The pounding in his ears continued in time with the blaring basses of the bar. It was unnecessarily loud that Castor Luciano was tempted to throw a grenade. He sighed and opted to pour another glass of bourbon. The amber liquid sloshed against the block of ice he had placed before.

The drink burned his throat, ripping his attention away from the speakers. Castor loved parties. The heart-pumping music, the rush of alcohol in the blood, and the people getting loose without a care in the world. It made him forget his problems. Everything goes away at parties.

But lately, Castor hadn't been satisfied. The parties were repetitive. The alcohol was bland. The noise was irritating.

What he wanted to do was go home, have dinner, insult Vince a little bit, and curl up in his Egyptian sheets. Something he needed every time he came home with blood on his hands.

Castor wasn't complaining about his family. He had a great one even if they were walking on a precipitous ledge. But what he desired was a partner. Someone who understood him but wasn't afraid to reprimand him. Someone like Callista.

The three years he had spent without her was torture. It made him realize that he couldn't live without her. It was the first reason he confessed his feelings. The second one being that Franco Castellano hovered around her.

For thirteen years, he had stayed as Callista's best friend. And they were the best years of his life. But not anymore. He wanted more. So much more.

So Castor decided to put everything on the line. Even their friendship. He was willing to ruin everything they have for a chance of a lifetime with her. It's All in.

Callista strolled in as he looked up. His best friend was wearing an emerald spaghetti strap dress with a deep v on the front, emphasizing her ample cleavage. Castor felt his blood ignite.

Their eyes met and Caly blinked. She bit her lip before she sauntered towards him. Her long gold tassel earrings swaying against her straight raven locks. She sat to his left. One foot away from him in the dark corner as she placed her purse on the table.

"You look gorgeous, your majesty," he muttered. Cas was thankful that she didn't turn away despite his fervid stare. "What do you wanna drink?"

"Whatever you're having." She smiled, grey eyes scanning her best friend's form. He was wearing a black turtleneck, dark pants, and maroon blazer. "You look good too so why are you in this lonely corner?"

"Where am I supposed to be?" He slid a glass towards her.

"In a VIP room." Caly sipped at her drink, her tongue darting out to lick the excess from her red lips. "Getting blow jobs."

Cas' laughter echoed in their small corner. "I'm not in the mood." He tilted his head, green eyes twinkling as his thumb stroked his bottom lip. "Unless of course, you're offering?"

Caly arched a perfect eyebrow. "In your dreams."

"Yes. In my dreams, in my room every time I wake up, and in my hands every time I take a shower." The deep blush that peppered over Caly's neck even with the colored lights wasn't missed by Castor's eyes. His heart thrummed at their easy banter.

Callista crossed her slender legs, giving Cas a playful flutter of her thick eyelashes. "So do you want me to?"

"To what?"

"Give you blowjobs."

Castor Luciano bit the inside of his cheek from the provocative images that bombarded his mind. He felt his pants tightened. Getting horny in the middle of a job was too much of an amateur move. So he shifted his thoughts into wrinkly skin and saggy tits. And Marcus getting sliced into cubes and Ethan turning it into milkshakes.

Fuck. He had gotten too far.

He cleared his throat, looking at Callista's pesky smirk. With his libido at bay, he noticed the cross pendant on Caly's skin. Castor knew she would wear that whenever she felt uneasy. It meant she did something for the family.

Based on what he had heard from Vince,  her plan was reaching its end. Cas tapped the space next to him. "Come here."

Caly chewed at her lip before she lost the fight and seek out Castor's heat. She wrapped her arms around his body, hiding her face at the crook of his neck.

Cas placed his left arm around her, a calloused hand touching her exposed back. "If you give me blow jobs it will be because you want it, not because you want to forget."

"I'm sorry," she murmured.

"I know you too much to be angry." Cas traced circles on her skin, kissing the top of her hair. The fragrance of roses and vanilla drifted off her that he buried his nose on her ebony locks.

"I'll be okay." Her grasp on him tightened along with a small sniffle. "Are you smelling me?"

He straightened. "Of course not."

"Do you want me to give you my shampoo?"

Castor shushed her as he drank his bourbon to the last drop. His arm pressed the girl closer to him. He felt useless. He had known what Caly truly felt about the family business and he had tried everything to ease her into it. But it would always come back to this. Her crying in his arms. Merda!

His thoughts ceased as his eyes settled on a newcomer. The woman had stringlike hair, smiling widely at the other customers. Cas caught his men's attention, gesturing his head towards girl.

Caly raised her head at him. "You can go."

"Caly."

Callista extracted herself from his arms. "Do I need to repeat myself?"

"Are you sure you're okay?" His right knuckles caressed her left cheek, emerald eyes gleaming with concern.

"Yes." She caught his hand on hers, squeezing it. "Mal and Tori should be here any minute. I'll be fine."

He pressed a kiss to her hand. "I'll be here if you need me."

✘✘

The full moon appeared on the night sky as Castor Luciano met his men at the back of the bar. He trudged to the circle they had made. As they saw the Luciano heir coming, they pushed the quivering woman to the front.

Teary brown eyes met Castor's gaze. She was tall and slim. He put a finger under her chin, elevating her eyes to his. "Do you know who I am?"

She nodded abruptly, biting her lips to stop the whimpers.

Castor pulled out the picture that Ethan had captured from a surveillance camera. He brought it up to the girl's eyes. "Is this you?"

His men pulled at the girl's curls, forcing her to look up. "Y-yes!"

"Do you know you can't sell in my territory without my permission?"

The girl's small eyes went eclectic. She got down on her knees. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I was desperate!"

Castor Luciano moved back. "Desperate?"

He had initially thought that the girl's boss didn't know the rules but as he listened to her excuses, he concluded that she worked alone. "Where did you get the drugs?"

The girl didn't get up. Her button nose touching the filthy cement. "There was a form online saying I can earn thousands in one month. I thought it was a joke. But a package arrived at my apartment. And I was desperate."

Castor scoffed and his men yanked the girl upwards. "So, you don't know?"

"N-no! I don't know!" She struggled and a scream tore out from her throat. One of the men placed a hand on her mouth but the girl bit him. "No!"

"Shut up." Castor's fiery gaze halted her movements and his men's complaints. "What's your name?"

"L-lisa." With the boss' pointed look, she added. "Elizabeth Chu."

"Well, Lisa." His hand disappeared on his vest, yanking out a small card. Castor inserted it between her breasts squeezed together by her tight gold dress. "You work for me now."

"W-what?" She blinked her tears away.

"Go to that address. Find Marcus. He'll tell you what to do." Castor leaned forward to whisper on her ear. "And if you run away, I will find you and I will kill you."

"B-but—"

"Do you understand?" Castor's vehement tone had no room for anything but a positive answer.

"Y-yes."

Castor nodded to his men before he traipsed the way to the bar. There was no problem with selling drugs but the fact that it was a secret was disconcerting. There must be a reason.

He pulled out one cigarette, setting it between his lips. Castor clicked his lighter when someone stepped on his view.

Delilah Gallo crossed her arms. Her eyes glinted with restless fury. "I think you should know something."

✘✘

is something burning? or is it just me?

i can't believe Delilah will try to fight back. hmm. what will she do?

p.s. if u have an insta account, pls follow me @luxiferase . i will post writing stuff and aesthetics about my stories. and of course, you can ask me questions (get to know me)

hope you like this chapter. enjoy reading.
stay safe.

xx, lucci