Damien's POV:-

Damien stood in his study, the remnants of shattered glass and broken furniture around him a testament to his rage. It's been 38 hours his Angel was kidnapped. His chest heaved, his mind consumed by thoughts of Luca—where he was, what he was enduring, and the agony of not having him in his arms. His phone buzzed in his bloodied grip, and he answered without a word, his breath ragged.

"We need to talk," Valarie’s voice came through, sharp and unwavering. "Now."

"If you're calling to throw more insults, save it," Damien growled, pacing like a caged animal.

"Shut up and listen. Luca is my brother. And I don't trust you to get him back alone."

Damien stilled. His teeth clenched. "Watch your words, Valarie. I will burn this world down to find him."

"And while you’re burning everything down, Mikhail will keep him hidden, keep him suffering," she snapped back. "You think you’re the only one willing to spill blood for him? I’ve already mobilized every contact I have. I’m calling you because this bastard has strong ties—government officials, underground syndicates. You may rule the underworld, but Mikhail plays the long game. If we want to take him down, we do it together."

Damien's silence was deafening. His pride screamed at him to deny her help, to prove he alone was enough. But then Luca’s face flashed in his mind—his soft, defiant eyes, his stubborn pride, the warmth of his embrace.

He couldn’t let that warmth fade.

"Fine," he bit out. "We work together. But listen to me, Valarie—if your people get in my way, I won’t hesitate. I will get Luca back, and I will kill Mikhail myself."

"For once, we agree," Valarie said coldly. "Let's end this."

Damien hung up, his grip tightening around the phone until it cracked. His men waited outside for orders. He strode out, his voice a dark promise of war.

"Mobilize every asset. Find every rat who’s ever whispered Mikhail’s name. We tear the city apart if we have to. Luca is mine, and I will take him back—no matter what it takes."

****** Valarie's POV:-

Valarie ended the call with Damien, Her heart pounded in her chest, fueled by rage, fear, and a reckless determination. Luca was out there, in the hands of that monster, and she wouldn’t let anything—not rules, not laws, not even her own damn morals—stand in her way.

She stormed out of her office, her steps echoing sharply against the cold tile floors. Officers and subordinates flinched at the storm brewing in her expression, giving her a wide berth. She pushed open the door to the briefing room, where her most trusted officers had gathered, awaiting her orders.

Before she could speak, her boyfriend, Senior Officer Elijah Carter, stepped forward, blocking her path with a firm, disapproving expression.

“Val, don’t do this,” he said, his voice low but authoritative. “You can’t seriously be thinking about working with Damien volkov. He’s a criminal. A murderer. If you ally with him, you’ll be throwing your career, your principles, and everything we’ve worked for out the damn window.”

Valarie’s jaw tightened, her hands balling into fists. “And what the hell do you expect me to do, El? Sit back and wait while my little brother is at the mercy of a sadistic psychopath? While he could be tortured, broken—worse?” Her voice cracked slightly, but she swallowed it down, masking her fear with fury.

Elijah exhaled sharply. “We have protocols. We can do this the right way—”

“Fuck your protocols, Elijah!” Valarie snapped, slamming her hand against the table. The force of it silenced the room, her officers watching the confrontation with wary eyes. “Luca is more important than any damn rulebook or badge. If I have to burn this whole fucking system down to get him back, I will.”

He stared at her, his lips pressing into a thin line. There was a moment of silence before he sighed, rubbing a hand down his face. “Val…”

“I’m not asking for your permission,” she said, voice like steel. “I’m telling you. I will ally with Damien, and I will do whatever the fuck it takes to bring Luca home. If you want to stand in my way, then go ahead. But you’ll lose me in the process.”

Elijah’s expression darkened with frustration, but deep down, he knew there was no changing her mind. He had seen this side of Valarie before—the relentless, unstoppable force that would tear through anything in her way. And when it came to Luca, she was even more dangerous than any criminal he had ever faced.

Finally, after a long, tense pause, he exhaled sharply and gave a begrudging nod. “Fine. I’m in. But if this goes south, we both go down together.”

A ghost of a smirk flickered across Valarie’s lips. “Then let’s make sure it doesn’t go south.”

Turning back to her team, she barked out orders, assembling her forces, calling in every favor, every debt. If Mikhail wanted a war, then she would give him one.

And she would make damn sure he regretted ever laying a hand on her baby brother.

**** The air was thick with tension as Valarie and her team of officers met with Damien's men in a dimly lit warehouse on the outskirts of the city. The place reeked of gasoline and gunpowder, the scent mingling with the metallic tang of blood from the bruised and broken man tied to a chair in the center of the room.

Damien stood over him, his shirt speckled with crimson, his eyes void of any humanity. Mikhail’s right-hand man had been a tough one, but even the most stubborn men broke under the right pressure. Valarie watched as Damien crouched, grabbing the man’s chin in a bone-crushing grip.

“You have one last chance,” Damien murmured, voice dangerously low. “Where is Luca?”

The man coughed up blood, a sick smile curling his split lips. “Even if I tell you… you won’t reach him in time.”

Damien’s patience snapped. He drove his fist into the man’s face with a sickening crunch, knocking his chair backward. Before he could deal another blow, Valarie pulled out her gun and aimed at the man’s knee. Without hesitation, she pulled the trigger. A sharp, agonized scream echoed through the warehouse.

“I’m not in the mood for games,” Valarie said coldly. “Talk, or I make sure you lose more than just a kneecap.”

The man whimpered, his resistance crumbling. “An old shipping yard… south side… abandoned warehouse…”

Valarie and Damien exchanged a glance. The location made sense—secluded, easy to fortify, and a known property under Mikhail’s holdings. Damien wasted no time, standing up and turning to his men.

“We go in tonight,” he ordered. “Full force. No survivors except for Luca.”

Valarie nodded, addressing her own team. “My officers will move in with precision. We take Mikhail alive—he’ll pay for what he’s done.”

Damien scoffed. “He dies.”

Valarie tensed but didn’t argue. Deep down, she knew there was no stopping Damien’s vengeance. They had a common goal—Luca. Everything else was secondary.

The room buzzed with preparations. Weapons were loaded, plans were finalized. Damien’s men, seasoned killers, stood shoulder to shoulder with Valarie’s officers, a temporary alliance forged in blood and desperation.

As the night deepened, one thing was clear—hell was coming for Mikhail, and they would burn everything down to get Luca back.