Chapter 4 Four

Alexa POV

I stare at him, utterly perplexed by his revelation. Baron doesn't strike me as the type to be mixed up in Mafia business. Then again, how much can you ever really know about someone? A man can smile at you, can hold your hand, can share pieces of his story-but there are always shadows you cannot reach.

"I started out in the Mafia business at a very young age," he says evenly, his dark eyes flicking toward mine. "And I rose to the rank of a Mafia lord."

My mouth falls open. For a moment I can't find words. He isn't just some street-level gang affiliate; he's a mob boss. A man carrying an entire empire of blood and power on his shoulders.

I wonder if his father knows. Would a father look at his son differently if he knew he had become this? Or has his family been aware all along, perhaps even complicit?

"The men who tried to kill you are rival gang members," Baron continues, sliding his gun back into his jacket as if it's second nature, no different from someone tucking away a pen. "Their leader has been on my radar for a while. When the time is right, I'll put an end to him."

His words send a shiver through me. Not because I doubt them, but because I don't. He says it with the calm certainty of someone who has killed before and will kill again.

"Does your dad know?" The question slips out before I can stop myself. "Does he know you're a Mafia lord?"

Baron chuckles, the sound low and humorless. He looks back at me, his expression unreadable, and exhales slowly.

"There are some things that aren't worth speaking about," he says. Then he extends his hand, his voice final. "Come on. Let's go."

It is clear from the coldness in his tone, from the way his eyes shutter, that whatever relationship he once had with his father is gone. Dead, perhaps, like so many other ties in his world.

The next morning, I wake up feeling the weight of his revelation still lingering in my chest. Life, however, does not slow down. School is nearly over, and all I want is to make it through the final weeks before the holiday season.

When I walk onto campus, my eyes land on a familiar motorcycle parked beneath the old oak tree. My lips twitch into a smile. Marcus. He's back.

Despite the distance that often keeps us apart, Marcus is-was-my boyfriend. Each time he returns, it feels like a spark reignites, like I can breathe a little easier knowing I still have him.

I walk through the hallway with a little extra bounce in my step, make my way toward class-only to stop dead in my tracks.

The sight before me steals the air from my lungs.

Marcus is in the classroom. But he isn't alone. Daisy, the cheerleader who has always found ways to make my life miserable, is pressed against him. They're kissing, bodies tangled in an intimate moment that feels like a knife twisting into me.

I freeze, my heart shattering in my chest.

When they pull apart, Marcus's eyes land on me. Instead of shame or guilt, a smirk spreads across his lips, cruel and mocking.

"Hey, Alexa," he says casually, as if I've just walked in on him tying his shoes. "Long time no see."

It takes me a moment to even find my voice. "Why would you do this?" I whisper.

Students begin to trickle in, the sound of their chatter turning into silence as they notice what's happening. Phones appear, lenses capturing the moment as if my pain is nothing more than entertainment.

"Stop being so dramatic," Marcus replies, leaning lazily against the desk. "I got tired of dealing with you. I found someone better."

"Better?" The word sticks in my throat. "I thought you loved me."

He laughs, the sound sharp and cutting. "Love you? Alexa, you're old news. Daisy lives close to my neighborhood. She's fun, she's exciting... she's everything you're not." He leans in and plants another kiss on Daisy's lips, exaggerated for my benefit. She giggles, glancing at me with triumph glittering in her eyes.

The class erupts with laughter. Daisy's voice rises above the noise, mocking me.

I can't take it. Not the whispers, not the cameras, not the humiliation that wraps around me like a suffocating cloak. I turn and walk out, blinking furiously to keep the tears from spilling in front of them.

I head to the balcony-the place I always go when I need to breathe. It overlooks the city, the chaos below somehow soothing compared to the chaos inside me.

To my surprise, Baron is already there, seated on the stone ledge, his gaze fixed on the horizon.

"How odd to see you here," he says when his eyes flick toward me.

"I could say the same for you." I force a small smile, sinking down beside him. The city hums beneath us, its lights beginning to blink as the day edges toward evening.

"You don't look alright," Baron says after a pause.

"Just dealing with some personal issues." My voice is tight, thin, betraying more than I want.

"I'd like to know what kind of issues trouble you so much." His attention shifts fully to me now, his dark gaze steady, unwavering.

I keep my eyes on the skyline, but I can feel his stare.

"I just found out that my boyfriend has been cheating on me," I admit. The words sting even as I say them aloud. "With Daisy. The cheerleader."

Baron's expression hardens. "Daisy Simpson? The street slut?"

Despite myself, a small, bitter laugh escapes me. His choice of words shouldn't comfort me, but it does.

"I guess he was never meant to be yours," Baron says simply.

"We've been together a long time, Baron. Since the beginning of college." My throat tightens as I think of the nights I waited for Marcus's calls, the promises he made about our future. "I thought we'd get married after graduation."

Baron rises to his feet, stretches, and says nothing. His silence speaks volumes. Without another word, he walks away, leaving me staring at the city with tears blurring my vision.

Hours pass. The sun sinks low, painting the horizon in shades of gold and crimson. I've wasted the entire day sitting on that balcony, replaying every moment with Marcus, every lie I failed to see.

When the final bell rings, I gather my things and head toward the hallway. That's when I notice a crowd forming near the lockers. Voices overlap in a frenzy, students whispering, some gasping, some laughing nervously.

Curiosity pushes me closer.

And then I see him.

Marcus. His face bloodied, swollen, his friends hovering around him, their voices panicked. Daisy is there too, shrieking his name, dabbing at his wounds with trembling hands.

"They said some masked guy beat him so bad he lost his voice," one student murmurs.

"Yeah, we better be careful. Whoever that guy is... no one knows what he'll do next."

The words buzz in my ears. My stomach twists as the pieces fall together. The timing. The rage in Baron's eyes when I told him. His silence. His exit.

This wasn't random.

Baron did this.

And for reasons I don't fully understand, my heart beats faster-not with fear, but with the dangerous certainty that he did it for me.