Haiden
The couch was a familiar prison. The cushions were worn and smelled faintly of Xan's cigarettes, a scent that usually brought a strange comfort. But not today. Today, every breath felt like swallowing shards of glass. Hailey was gone. And with each passing day, the hope of finding her alive dwindled, replaced by a terrifying emptiness.
Christian paced the room, a caged tiger. Zack was a whirlwind of furious energy, barking orders into his phone. Xan was plugged into his laptop, his brow furrowed in concentration. They were doing… something. Anything to avoid the crushing weight of the truth: We were losing.
My own hands trembled, useless and empty, as I tried to grasp what had been going on. Was Hailey even alive? Where was she?
The guilt was a constant companion, a venomous snake coiled around my heart. I had promised to protect her. I had sworn to keep her safe. And I had failed.
Now she was gone. It tormented me I couldn't do a damn thing to find her. My head was pounding my chest started to hurt. It was starting to get hard to breathe. I hated this I hated them. I hated Leo who ever the fuck. Who took her. They were all going to pay.
I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to block out the memories, the fear, the helplessness. But they surged back, relentless and unforgiving. I needed to act. So I listened to what Christian was saying to Xan and Zack, Leo was getting help from the elites and skulls.
Anger, cold and pure, began to simmer beneath the surface. My protective instincts, honed over years of navigating the dangerous world of the mafia, roared to life. No one touched what was mine. And Hailey… Hailey was mine.
I sat up, the movement sudden and jerky. Christian stopped pacing, his gaze locking onto mine. He saw the change in my eyes, the flicker of resolve that had replaced the despair.
"What is it, Haiden?" he asked, his voice low.
"Its time to get our hands dirty. I want a meeting with our best men. Those who are willing to shed blood to find her," I said, my voice raspy from disuse. "I want every lead, every rumor, every whisper investigated. I don't care what it takes. I want her back."
Christian nodded, his expression grim. "I'm with you. We'll call everyone for help"
Xan and Zack joined us, their faces determined. The atmosphere in the room shifted again, becoming more focused and driven. The despair was still there, lurking beneath the surface, but it was overshadowed by a burning determination, a fierce protectiveness.
We were going to war. And we were going to tear this city apart until we found her.