeth."
He swallowed hard, his bravado crumbling. "Fine. Just… just take the money and go."
I turned to Liam, who was staring at me with a mix of awe and disbelief. "Let's go," I said, my voice softer now.
As we walked out, the music fading behind us, Liam finally spoke. "That was… incredible. How did you do that?"
I didn't answer right away. My thoughts were a whirlwind - anger, betrayal, and something else, something I couldn't quite name.
My anger was not a single flame but a wildfire, fed by layers of betrayal that scorched her soul raw. When memories of Lucian's and Lucas' faces surfaced, it wasn't just rage that consumed me. It was a violation of every vow etched into their shared blood, a mockery of the mate-bond that should have been sacred.
"You could've done that back in the alley," Liam said, his voice tinged with confusion. "Why didn't you?"
"I think your pretty face looks even prettier with a black eye on it."
"Oh, come on..."
I looked at him, his face bruised but his spirit unbroken. "Sometimes," I said slowly, "it's better to let people show their true colors before you act. You've got a lot to catch up, kiddo."
Liam nodded, though I could tell he didn't fully understand. "Still, you're amazing. I've never seen anyone move like that."
I didn't respond and rolled my eyes in the back of my mind. Of course, you've never seen it, you stupid human being.
But actually, my mind was elsewhere, on the fight, on the power I'd wielded so effortlessly. It was a reminder of what I was, of the strength I'd been born with. But it was also a reminder of the pain that came with it... the pain of betrayal, of loss.
"You're not just some random girl, are you?" Liam asked, his voice hesitant.
I glanced at him, my expression unreadable. "No," I said finally. "I'm not."
We walked in silence for a while, the city lights casting long shadows on the pavement. Liam's thoughts were written all over his face - curiosity, admiration, and a hint of fear.
"What are we going to do now?" he asked, breaking the silence.
"Now that you've got the money, so we're going shopping."