Chapter 28 Confessions and Consequences
Valentina’s POV
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Raptor stares at us across the table, awe shining in his eyes, his voice thick with disbelief. “So you just drugged everyone at the party and then went on a knife spree?”
Giuliana smirks, tilting her head in mock innocence. “What, you’re surprised? When it comes to free and easy pussy, men are dangerously predictable. All you have to do is dangle a promise, and suddenly you’re leading an army of fools.”
Slate’s jaw tightens, jealousy flashing across his face. “What’s that supposed to mean, little girl?” he rumbles. “You giving away what’s mine?”
She turns, eyes glittering, and wraps her arms around his neck. “No, big daddy, never.” The room erupts in laughter, sharp and unrestrained. Slate flushes, but only pulls her closer, teeth finding her neck as she squeals in surprise. I catch her eye and grin, warmth blooming in my chest. There’s nothing better than seeing my sister happy.
I shift closer to Killian, fingers lacing through his as I face the circle of men, the aftermath of violence still thrumming in my blood.
“We didn’t need to work that hard,” I say, my voice steady. “We played the part, made them think they were getting lucky. Most were wasted before we even started dropping the drugs. The president-he practically begged me to tie him up. He never even saw the blades coming.”
A low growl rumbles in Killian’s chest, but I squeeze his hand, grounding us both. I stay beside him as I recount the night’s work.
“By the end, there were only three left standing. All the girls were out cold. I put a knife in one bastard’s eye-he went down and the blade just buried itself deeper. Giuliana and I took the other two, full force. It was messy. Violent. Honestly?” I look at Blaise, a smile tugging at my lips. “It was a hell of a lot of fun. Thanks for letting us do this.”
The men fall silent, their gazes shifting between me and Giuliana. Someone mutters that we’re crazy, but nobody disagrees.
Giuliana glows at me, pride written plain on her face.
“We cleaned up everything,” she adds. “Wiped down every surface, found the surveillance feed, erased the whole night. The gate? I left messages that will send the mother chapter straight at the Calvetti family. They’ll think it’s a Mafia hit. The Ravagers and the Italians will tear each other apart, and while they do, every club in this city is untouchable. And since you all had alibis out of town-no one can trace a thing back here.”
Blaise nods, his approval grave and genuine. “Thank you, Gia. Thank you, Valentina. You two did this club a favor.we won’t forget.”
“You’re family,” I reply, voice soft but sure. “Giuliana and I-we’d do it again. If you ever need this kind of help, call us. No hesitation.”
I lean over and kiss Killian, then nudge Giuliana, and together we slip from the room, leaving the men to their scheming. The kitchen is quiet by comparison, the sunlight slanting through the window, dust swirling like ghosts. I start pulling out pans for lunch, heart still beating fast with leftover adrenaline.
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<Chapter 28 Confessions and Consequences
“Have you heard from Papà?” I ask, voice low.
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Giuliana shakes her head, frown creasing her brow. “No. I thought for sure he’d show up at the Ravagers party. I’ve tried for three days-nothing.”
A chill creeps into my bones. I pull out my phone, hope flaring and fading with every second.
Papà, dove sei? lo e Giuliana siamo preoccupati. Non abbiamo tue notizie.
(Papa, where are you? Giuliana and I are worried. We haven’t heard from you.)
I watch the screen, waiting for a response, for the three pulsing dots of a reply. The silence is thick, heavy. Nothing comes.
I sigh, the fear settling deep. “He’ll answer,” I whisper, as much for me as for her. “He has to.”
Cyrus’ POV
I pace the length of my office, frustration simmering under my skin. When my VP walks in, I fix him with a hard stare. “What’ve you found for me?”
He leans forward, voice low. “The Calvetti family-they’re the top dogs of the New York Mafia. They run a thousand men, maybe more, all over the city and beyond. I haven’t met with anyone yet, but I’m working a couple of leads. Thing is, nothing adds up. Why would the mafia take out an entire Ravagers chapter? I searched Skipper’s office-no mention of the mob, nothing linking him to the family. It feels like a setup.”
I narrow my eyes. “You think someone’s setting up the New York Mob? For what? Why?”
He shrugs, tension in his jaw. “It’s too clean, Cyrus. The mob wouldn’t leave a calling card-especially not in blood, announcing they wiped out an MC. It’s theatrical.”
“Maybe some low-level idiot thought he’d impress his boss with a big move,” I muse.
He nods. “Yeah, if I wanted your attention, I’d do something bold. Take out the President, VP, Sergeant at Arms-throw a club into chaos. Make you notice.”
I snort. “Maybe, but this? Taking out an entire club-forty-six men-that’s next level. Someone wanted t o send a message.”
He considers. “Skipper was into trafficking. Maybe someone ordered a hit as payback, or to warn us off their territory.”
I tap my fingers on the desk, a storm brewing behind my eyes. “Solid theories. Go down to the Underground-where all the hits are brokered. See if you can pick up a whisper.”
“You got it, Sarge.”
He slips out. Silence falls, heavy as guilt. The other Ravagers chapters are looking to me for answers. I have none. I will not let my father’s legacy fall apart-no one takes the Ravagers down on my watch.
My phone feels like lead as I dial a number I hate, dreading the voice on the other end.
The line clicks, then a wary, familiar growl. “Hello?”
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< Chapter 28 Confessions and Consequences
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“Blasy, it’s Cyrus. I need your help, man.”
There’s a long pause-dead air stretching, a lifetime of bad blood between us. For a moment I think he’s hung up. I check-no, the call’s still live.
“Hello?”
“Yeah, I’m here. Didn’t expect to hear from you,” he says, voice flat as steel.
“We grew up together. You were my best friend.”
“That was before you ran off, took your own patch, and stole my woman. Then you got her killed.”
Pain slices through me, old and sharp. “She wasn’t yours to keep, Blasy. We fell in love. I’ve said I’m sorry for twenty years!”
He cuts me off, voice cold. “I’ll kill you if I ever see your face, Cyrus.”
My fists clench. “Blaise, listen-someone wiped out my New York chapter. I need to know if you’ve heard anything.”
A scoff. “I heard the Ravagers got what was coming. Good riddance. You know Skipper was running girls? Trafficking?”
“No. That was Skipper’s decision, not mine. We never condoned that shit. We’d already voted to confront him, shut it down. But someone doing this-public, brutal-undermines my authority. Whoever did it is dead when I find them.”
He exhales. “Don’t know a thing. My club was out of town-left the bare minimum back, just Old Ladies holding down the fort.”
“You trust your women to keep your club safe?”
“If you knew my women, you’d understand. Some are more dangerous than you and me put together.”
I scoff. “Bullshit.”
He laughs, dark and bitter. “Two of my girls have higher body counts than any of my men. They’re f eral, but they’re ours.”
I shake my head. I can’t imagine it-no woman would ever hold that kind of power in my world. Not again. Women die. They leave you empty.
“Look, if you hear anything, let me know,” I mutter, pride and regret warring in my chest.
“Yeah, sure. Now fuck off. Don’t ever call me again.”
And just like that, he hangs up-my oldest friend, gone, as always. My one regret, the wound that never really heals. But I was born to lead. I don’t play second to anyone.
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