Chapter 23
twenty-two
Damon
Another day, another fucking fight with the guys.
Ever since I told Xavier that I took my mask off and exposed Lily to my world, he’s been pissed off at me. Warren is starting to come around, but they still don’t like that I went behind their back.
It doesn’t matter that this is my life and I want to be happy. When it comes to the mafia, you aren’t your own person. You become part of a team, a family. You are one entity.
“You’re becoming a liability, Damon,” Xavier’s voice cuts through the air like a blade, each word laced with concern and challenge.
The room vibrates with the weight of his accusation, a frisson of tension swirling as I fight against the suffocating grip of his warning.
It’s impossible to ignore the intensity that radiates from him, urging me to heed his words.
I got a call earlier and knew I had to act. Leaving Lily was hard, but it’s part of the job.
“I’m not a liability,” I respond defensively, though the truth lingers unspoken beneath the surface.
My pulse quickens as I push against the surge of emotions bubbling to the forefront, wrestling with the remnants of my attachment to Lily.
“I know what I’m doing. This is a distraction you don’t understand. ”
A muffled scream echoes into the warehouse, and we all stop fighting for a moment. I had discovered that we had a rat amongst us. Apparently one of our bartenders had gotten high one night and told a friend of his that he thought we were in the mafia.
That friend just so happened to know a guy in the San Diego family who has been after us. Fucking gossiping like a bunch of middle school girls, and these guys put a target on us. Alex, our once bartender, sits in the other room, his mouth taped shut as he’s rope tied to a chair.
Warren and Xavier found him at a dive bar in Los Angeles and brought him here.
They had called while I was with Lily, but I had missed their first three calls.
We had been in the shower, and I was enjoying lathering up her naked body.
When I saw the missed calls, I called back, but the damage had already been done.
“You’ve got to prioritize the business,” Xavier interjects, and I can see the sternness in his expression. It's a reminder of how we live, and what’s at stake. “Don’t let personal matters cloud your judgment.”
He’s right. I have to hold fast to my responsibilities and my family, and I force myself to nod, though uncertainty still coasts through my mind.
“I understand. It won’t happen again, but can we focus on what we are doing now?” I say, motioning toward the other room.
“We have two options,” Warren states, “We kill him or hurt him and let him go, sending a message to the crew that we are on to them.”
Xavier seems to think this over.
“Let’s double the security at the club,” I insist, trying to carve a path forward despite the complications that lurk at the edges of my heart.
“We’ll push back against Calabrese and show them they’ve picked the wrong fight.
As for Alex, I say we beat the shit out of him, just like we did the last rat we found, and send a strong message. ”
The guys all nod in agreement.
We stalk into the other room, and when Alex spots all three of us, he begins moving and fighting against the ropes. It’s no use, he’s not going anywhere.
“Alex, I liked you,” Warren begins, circling him like a hawk. “I thought you were cool, but then you had to go run your fucking mouth.”
Alex attempts to say something, but it’s muffled.
“You thought you could run your mouth about us?” I ask, stepping forward. “You wanted to gossip about your employers. To put our business in jeopardy. Well, we don’t like rats.” I spit at him.
“So, Alex, we are going to have to teach you and your friends a little lesson,” Xavier states, pulling out his gun.
Alex’s eyes go wide, and tears stream down his dirty face.
I know what I need to do. I don’t mind violence when it’s warranted. Killing is something I’ve managed to shy away from because it makes me vomit. I’ve watched my father shoot a man in the chest and then leave him to die. I spent the entire night after that sick.
Being involved in illegal trades and taking money from others while offering protection is more of my speed, and that’s what the guys and I intend to do. But tonight, we have to prove we aren’t weak, even if it means getting blood on our hands.
I stand inches away from Alex, and the scent of piss and fear permeates the air. I rear my arm back and hit him so hard that the sounds of the bones in his nose breaking break the silence. Blood splatters across my face and shirt as Alex’s head falls to the side.
Xavier moves in next, placing the gun up to his head. I wonder if Xavier has it in him to kill someone. He can be dark and brooding at times, and I wonder if he’s ever gone that far…
I hear the click of the safety being released. Warren and I exchange glances.
“Fuck around and find out. Is that how you wanted to play this?” Xavier asks, pushing the barrel of the gun harder against his skull.
Alex only whimpers. Blood continues to pour from his nose.
“All it will take is for my finger to slip from the trigger, and your brains will be scattered across the floor. And you know what, no one will ever know. We own this building. Just like we own this territory. So, if you live, let everyone you know understand one thing: this is ours. If we catch wind of anyone else sneaking around, we will kill them all.”
Warren moves in and rips the tape from Alex’s mouth. Alex screams in pain. He stares blankly back at us, waiting to see what we will do next. This is the type of power I live for. It’s exhilarating knowing that you hold someone else’s life in your hands.
“So, what will it be?” I ask Alex.
“I swear, I will tell everyone to leave you all alone. You will never see me again. I promise.” He’s begging for his life now.
“And, why should we let you live?” Warren questions. This is the cat-and-mouse part of the game that Warren enjoys. He can’t just let Alex go easily. He needs to torture him for just a few more seconds.
“Because I know what they are about to do with Lily,” Alex cries.
In that instant, my entire world feels like it just shifted. Warren and Xavier both turn to me, and I can see from their expressions that they are concerned.
“What are you talking about?” Xavier bites out.
“They’ve been watching you. Even before I said anything, they already knew you all owned Shadow. They’ve been planning to take you down. They are coming for Lily,” Alex says.
“If you are lying, I swear I will fucking kill you with my bare hands,” I roar out.
All I see is red as my body shakes and my head pounds. I pull out my phone and quickly call Lily, but she doesn’t pick up. My pulse quickens as I try again. And again.
“Fuck!” I scream. “I have to go find Lily.” I don’t bother looking back as I sprint toward the exit.
Footsteps behind me let me know that my brothers won’t let me go alone.
If I find out that anyone has so much as touched Lily, I will burn this whole fucking city to the ground until I destroy every one of them.