Jillian stomped hard on his foot and threw her head back, slamming it into his nose. The man cursed, his grip loosening just enough.
Dante saw his opening. He grabbed a wrench and cracked it across the man's skull.
The last attacker staggered back, blood dripping from his temple. He looked at his fallen allies, then back at Dante and Jillian. Realizing he was outmatched, he turned and bolted.
Dante wiped his mouth, smirking. "That all you got?"
But Jillian wasn't celebrating. She knew what this meant.
Victor wasn't playing games anymore.
This was a warning.
And if they didn't move fast, next time, there wouldn't be a warning at all.
The garage was dead silent except for the faint hum of flickering lights. Jillian's hands trembled as she wiped a smear of blood from her temple. They weren't just here to scare them. They wanted to take her.
Dante exhaled sharply, shaking out his bruised knuckles. "That was too easy," he muttered. "They weren't trying to kill us. Just test us."
Jillian swallowed hard. "Test us for what?"
Dante grabbed a chair, flipping it around before sitting on it backward. His sharp gaze locked onto her. "Victor's sending a message. He wants to see what you're made of. And he's not done."
Jillian didn't like the sound of that. "You think he'll try again?"
Dante smirked. "Oh, definitely. But this time, we don't wait for him to come to us. We hit first."
Jillian frowned. "How? We don't even know his next move."
Dante leaned in, voice dropping. "We make him think we do."
She blinked. "A bluff?"
He nodded. "Victor thrives on control. If he thinks someone has leverage over him, he'll want to crush them personally."
Jillian hesitated. "That's risky. What if he calls our bluff?"
Dante grinned. "Then we better make sure it's convincing."
Before Jillian could respond, her phone buzzed. A blocked number.
Her stomach twisted.
She answered cautiously. "Who is this?"
A deep chuckle came from the other end. "You're making some dangerous choices, Jillian."
Victor.
Her grip tightened. "What do you want?"
"A chat. Face-to-face. You want to play in my world? Let's see if you can handle it."
The call ended.
Jillian felt the blood drain from her face. She looked at Dante. "He wants to meet."
Dante's grin widened. "Then let's give him a show he won't forget."
Jillian paced the garage, her mind racing. Meeting Victor Holloway felt like walking into a lion's den. Was this a trap? Probably. Did she have a choice? Not really.
Dante watched her, arms crossed. "You're overthinking."
She stopped. "Overthinking? He literally sent guys to kidnap me, and now he just wants to talk?"
Dante shrugged. "That's how people like Victor operate. He makes you think you have control, then yanks it away the moment you get comfortable."
Jillian exhaled, steadying herself. "So what's the plan?"
Dante smirked. "We don't go in alone."
He pulled out his phone and dialed a number. "Time to call in a favor."
Jillian arched an eyebrow. "Who are you calling?"
Dante grinned. "Someone who hates Victor as much as we do."
An hour later, a black motorcycle roared into the alley. The rider, clad in dark jeans and a leather jacket, killed the engine and removed his helmet.
Leo Vasquez.
Jillian recognized the name instantly. A former enforcer for Victor, turned rogue after a personal betrayal.
Leo swung a leg over his bike and studied them with a sharp gaze. "Dante says you've got a death wish."
Jillian crossed her arms. "I prefer to call it justice."
Leo chuckled. "Justice? Cute. But if you're going up against Victor, you better be ready to fight dirty."
Dante smirked. "That's why you're here, isn't it?"
Leo sighed, rubbing his jaw. "Fine. I'll help. But if this goes south, I'm not dying for you."
Jillian nodded. "Fair enough."
Leo gave her a long look. "You sure you're ready for this?"
Jillian's expression hardened. "Victor took everything from me. I'm ready."
Leo smirked. "Then let's make him regret it."
With their new ally in place, the trap was set.
Victor Holloway was about to have the meeting of his life.
******
The abandoned warehouse reeked of gasoline and rust. Dim light flickered from a few exposed bulbs, casting long shadows across the cracked concrete floor. Jillian stood near the center, her heart pounding, but her face unreadable.
Dante leaned casually against a stack of crates, arms crossed. Leo Vasquez stood a few feet behind them, his sharp gaze scanning the surroundings. They all knew this could go sideways in an instant.
A set of heavy footsteps echoed through the space.
Victor Holloway arrived.
Dressed in a tailored black coat, he walked in with his usual air of authority. Two of his men flanked him, hands resting near their weapons. His sharp, dark eyes locked onto Jillian, amusement flickering in them.
"Well, well. The girl who refuses to break." He smirked, stopping a few feet away. "I must say, Jillian, I underestimated you."
Jillian's jaw clenched. "Glad to know you're finally catching up."
Victor chuckled. "Oh, don't mistake my words for admiration. It's just... amusing. A little girl trying to play in a world she doesn't belong in."
Dante pushed off the crates. "She belongs here more than you think."
Victor barely spared him a glance. "Ah, Dante Cruz. Ever the loyal stray." He then turned his gaze back to Jillian. "I assume you didn't call me here just to trade insults. What do you want?"
Jillian exhaled slowly, keeping her voice steady. "I want you to back off. No more threats, no more attacks. If you don't, I'll make sure everything you've done comes crashing down."
Victor's smirk didn't falter. "Brave words. But empty threats don't work on me."
Jillian reached into her pocket, pulling out a small USB drive. She held it up. "Then maybe this will."
For the first time, Victor's expression shifted—just slightly.
"What's on that?"
Jillian tilted her head. "Wouldn't you like to know?"
Victor's men took a step forward, but Leo subtly rested a hand on his hip—where his gun sat holstered. A silent warning.
Victor sighed, rolling his shoulders. "Let's say I'm interested. What's your price?"
Jillian's grip tightened on the USB. "Leave me and my friends alone. For good."
Victor studied her for a long moment before letting out a slow, mocking laugh. "You really think you're in control here, don't you?"
Then, without warning, he moved.
In a flash, he grabbed Jillian's wrist, twisting it. The USB slipped from her fingers. Before she could react, one of his men caught it.
Jillian's heart dropped.
Victor leaned in, voice a cold whisper. "You have no idea who you're dealing with."
Dante lunged. Leo drew his gun.
But before a fight could break out, Victor raised a hand.
"Enough."
His men froze. Dante and Leo hesitated.
Victor took a step back, tucking the USB into his pocket. "This was fun, Jillian. But I decide when the game ends."
With that, he turned and walked away, his men following.
Jillian stood frozen, fists clenched.
Dante cursed under his breath. "That went great."
Leo scoffed. "You just handed him the upper hand."