Chapter 42

(The Twins Pov)

It was one of those rare nights where sleep lingered willingly, wrapping me in layers of warmth and darkness. The clock on the wall beside my bed glowed 3:00 AM, a surreal hue that added to the surrealness of the night. Just as I was drifting deeper into a dream, the shrill ring of my phone sliced through the tranquility. Glancing at the caller ID, I frowned. It was Xan.

"Hey, buddy," I mumbled groggily, wrapping the sheets tighter around me, but I could sense the unease in his voice.

"Haiden, we've got a problem," Xan said, urgency threading through his words. "I just spotted Leo and his crew at the bar on Fifth. They're causing a scene, and you know how reckless they can get."

My heart raced at the mention of Leo. He was a thorn in our side, and his unpredictability made him all the more dangerous. I glanced over at Christian, still cocooned in sleep, his dark hair tousled and his long lashes casting shadows over his cheekbones. I hated to wake him, but there was no choice now.

"Okay, stay there. I'll wake Christian. We need to figure out what to do," I replied, already rolling out of bed, my feet hitting the cold floor like a jolt of reality.

I shook Christian's shoulder gently, coaxing him into consciousness as the weight of the situation settled in my chest. "Christian, wake up. We've got a situation."

He blinked awake, confusion creasing his brow, but the moment he caught the urgency in my tone, he was alert. "What's going on?"

"Xan just called. Leo's at the bar, and he's stirring up trouble. We need a plan."

Without hesitation, Christian shot out of bed, his dark, brooding presence filling the room. "We can't let him get away with this. What do you want to do?"

"Xan's sending out the Blue Squad. We'll be on the first flight there," I explained, already mentally mapping out our strategy.

"On it," Christian replied, his voice low and steady, the savage edge in it making my pulse quicken. We worked seamlessly together, piecing a plan together as if it were an intricate puzzle. Our minds raced with what needed to be done, strategies forming and collapsing like the volatile nature of our world.

I picked up my phone. "Xan, are you there?"

"Yeah, I'm here. What's the plan?" he replied, sharp and ready for action.

"Send out the Blue Squad to handle Leo's crew. We'll be there by morning. We need to contain this before it spirals out of control," I commanded.

"Got it. I'll make sure they're ready. Just promise me to be careful," he said, concern leaking through his tough exterior.

"Always," I reassured him, clicking off the phone and turning back to Christian. "We need to brief the squad and make sure they have everything they need for tomorrow."

"Let's hit the gym first. We might need to blow off some steam before we dive into this," he suggested with that dark glint in his eye that meant he was in the zone.

We slipped out of the room, the night air cool against my skin—a stark contrast to the heat radiating from the impending conflict. The weight of our lives as half-mafia bosses lay oblivious to Hailey, who saw us as her playful, sweet boyfriends. Little did she know, behind our charm and the smiles we shared, a storm was brewing just beneath the surface.

As we worked out, I couldn't shake off the nagging feeling in my gut. This was about more than just Leo or defending our territory; it was about keeping Hailey safe. She had no idea about the precarious balance we lived; it was easier to protect her this way. But I also feared how long that facade could last.

With each punch I threw into the bag, I felt the adrenaline surge through my veins, melding the fear of our enemies and the protective instinct I had over both Christian and Hailey. She was a hurricane in her own right, with a wild side that had swept through our lives, turning our worlds upside down. She was a breath of fresh air, but the tempest of our lives risked sweeping her along with it.

Hours passed, the moon hanging high above, but I didn't feel tired. I felt alive, ready for the chaos tomorrow would bring—the chaos we needed to control, not just for our family's legacy, but for Hailey's heart as well.

As I finished my final set, I glanced at Christian, his jaw clenched, eyes focused—a fierce protector of both our worlds. "Tomorrow, we show Leo and the others why they should fear us," I said, a determined edge to my voice.

He smirked, a dark yet playful side of him shining through. "And protect Hailey, no matter the cost."

We exchanged a nod, the layer of our world heavy above our heads, but we would face it, together. The night was still young, and the plotting had only just begun. Tomorrow, we would take action, blending the lines between love and danger, while still keeping our beloved wildflower, Hailey, blissfully unaware of the storms brewing beneath the surface.