Vera

Chapter 40

I should've known. I should've fucking known. He has spent his entire life trying to make Matteo and my life miserable. He lives and breathes for our demise, so now I will live and breathe for his.

When Jasper took Cam to bed, I sent myself the files he found. I pieced together what happened when I looked through the files.

Cade had a habit of taking strays off the streets. Fugitives, felons, criminals that were one mistake away from death. He would find them, help them, and gain their loyalty. He created an army of men that would do anything he wanted because they thought they owed him. He gathered 7 of his soldiers that were the most loyal—had the most to lose—and called in his favor.

One of them had a family, had gotten out of the life as much as anyone can, and didn't want to get mixed back in. He refused to do the job, so Cade used him as an example to the rest of them if they refused him. That example took away a good man from his family that day. However, Cade's plan worked because it resulted in all of them falling in line and doing the job. The job of torturing a woman until she was inches away from death, making sure she would never think to come back. They did it slowly, with passion and attention. It doesn't take much to get a criminal to slip into old habits, especially when Cade put them on such a long leash.

Kill all the guards, don't leave any evidence, burn the house to the ground once you're done. You can do anything you wish to her as long as you ensure she will never try to comeback.

A message sent to the men 12 hours before everything happened, 2 weeks before any of us discovered the house had been compromised and Vera was dead. Cade was always quick, precise, to the point. He doesn't waste time, but he doesn't rush. He knows one misstep could ruin everything. His mistake was letting Vera live. One of his men asked why they can't kill her. All he responded with was, that's no fun.

I became nauseous when I read that. No wonder Cam seemed devoid of all life and joy.

Cade got cocky and sloppy when he did that. He knew it was a small possibility, but he didn't care. He found amusement in the fact that Vera was only 1,150 miles away the entire time. As my brain was fed each file, one after the other getting darker and darker, I became more livid. As we drove home, my knuckles were white from how tight I was gripping the wheel. It creaked and cracked under my fists.

Once we got home, I made phone call after phone call. After each one I just became more furious, more agitated, more afraid. My heart pumped hard in my chest. I'm fighting for every breath. I can't see anything, my mind is clouded by emotion I can't shake. I'm on the phone with a fool that can't organize one simple shipment. I was patient the first time, but now after the third time explaining it my last nerve snaps.

"Ya terminé de explicarte esto. Es un maldito envío normal. Usa las dos células cerebrales que tienes y descúbrelo. Si me cuestas algo de dinero, será tu vida." I bring my arm back to chuck my phone at the wall, but a tight grasp on my fist stops me. I turn my wrath to the grip on my hand, and I'm met with Vera. (I'm done explaining this to you. It's a normal damn shipment. Use the two brain cells you have and figure it out. If you cost me any money, it will be your life.)

Her crystal blue eyes clash with mine. A fire blazes in them, the same one that I saw all those years ago. A fire that shows no fear, that is rivaling and taming mine. This is one reason among millions of why I love her. As she sees the fight leave me, hers calms as well. She slips the phone from my fingers and tosses it on the bed. Her hands creep up my shoulders, then around my neck.