The warehouse stank of blood, oil, and fear.
Valentina stood at the center of it all, gun in hand, hands trembling. The man at her feet was still breathing, barely, his face bloodied, begging in half-choked sobs.
Adrian had brought her here for a lesson.
But the truth was this wasn’t about teaching anymore. It was about loyalty. And proving hers.
“Pull the trigger,” Adrian said from behind her, voice like steel.
She didn’t look at him. She couldn’t.
“He betrayed you,” Adrian continued. “Fed information to the Serpente Cartel. Men like this? They don’t deserve mercy.”
Valentina stared at the trembling man. He looked young. Scared. Human.
Just like she’d been.
Her hand shook harder.
Adrian stepped closer. “You want to survive in this world? You have to choose. Be the prey… or be th
