Chapter 004

Arie's POV

I had dreamt of the cabin. Axle and I had gone over there to see Nani. I was smiling so hard my cheeks hurt, and I could tell that I felt genuinely happy. Nani was rendering to the little potted flowers she had nearly arranged in the space she transformed into a mini study. There, she will spend most hours of the day drawing flowers down to the most minute details, highlighting the toxins and nutritional benefits of the flower.

She was obsessed with them, and sometimes, you would find her whispering about them in her sleep. "Lilies, sweet lilies," she will coo.

Nani had enveloped me in a warm embrace, her eyes welcoming Axle as she embraced him too. She had settled us down in her little two-seater, offering us warm milk and cookies. She kept studying Axle's face, a wide smile on her face. I knew she was aware we were married, but for some reason, she wanted to hear it from him first.

"You took my daughter away from me," she said, her smile slowly vanishing from her face. "Give her back."

Axle was laughing now, his expression looking like he had gone insane, his eyes reddened with rage and insanity. He pulled a gun from his pants, and I instinctively got in the way of Nani and Axle. "Stop this right now."

"Give me my daughter!" Nani yelled repeatedly, her stance defiant. Axle cocked the gun and aimed at me, not minding that moments ago, we had made it down to the cabin happy and in love with each other. A shot went off, and I was jolted back to reality.

I was still wrapped underneath the sheets, unclad and exhausted. Memories from the night before clouded my mind, and I began feeling miserable all over again. I wanted to hate Axle for the pain he's caused me. I wanted to spit on his face when he gritted his teeth as he came. At first, I had assumed what triumphed was the feeling of helplessness, knowing there was no way I was getting out of this. But I also knew he had stirred a chaotic feeling if needed. The need to be desired. Feel pleasure. I shook the thought off my mind, wrapping the sheets around my petite frame.

"Step back," Axle growled as he emerged from the bathroom. "We're not finished."

"I can't," I tried to protest, but he pushed me so hard my head had narrowly missed the headboard. I had no strength to fight him back, so I laid back in defeat as he had his way with me.

***

Axle's POV

I had convinced myself all it took was to get used to breaking Arie and the real Axle will be bouncing on his feet in no time. I was failing. I was failing to get over this little thing and it irked me. She was supposed to be a tool for my vengeance, but before she could be ready for me to use, I had to make sure I broke every hope she might have to get away from me. Or form an alliance with her brother. I was going to turn her against him, ensuring that he had no party left in the whole of Mexico to take his side.

When I moved up the hierarchy, my goal was to defeat every single mafia lord and have all their men to myself. Ian had thought of it as absurd and suggested being the strongest mafia lord sounded more interesting. It had gotten boring running the family business. We had a lot in our reserves and weren't bothered to source for any more. Being revered as sovereign, so powerful that other clans and lords bowed in obedience to our clan became our new aim, and I had made my father proud when we took control of the cartels across three districts in less than six months.

A guard walked up to me, and I was thankful my mind snapped out of my thoughts of Arie.

"Ian told me to show you this," he gestures at the tablet he was handing over to me. My eyes scanned the screen, my eyes noting the address of the museum my stolen treasure now sits.

"I want a name," I growled, restraining myself to throw the tablet all the way to the end of the passageway.

"Matteo Sanders. He had liaised with the surveillance intelligence team of the CIA district in our area to uncover the van which was meant to deliver the fish. Now he's trying to buy off the fish from the market; knowing fully well the other clans are not aware of what lies inside the fish."

I gritted my teeth as his name escaped my lips. That daddy's boy was pulling the strings of his clan to get his dirty works done. I needed to get my hands on that treasure before he did, but how much was Matteo willing to place down in the name of an auction?

I was about to turn for my study when the guard raised a hand, "Ian suggested you let Arie accompany you."

"Don't be stupid," I waved him off, but he remained still.

"Ian says that your marriage symbolizes a sense of peace between the Salvatore and Burnlow clan. You have to keep rivaling clans at bay, especially the few ones loyal to the Burnlows. They will be everywhere, monitoring your every move, and we want to keep our mission on their clan as discreet as possible."

I hated it when Ian proved to analyze things I couldn't, but again, it was why he is my right hand. I gave the guard a curt nod, "What time tonight does the auction start again?"

"9p.m., sir."

"Get the boys to prepare a few cars. We're getting that treasure back. When is Ian returning?"

"A little past midnight, sir."

"Alright. Keep me posted."

I clenched and unclenched my fists as I charged towards my bedroom, wondering what in the world Matteo was up to.