My fingers drum against my steering wheel in frequent habit. I keep my eyes peeled open, never stopping in one place for too long. It's all too likely that I could come across someone I know and that can't happen. No one can know I'm here.

A knock on the passenger door grabs my attention and my jaw clenches immediately. I don't think I'll ever be able to look at the bastard and not want to immediately blow his head off but then again, I don't have to. So I don't bother hiding my disdain as I unlock the door for him and eye him the entire time he gets inside and shuts the car door behind him.

"Well?" Ferrera asks. My fingers curl around the steering wheel at the sound of his voice. It's linked to too many things that have made me as soulless as I am today. "What's this about?"

Always acting indifferent and clueless. Nothing in his life is real. It's all for show and he never fucking gives it a rest.

"Do you ever get tired of dicking around?" I ask in all seriousness.

He raises a brow. "Am I supposed to know what you're talking about?"

"You sent the Romano brothers for us. You've breached our deal."

He faces me in his seat, face contorting. "It was a moment of desperation. Maria called begging for me to bring her home and I couldn't do anything so that was a last resort. I acted a father and I won't apologize for that. You have to respect that I at least tried."

For a moment I feel a flare of anger and something else I can't name at the thought of Mariana calling this bastard to take her away. But then I realize Romano's death was days ago and the conversation Ferrera is talking about was probably near the time I told Mariana to quit her job. Even so, I wonder if she would ask her father to take her away again if she had the chance. But that's the least of my worries.

"Respect?" I seethe. My hand shoots out and grabs him by the collar, yanking him forward. I'm fucking itching to choke him to death right about now. My voice drops to a murderous whisper. "Never imply that there is anything about you to respect after what you did. I know the truth, coglione."

He doesn't say anything, face passive and eyes hard. I don't know why I expected him to feel any semblance of remorse. If he was a human, he wouldn't have done the things he did.

"You're underestimating the lengths I would go to if the aftermath was your ruin. I will fucking destroy you, Ferrera. There are no what-ifs about it."

"Then why am I still alive?"

"Don't get cocky. You are alive because I allow you to be."

"And why would you do that when you know what I've done? What you think I've done?"

"What's the point of ripping a soul apart if it isn't alive to feel it?" My fingers tighten their grip on his collar and I shove him back. "Your days are winding down dangerously fast. The next time you try anything I'll send a bullet through your throat, consequences be damned."

Ferrera straightens out his suit jacket, watching me with those fucking snake eyes. I remember the first time I ever saw those eyes. I can't fucking stand that my wife has the same pair and I have to glance away even if it shows weakness. I might kill him right now otherwise.

"Tell me something," he starts and I clench my hand around the steering wheel. How I hate that there is no fear or hesitancy in his voice. He truly doesn't see me as a threat. "You say you know what I've done but I'm inclined to think differently. How could you possibly—"

"Don't." I turn on him, breathing hard. "One more word and I swear on your daughter's life that I'll carve your face into pieces."

His eyes gleam with the same fury and wrath I'm feeling. "Keep her life out of this."

"I'm just here to remind you what's at stake. You're getting far too comfortable, old man."

"Have you hurt her?" He asks through gritted teeth.

No, just made her come so hard that I thought she was going to pass the fuck out.

I'm pissed off all over again. I hate being reminded that they're related. Sometimes I forget that Mariana came from this fucker and those are moments that I can actually stand her. I'm in a constant fucking state of reminding myself what's at stake here and what I'm tempted by. I'm used to being able to resist temptation but my wife happens to be the pain-in-the-ass exception.

"She's not yours to worry about anymore," I say, partly to send him off the fucking chains and partly because it's true. "But if you cross me again, you will find yourself worrying."

I pull back my sleeve jacket and reveal what I always keep hidden. Ferrera stiffens when he notices. He's normally so indifferent until I offer a reminder that he can't escape. I bet the asshole made himself forget so he could live with himself but I won't fucking let him.

"Does she know about this?" I wonder aloud. His expression tightens briefly. "I wonder what it would do to her if she did. If I told her the truth."

His breaths accelerate, driven by what is obviously panic. "She wouldn't believe you."

"Oh?" I twist my forearm menacingly. "Maybe not at first but even if she thought I was lying, that seed would be planted in her head. Your daughter is no idiot. I wouldn't take that bet if I were you."

He eyes me curiously, a hint of a smirk on his face. "You speak of her as if she is your wife before my she is my daughter. Do you really think she would choose you over me?"

"I think she would choose the truth. If you're so sure she'd blindly take your side then call her. Tell her right now and show me I don't have the slightest bit of leverage here."

His smirk disappears and he glances outside the windshield, features tight once again. "I'm not sure what you think you know but you're wrong. You don't know the real story. You haven't even thought to ask me about what really happened. I could tell you if you'd just be willing to hear."

"Shut the fuck up," I snap. "Don't try and bat your fucking lashes out of this. I'm going to ruin you."

"If you can," he nods. "Was that all?"

He is infuriating beyond belief but I tell myself it's better if he underestimates me. He doesn't know what I've figured out about him and it's better we keep it that way. This is going to be worth it in the end. It fucking has to.

"Try one more thing and you might have one less daughter, Ferrera." I look him straight in the eye. "To bring you down, there isn't anyone I wouldn't kill."

It's what I need him to believe and he does. I see it in the way he stiffens and pins me with a murderous glare. That should keep him busy for a while. If I didn't need more time this might have been a much shorter conversation and only one of us would be walking out of this car alive.

"You have no idea what you're up against," he says. For once he's dropping his act and being the cold asshole I know him to be. His eyes are hard, darkened. "Careful just how far you pry. You might find more than you bargained for."

"It's not prying if you invited me," I respond evenly. My voice is just as menacing, just as cold. "I'll see to it that you finally pay. You should have never made an enemy of me."

"Likewise." His hand pauses on the car door before he gets out, gaze holding mine. "And don't you dare try to use Maria's life as a pawn. You test her life and I'll find that brother of yours that can't seem to stay sober longer than five minutes. He's too easy a target these days."

"Esci di qui, coglione!" I spit, breathing hard and staring him down. How stupid can he be to threaten my family when he is already walking that line?

A smile creeps onto his face and he nods, following my orders to get the hell out. The car door closes behind him and I struggle to keep my breathing leveled.

How the fuck does he know the condition Felix is in these days? Has he been watching us like we've been watching him?

An unsettling feeling forms at the base of my spine and crawls up tauntingly. It is unlike me to underestimate my opponent and I have clearly been underestimating Ferrera. Or maybe he seems less an enemy because I'm so goddamn entangled with his daughter, his blood, that I swore to stay away from. That's on me, and I'm equal parts disgusted and frustrated because deep down I know I don't plan to stay away either. This is beyond out of fucking hand.

My car screeches out of the hidden alley where I told Ferrera to meet me and I speed down the freeway, driven by all kinds of rage. It was a damn good call to leave Felix out of this who doesn't know I'm here. Axel too. This is more personal than it's ever been. If I have to take down the bastard with my own two hands then it is enough. In fact, it is the way it should be.

Because I promised her.

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A/N

I know y'all came for the smut but let us not forget there's an actual plot and depth to this story too, HAHA. It's also slowly starting to come together in ways that I'm so excited for.

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