As soon as we left the building, I had Blaine and Silas by the neck. "I told you both not to come!"

"A-Ava." Silas cried out at the pain I was causing him as I dragged the both of them towards their car I recognized in the distance.

"We just wanted to make sure you were going to be okay." They protested.

"You just put yourselves in more danger!" I pushed Silas into the passengers side. "I'll deal with the both of you when I get home."

"Why did you let them come? You knew they were following Carter." We watched their car disappear down a dirt road.

He knew they would have left the house. I pulled the keys from his hands.

"I wanted to see how loyal they would be." He shrugged. "Idiots just made themselves targets to make sure you were okay even though I was there with you."

"Get in the car Carter." I shook my head at him. "I'm driving."

People started piling out of the warehouse so I threw the car in reverse and took off towards the airport to drop Carter off.

"Promise me, you will be safe while I'm gone Irmazinha. (Little sister)" He stared at the side of my head intently.

Carter is going back to Brazil to take care of some things, not by choice. I forced him to go back because it was expected for him and I to be stuck together while this all went on, only leaving him vulnerable but knowing Carter he would have had everything under control, but it didn't mean I wanted to risk it.

"I'll be okay." I tried to insure him but I knew it wasn't doing much.

~

"You're going to be okay? Right?" I asked once we arrived to the private strip one of his jets currently sat on.

"Don't worry about me Irmazinha." He kissed the side of my head. "I will call you once I land."

I waited for him to enter the private jet and left as soon as he was in safely.The trip home was spent thinking through my next move.

My phone vibrated and Fane's name illuminated on my screen. I talked to him often, I never felt sorry about the way I treated him the last time I saw him. I don't trust him or any of his men, so I kept them at a distance for now.

His family still have not contacted him but last I heard about them, they were traveling the world with the money Fane had put away for an emergency. Some people will only love you as much as they can use you. Their loyalty ends where the benefits do.

~

"Ava, where have you been?" Nadia tackled me into a warm embrace as soon as I entered the doors of their home.

"Out." I returned her hug. "The usual."

"We were worried, Silas told us everything." She searches me frantically for any kind of wounds.

"Of course he did." I stared at him pointedly.

"Did you see the way Killian was watching her?" Silas ignored me and continued to talk among himself and the guys.

"It was like he was seeing you for the first time all over again." Blaine explained, deep in thought. "Killian didn't even flinch when the knife came for his father."

"Killian has always had plans to take over from Lucian." I muttered, I didn't feel guilty about how things went down tonight.

I handled business without emotions, I found it was the only way I could cope. I wasn't pure anymore repeated itself over and over again in my head but I promised myself I would never raise a weapon to anyone who didn't raise first.

"Is Beau still asleep?" I flopped down into the couch with an exhausted sigh.

"Yes, Zion and Elliot are with her." Messiah informed me.

"Preston? Can you grab my bags from the bedroom please." I asked of him and with a firm nod he left for the staircase.

"Where are you going?" They all asked in unison.

"Italy." I smiled half-heartedly.

"You're going to him aren't you?" Kenna asked. "You know it's meant to be him coming after you, not the other way around."

"I'm skipping the role-play for now." I stood as Preston left the house with my bags. "Beau is staying, I'll be back in a couple of days."

"Are you sure that's a good idea with what went down tonight? There might be backlash Ms. Vice." Messiah said for only me to hear.

"I have men surrounding the neighborhood, the rest of my security team other then yourself, Felik and Preston will be staying." I headed for the stairs. "We're leaving in ten, make sure every single one of our men are set before we leave."

I passed Elliot and stepped into Zaden's bedroom, Zion stood from his sitting position next to the bed. "If anything happens, make sure you get her out." I leaned over her to kiss her cheek. "I won't be gone for long but it's long enough."

"She will be safe with me Ms. Vice."

"I know." I smiled and he left the room, closing the door behind him softly.

I laid by her and unclasped the small chain Carter had made especially for her, I threaded my promise ring onto it. If something ever happened to me, at least I knew it was safe with you.

Carter's ring on her chain wasn't as heavy and bulky as the one I had of his but much smaller and lighter, and Beau didn't like taking it off so she always slept and went everywhere with it on.

"Go back to sleep, meu amor. (My love- Portuguese). I whispered as her eyes fluttered open.

The musky and masculine scent was faint in the room but it was enough to remind me of him. Majority of his belongings still hung in the places I remember them being in when I left but the photos of the two of us were gone.

Once Beau fell back into a deep sleep, I tugged the blanket over her and made my way out of the room quietly. "I will be back in a couple of days, ring me if you need anything." I told Zion and Elliot.

I said a quick bye to the rest of them and left for the airport. I spent the nine hour flight falling in and out of sleep. Sleep hasn't been coming easy lately.

Blood and knives is what I dreamt about after I killed Lucian and his brother, El. I couldn't tell if they were nightmares or dreams. It wasn't a dream I was scared of but it wasn't exactly one that I liked either.

"Get information on the fight club here, I will handle the rest once you get back to me." I told the three and headed into my hotel room they had already done a full search of.

Carter knew I was in Italy, he knew everything. Nothing went by him, especially if Messiah checked in with him every hour of the day. I didn't care if Carter knew I was here, it wasn't a secret. I could have asked him to get the information I needed but this was something I needed to do on my own.

~

"Ready?" Messiah asked once I descended the stairs.

"Sim. (Yes- Portuguese) ." I nodded and threw my leather jacket on.

"The fight club is run by the Salvatore Family. Zaden has never made an appearance but his relatives do attend regularly." Messiah filled me in as we parked outside of the abandoned factory.

"Who represents the Salvatore family here?" I questioned.

"Silvio, he will be fighting tonight."

"Watch everyone's movements in there, I'll set the fight myself." I grabbed a hold of the duffle bag.

The abandoned factory was boldly lit, exotic cars coated the car park for the place and security guards stood around the entrance doors.

The guards looked me up and down before taking the duffle bag from my grasp to search the inside.

"Who are you betting on tonight?" They frowned at the amount of money in the bag.

"Myself."

They laughed as if it was the funniest thing I've ever said. Taking the bag from their hold, I pushed passed them and ignored their laughter that seemed to get louder the further they got away from me.

"Fucking pricks." Felik growled from behind me.

I smiled at his remark, I didn't want to make a scene before I fought so I told them to dress casual and to take their rings off for now.

"I'll be back." I made a bee-line for the MC who stood near a group of men dressed in pressed suits.

"Silvio isn't accepting fights under 800k." The MC said through gritted teeth as if he has repeated himself a thousand times tonight.

"Two million." I threw my duffle bag at the MC.

"And you are?" He raised a questioning brow to me as he inspected the cash in the bag.

"It doesn't matter. 25% is yours, set it." I ignored the men who stood around the both of us, watching our exchange closely.

With a nod from the MC, I made my way back over to Messiah and the rest.

"25% is a bit much." Messiah gave me a pointed look.

"I'm not here to fuck around, I don't want to be here any longer than thirty minutes so giving him a decent cut will hurry the process up."

Minutes later the MC made his way over to notify me that the fight will be on in fifteen minutes.

People cheered as I jumped the ropes into the ring, it was easy to tell that they weren't cheering me on but cheering to watch me be beaten. I waited for Silvio to make his appearance, the room fell silent minutes later and a presence moved from behind me.

"You're the idiot who paid two million to fight me?" Silvio grumbled.

I turned to face him, ignoring the name calling.

"You look familiar, who are you?" He stared me up and down with cold eyes.

"A nobody."

"No nobody comes in here with two million asking for a fight with the best in here unless they want something." He licked his lips and advanced towards me.

"Maybe I do want something." I said with a sexual undertone, backing away from his buff frame.

I assessed his movements fluidly, he didn't have any major injuries that would indicate a sore spot but I could already tell where his weak spots were by just watching him walk towards me.

I couldn't win this fight even if I wanted to, men like Silvio don't like losing and to get what I wanted, I had to lose.

"Name it and I'll give it to you." He smirked and had me pinned on the floor by his big arms.

"Meet me outside after this." I watched his fist come down as I waited for the blow I knew wasn't coming.

"Tap out." He whispered into my ear seductively.

With a light tap on his jawline, the fight was announced over and Silvio as the winner.

I signaled for Messiah and the rest to hang back while I went and waited out front for Silvio.

"Ready?" His deep voice called as he came from behind me.

Facing him, I ran my eyes up and down his frame. "Lead the way."

He pulled me by the arm and grumbled a curse word. He lead me to a Lamborghini Centenario Roadster, it was a nice car but wasn't something I was a big fan of.

"Get in." He pushed me up against the passengers side of the car with his toned body.

I can admit, Silvio is an attractive guy with dark brown short cut hair, strong features and bright brown eyes.

But he wasn't Zaden, no one came close to Zaden. I thought as Silvio's hands snaked themselves around my waist.

"The temptation." He whispered huskily into my ear.

"You wish the feeling was mutual." I pressed on a pressure point and he fell limp on his knees. "I need your help Silvio." I pulled my fist back and landed a fast and powerful punch to his temple.

"Get over here and take care of him." I growled out to Messiah and the other two who stood near by listening.

Felik lifted him into the back seat of the SUV and restrained him. With Silvio squished between Felik and Preston, we drove to a secluded area to wake him.

"He's not going to talk." Preston moved Silvio's head to the side to reveal a tattoo on his left collarbone and shoulder.

Pulling my guns from the waist band of my jeans, I held both guns to his head as soon as his eyes fluttered open.

"Take me to Zaden Salvatore."