His Dark Angel

Aiden's POV I check my watch as I descend the stairs—it's a quarter past eight. I’ve got a meeting with Roberto at nine. I glance up, meeting the eyes of my best friends, more like brothers now—Marcus and Lucas. We've been through hell together, and I’m glad we made it this far. Lucas gives me a mischievous look, a grin that screams trouble. Marcus, on the other hand, has his lips pressed into a thin line, his eyes cold and detached. I'm more like Marcus—never smiling unless I'm alone with them or my little brother. I reach the bottom of the stairs. Lucas opens his mouth, no doubt about to say something ridiculous. “Aiden, my man,” he grins, “if I hadn’t patched you up so many times, I’d think you were a lady with how long you take to get dressed.” His grin is as annoying as ever. I see Marcus raise his hand and cuff him on the back of his head. Lucas winces and rubs the spot. I allow a slight smile to tug at the corner of my lips, amused by their antics. “Let’s get this over with, guys. The sooner I meet Roberto, the sooner we can leave his company,” I say, heading toward the car. We reach the door, and I spot our crew scattered around the house, all in strategic positions. I call our head of security, Mike, as we prepare to leave. Mike’s a stoic guy but with a playful side. At just over 6’3”, with lean muscles, a shaved head, and tattoos, he’s hard to miss. “Hey, boss. Leaving already?” he asks. “Yeah, Mike. Is everything in order? Who’s with Antonio tonight?” I ask, referring to my little brother, Antonio—he’s the only family I’ve got left, and I’ll do anything to keep him safe. “Gerald’s with him, boss. He’s putting him to bed now,” Mike answers. “Alright. Handle anything that comes up and only call if there’s an emergency,” I instruct, then hang up. We step into the car, Marcus behind the wheel. We’re headed to Roberto’s restaurant across town, on his turf, you could say. Roberto’s g**g controls the upscale side of the city, while we own downtown—where all the troublemakers live. I couldn’t care less about turf wars, but Roberto? He’s a greedy son of a b***h. The territories have been divided this way for years, an uneasy truce maintained by unspoken boundaries, but Roberto is always pushing. The Fangs—my g**g—are dangerous. Everyone in our world, and even some outside of it, knows that. But we have a code: no drugs, no r**e, no harming women, no p**********n, and no human trafficking. We may not be saints, but we’ve got standards. Roberto, on the other hand, isn’t so particular. He wants me to let him sell his drugs and run his girls on my turf. I’ve told him no countless times, but he never listens. I’m curious what he’s offering tonight. He’s tried tempting me with money, women, everything, but I’m not interested in his games. When I notice we’re nearing the restaurant, I focus on the drive. A few minutes later, Marcus parks in front. I step out of the car, buttoning my suit. Marcus takes his usual spot to my right, Lucas to my left. The valet takes the car, and we enter the restaurant. The hostess greets us with a flirty smile, a few buttons on her blouse undone to show more cleavage. She thinks her smile is seductive, but to me, it looks forced, like she’s trying too hard. “Good evening, Mr. Bonavero. I’ll show you to your table,” she says, turning to lead us. It’s always the same table when I meet Roberto. I sit with my back to the wall, Marcus and Lucas flanking me. The hostess leans in, showing off her cleavage even more. “Mr. Tortellini says I’m to give you anything you want—anything at all—and that he’ll be here in a few minutes,” she says, biting her lip and fluttering her eyelashes. “Thanks, but I’m fine for now,” I reply, my voice as uninterested as I can make it. She smiles, then walks away. The moment she’s gone, Lucas bursts into laughter, and even Marcus lets out a chuckle. “Good grief, Aiden. This lady doesn’t know when to quit. She’s been doing this since you started meeting with Roberto. You always show how uninterested you are, but she keeps coming back for more,” Lucas says between laughs. Just then, Roberto enters through the kitchen and makes his way to our table. He’s all smiles, but I can sense something’s off. “Sorry for the delay, Aiden,” Roberto says, settling in. “Had a few things to take care of.” I stare at him without saying a word. Roberto’s an alright guy—if you’re into the sleazy, dirtbag type. “Okay, let’s cut to the chase. You know why I called you here again. I want you to sign the contract. It’ll let me operate in your area, and we’ll split the profits 60-40,” he says, still grinning. There’s something in his eyes today, though. It’s not the usual begging. It’s more like an order. I can see Marcus and Lucas tense up—they’re noticing it too. Keeping my tone as bored as possible, I reply, “Roberto, I’ve told you over and over. I’m not interested in partnering with you. I’m not letting you do business on my turf. What makes you think I’ll change my mind?” His grin falters for a second, but then he leans back in his chair. “I knew you’d say that. You’ve always been stubborn, Aiden. You leave me no choice,” he says. He reaches into his suit pocket and pulls out his phone, typing something quickly. A few moments later, he hands me the phone with that same grin. “Take a look. I prepared a little something for you.” I take the phone from him, keeping my eyes fixed on his. My face stays blank, not letting him see the rage building inside me. I glance at the screen and see a picture of my little brother, Antonio, tied up in the back of a van. My stomach churns, but I pass the phone back to Roberto without flinching. He stares at me, clearly waiting for a reaction. But I won’t give him that satisfaction. I don’t let my face betray any emotion. Before I can say anything, Marcus’s phone rings. His low, tense voice tells me everything I need to know. Mike called—Antonio’s been kidn*pped. Roberto clears his throat, his smile turning more sinister. “Now, Aiden, you caused this. All you had to do was sign the papers and become my partner. But you refused. You left me no choice.” I stare at him, making him squirm. “Aiden, don’t be stubborn. Your brother’s life depends on it. Sign the papers, and he’ll be home before you even get back,” Roberto says, still grinning. I let out a small chuckle, causing the smile to fade from his face. “Roberto, you just made a huge mistake. I hope you know that.” I take the contract, hand it to Marcus, and stand up. “I’ll get back to you when I’ve signed it. I need to think about it.” Roberto stands too, still smiling, but there’s a nervousness in his eyes. He thinks he’s won. “I understand, Aiden. Don’t take too long. You’ve got until Monday evening. We’ll meet back here. And just so you know, you can search for your brother all you want. You won’t find him,” he says. I nod, giving him a cold stare before turning to leave. Marcus and Lucas follow me out of the restaurant. The car is waiting, and we get in. As soon as we’re on the road, I lose it. “f**k, f**k, f*****g hell, Marcus, how did this happen? What did Mike say?” I clenched my fists, the urge to smash something overwhelming. Mike’s update hits hard. There’s a traitor in our midst. Gerald was knocked out cold by Lacy, Antonio’s teacher, before she took him. My blood boils. We reach our place, and I immediately meet Mike, telling him about Roberto’s demands and the deadline. I need Antonio back, and I’ll do whatever it takes. “Two days, boss. We’ll find him,” Mike says, reassuring me as he heads to the control room. I hope he’s right. If not, I’ll have no choice but to sign Roberto’s damned contract. I look at Marcus and Lucas, and they nod—silent support in their eyes. Don’t worry, Antonio. We’ll find you.