Chapter Seventeen- Ares
1321 Words
The buzz of my phone on the desk pulled me out of my thoughts. My eyes snapped to the screen, and there it was—her name. Lyssa.
I picked up the phone, the tension in my chest tightening as I opened the message.
You don’t remember? Fine. Meet me at Midnight Bar tonight. Eight o’clock. Don’t be late.
I stared at the words, reading them over and over as if they would somehow shift into something more forgiving. But they didn’t. The message was curt, direct, and filled with the same fire she’d stormed into my office with.
She wasn’t going to make this easy.
My jaw tightened as I set the phone down and leaned back in my chair. Midnight Bar. Eight o’clock. She’d chosen neutral ground—a place where she could control the situation, at least as much as anyone could when I was involved.
I couldn’t decide if I was impressed or irritated. Probably both.
Beast.
The name burned in my mind like a brand. He’d done this—taken control and dragged her into something she didn’t deserve. And now, she was holding me accountable.
As she should.
I exhaled sharply, running a hand through my hair. The gaps in my memory weren’t just frustrating—they were dangerous.
Lyssa was my only chance at getting the truth, but the idea of sitting across from her, hearing the details of what Beast had done, made my stomach churn.
What had he said?
The possibilities clawed at me, each one worse than the last. Did he mention who I really am?
That I’m Ares Rossi, Don of the Italian Mafia—my empire built on blood, betrayal, and broken promises?
Or worse… did he tell her about what happened all those years ago?
No. Beast wouldn’t. As much as he thrives on chaos, he guards my secrets with the same ferocity he uses to destroy my enemies.
That’s the thing about Beast—he’s not reckless. Every move he makes, every decision he takes when he’s in control, serves a purpose. Even if it leaves me to clean up the mess afterward, there’s always a reason.
But that didn’t make this any easier.
What could he have said to her? What had he done to leave her so furious? Beast doesn’t care about people. He acts only when necessary—to protect me, to keep us both alive.
And yet, he acted.
I leaned back, rubbing a hand over my face as tension coiled tighter in my chest. Beast must’ve seen something in Lyssa. Something that made him step forward, take control, and drag her into this mess.
But why?
She wasn’t just anyone. From the moment I saw her at the club, I knew she was different. Her defiance, her fire—it wasn’t just captivating. It was dangerous. She didn’t just push back; she made me forget myself. And if I felt it, Beast must have too.
Her message sat on my phone like a challenge. Midnight Bar. Eight o’clock.
She wanted answers. But so did I.
My fists clenched on the desk. Beast rarely made mistakes. When he acted, it was deliberate, calculated.
But this… this felt reckless.
The door creaked open, breaking my thoughts.
“Still brooding, huh?” Leo strolled in, hands in his pockets, that infuriating smirk plastered across his face.
“Leo,” I muttered, my tone sharp.
“Relax, asshole,” he said, shutting the door behind him. “I’m here to help. Or at least watch the train wreck you’re heading for.”
I didn’t respond immediately; I was still turning the situation over in my head.
Leo raised an eyebrow and dropped into the chair across from me. “Alright, what’s eating you now? You look like you’ve just seen a ghost—or worse, a lawyer.”
“I texted her to meet up and explain what happened,” I muttered, sliding the phone across the desk. “She finally responded.”
Leo picked it up, eyebrows raising as he read the message.
He let out a low whistle, leaning back. “Midnight Bar. Neutral ground. Smart girl. She’s not screwing around.”
“She’s furious,” I said, tension rippling through my voice.
“And she should be.” He tossed the phone back. “So, what’s the plan? You gonna grovel? Charm her? Or just hope she doesn’t shoot you on sight?”
“I need answers,” I said sharply. “She’s the only one who knows what happened last night. Beast acted, and I need to know why.”
Leo’s amusement faded, replaced by something sharper. “Alright, back up. What do you actually know? Because you’re not seriously walking into this blind, are you?”
I exhaled, rubbing a hand along my jaw. “Not much,” I admitted. “I met her at the club. She stood out—different from the usual crowd. Sharp. Confident. Not easily impressed. She didn’t fall for any of the usual games.”
Leo raised an eyebrow. “So, she pushed back?”
“Yeah,” I said, remembering the spark in her eyes. “More than that. She challenged me—teased me, provoked me. I felt it immediately. She wasn’t someone I could manipulate. And that’s when I felt him—Beast. Watching her the way I was. Interested. Drawn in.”
Leo leaned forward. “And then what?”
“Things escalated fast,” I said, my tone darkening. “We ended up outside, in the alley. She thought she could take me down. She tried. Fists flying—she knows how to fight.”
Leo’s brows shot up. “Wait—you two fought?”
I nodded, a faint smirk tugging at my mouth despite everything. “Yeah. She didn’t back down. It was real. She knew what she was doing.”
“And Beast was watching all this?”
“Yes,” I said grimly. “And he liked it. I felt him stirring, itching to take over. After that… it’s all fragments. The next thing I know, I’m waking up with gaps in my memory and a note on my desk about giving Enzo a raise.”
Leo rubbed the back of his neck. “So let me get this straight: you met her, she fought you, and somehow Beast decided that was enough reason to step in and screw everything up?”
“Pretty much.”
Leo sighed. “And now she’s furious because…?”
“She says I showed up at her place, f****d her, and left like it was nothing.”
Leo grimaced. “And knowing Beast, that’s not the whole story.”
“Exactly.”
“So what’s your angle tonight?”
“I’m going to listen,” I said, my voice hard. “I need to know what she knows. Every detail. Beast doesn’t act without reason—and if he went after her, there’s a purpose behind it.”
“And if she doesn’t want to talk?”
“She will,” I said confidently, though the knot in my chest told me otherwise.
Leo studied me, his tone serious now. “You know you’re playing with fire. If Beast saw something in her, you should start paying attention too.”
“I am.”
Leo stood, hands in his pockets. “Alright then. Call me when it’s over—I want the full play-by-play. And Ares?”
I looked up.
“Try not to f**k this up more than you already have.”
He grinned and left, the door clicking shut behind him, leaving me alone with the silence—and the weight of what was coming.
Midnight Bar. Eight o’clock.
Lyssa had drawn the battle lines. And I wasn’t walking in unprepared.
Whatever Beast’s reasons were for stepping in last night, I was going to find out.
- Writer
