*trigger warning*

Gio

Ever since we get into Vivien's car, she whines about food. No doubt just a lame excuse to get beer in my system— an old trick of loosening me up.

So I take her to the cheapest bar in the area. I buy her a burger, fries and beer. Get myself a large, unsweetened iced tea. Make some obligatory small talk you have to have before business meetings, then dive right in.

"You think you can work with these?" I slide my phone across the table to her.

She picks it up and scrolls through the images, then scowls. "No? Did you take these with your eyes closed or something? They don't look professional!"

"Alright, alright..." I grumble, taking it back. "Send your assistant to take pictures then."

"Ugh, all the way here? No. I have so many clients from high places who'd—"

"Are you kidding me?" I raise my eyebrow.

She scoffs, enunciating each word like she's speaking to an idiot. "I cannot sell your house. It's a cheap shit hole in the middle of nowhere. And I'm a real estate agent, not a magician."

"Then ask your dad. He'll find a way. We know how much success means to him."

She squirms in her seat, then looks away. "You know I didn't mean to—"

"Leave? Sure you did." I smirk, leaning my forearms on the table. "But it's okay, Vivien. I'm not mad. I'm actually glad you left. Besides, we're not here to discuss our relationship."

She flushes red at my blunt words and bites her cheek.

I lower my voice, turning more serious. "This is about your daughter, who needs your help. And you're going to do it, because you owe her as her mother. And if you don't, I'll call your office every single day until you change your mind."

"Yeah?" She laughs. "So it's not about your girlfriend? You plan to leave her here?"

"Of course not, she goes where I go." I smile, bunching my brows. "You owe her too, Vivien."

"Excuse me?"

"Celia was the only one able to help Ari calm down after you left. Our daughter was broken. I struggled. Celia cleaned up your mess and more. So fuck yeah, you owe her. You owe all of us."

She frowns for a brief moment, then wrinkles her face. "Well, congratulations, then. I'm glad you're such a happy family now."

"Thanks. I'm glad too." I suppress my amusement not to offend her, but truth to told, I am glad. How can I not be? With the sweetest daughter in the world, and the most loyal— fine, a little crazy but loyal— partner. I got no complaints.

Vivien gives up meddling in my life after that and switches to her professional mode. We discuss the listing of the house, options for relocations, and the expected timeline. It takes longer than an hour, but her family's real estate business is really one of the best.

I just didn't want to get Celia's hopes up for nothing. Leaving this place means too much to dangle the prospect without a guarantee. If I give her something she wants, I don't want to have to take it back. I'd rather surprise than disappoint.

After the meeting, Vivien drops me off. I'm in front of my gate when Arthur calls.

"Hey, Gio. Are you... almost home?" His voice is timid and cautious.

"Yeah, why?" I reply, wondering why the house lights are already off. "You better not ask for condoms, you sick bastard—"

"Come to Chanel's when you're here. Ari and Celia are with us."

"Oh." I turn, plodding in that direction. "What did Celia do now? Did she burn down the house?"

Arthur opens the door before I can even knock. He struggles to get the words out.

I give him a sheepish smile. "You didn't arrest my girlfriend, did you?"

"Um, Gio." He grimaces. "Celia's been attacked. Ari's okay, but—"

"What? Where are they?" I push past him and rush inside. On the left, Ari is curled on a white couch with Liam next to her.

She wails as soon as she sees me, lifting her arms.

"Shh, baby." I pick her up, hugging her to my chest. She cries into my neck and the intensity is disturbing. I whirl to Arthur who's by the door. "What the hell happened? Where's Celia?"

"In my room. Where were you?" Chanel asks behind me. I turn, caught off guard by her cold scowl. She crosses her arms from the hallway.

"No, stop." Arthur breaks the distance and holds her shoulders. "Not in front of the kids."

I clench my jaw and hurry past them down the hall, bursting every God damn door open. "Where is she? Where's Celia?"

Ari still in my hold, I check Liam's room, storage, two bathrooms, then finally, finally at the end of the hall, I find her. Asleep. In a large, pink bedroom under a glow of a bedside lamp.

"Baby..." My voice comes out shaken and breathless as I approach. A large bandaid covers her cheek. Dried blood cuts through her eyebrow. Her jaw is scraped red.

I lower Ari down and bend over Celia, trying to cup her face, but she's so fragile. I'm afraid to hurt her.

"She's on sleeping pills," Chanel says behind me. "I didn't know how else to calm her down..."

"No, what if she needs to go to the hospital? How do you know she doesn't have a concussion? She shouldn't be sleeping!" I slide my hands under the covers to scoop Celia in my arms, but Arthur puts his hand on my shoulder to stop me.

"She's alright, I already checked her symptoms. She just needs to rest, she's shaken up. And we need to talk, Gio. Right now."

"When is she going to wake up? Why didn't she call me?"

Arthur pries me off and begs me to go outside. He takes me to my house, shows me the garage— or what's left of it. Everything's destroyed, spilled, shattered. Nothing is salvageable. It's gone.

I watch the camera footage outside while he tells me what happened. By the end of it, my chest is tight, rage boiling through me as the piece of shit drags Celia to the garage with his men.

"We found her and Ari in the middle of the road, screaming for help. Alex escaped with his car, the others took off in a black Jeep. I called you as soon as Celia fell asleep. I was trying to get all the information before Chanel knocked her out. She was in hysterics."

"And you're not going after him, because it'll bust the grow house and put my custody at risk." My voice comes out monotone as I rewatch the footage. "Get me Alex's number."

"W-why?" Arthur gives me a head to toe glance. "No. No, you're not going to—"

"Get me... his number. I won't ask you again."

"No, Gio! You'll kill him! What about Ari? Huh? What about Celia? Think about—"

"I won't kill him. I'll just make sure... he can't live a normal life after I'm done with him."

"What am I supposed to do? Huh? What am I supposed to do?" Turmoil contorts his face. He looks at me, like the same helpless orphan I used to protect. Too afraid to confront the big guys.

"That's up to you, Arthur. I already told you. You do what's best for you. It's all good."

He sucks in a shallow breath and looks at the ground, torn between terror and guilt.

"I said... it's all good." I pat his shoulder. "Look at me. If I could go back and have the chance to be adopted at a younger age, I'd still make them take you over me. I don't regret what I've done. You're my brother. I love you. I always will. Alright?"

Arthur nods, then covers his face with broken tears. After getting Alex's number, I call him. As expected, he's excited to meet— except, he requests I come alone. I say no problem, though given the murmurs in the back and, well, the fact that he's insane, I leave Chase a voicemail, telling him where to meet, excluding Oscar. The guy has a pregnant wife to worry about.

Afterwards, things race in a fast-motion.

Chanel drags two suitcases to my house to pack our essentials— clothes, documents, Ari's toys. Arthur rushes to the station to keep an eye on Aram, since he'll soon learn about the illegal operation and come for my arrest.

I go back to Celia and hold her hand for a little while. I kiss her knuckles, her fingers, her palm.
I tell her what an idiot she is. How I'm going to beat her up when she wakes up. I tell her she scared the crap out of me. I tell her I can't wait until she wakes up so I can kiss the shit out of her. I tell her she's not allowed to have a phone anymore and she's can't leave the house. She's grounded for the rest of her life.

"I love you, baby..." I whisper to Ari asleep on the couch. I kiss her forehead and tuck the blanket around her sides. "Sleep tight."

The wind is brutal, cutting into my jeans as I straddle the bike. The night is quiet, eerie. Only crickets break the silence as I zip up my leather jacket and put on my gloves.

"Thanks for everything, Chanel. I really appreciate it." I put on my helmet, securing the straps.

Chanel frowns beside me, hugging herself. "You've been so kind to me, Gio. I know you're the one who asked Celia to talk to me. I was so alone before and I, I'm really sorry—"

"Don't worry." I cut her off, giving her an assuring nod. "I never judged you for anything."

I twists the throttle, growling the engine to life, and get on the road. Soon, the houses fade into hills, rimmed with silhouettes of twisted trees.

For the third time, begrudgingly, I park in front of the desolate church on top of the hill.

Waning crescent moon hangs in the starry-night above the white cross on top of the building. I leave my helmet on the handlebar and trudge across the dirt towards the concrete stairs.

I adjust the gun tucked behind my jeans and push the splintered, creaking doors open.

Electronic, dubstep music blasts inside the church. Two, metal tables in front of me flicker with hundreds of long, white candles. Crashed cans and bottles are strewn along the nave. Benches tipped over. Bibles on the ground.

Across the blue haze, Alex sits on the podium, legs dangling over the edge. Around him are five men. They all stare at me as I pace forward. Three hide behind coverings— a white blank mask, a black balaclava, and a red bandana. The biggest is in a black hoodie. The oldest has a ginger beard and half of his face in tattoos.

I really fucking hope Chase is on his way.

"He really came alone!" Alex throws his head back and cackles, clutching his stomach.

I stop in the middle of the nave, not leaving my gaze from him. "I guess you're scared to fight me alone, huh? Daddy's not here to protect?"

"Aw, you jealous... orphan?" He wobbles to a standing position, face marked by Luna's claws. "I've been waiting to teach you a lesson. You overrated. Pathetic. Nobody."

If I kill him, I'll be done. But I can't. Not when I have Ari and Celia to go back to.

"Go, on, then! Show me what a hero you are, you pussy!" His underbite juts out with a smirk, his deluded eyes half-closed. "I had Celia on her knees and you are here, asking for an easy way out. You're disgusting. You fucking joke!"

He crouches to turn the music up, making the heavy bass pound up the ceiling. I stand still while two from the group advance towards me— one in a white mask and one in a hoodie.

"You want me?!" Alex opens his arms behind them. "Come and get it, fucker!"

The rest cheer by the altar as the two meet me down the narrow nave, the fallen benches on our right and left. I stand still, waiting for their move as they bounce on the back of their heels, fists in front of their faces.

The white-masked strikes first, throwing a kick. I shuffle back. He snorts. He thinks I'm afraid. He does it again, but I catch his foot and trip him, throwing him on a bench. His sneakers squeak against the marble. He throws his arms to stop the fall, leg extending out.

I slam my boot below his knee. Hard. Deafening scream follows a crunch of breaking bones.

A whoosh of air on the right makes me duck. The big one in a hoodie punches my jaw, jolting it with shock. I growl for missing it and grab his face, smashing my forehead on his nose.

A sudden scream on the left makes me snap my head. I gasp. The bandana guy charges at me with a crosier pointed to plunge into my chest. Balaclava guy right behind him with a knife.

I sidestep, throw my arm around his neck, turn around. It happens too fast. Metal tears through skin with a shocked intake of breath.

The knife drops on the ground. A bloody crosier sticks out of the balaclava guy's back. His friend still gripping the other end, in a chokehold against my chest.

I drop my arms and step back. No. I shake my head. This wasn't supposed to happen.

A blow on my face splits me open. Shock morphs into bone-crushing pain. I hiss, stumbling back. Warm liquid drips down the side of my face— ginger guy licks his brass knuckles, then throws another punch. I duck, falling on my back. My hand slides on a Bible, I lose my balance.

He punches my other side. I wince, blood gets in my eyes. I can't see! I block another hit with a Bible and kick him in the crotch. He groans, freezing. I get up, grab a bench and hurl it at him.

"Fight me!" I scream at Alex, then gun shots fire.

I take cover behind a bench. Bullets blast over the music, but I'm so confused. My shoulder is numb. I push my hand inside my jacket and pull it out. Fuck. It's drenched in blood.

"Playtime's over!" Alex yells in a sing-song voice. "Don't be shy, now Gio. Come out!"

With my working arm, I pull out my gun and fire at the altar. My aim is shit. I know it. Alex drops on the ground to shield himself. I scream, praying the bullet goes through his head.

Pain so severe, it blinds me with whiteness, pierces from the back. My head explodes with a blaring ring. I clench my eyes shut and bellow as a knife is yanked out of my shoulder.

"That's enough! Give up already!" Alex shrieks.

I crawl on all fours, straining to look up. My breaths are underwater. A foot kicks me in the face. I drop on cold marble. In front of me, candlelights flicker. They blur, becoming bigger.

"You feel like a hero now?" Alex giggles behind me. "Don't die on me, orphan. I'm not done with you yet."

~ A/N ~
Sorry, guys. I promise there will be a happy ending and there will be vengeance <3