Giovanni's POV

I hadn’t seen Ashley in a while. Life had pulled me in different directions, and being involved in Zaire’s world didn’t leave much room for anything else. But Ashley had always been a constant in my life, even when I didn’t show it.

It was a Sunday morning when I got the call. I had just wrapped up a long meeting with Zaire and Malik, and the stress of the night before was still heavy in my bones. I was trying to shake off the lingering sense of danger, the feeling that something big was coming for us.

Then the phone buzzed in my pocket.

It was Ashley.

I hesitated for a moment before answering, already knowing the tone of the conversation would change everything.

"Giovanni," her voice was soft but filled with urgency. "Amire's not feeling well. He's been crying non-stop for hours, and I think something's wrong. I need you here."

I felt my heart tighten. Amire, my son, was only three years old, but he was the world to me. The thought of him in pain was something I couldn’t ignore, no matter what else was going on.

"I'm coming, Ash," I said quickly, not even bothering to explain where I was or why I couldn’t be there sooner. The only thing that mattered was getting to her and my son.

I didn't tell her about the mess Zaire was in, about the enemies closing in on us. That wasn’t her world. She didn’t need to know about the darkness I was surrounded by. I wasn’t about to drag her into this mess, not when she had no idea what I was involved

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Ashley’s POV

I hated seeing Amire like this. He was a healthy, happy child—always running around, full of life. But today, he was curled up on the couch, his small body trembling with a fever, his cheeks flushed red. I tried everything I could to comfort him, but nothing worked. The soft lullabies I sang only made him cry harder, his little hands reaching out for something I couldn’t give him.

I knew I couldn’t do this alone.

Giovanni’s absence was the only thing I could think about. It had been a while since we’d been able to talk, to be a family. His job kept him away more than I liked, but I never questioned it—at least not to his face. He worked hard, and I tried to be understanding. But today… today I needed him.

When he finally picked up the phone, his voice was urgent, like he had been waiting for this moment. “I’m on my way,” he said, and for the first time in a long time, I felt a sense of relief. Giovanni may not have been there as often as I wanted, but when he showed up, he was all in.

“Please hurry,” I whispered before hanging up, my eyes never leaving Amire’s restless form.

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Giovanni’s POV

I didn’t know what I was walking into when I got to the apartment, but as soon as I opened the door, I felt the weight of the situation. Amire was lying in Ashley’s arms, his little body burning up with fever.

Without saying a word, I knelt beside brushing Amire’s hair away from his forehead. His eyes were half-closed, his tiny hands clenching and unclenching. My heart dropped.

"What's going on?" I asked, my voice strained.

Ashley looked up at me, her eyes filled with worry. “I don’t know. He’s been like this since this morning, Gio. I tried to give him medicine, but nothing was nothing was won’t even eat.”

I stood up, trying to keep my cool. The panic was rising in me, and I hated it. This wasn’t something I was used to. I wasn’t the type to get caught up in emotions, especially when there was so much on the line with Zaire and the business.

But Amire was my son. And right now, nothing else mattered.

“Get him to the doctor,” I said, my voice clipped. “I’m taking him.”

Ashley nodded, and I could see the relief in her eyes. I grabbed Amire gently, holding him close to my chest as he whimpered in his feverish sleep. I didn’t care about the world outside. At that moment, what I cared about was him.

I could feel the weight of my responsibilities pressing down on me—Zaire, the business, the people I had to protect. But none of that was as important as this. Not right now.

I looked at Ashley. “We’ll get through this, I promise.”

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Zoey’s POV

I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. The meeting with Zaire, Malik, Giovanni, and the others had only added to my growing unease. The tension between us was palpable, and I knew everyone was trying to keep their heads above water as the world they had built slowly began to crumble around them.

And then there was Giovanni. I had seen the look in his eyes when he’d gotten that call. I knew what it meant. He wasn’t the type of man to let his guard down, but something had shifted when he heard about his son.

I wanted to say something to him, to comfort him, but I didn’t know how. Giovanni had his walls up, and those walls were thick. He didn’t show weakness—not to anyone. But I could see it in the way he moved when he held Amire, in the tenderness of his touch.

I had my reasons for keeping my distance from this world, reasons I wasn’t ready to confront. But as I watched Giovanni with Amire, I couldn’t ignore the truth.

We were all in this together. And sooner or later, we were going to have to face the consequences of the lives we’d chosen.

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Zaire's POV

The day had passed in a blur, the weight of everything hanging over me like a storm cloud. Malik and I had gone over every move, every possible outcome. There was no way to avoid the fight that was coming. No way to avoid the fallout.

I could hear the muffled voices in the hallway, and the sound and footsteps outside. My gut twisted. Whoever was watching me wasn’t going to stop until they had what they wanted. I could feel it in my bones.

And then there was Za’miyah.

She didn’t belong here. I knew that. But I couldn’t let her go. Not now. Not when I was already too deep in this world.

As I sat by the window, staring out at the city below, I heard a knock at the door.

“Zaire?” It was Malik’s voice.

“Come in,” I said, my tone flat.

He stepped inside, his expression serious. “You’re gonna need to make some moves soon. The longer you wait, the harder it’s gonna get.”

I nodded. I knew he was right. The game had already shifted. And if I didn’t act soon, I was going to lose everything—starting with her.

“Make sure she stays safe,” I said quietly.

Malik raised an eyebrow. “You think she’s gonna be safe, even with everything that’s coming? She’s already too close, man. You’re playing with fire.”

I stared at him, my mind racing with possibilities.

“I’ll keep her safe,” I said, my voice steely. “Even if it kills me.”

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