CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED FIFTY-FIVE THE WAR IS COMING

JAVION'S POV As I lay on the cold ground, my body throbbing with pain from the brutal flogging, a strange sense of peace washed over me when Daphne kissed me. Her lips, soft and warm, were a balm to my wounded soul. Despite everything, she still cared. I smiled, a genuine smile that reached deep into my heart. Xander, with his eyes blazing with fury, glared at me. "Why are you smiling, you fool?" he spat, his voice dripping with contempt. I met his gaze steadily, the smile still lingering on my lips. "You can never understand it, Xander," I said, my voice calm but firm. "Love is something you'll never truly grasp. But a deal is a deal. You said you'd let Luca and Enzo go if I took the punishment. I held up my end. Now, keep your word." Xander's expression darkened. "You think you can dictate terms here, Javion?" he sneered. "You are in no position to demand anything." Shock coursed through me. "What?" I growled, struggling to rise. "We had a deal, Xander. Be a man and keep your