ey's

like piss, fear,

h light to make out the features of the man we had cornered. His back was against the w

e, but that was not important now.

ing softly against the pavement. "You stole from me," I said wit

shifted to my men-Luca, Victor, Lazaro, and Danny, who stood b

hat you're talking

t? You had plenty of time to come up

ightened his fists. His breath was quick, shallow. I could hear

asked, tilting my head.

my presence suffocating the small amount of space he had left. "You know how this

se, but he didn't ne

ating behind them. Then, in a last,

sh of

but before he could even

od soaking through his jeans. He hit the ground hard, clutching

he alley walls. Then, I squatted down, placing my elbows on my thighs. "Havi

d. "We...we paid off one of your drivers," he admitted, his voice trem

always someone willing to sell

our pa

tions like he had any. I gave him a few seconds, then reached i

"Carlos! Carlos Mendes!" he blurt

the hope in his voice now, the desperate belief that tel

ould

golden pistol. The weight w

d, raising a trembling han

from the

at his head and p

gh the alley. The body s

ore he had even s

is up," I

er in the alley. Lazaro exhaled, spinning his gun on his finger before holstering i

tered, already walking

later, I

tioned at either side giving me a respectful nod as I passed. The driveway curv

of power, its towering columns and carved stone ma

and tradition. The heavy chandelier cast a golden glow over the polished floors

rs as I entered, the remnants of blood on my s

g ni

ed, a small smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. The hallway light cut sharp sh

d past him, heading toward my

led it?"

ned shirt, tossing it ont

d. "Good. They needed to b

put it on my shoulders. Jason observed me

wants to se

mid-butto

fed. "Who

he tension in my sh

rk widening. "Good luck brother," he tea

n't r

into his room and leavin

oden doors at the end stood like sentinels, carved with intricate s

cuffs. I knew what was coming, a lect

weight in my chest as I l

nt

urled around

k a b

epped