Tina pov - Unapologetically lethal.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Blondie smirked. Idiot.
"She's an orphan. I wanted to adopt a child, but... because of my ex — abusive, a drug addict — I didn't qualify."
I turned toward Sky. Her face was still tense, afraid of what might happen next. "Then I met her. She was running away from the orphanage, and... it just clicked. Like we were meant to find each other."
Blondie let out a short, mocking laugh. "You want to adopt her? What do you think this is — a courtroom?"
"Why not somewhere else? Why this? Why get into gangs?" the black-haired guy asked.
"You've got to be kidding me," Cap said, disbelief sharp in his voice. "You ran away from an addict and abusive person, met her, and then chose to work with a gang? The same people involved with drugs and everything else? Do you think we're fools to believe that?"
They all spoke almost at once. Frustrating.
I had to keep a scared, fearful face while they spewed nonsense. But inside, I was boiling—rage, anger, and frustration building up until I could barely hold it in.
But for now, I had to stay in control — no matter how much I wanted to explode.
"First... yes, I want to adopt her—Blondie—and I know this isn't a courtroom, but if it were, do you think they'd allow the adoption?" I smirked at him.
"Blondie?" he shrieked.
"I already like her," the black-haired guy laughed. He laughed. I thought he might not even smile.
"Secondly... I didn't know what I was getting into. I ran—with a kid—and had nowhere else to go. I knew legal help wouldn't be an option if I wanted to keep her," I explained patiently.
The black-haired guy nodded. Ugh, what is his name anyway? I can't keep calling him 'black-haired guy'...
"Lastly... Like I said, I didn't know at first. But then I thought about it—and this was the only resort. I just didn't know they'd bring us to the infamous Piccola Italy..." I dropped the bomb—peacefully.
Now they know I'm smart enough to realize where I've been taken… but stupid enough to drag a kid into the mess.
But that's the reality. She's here now—in this chaos—and I'm going to fix it. I'm determined.
I slowly looked up… and met those insanely beautiful grey eyes. Similar to Sky's, but a lot darker. Shit.
He's dangerously breathtaking.
His dark gaze bore into mine, silent just watching. Not judging. Just… observing.
He stood like he owned the room quiet, still, radiating the kind of power that didn't need to raise its voice.
His presence wasn't loud; it was felt. The kind that makes you straighten your back without realizing it.
His features were all angles and shadow, high cheekbones, a strong jaw dusted with stubble, and lips that rarely smiled but hinted they might, if you ever earned it. His black hair was tousled in that effortless, maddening way, like he'd just rolled out of a fight or a lover's bed or maybe both.
There was danger in his stillness. Like a wolf watching from the tree line.
Beautiful. Controlled. Unapologetically lethal.
They're shocked that I know about this place, though they're trying to keep stoic faces. I wouldn't have noticed the subtle shift in their expressions if I didn't have years of practice doing the same.
"We know he's beautiful, but darling, are you sure you don't want me?" Blondie being Blondie… he commented, and we broke eye contact. I looked down again.
What is wrong with me? Why was I staring at his beautiful, dangerous, breathtakingly gorgeous face… shut it, Vex.
"Shut up, Zero," both of the other men shouted at once.
"How did you know where you are?" the black-haired one asked.
"So I was right," I whispered under my breath—but I know they heard it
"Umm… we were moved from Sicily, and the way the container shifted, I could tell we weren't on a road. That meant we were taking a longer route—somewhere less likely to cause problems. Which means… by water." I gulped, letting a flicker of fear and sadness show on my face.
"Also, while transporting us, they forgot to blindfold her." I pointed at Sky, who was now standing beside me.
"She saw the New York sign—kind of hard to miss." I looked straight at them. No one had told me to look down again.
They seemed shocked. But there was something else too—frustration, maybe even anger. I couldn't quite put my finger on it
"What about Piccola Italy—how did you know that?" Cap asked. Boy, he was angry about this.
"I've seen pictures… and did a bit of research before getting in contact with the local dealer. I needed to understand the gangs and how they operate," I began, keeping my tone even.
"At first, I was only researching Sicily and Italy. But then I started looking further. The truth is…" I hesitated for a second.
"I didn't want to be anywhere near him. My ex. He has connections to some local gangs too, and I knew if I ended up in the wrong place, he could find me." My voice softened.
"That's when I found pictures of various places related to the Mafia gang and this area—Piccola Italy and a few others stood out and stayed in mind."
"But how can you say with confidence that this is Piccola Italy?" he asked. He's testing me. If I back out now, he'll know I lied about something. So I gave him part of the truth.
"I know because… I've been to New York before—just as a tourist. I've never been here exactly, but when Sky was describing the routes, the signage, the surroundings… I recognized it." I swallowed hard.
"Those things clicked in my head—what I'd researched about gangs in New York and their territories, and what Sky observed during the trip." I sighed, hoping that mix of truth and omission would be enough—for now.
Cap didn't speak right away. He just stared—cold, calculating. I could almost hear the gears turning in his head.
Then he took a step forward, his voice low. "So you're telling me… you pieced together our location using gang territory and a secondhand description of street signs?"
His tone wasn't disbelief. It was challenge.
I held his gaze. "Yes."
A pause. Too long.
Sky shifted beside me, her fingers tightly pressed against mine. She was scared, even if she couldn't say it out loud.
Cap looked between us, then over his shoulder at Blondie or Zero and the black-haired one, who was watching silently, arms crossed.
"She's not lying," the black-haired one said at last. His voice was quieter than Cap's, but no less firm. "It adds up."
Cap's jaw clenched. "Or she's a hell of a liar with a better memory than most."
"Well," Zero chimed in with a smirk, "Either way, I'm kind of impressed."
Cap shot him a glare. Then he looked back at me, his expression unreadable now.
"She seems smart," the black-haired guy commented, glancing at Sky.
"Yeah, Tracker, of course she's smart—like mother, like daughter," Blondie mocked me. I guess he didn't like the nickname, so that was his way of taunting.
So that's his cover name—Tracker. No more 'black-haired guy.' Finally.
"Okay," Cap said suddenly, breaking the moment.
"We'll decide how this is going to work and let you know. But mind you, don't go wandering out of line just because we're allowing her to stay."
With that, he dismissed us, turning away sharply.
A guard was waiting just outside the office.
We grabbed our bags, and he led us up the staircase and then to a dim hallway to our room. It was bigger than I expected, clean, better than the dungeon we stayed in for a week, with an attached en-suite bathroom—but the catch?
Fifteen people had to share it.
There were bunk beds lined up wall to wall. Sky could have her own bed, but I could tell she wasn't comfortable yet. Not even close.
Once the guard left, I led her to the bunk near the window—one of the few without any bags or clothes on it. Ours now.
"Sky, are you okay, baby?" I crouched down beside her, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "I know it's a lot to take in. But I'm here. Always."
She nodded slowly, but her voice cracked when she whispered, "I'm scared. What if they think I'm not good enough and throw me away?"
My heart clenched. "They won't," I said firmly.
"And even if they do, I'll go wherever you go. Don't worry, Sky. We're in this together now."
She looked at me with tired eyes, her body already swaying with sleep.
"You sleep," I told her softly, pulling the thin blanket over her. "I'll wake you when they bring food, okay?"
"Okay, Tina... thank... you... for... everything..." she murmured, her words slurring as she drifted off.
I sat beside the bed, my back pressed to the cold concrete wall. My eyes stayed fixed on the door—sharp, alert—even as the others cried softly into their pillows or drifted off, worn out by whatever hell they'd been through.
But not me. I couldn't risk it. Not now.
In a place like this, sleep doesn't come easily.
Not when you've just stepped into the belly of the mafia.
This wasn't how I planned it—none of it.
But plans don't mean much when life throws you into the fire. And now, all I can do is work with what's been thrown at me.
Adapt.
Survive.
Find the answers I've been chasing for what feels like forever.
And protect her—no matter what it costs me.
I looked over at Sky. Her chest rose and fell slowly, finally peaceful, if only for a moment.
She's just a kid. And she's mine to protect now. My responsibility.
Whatever happens next—I'll handle it.
Because I have to...