|32|

•Ramon•

I fucking loved holding her hand. There was something so pure about it in a world of darkness that seemed to eat us both up. 

I walked inside my house with her. They all knew who she was. Charlotte Woods was mine and nobody would say a word to her. My mom loved her but didn't want to overwhelm her with everything going on. 

Just when our lives were going on a smooth ride, Logan the prick had to fuck up. I was going to find him and deliver him to Charlotte on a gold fucking plate with a big knife to cut his head off. Maybe she would do it, maybe she wouldn't. 

I could feel the emptiness inside of her. She had lost the spark in her eyes and the attitude that escaped her mouth. I could feel her rage, as she looked around the house, watching people find her target. 

There was so much I wanted to tell her, so much that I couldn't say yet because the time was not right.

I turned to look at her and she met my gaze, a small smile on her face that made my heart twist like a fucking whipped man. Yes. I was passionate about her. If I could, I would grab her just because she made my heart beat fast with a smile and I would take her to my room. Fuck this life. I would fuck her senseless but now was not the time. It wasn't fucking right. 

I needed to get rid of this Logan fucking disease.

Spotting my mom walking down the stairs, I said to Charlotte. "Why don't you eat something with my mom? I'll go find out what's happening." 

Mom walked towards us, and I smiled at her grateful as she held Charlotte's hand and walked her away from me talking to her about how she likes to bake a lot. 

Charlotte had nearly clawed Tiffany's face off yesterday. During the whole day she had been quiet, holding my hand as if she felt safe with me. It fucking made me grin. 

Today at school she had been better after seeing Tiffany with a bruise on her face. I was fucking proud of my girl. 

"Ramon." I heard Kyong call out to me as he opened the meeting room door. I straightened my jacket and walked towards him. 

The look was part of the fear. A suit could turn you into a businessman but the people that knew you, knew that there was a gun hidden inside and I wasn't afraid to use it. 

I walked into the meeting room that was full of my men sitting around the table with laptops out in front of a few of them. Closing the door, I asked them. "What have you found so far?" 

"Boss, there's been movement in one of the hospitals. Cole fucked up and went there." One of them said as he pressed the button on the remote and the projector pulled up a big screen of a map with a red dot. Kyong turned the lights off.

"Jax and Stefan." I pointed to them. "Bring his fucking dead body to me." I said to them and they grinned like the psychotic assholes they were and walked out of the room. 

"Logan has been spotted around her house again. The camera spotted him trying to get in but Drew opened the door to throw the rubbish out of his house when he ran." 

I watched the video of the little camera that I had installed in her doorbell. She didn't know. It would make her more angry if she knew he was that close to her house. Not fear. She already hated that house but I knew how Charlotte was. 

She didn't fear Logan. She would wait for him to enter the house to kill him even if it was dangerous. She wanted revenge to push away the guilt that she was feeling. No matter how many times I told her it wasn't her fault, she wouldn't believe me until she could feel the warmth of his blood on her hands. 

It was the same feeling I felt when my dad died. It went away when the killer's blood was on my hands. 

"There's been movement close to that area with a few of his people. Zach and a few girls had been walking around drunk. I think they're waiting for her." Kyong explained as he glanced down at his iPad before looking at me. I nodded. 

"I want him found in the next 24 hours or I'm putting a bullet in all of you." I said to them all, as Kyong chuckled besides him. 

I fucking hated that aasshole but he was also the only one I trusted blindly. He was tough and tested my patience every goddamn time. He had argued with me about Charlotte saying I was breaking my own rule. Do not bring a girl to the house. I told him she was different. He didn't give a fuck so I had pressed a gun to his head and told him to remember I was the boss. This was my Empire. He had laughed saying she made me powerful and made me want to protect my family. Of course it did. 

She was mine. I would protect her. 

I walked out of the meeting room as I saw mom and Charlotte walking out of the kitchen with a box of cookies and cupcakes. "Ramon." Mom smiled at me. "Tell me you plan on marrying her." She said to me in italian. "We could take her to Italy with us during the summer after you both graduate and we can get you married there." She was gushing happily as I chuckled. 

Charlotte looked at us confused. "One day mama." I replied to her in english as I leaned down and kissed her cheek. "I'm going to take her home now." I said and she nodded as I held onto Charlotte's hand. 

She pushed her fingers through mine and held my hand tightly as we walked out of the house. "Where are we going?" She asked me as I walked towards my door, noticing Miles taking Cameron inside. 

She ignored him, as if he didn't call out her name to apologise. I opened the door for her. He was working with us now, constantly watched by Miles who didn't dare let him step out of line.

"I want to go to Joe's Gym." I said to her and she nodded as I closed the door for her. 

I walked around the car and sat inside as she replied to me. "Will you be fighting?" She asked as I started the car and drove out of the driveway. 

"Yes. I want to see how it feels." I told her. 

Alex had fought one night there and he had come back with a grin on his face saying the adrenaline was superb and he wanted to do it again. I had sent him out to watch the lightning devil and he had been fighting there. Some days Calvin and Josh would go with him. 

We arrived in silence outside the gym. I parked the car in a place I knew where the cameras were recording and I got out of the car, quickly opening the door for her. I liked doing the little things that made her smile. 

"It's been a while since I've been here without a mask." She said to me as I held her hand and closed the door. She tightened her hand around mine. 

"First times for everything." I pulled our joint hands up and kissed it as she smiled at me. 

That smile could end worlds. 

Walking towards the door, I knocked on it three times and saw Mark open it. Kyong had threatened Mark and Joe and demanded the face of the lightning devil. They were loyal fuckers and didn't utter a single word. We admired that about them. 

"Kid." Mark grinned at her as he held his fist up and she touched it with hers. "New face today?" He joked and she actually chuckled. Fucking chuckled at him. 

"Ramon wants to fight today. Can he?" She asked him and he glanced at me, letting us both inside as he closed the door behind me. 

"Of course. Just walk down. We have more people during the day after Gabriel's win over a certain someone." He winked at her as she smiled and walked away, still holding my hand. 

Fuck yes. 

We walked down the stairs, through the same doors that she walked through when she let Gabriel win. There were a lot of people here as Charlotte pulled me towards the desk Joe was sitting at. 

"Hey, kid." Joe grinned at her before glancing to look at me. "You want to go up next? We've got a free slot." He said to me. 

I knew Mark texted him that quickly. They were nervous. 

I nodded at him and he grinned. "What's the name?" 

"Ramon." I answered him. 

I wanted Logan to know I was in his so-called territory. I was making my mark, telling him to come out to me if he was man enough. He needed to test me and I was daring him to show his face. 

Joe nodded, telling me I'll be up next once the current fight was over. Charlotte held my hand as I walked away from the desk and towards the darkest corner. 

"Do you think he will be here?" She asked me, watching as I shrugged off my black coat. 

"He will have someone watching." I told her as she stretched her hand out to hold my coat. I gave it to her as I glanced around. "Word will get back to him." She nodded, watching me as I unbuttoned my white shirt. 

I could see her eyes trailing over my chest with every button I opened. Her eyes zoned in on the tattoo on my chest and I saw the blush deepening on her cheeks as she tried to look away. 

Taking a step towards her, I ignored the shouts and cheers around us as I took off my shirt. "Look all you want, amore. I'm all yours." My voice was low as if I was fucking waiting for her to jump me right now. 

She rolled her eyes as she held onto my shirt. I fucking love it. Loved any sort of reaction that made her feel something other than rage. 

Charlotte took a step back, leaning against the wall as she looked up at me. "In bocca al lupo."

I laughed as she grinned at me, a genuine fucking smile on her face that made my heart beat faster. She kept on surprising me and I loved it. 

I took a step towards her, leaning down to whisper in her ear. "No goodluck kiss?" 

Tell me you feel the same way. Show me. 

"Maybe if you win." I could see the tiniest spark light up in her eyes. 

"Is that maybe leaning towards a yes?" I asked her softly, as I heard my name called out in the room. The room was silent, waiting for the one called Ramon to walk up on the ring. 

I didn't move from my position, my arms caging her against the dark corner, letting people think the worst of us as they started chanting my opponents name. I didn't give a fuck. A single punch and he would be out cold. 

"Maybe." She answered me, looking up at me, the mischievous glint in her eyes. 

Chuckling, I leaned down and kissed her on the cheek. "I'll take what I can get." I murmured in her ear, before pushing myself away from her. 

I headed to the ring and pulled the ropes up as I stepped inside. The man in front of me was tall with arms the size of tree trunks. I could see the weakness in his left leg. He placed his weight on his dominant side. Stupid. 

She was no longer wearing a mask in this place. I could see her eyes, and she smiled as I met her stare. The man came charging at me, and I sidestepped, never removing my gaze from hers as I threw a punch towards his huge face. It would land somewhere. 

There was so much I wanted her to know.  

I wanted her to know that I love her. I would love her on her bad days, her good days. The days she wanted to kill me, I would continue loving her because she is extraordinary. She deserves happiness and love and for someone to hold her hand while she runs off into the fucking sunset. I wanted to be that person. The one to never hold her back, to guide her to success, to make sure she knows I will love her forever and ever. I will never fall out of love with her because she is my girl and I will gift her what she wants with a big grin on my fucking face. Logan. 

She was never going to be used by him. I would make sure of it. 

I threw a punch towards the man as she grinned at me. 

She was my girl. 

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Ramon is so in love and I love it.

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