REYNA

I awoke to the sound of a gunshot. My whole body jerked as if I were a dancing to a sound that I feared the most.

I quickly sat up in my bed, my chest rising and falling to catch up to fast pace of my heart. What was that?

My fear told me to stay in bed, throw the blanket over my head, and hope that whoever was holding the gun wouldn't come anywhere near me. However, my curiosity begged me to do everything I could to go investigate where the sound came from. In my mind, there was a game of tug-a-war. When fear tugged, curiosity pulled harder.

I had always been a curious girl full of fright. It was the only reason I chose to stay behind a computer screen instead of out on the battlefield. However, it didn't seem like I had a choice now that I'm working with Saint.

I slipped out of my bed and strolled over to my door. Pressing my ear into the cold wooden door, I tried to listen for any noise but nothing could be heard. I reluctantly placed my hand on the cool metal from the doorknob, turning it as slow as I could to keep from making any loud noise.

Peeling the door back slightly, I peeked outside into the dark hallway with just my eye hiding away in the crack. When I didn't see or hear anyone, I opened the door wider, a loud squeal echoed through the empty halls, and I quietly walked out of my room. There were no guards in sight as I searched the house for evidence of the gunshot I heard.

It wasn't until the sound of something banging infiltrated my ears that I began to walk in that direction. As I headed toward the sound, I stayed on the tip of my toes, just in case I needed to quickly make a run back to my room.

As I neared Saint's office where I could see the warm light desperately clinging to the floor just underneath the doorframe, my heartbeat began to thump dramatically in my chest.

Before I could make another move, the door slammed open. I completely froze in my spot at the sight of Saint who had blood all on his white shirt he typically wore underneath his suit jacket.

"I... was, uh, going to get something to eat," I lied.

He stared at me without saying a single word. I grew nervous under his icy gaze, hoping he wouldn't kill me like whoever he just killed in his office.

"Get in here," he ordered, opening his door wider. My eyes widened as I looked into the room, expecting to see a dead body.

"Hurry up!" Saint yelled.

I quickly stepped into the room as I took in the entire office.

What caught my attention was Saint's underboss, Adriano, on the couch. He looked quite disoriented as he held his palm against his bleeding cheek.

I immediately grew a sudden urge to help him, but I suppressed it over fear of what might happen to me if I did.

"You want to save yourself, right? You need to come up with a plan to find Viktor. Otherwise, I'll kill you right here and now with no hesitation. Start talking," Saint growled at Adriano, much to my confusion.

Adriano began to cough, blood dripping from his mouth as he held his hand up to his lips. It looked as though Saint really gave him a beating. My brows furrowed as I looked between both Saint and Adriano, wondering what happened between them.

"I... I've been thinking of one for a while. There's a charity ball coming up next week..." Adriano began.

I remembered learning about the charity ball. It was all a huge cover-up the mafia men hosted every year. All of the crime families always made their appearances. Not only them, but very important business men and women would be there. It was truly an honor to be invited to the charity ball, but since Saint was a powerful man, I was sure he was the first on the guest list.

"If you're right about Viktor wanting her then don't you think she's the best way to draw him out? Viktor won't be at the ball, but I know someone keeps him informed on everything happening there," he began. "Think about it... take Reyna as your plus-one, introduce her as your date. Reyna and Giovanni can also keep tabs on the messages sent and received throughout the ball. We may get information on what Viktor is planning. We can also take the first person that messages Viktor, and we find out all we can about Viktor by threatening it out of them."

I thought about it. That plan could actually work. If every guest signed into the wireless fidelity, WiFi, it would be very easy to see the messages they send while they were there. I should be able to track the messages being sent to Viktor. I could even go as far as obtaining a location. However, I wasn't sure who Viktor was or what he wanted with me, but it was no surprise seeing as every mafia man wanted my head on a stick.

"No one is going to believe that I brought her. You do realize that I am known for having very attractive women all over me every single second of the damn day, don't you?" Saint asked. "What makes you think that this girl could be someone I'd 'date?'"

"She isn't that bad, Saint," Adriano gritted out.

That bad. I glanced over at Saint to see he was already looking at me. I hurriedly looked away from him and held my head up a bit higher. I knew I wasn't the best looking girl, but he didn't have to throw it in my face all of the time. He also didn't need to look at me as if I were the most hideous person to exist. Even though I tried to pretend it wasn't happening, my heart always managed to sting a little.

"The other crime family's won't believe I just took a liking to any woman off the street, especially a girl that still hasn't wiped off slobber from her face." Saint cringed. I brought my hand up to the corner of my lips where I wiped off dried up slobber with a frown playing on my lips.

I pushed the bridge off my glasses up my nose as I allowed my head to slowly fall in defeat.

"Not to mention, it's risky sending her out there. She's most wanted on every mafia's hit-list. If Viktor's men recognize who she is, what makes you think the rest of the families won't?"

"Viktor knows something that the rest don't. He knows that you have the girl who is capable of stealing enough evidence to take down the entire crime organization to where no one and nothing is left. Reyna is powerful and I'm sure Viktor is working hard to find her. He wants that power on his side. He will stop at nothing to monitor you and quickly put together who the new girl you brought to the ball is, especially since you've never brought a date before," Adriano explained, speaking over me as if I weren't there.

I wish I could say that I was used to feeling invisible. Oftentimes, I forgot that I even existed. There was nothing about me that stuck out. I was just one with the crowd and maybe I was fine with it, but there were times when I wasn't.

"No one else knows what Reyna looks like. For all the crime family's know, she's a boy named red," Adriano finished.

I glanced at Saint from the corner of my eyes to see he was deep in thought. His eyes never left me even though I really wish they had.

"Fine. This better work, Adriano, or you're dead," Saint declared.

"It will, Saint. It will."

"Do you need help?" I asked Adriano quietly, barely capable of even hearing myself. He didn't need to respond because I walked over to him to study the monstrosity of his face. He had a huge gash on his cheek, a swollen eye, and what looked to be a dislocated nose.

I grabbed both sides of his jaw and aligned his face up so I could see him. Then, I placed my thumbs on either sides of his nose to pop it back in place. He let out a loud hiss, flinching away from me as his face scrunched up.

"I'm sorry," I said.

"He's fine," Saint stated, walking over to me and grabbing my wrist in his firm hold. I turned to look at him only to see anger swirling in his eyes.

"He, uh, still has a few cuts that I can help with if you'd just let me," I told him. In a weak attempt to pry his hold off of me, he let go and instead went for my neck.

"What did I say, Angel?" He asked.

"Fine, Santino," I muttered. His eyes narrowed, the grip on my neck tightening so much to the point that I could barely breathe. I brought my hands up to claw at the suffocating grip, but it was nothing to him.

"What's my name?" he questioned.

Even if I wanted to answer him, I couldn't. My lungs were just doing their best to find oxygen, the last thing I had enough energy for was talking.

"She was just trying to help," Adriano said. It was almost as if he forgot Adriano was there. He lightened his grip a bit, but it was still very hard to breathe.

"What's my name?" he repeated.

"Santino," I gritted out.

"Do you want to die?" he threatened. I stopped fighting him and just allowed my hands to rest at my side. He was far too strong and big for me to ever have any chance.

"Do you want to find Viktor?" I found myself saying without a second thought.

Saint chuckled darkly and without any form of enthusiasm. His chuckle almost made my stomach hurt.

"Do you want to find mommy?" he questioned. I narrowed my eyes at him but decided not to say a single thing.

No matter what, we needed each other. I needed protection and to find my mom, and he needed information, intelligence and resources to find his enemy.

"Go to your room," Saint demanded as if I were a child. He let go of my neck where I was sure a bruise was already forming. My skin always bruised so easily.

I glanced at Adriano who was holding his nose in pain just before my gaze wandered back over to Saint. Without another word, I headed over to the door where I could see a bullet lying on the floor. Did Saint try to shoot Adriano? What exactly happened?

"Goodnight, Santino," I dared say as I hurriedly walked out of his office and down the hall, making my way to my room where I closed it shut.

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