'Can you believe we finally got him,' A voice whispers excitedly, 'the Rafael Curzio!'

I keep my eyes closed and listen as someone shoves against something, followed by a grunt. 'Hey!'

'He doesn't look so mighty tied up, does he?' Untie me then...

Untie me and let me show you how I could still kill you and then we'll talk.

A light turns on somewhere in the room, but I keep my eyes closed.

'Wake his ass up, we need to get him in the other room.' Oh god... They have moved me three times in the past three hours.

And we've only been here for three hours.

'You want- I have to wake him up?' It sounds like the boy that couldn't hide his excitement as they dragged me in.

It's a boy. A teenager. A mere servant that finally gets to see the true action now that I'm here apparently.

But I bet they did that on purpose.

They want him to see how cruel they can be in hopes of him being someone dark and twisted like everyone else.

They want him to turn into a monster.

And if he stays in environments like these, he won't have any other choice than to melt into the mold they're preparing for him.

'Big boss wants you to learn,' The other voice says, another grunt as I hear footsteps get closer, 'so do as you're told.'

The boy is closer. I can hear him gulp as he shuffles even closer. His hands untie my legs from the chair and I slowly open my eyes a tiny bit.

A boy, probably fifteen years old, is kneeling down as he frees my legs from the chair. He has dark brown hair and a light tan, looking like one of the men that dragged me in here yesterday.

He doesn't look at me as he tries to move away as quickly as he can, and I almost smile because of it.

He's scared.

'You're awake.' The other voice states before I hear him move closer too.

'What now?' The boy asks as he turns to the older man on his right. It's a man that locked me in this room, still wearing the same shit he wore an hour ago.

Dried-up blood stains on his shirt from the blood that was dripping from his nose.

'Tell him to get up.' My eyes shift from the man to the boy and I watch as he stares back at me.

Those youthful eyes, filled with joy and happiness. He's not quite there yet... I can see a hint of darkness, the darkness that consumed us all at a young age, but he's holding onto his childhood.

Not ready to enter this fucked up thing we call reality.

'Tell him.' The man repeats, his tone way harsher than before. The kid keeps his eyes on me, wondering if he should listen to the man or just make a run for it.

But something in his eyes takes over.

Loyalty.

The only reason he's still here.

'Get up.' His voice is so childlike and way too soft to come out as a command, and despite knowing what it's like to be in his position, I stay seated.

He's the enemy. He will always be the enemy.

'Louder.' The man says, trying to get the boy to do what he's told to. Move me. 'Say it louder, Diego.'

The boy takes a deep breath and straightens his posture, suddenly more confident than before.

'Get up.' He repeats, making me smile as I look back at the other man.

They can't kill me yet. I haven't given them access to anything yet. As long as I'm their only way in, they will have to keep me alive.

A door opens somewhere to their right, but I keep my eyes on the man. Diego tenses, before turning to the door.

'Why is he still in there?' Another man asks. It's Marcel, the man who thought it was a good idea to try and break my arm as he carried me to the car.

He walks closer, followed by the man that looks like Diego. It's for sure his father.

'Carlos, your son is not doing so well.' The nameless man says as he gives the boy a meant-to-be playful shove, but Diego stumbles forward, almost bumping into me.

'Shut up, Xavi.' I watch as they all circle around me and wait for one of them to move. Diego looks away in shame, afraid of what his father is thinking of him, but Carlos doesn't seem bothered at all.

'We need him to make the calls.' Calls? I keep my eyes on them and listen for anything coming down the hall.

'He can make the calls once we're done with him.' Marcel says, grinning like a devil. I keep my eyes on the boy and almost smile.

He looks afraid, ready to cry in a corner while they beat the shit out of me.

'Untie me and make it a fair fight.' Xavi's eyes widen, but all Marcel does is grin as he nods and walks to the back of the chair I'm tied to.

'What are you-' I can tell Marcel glares at Carlos because he goes silent instantly.

'He wants a fair fight,' Marcel says as he leans down to untie my arms, 'He will get a fair fight.' There's a catch...

There's no way he would let me fight them. They're buff men, but I know they won't be any good.

I could beat them. I could kill them all, so there's something I'm missing.

'Get up then.' Marcel shoves me off the chair, but I catch myself and get up as I turn around to face him.

I can hear whispers behind me and notice Diego running for the door before turning back to the others.

Xavi is already lunging for me but I take a step back and watch as he stumbles, his fist almost slamming into my face.

I wait for Xavi to strike again, but notice Marcel moving closer too. 'You'll pay, Curzio.'

He takes my arm and slowly tries to bend it over his knee, just like he did yesterday, but I pull him closer and wrap my arm around his neck.

Xavi tries to attack me from behind, but I quickly turn around and kick him to the ground while keeping a tight hold on Marcel, slowly choking him.

His nails dig into my skin as he tries to escape, but he's not as strong as he thinks he is. 'Fair fight indeed.'

Just as he gasps for air, just as I want to break his fucking neck, something sharp rushes through every nerve in my body, making me groan out as my body shuts off for a split second.

Electricity vibrates through my body before the pain kicks in.

I'm on the ground and try to get back up, but Carlos is aiming a gun at my head and grins as he holds a small taser in his other hand.

Marcel gasps for air as he kicks at my chest, trying to attack again, but Xavi pulls him back as he rubs his stomach exactly where I kicked him.

'You almost had us.' I slowly get up, feeling the cold end of the gun pressed against my face.

My body feels like it's on fire, as if my insides are being burned with each breath I take, but I keep my posture straight.

I will not let these fuckers win.

Xavi throws a flip phone my way, but I let it drop to the ground and listen as it falls to the floor.

Marcel tries to dive at me again, but Xavi pushes him away.

I almost laugh at the circumstances and take a quick glance at the phone as my body slowly starts to hurt less and less.

'Take the phone and call your men.' Carlos says, his gun still pressed against my head, 'Tell them to bring us the next shipments.'

I grin to myself, knowing that they know that my men won't listen to Nadora without a word from me.

So I simply shake my head and lean back, letting my back rest against the wall behind me.

The cool stone calms my senses, soothing the sudden soreness rushing through my muscles.

I have been tased before, but not like this. I didn't see this one coming.

'Pick up the fucking phone and make the call.' I sigh deeply as I reach for the phone and slowly bring it closer.

My group has layers. Marco and Leon were at the top of those layers, but they have different men working for them.

Mirello works with most drugs, which gets us some money, but not the most. If I give over our next shipment to Nadora, we should be able to survive.

I type his number into the phone and bring the small device to my ear, but Carlos tuts and keeps his gun against my head, 'Speaker, I will not let shit go down with you.'

I roll my eyes and put the phone on speaker, waiting for Mirello to pick up.

The phone rings at least three times before it stops.

'Cosa sta succedendo?' Mirello asks, annoying the men in front of me. 'Parlami della droga.'

It feels like Carlos is trying to burn a hole through my skull with the end of his gun, but I can't stop smiling to myself.

They didn't think any of this through. Nadora didn't think any of this through.

'English or I'll kill you.' I look up at the man holding a gun to my head and simply stare at him. 'That won't get you anywhere, but please, be my guest.'

Marcel, who barely calmed down from his anger, takes a deep breath as he moves closer.

The others keep their eyes on him as if they're trying to keep him away from me.

But if it wasn't for that fucking taser, he would be dead right now.

'Tell them to stop fucking with us.' Carlos says instead, watching my every move.

'Get the drugs to Nadora.' Is all I say, making Mirello laugh as his voice echoes through the room. 'Non lavoro per lui.' Of course not...

'Tell him to reply in English.' Xavi says, slowly moving closer too.

All of them are keeping their distance, probably knowing that I'll try and kill them if they move too close.

I could try and take Carlos's gun, but he'll be faster with the taser and shock me before I can even aim at one of them.

'Parla inglese.' I say as I wait for his reply, but he takes his sweet time.

As if he has to talk about it with someone on his side of the phone.

'I do not work for that monster and I will not give him anything.' Great...

Carlos snatches the phone out of my hands and before he can even utter a word, Mirello ends the call.

I simply smile as I lean against the cold wall, readying myself for another fight. Because Marcel looks like he's ready to take the taser from Carlos and stab me with it until I stop moving.

But he has to get to me first.

'You will call another one of your men and tell them to-''They won't do it.' They know what type of man Jayson Nadora is, so they won't do it.

'You will make them do it!' Carlos grunts as he presses his gun back against my head.

With a smile on my face, I lean into the gun, and slightly shake my head. 'It's no use.'

Marcel lunges at me, his fist slamming against my cheek, and tries to hit me again.

His blow hurts like a bitch, but I'm able to dodge his next, and kick him away.

Before I can reach for his neck and end him this time, I feel the pain rush through my body again.

I fight it, but it's stronger. Way stronger than anything I've felt in a long time.

Xavi drags Marcel away from me and heads for the door, making me glare at them as the pain stays washing over me again and again.

'I suggest you stop acting tough, Curzio.' Carlos says, kicking me when I'm down to hurt me even more.

But I don't feel anything. The pain of being tased is too powerful.

I reach for his leg to make him go down so that I can try to get his gun and just shoot him, but he reaches for something in his pocket and stabs me with it.

It's too late to stop him once I realize what he's doing and the world starts to blur. He's drugging me.

'Couldn't handle me like this.' I state as my body starts to go limb almost instantly. 'Trust me, Curzio. This will help us both.'

My vision starts to blur, black spots ruining my sight before everything goes black.

Flashes of pain and bright lights cross my mind, but I don't know what it is exactly.

It hurts, as if I'm being slashed all over my body, as if someone is dragging a knife up and down my back.

My arms are tied when I wake up, and I'm not wearing the same clothes that I wore when they drugged me.

The shirt is ripped and looks like it has been buried in dirt for over a decade, the pants have cuts everywhere, and there's dried-up blood almost everywhere.

My throat is dry and I look around the dark room, trying to see where I am now. It's not the same room as before, it's way smaller.

And darker. I can barely see anything.

'Good morning to you.' A bright light turns on, making my head pound even more than it already is, and a bucket of water washes me awake.

It's cold, but I try to stay silent and not let it affect me, wanting to keep my energy for whatever comes next.

But the water burns on my skin, making me realize that some of the dried-up blood on my clothes might be mine.

I lift up the shirt just a little bit and see bruises and cuts all over my waist. What the fuck is all of this?

'Ready to work with us yet?' Marcel taunts, grinning at me.

The room is filled with more men as if they're ready for me to fight back again.

I look at my wrists who are tied together with a piece of rope, giving me enough rope to move around, but not enough to actually try anything too crazy. I could wrap it around their throats and wait for them to die, but-

'Get up.' Xavi nudges his leg against my back, trying to get me off the cold and disgusting ground, 'You need to change.'

'No thank you.' I don't know how long I've been out, but it feels like forever. 'Get the fuck up!'

Marcel slams his fist against my face and I can't stop smiling because of it. I don't know why I'm smiling, it's just funny to me.

Even though I'm the one who came up with this stupid idea, it somehow seems funny to me.

A few other men start hitting and kicking me too and I don't know how many times I'm hit before they suddenly stop.

The door to the room is opened and a woman is standing in the frame of the door, her silhouette glowing because of the sun setting behind her.

'Get him dressed, the boss wants him ready for when he gets back.' She says, glaring at all the men in the room.

She's definitely their boss, or at least someone they have to listen to, making me wonder why Nadora couldn't just get her pregnant and drop all the other bullshit with Valentina.

Two of the men pull me to my feet and push me forward. My legs feel weak, but I'm able to carry myself around the room and into the hall, surrounded by the men as if I'm some royalty.

Except, I'm more like a prisoner. A prisoner they fear.

Someone pushes me forward and I plant my feet into the ground, pushing myself backward just to fuck with them.

'Move!' Carlos pushes me harder, making me stumble forward as the others walk ahead.

The halls are empty apart from the few maids cleaning the windows. Different women spray the windows, before wiping them.

One of those women has long blond hair, just like someone I know. Someone I hate, actually.

But I shake away the thoughts and let Carlos push me back to my room, walking past the other women.

The blond girl is done cleaning and turns to walk away, my heart dropping when I'm able to see her face.

It is Norman.

What is she doing here? My anger rises and despite my body hurting like crazy, I want to strangle her. Did she know about Nadora?

Her eyes lock with mine and she drops her cleaning spray on the ground, making everyone look at her as we stop right in front of her.

She quickly looks down and kneels to the ground to grab the spray she just dropped, but one of the men grabs it for her and smiles as he looks at the bottle.

'Is it too heavy for you?' He asks, pulling it back as she reaches for it.

She quickly glances around the hall, noticing all the other men who are facing her right now, before turning back to the man in front of her.

'No.' She says with a hint of fear in her voice.

She's surrounded by a bunch of murderers and she knows she shouldn't be here. So why is she?

'Why did you drop it then?' He asks as he takes a step forward, pressing her against the window she just cleaned.

'I-' Before she can answer, he hits her across the face. She gasps for air and turns back to him, her cheek slowly burning red in the shape of his hand.

'Was it because of him?' He asks, pointing his disgusting finger toward me.

Everyone around us slowly turns to me, grinning and smirking like a bunch of idiots.

He grabs her by the back of her neck and drags her closer to me and I want to throw my arms around her neck and choke her to death.

'He's harmless.' Carlos chimes as he nudges me forward.

She looks up at me with tears in her eyes and I feel my anger rise with each second as I look at her. Why is she here?

'Right, Curzio?' Carlos nudges her forward and smiles at me, 'You're all weak and alone up here.'

I throw my arms up and step closer, quickly wrapping some rope around Norman's neck, before I turn her around and pull her closer to me.

All the other men turn around and aim their guns at me as I keep the rope tight around her throat.

She tries to stay calm, but I know she's freaking out on the inside. 'Cut off the rope.' I say, looking at Carlos who simply smirks, 'Cut the rope or she dies.'

'Does it look like I care about her life?' I shake my head and tighten the rope just a little bit, listening to her groan in pain.

She's slowly suffocating and I don't think they would care, but something inside of me is telling me that Jayson won't like it.

He'll blame them for being so reckless and get angry at them more than he'll get angry with me. So maybe I should just-

'Please don't kill her!' My heart stops when I hear the familiar voice coming from behind Carlos and the other men.

Is that-

Carlos slowly turns around, facing the woman I thought- no hoped I would never see again.

Because if she's here, that means that-

Another wave of pain numbs my muscles, this time stronger than before, and I let go of Norman as I drop to my knees.

My body lights up as the pain takes its sweet time to go through every cell of my body.

'Keep it up, Curzio.' Xavi grunts as he presses something cold to the back of my head.

'Give me one good reason why I shouldn't let him kill her, darling?' Carlos asks, turning back to North.

'Because she's just new and-' Carlos takes two steps, ending right in front of her, and brushes the back of her hand across her cheek, 'You're new too, aren't you?'

She inhales sharply as he looks her up and down, before nodding her head and trying to move out of his reach.

'So it is true what they said about a new shipment of maids.' Xavi says, pressing his gun harder to the back of my head.

'You hear that guys,' Marcel chimes, throwing his arms around as if he won a prize, 'Fresh meat!'

The pain subsides and I can only stare at North, who hasn't looked my way once.

She's here too... And if she's here, and Norman is here too, that means- No.

I get up, the sudden movement startling everyone, and grab Norman's arm.

One of them will tell me what the fuck is going on. They will tell me that this is all a mistake, that Cataleya is not here.

'Stop it-' Norman tries to get out of my reach, but I keep her close, ready to strangle her all over again.

'Let go of her, Curzio.' Carlos states, glaring at me as I feel Xavi's gun burn into the back of my skull. I don't have to see his fingers around the trigger, because I can feel it.

'I thought you didn't care?' I tease, slowly putting pressure on Norman's arm. I want to break it. I want her to hurt.

'Nadora wants them for at least a month,' Carlos replies, waiting for me to let go of her, 'They'll be a bad investment otherwise.'

'I don't-' I'm cut off by a scream coming from down the hall and realize that that scream is new to everyone.

'What was that?' A man asks as he looks at Carlos as he awaits his answer. Carlos looks at Xavi, before nodding and taking a few men to check out what's going on.

But I notice the slightly panicked look in his eyes.

Meaning something is going wrong. Something is happening and they are not expecting it. They're not prepared.

'Get to your rooms and lock the doors.' Marcel says, probably talking to the maids left in the room, including North and Norman because they leave the hall immediately.

Just as I try to see where they're going and who they're taking with them, I feel something sharp in my arm again.

Another fucking needle.

It's like they don't know how to move me without fucking drugging me.

My body goes numb and I push Xavi away from me, listening as they shout at me to calm down while the syringe is sticking out of my arm.

I pull it out and try to stab one of them, but the world starts spinning already. I try to make a run for it, but my legs feel heavy.

I lean against the wall and slowly let myself drop to the ground.

I can feel them pick me up. I can hear them talking. I can hear them moving. I can feel and hear everything. But everything stays dark.

Cold metal goes around my wrists before my arms are pulled up, just above my head, and it's like a switch flipped in my head.

I open my eyes, realizing I'm back in the first room. Norman is knocked out in one of the chairs across the room, her mouth taped shut.

Her skirt is ripped and she has a cut on her leg, but she doesn't seem badly injured.

I drag my gaze to the other corner of the room and freeze when I see North. She's tied to a chair, blood spilling down her arm and a bunch of bruises on her legs and face.

She has tears rolling down her face, soaking the cloth they wrapped around her mouth to keep her silent.

I know she noticed me across the room, I know she knows I'm here, but she's staring at another corner of the room.

One I don't want to see.

Valentina is sitting in a chair with her arms tied behind her back. She has blood all over her arms and shirt and it takes me a while to realize that the blood isn't hers.

Someone's banging at the door almost in the same way my head is pounding again.

But the only difference is the voice. 'Cataleya! Fuck! I-' The pounding continues, making my heart race.

It's Alessio. What the hell is all of this? For some reason, I feel like I'm imagining all of this. As if this is the result of their torture so far.

I stay silent and keep my eyes on my wife, wanting to go over there and get her out of here, but not wanting to let them get to me either.

'Look who came by to visit.' I hear a voice chime from out of the only corner that's not light enough.

Marcel slowly steps into the light with a disgusting smile on his face. He's bleeding because of a cut running up his cheek and I notice as North tries to break free to get to him.

What did they do?

I told them to stay home. I told them to not come after them. I told them to go on and live a happy life.

Yet they're here...

'The boss told us to make sure to torture you so we did, but this,' Marcel points at her and I remember the time I broke a man's finger because he pointed at her.

It doesn't feel right to just break his finger. He deserves to be burned alive.

'This is even better, don't you think?' I try to keep my shell as hard as stone as he slowly moves closer, but I can feel my hands ache for his throat.

I just want to strangle him.

'Hurt you through her and then give her to the boss, saying that you did all of this,' He flaunts his arms around and slowly turns back to me as he continues to make his way over to Valentina.

'She's a strong one, that's for sure.' He chimes proudly as if he's the reason she's as strong as she is, 'She killed most of our men, Xavi and Carlos couldn't even reach her fast enough.'

She killed them... 'Cataleya!' The banging on the door continues and I try not to think about Alessio as Marcel finally reaches her.

Touch her... I dare you...

'See this, Curzio.' Marcel says as he slowly lifts his disgusting hand up to Valentina's face. She glares at him and tries to move out of his reach, but he pulls her in closer and grabs her face.

'A real beauty.' He continues, slowly moving closer to her.

I try to keep my calm, I can't let them get to me like this.

But I can't help but want to slowly peel the skin off of his hand, simply for touching her.

'Such pretty lips.' He presses his thumb on her lips, making me tense as the chains rattle against the wall.

They planned this. Somehow they knew this would happen.

That's why they chained me to the wall.

North and Alessio are still trying, but it's no use. North is too weak to break free on her own and Alessio won't be able to break through the door.

'Open that pretty mouth of yours.' He continues, making her inhale sharply. She opens her mouth and bites his thumb, making him shout as he pulls away his hand and starts cussing at her.

I almost grin as she quickly looks at me proudly. But that pride quickly disappears as he slaps her across the face. 'You dumb bitch!'

My arms fight against the chains and before I know it, I'm on my feet, suddenly filled with rage.

He. Will. Suffer. Even if it's the last thing I do, I will kill him and make him feel immense pain, he's going to wish he was never fucking born.

'Pedazo de mierda.' Valentina sneers at Marcel before he hits her again. I pull on my arm, not caring about the fact that I might dislocate my arms as I try to get closer to them.

I just need to get close enough to get to him and then I can get him away from her.

'Pretty mouth with a filthy tongue.' He groans as he hits her again and again, his hand slowly turning into a fist.

Neveah's screams echo through my head, but all I can focus on is my wife. She's not crying or begging him to stop. She's smiling.

'Stop!' I shout, putting all my weight on my arms as I try to break free again. 'Take me!'

I don't want her to get hurt because of my stupid decisions. She shouldn't have come, she shouldn't have disobeyed my orders.

But I should've known she would come after me.

She'll always come after me.

I can see movements in the other corner of the room, but I'm too focused on Valentina and Marcel to bother looking at what's going on over there.

'Hear that, beautiful?' He asks, moving around her seat to go and stand behind her, 'He wants to take your place.'

He slowly glides his hand up her arm, ending at her right shoulder, before placing the other one on her arm. No-

'Too bad the boss doesn't want him.' He pushes down on her hard, putting just enough pressure to dislocate her shoulder, before stepping away and laughing, 'He wants her!'

Valentina screams out in pain, my heart roaring at me to do something about all of this, all while my arms fight the cuffs.

It seems like they're unbreakable. I can't get out of this and I won't be able to make him stop, to get my wife out of here.

'Marcel!' He pulls out a knife and slowly moves closer to Valentina, sliding the sharp end of the knife up and down her skirt, slowly lifting the fabric up her leg.

'You should've made sure she would stay far, far away from Brazil, Curzio.' Marcel continues, slowly placing his other hand on her leg to push them apart.

The stone wall behind me rumbles as my vision starts to blur, red dots taking over instead of black, and my mind slowly goes blank.

Just as he presses the knife into her leg, just as she groans because of the pain, the chain keeping me to the wall snaps.

I lunge forward and pull the other chain out of the wall, before rushing over to them.

My body works on autopilot, my mind a peaceful red color instead of the screams and pain I had to endure while he was torturing her.

It's peaceful yet driven by the same anger I felt a few seconds ago, but I don't see anything but red.

'Rio!' It's North's panicked voice that pulls me back to reality.

Marcel's nose is bent in ways it shouldn't, his lip cut all the way, and his eyes almost falling out of their sockets.

My fist is ready to ram into Marcel's face again, but I turn toward North instead.

'She lost a lot of blood.' She wipes some tears off her face, leaving a streak of blood on her cheek.

Cataleya's blood.

I drop Marcel's lifeless body and run over to her, dropping on my knees.

'We need to get her out of here.' Somehow Norman got free. She somehow opened the door and let Alessio in. They somehow freed North.

But they couldn't get to Valentina in time. I couldn't get to her in time.

She's hurt and barely breathing, laying in a pool of her own blood.

'Cataleya, stay with me okay?' I press my hand on her legs and feel her blood stain my hands.

It burns.

It fucking burns.

'You're going to be okay.' I keep my hands on the cuts covering her body, trying to stop the bleeding as much as I can.

'We need to take her to the hospital.' Alessio rushes out of the room while North looks at her hands.

'Ri- I-' She can barely breathe and I hate it. 'Stop talking, just- stay with me, okay?'

'I love-' She groans out of pain, forcing herself to look at me. 'I love you.'

'Don't you fucking dare, just keep your eyes on me, okay?'

She shakes her head, her breathing straining by the second while everything around us starts to blur.

This is not happening. I won't let it happen.

'Cataleya.'

I need her to stay awake.

'It hu-'

'I know, I know baby, just say with me please.' I say, having a hard time not going and killing everyone left in this house right now.

'Take- our kid, please.' I shake my head as she forces her eyes open again. 'Please, Rio-'

Our kid. She's carrying our kid. Fuck...

A fetus. She's barely two months pregnant, so it won't survive if she won't.

'You're not dying.'

I know Marcel beat the shit out of her, I know she lost a lot of blood, and I know there's a chance she might not survive this.

And if that happens, everyone better pray for their last breath.

'I'm going to pick you up and it's going to hurt, but I need you to stay with me okay?'

I don't want to hurt her. I don't want her to go through this, but I need to get her out of this.

'No- Please...' She struggles to take her next breath and my heart drops again.

'North, make sure everything's clear.'

She walks towards the door, keeping her eyes on Valentina at all times.

'Hold onto me.' She tries to move her arms up so that she can hold onto me, but she's too exhausted and in too much pain.

'Stick with me.'

I remove my hands from her wound and hook an arm around her leg and one around her back to keep her stable.

When I lift her up, I almost drop her because of the sounds she's making.

She's in so much fucking pain and it feels like I'm only making it worse.

'Eyes on me.' I fight the pain kicking through my leg and stride to the door.

'Please- Make sure our kid survives.'

North is peeking around a corner, followed by Norman, trying to see if it's clear, before walking through the long hall.

Everything's burning, everything's red.

I should be happy that they're all dead, but I can't help but fear for Valentina's life.

'I love- I love you.' She mutters, over and over again, her words getting more and more inaudible by the second.

'Valentina, stay with me, we're almost there.'

'I love you.' I try to ignore her voice because I need to focus, but the pain is unbearable. It's seeping through every cut in my skin, burning me until there's nothing left but emptiness.

When we finally make it outside, Alessio is already in a car, waiting right at the end of the steps.

North throws open the door and rushes to the front seat as I put Valentina in the back and sit down next to her. Norman squeezes herself into the spot next to us, barely breathing as the tears start to well in her eyes.

'Squeeze my hand with every breath.'

I grab her hand and wait for any faint squeezes, which she does.

Slowly. Very slow.

'Hospital.' I want to take her out of here entirely, but she needs medical care first. 'Call Celine and tell her to get over here.'

North instantly does as I command and calls for backup.

'You guys need to get to Brazil right now,' They're not all here... I want to kill all of them and if it wasn't for my wife holding my hand, I would've strangled them all already, 'Leya got stabbed and she's bleeding a lot and we're headed to the hospital right now, just- get here right now!'

I turn back to Valentina, who stopped squeezing my hand as I look at her.

Her eyes are shut and she's barely breathing. No.

'Valentina.' I pull her closer and lift her chin up to meet my gaze. But she's not responding.

'We're headed to a hospital, I don't know- which hospital?' North looks back at me, before turning to Alessio.

'Tell them to get to Fortaleza first.' He says, racing as fast as he can.

'Fortaleza, we're going to Fortaleza!' North says, completely panicking herself.

'Valentina, wake up.' My heart starts beating painfully fast and I feel their eyes on me, even Alessio's even though he should be focusing on the road.

'Valentina, do not die on me.' I shake her body, waiting for those painful sounds.

Anything over this stupid fucking silence.

No.

'Cataleya, wake up.'

North gasps for air and I can hear something thud, after hearing some faint shouts coming from her phone.

'Drive faster!' I know he's already driving as fast as he can, but I need him to go faster somehow. I need this shit to stop.

Valentina... Breathe... Please.

'Rio, why-' 'I don't fucking know!' I shout at North, wanting to strangle her for asking such stupid questions.

'Cataleya, please, wake up.' I beg, feeling the tears well in my eyes. 'Please baby...please.'

'No. Fuck. No Cataleya, wake up.' North mutters as we drive back into the city.

Something cold fills my entire body and it hurt so much.

Like all the warmth in my body disappeared the second I realized she closed her eyes.

'Valentina, I love you and I need you so please wake up.'

I'm late. I know I am, but I hope that she somehow hears the words she has been waiting for so long and wakes up for some magical reason.

But she doesn't.

When Alessio steps on the brakes, and I notice that we stopped right in front of the hospital, I jump out of the car, carrying her inside.

Everyone rushes over to us, helping me place her on a stretcher.

'She lost a lot of blood, she needs help, please.'

They all nod like idiots but don't keep any pressure on her wounds whatsoever.

'I love you, please.'

I follow them through all the halls, ignoring Alessio's call for me, and feel someone pull my back.

'Por favor, senhor!'

I take a step back, stopping at the last doors, as I watch through the small window as they roll her over to another room.

My lungs can't seem to expand or fill with fresh oxygen at all.

'Rio-' I look at North and see the fear in her eyes.

I can't tell if she fears the fact that Cataleya might be dying or the fact that I'm going to kill her if she does.

'What the fuck were you thinking?!' I ask, not giving a fuck about the fact that we're in a fucking hospital right now.

'We had a plan and-' 'She's fucking pregnant!' I shout, watching as the shock washes over her.

She didn't know...

'She- Since when!?' She shouts, not caring about the fact that we're standing in a hospital.

Alessio mutters something under his breath, before looking at me with wide eyes.

I grab him by his shirt and push him up against the wall, my hand wrapped around his neck within seconds.

'If something happens to her or that child, I will kill you all!'

----

A/N: Will he though??? This chapter is a bit short, but I got what I wanted, so here you go.

Another cliffhanger, I know, pls don't kill me!

Let me know what you liked the most and don't forget to vote!

I love you guys, even if I make you suffer like this! I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I'll see you guys in the next chapter!

Have an amazing day/night my loves <3