*Leo*
Vague, blurry mories invaded my dreams as I slept my way into unconsciousness. My whole body felt heavy as I buried myself into the warmth of the blankets, all the stress of the day lting.
I had sworn I thought I heard soone calling my na from far away, but I was too tired to move or respond to their call like I normally would have. It had been so long since I’d been able to sleep so deeply.
But sleep only pulled itself farther and farther away as a persistent ringing in my head grew louder. I felt like I was chasing after a distant mory, running through a tunnel but the end only grew longer with every step.
The silence disturbed, and the ringing grew louder and louder, blaring like sirens until I had no choice but to fling myself up, trying to catch whatever had woken . I grumpily surveyed the dark room, blearily blinking my eyes as I heaved a tired sigh.
I yawned as everything ca back to at once and I snatched my phone from the nightstand. The screen lit up with a brightness that hurt to even look at but I forced myself as the call that had been ringing finally silenced.
I frowned as I saw four missed calls - all from the sa number.
I groaned as I saw the ti was barely passed three in the morning but any ti I had to gain my bearings was ruined as my phone vibrated with another call and this ti I answered.
“What do you want?” I snapped grumpily, brushing a hand through my ssy hair. What t was a string of curses and insults from Taylor on the other line and I pulled back for a second, bewildered.
“Enough! Speak English!” I yelled into the phone to stop his fury.
“Get your fucking ass up and find Bianca because she’s in fucking trouble!”
“What are you talking about? She’s right here–” I turned over to the other side of the bed but my voice cut off as I realized with a growing panic that it was completely empty. I brushed my hand across the sheets.
It was cold. She’d been gone for a while.
It wasn’t part of my dream. She’d actually gotten up and said sothing to but...for the life of , I couldn’t rember what. I was too tired to listen.
“Where is she?” I demanded, flying to my feet as I rushed to the closet and pulled on as many clothes as I could in a hurry.
“That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you! She said sothing about following Darion and I told her not to but she’s been texting where she was. I’m on my way there now but she hasn’t texted a new address in fifteen minutes. It’s downtown - in the run-down illegal zone. Angels territory.”
“What the fuck was she thinking? She’s fucking pregnant!” I snapped, not really expecting an answer. “Just text the address she sent you. I’ll be there soon.”
I hung up, imdiately, my anger at my future wife rising as was my panic and terror for her safety. She’d been reckless before but this was new.
She’d better be fucking safe or I would burn down everything.
A dark shadow followed as I rushed downstairs and to my car. I pulled out onto the road just as Taylor’s text ca in and I stiffened as I saw the street na. He was right. It was Angels territory, but not just that.
It was one of their illegal zones where they ran operations. Sotis it was underground gambling zones like Franky had told before but other tis, they ran illegal animal fights or drug rings.s
Gangs like the Angels were unhinged. Their operations relied on chaos unlike the constructive hierarchy of Mafias like the Valentinos. They did whatever they wanted and didn’t care who got hurt in the process. Luckily though, even gangs had their limits.
Pregnant won were one of those.
But I swear to God, if even one hair on her head was touched, all of them would really be angels. Ones that would burn in hell.
Too anxious just waiting on the drive, I tried to call Bianca’s phone first. I knew if Taylor couldn’t get through to her most likely, I would; n’t be able to either but I had to try at least. Sure enough, her phone cut off before it could even ring, heading straight to voicemail.
My anxiety only went up from there as I called Darion next. He was the sa. So expecting the worst and as my last real option, I called the one person I knew I could rely on.
“This better be good,” Franky muttered exhaustedly as he answered.
“I’m sending you a location. Bianca followed after Darion and neither were answering their phones. They’re in the middle of Angels territory. I need backup imdiately,” I gave him the rundown of what I knew so far.
Franky just sighed. “You two are going to send to an early grave with how much you’re forcing to work.”
“Would you prefer to still be working with Elio?” I snapped hurriedly, already knowing the answer. As bad as things were here, it was nothing compared to when we were fighting next to Elio and Cat.
Franky didn’t answer but snorted and hung up. That was more telling than any words he could use. I gave a bit of a grin, even as the terror-driven adrenaline flooded through my veins. I sent him the sa address Taylor had sent .
The compact cityscape of LA transford the further out I went. From high-end buildings bathed in light, the sky almost gray-looking from the light pollution to the dark and empty center of the abandoned downtown area.
Goosebumps erupted on my arms as I followed the path I knew was the most direct. I just hoped that tonight, the gangs weren’t holding anything too dangerous.
I grit my teeth as I turn the corner under the highways, the little cove underneath barricaded with a large number of n posted around every corner. It was flooded with gang mbers, each looking at my car suspiciously. I noticed a particular baby blue car parked just off the road.
Bianca’s.
She must’ve left it there to sneak in. I didn’t even care about my car as I parked wherever and then got out. I took a mont to protect myself with what materials I had in the car, including arming myself with more than just my gun at my side.
I noticed the heavy gazes focused entirely on , positive I’d been recognized already since I was so out of place but I didn’t have a choice in this situation. I had to get in now to find Bianca and get the hell out.
Before I stalked up to the barricade and demanded entrance though, I was halted by a hand pulling back on my shoulder.
“Don’t even bother,” Taylor hissed at quietly, looking downright furious and sporting a few bruises and a split lip. His knuckles still had blood on them as he pulled to the side and I noticed a prominent limp on one side. “I already tried.”
“What the fuck happened to you?” I blurted out but his pointed glare at the guards, each sporting just as many injuries, told the entire story. I grit my teeth and then sigh, rubbing the back of my neck nervously. “They’re not going to let us in then how the fuck do we get in? We don’t have ti to wait for backup.”
“Unless you’ve got a better idea, then we’re going to have to,” Taylor crossed his arms unhappily. “Their security is higher than normal. I suspect they’ve already figured out Bianca is in there.”
I shut my eyes, half ready to charge in guns blazing already but I knew how stupid that would be. I let out a deep sigh, trying to remain calm so I didn’t do anything stupid and put Bianca in even more danger than she was already in but I also couldn’t help but think.
“You said Bianca was following Darion,” I said carefully, my thoughts racing, “But why the fuck would he co here in the first place?”
“From what I’ve gathered they’ve started dipping their toes into illegal racing. That’s what’s going on over there,” Taylor frowned, jerking his head past the barricade. Sure enough, I could hear the roar of engines in the distance, and the cheers of the crowds as it faded away. The sll of burnt rubber and the source of the shiny reflective substance all over the ground.
My heart pounded as the pieces fell together.
Why Darion had been so quiet and distracted lately, brushing it off as doing his best. How the Angels had been getting so much inside information despite both Franky and investigating everyone around us.
It was Darion.
He unknowingly and unwittingly beca a pawn every ti he ca here to race. Paying them cash and providing tracks that they followed right back to us. They’ve been watching him, tracking him, and even sourcing information from him without Darion even realizing it.
He probably didn’t even have a clue, either. Not of how much information he’d fed into the Angels nor of the damage he’d caused.
“That fucking idiot,” I seethed, no longer willing to wait while my future wife and our unborn child were in danger.
“Wait, what are you doing—”
I ignored Taylor’s protests as I pulled out my gun, cocking it as I stord over to the guards at the entrance. They holstered their weapons as well, tensing as I approached but I didn’t give a shit.
“I already told your friend there, you ain’t getting inside–” The man in charge sneered at , eyes full of hatred until I shoved my barrel straight onto his forehead. He fell silent, eyes widening but giving nothing else.
“I am getting my wife, now move the fuck aside,” I snarled.
The guy’s eyes narrowed on as guns were pointed at my head as well.
“Well, I ain’t moving. So you’d better shoot ,” The man challenged, eyes flaring with a challenge. I could see him practically screaming to do it. To end him so they could end . But luckily, I wasn’t alone in this.
I didn’t even have to look behind as headlights flashed and cars pulled up. Relief filled as I heard the sound of boots and weapons approaching from behind.
Flashes of fear crossed the n’s faces as they saw what I didn’t dare turn to see.
“I suggest you let him in, gentlen or we will force ourselves in,” Franky’s low, calm voice filled with a newfound sense of confidence. I knew he had my back now so I didn’t pause as I pulled my gun away.
The n at the barricade relented as well, crumbling without the force of numbers on their side, and backed away as they dropped their guns to the ground. Even the one in front of who’d monts ago seed willing to die for his cause stepped back with a reluctant nod.
I turned to give Franky a nod, thanking him silently for his help before I hoisted myself over the cheap barricade made of plastic barrels and police tape and ran as fast as I could to the track upfront.
“Bianca!” I called her na furiously as I searched the packed crowds for any sign of her but there was nothing. As I pushed my way through, it got harder to see through the bodies and flashes of cheers every ti a car whipped by on the homade track.
I turned around for a second, wondering if she was being kept in the underpass. I didn’t see what happened, I only heard the screeching of tal and screams of encouragent from the crowd turning into fear.
By the ti I whipped my head back to the track, the smoke had already filled it as I saw one of the cars lying upside down, a tangled ss of tal all over the track. I saw the driver being pulled out, as the smoke turned into a dark gray.
Then my heart stopped as one of the cars behind it didn’t stop around the bend, going straight full-speed into the debris. It was like watching a disaster in slow-motion as the car crumbled around its front.
The crunch of the tal was deafening as the lightweight car, all safety removed from it, flipped into the air, spinning and then smashing straight into the other fallen car. As it did so, the smoke exploded as the ground shook.
Red flas poured out from the crash, and the crowd scread as they rushed past . I stood there in sheer horror as for a mont, I saw through the smoke the familiar figure of Bianca near the ss.
But then a second explosion occurred, more flas and smoke spilling into the sky and I lost sight of her.
My world shattered.
“BIANCA!”
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