Chapter One: Blood on Marble
The man screamed once before the gunshot cut him off.Silence followed.Heavy. Final.Carlos didn’t flinch.He sat at the head of the long marble table, fingers steepled beneath his chin, eyes half-lidded as the body hit the floor. Blood spread slowly, seeping into the cracks between polished tiles like it belonged there.“Anyone else,” Carlos said calmly, “feel like lying to me tonight?”No one spoke.No one moved.Good.His gaze drifted across the room—men in tailored suits, killers dressed like businessmen, all of them avoiding eye contact. Fear kept them loyal. Fear kept them alive.At his right stood Adrian.Silent. Still. Watching everything.Adrian wasn’t just a bodyguard—he was a shadow. Carlos trusted him more than anyone, which meant something in a world where trust got you killed.Adrian leaned slightly, voice low. “We caught another one.”Carlos didn’t look at him. “Alive?”“Yes.”“He asked to see you.”That got Carlos’s attention.Slowly, he leaned back, eyes sharpening. “Bold.”Adrian’s jaw tightened. “Or stupid.”Carlos smirked faintly. “Bring him in.”The doors opened with a heavy creak.Two men dragged Jay into the room.He was bleeding—arm cut, lip split, shirt torn—but he walked like he wasn’t. Like the chains around his wrists were just decoration.Interesting.Carlos watched him carefully now.Most men begged. Most men broke.This one?He lifted his head and smiled.“Expected more guards,” Jay said casually, glancing around. “For a man like you, I mean.”The room tensed instantly.Adrian stepped forward, hand already near his gun. “Watch your mouth.”Jay’s eyes flicked to him—sharp, assessing. Then back to Carlos.“So, you’re the famous Carlos,” he continued. “I’ve heard worse.”Carlos didn’t react immediately.He let the silence stretch, let it press against Jay’s confidence, testing for cracks.None appeared.Instead, Jay straightened further, despite the blood, despite the guns aimed at him.Carlos exhaled softly.“On your knees,” one of the men snapped.Jay didn’t move.“I don’t kneel,” he said simply.A few of Carlos’s men shifted, waiting.Waiting for the order.Carlos tilted his head slightly, studying him like a puzzle he hadn’t decided to solve yet.“Kill him?” someone asked.Jay didn’t look away.Didn’t blink.Carlos’s lips curved—barely.“No.”The room froze.Jay’s expression flickered—just for a second.Carlos noticed.“Keep him,” Carlos added, voice smooth. “I want to know why a man walks into my territory and acts like he owns it.”Jay huffed out a quiet laugh. “You think I walked in by accident?”Carlos leaned forward now, elbows resting on the table.“Then enlighten me.”Jay met his gaze directly.“I was looking for you.”Silence slammed into the room.Adrian’s grip tightened on his weapon.Carlos’s eyes darkened, something dangerous flickering beneath the calm.“Careful,” Adrian warned. “Men have died for less.”Jay smirked. “Then they should’ve tried harder.”That was it.Adrian stepped closer, pressing the barrel of his gun under Jay’s chin.“Say another word—”“Adrian.”Carlos’s voice cut through the tension like a blade.Adrian stilled instantly, though his jaw clenched.Carlos stood.Slow. Controlled. Every movement deliberate.The room seemed to shrink as he walked toward Jay.Closer.Closer.Until they were face to face.Carlos reached out——and tilted Jay’s chin slightly, examining the cut on his lip.Jay didn’t pull away.Didn’t even flinch.That was new.Carlos’s thumb brushed the dried blood, almost absentmindedly.“You’re either very brave,” Carlos murmured, voice low enough that only Jay could hear…“Or very stupid.”Jay’s breath hitched—barely noticeable.Then he smiled again.“Why not both?”Carlos’s eyes lingered on him a moment longer than necessary.Then he stepped back.“Lock him up,” he ordered.A beat.“Somewhere comfortable.”That earned him a few confused looks.Adrian didn’t question it—but he noticed.He noticed everything.Later That NightThe city didn’t sleep.Neither did men like Carlos.Adrian stood outside the private holding room, arms crossed, eyes fixed on the door.Inside, Jay was supposed to be restrained.Contained.But something about him felt… wrong.Like a storm waiting to happen.“You’re staring too hard.”The voice came from behind him—smooth, amused.Adrian turned instantly, hand on his gun.A man leaned casually against the wall, as if he had always been there.Sharp suit. Dark eyes. Dangerous smile.Adrian Velez.Rival mafia boss.Problem.“Not your territory,” Adrian said coldly.Adrian pushed off the wall, unbothered. “And yet, here I am.”Adrian didn’t lower his guard. “You shouldn’t be.”Adrian stepped closer.Too close.“You’ve gotten faster,” he noted, glancing at Adrian’s hand on his weapon. “Last time, I almost caught you off guard.”Adrian’s expression didn’t change. “Last time, I let you live.”Adrian laughed softly.“I was hoping you’d say that.”There was history there.Sharp. Unfinished.Dangerous.Inside the room, something shifted—a faint noise.Both men stilled.Adrian glanced at the door.Adrian followed his gaze, interest sparking. “That your new toy?”Adrian’s voice dropped. “Leave.”Adrian’s smile deepened, eyes lingering on Adrian just a second too long.“Careful,” he said quietly. “You’re starting to sound protective.”Adrian didn’t respond.But he didn’t deny it either.Adrian turned, walking away like he had all the time in the world.“Tell Carlos,” He called over his shoulder, “that we’ll be seeing each other soon.”A pause.Then, softer—“And you… try not to miss me too much.”Adrian’s grip tightened.Inside the room, Jay sat in the dim light, wrists still bound—but his eyes were wide awake.Calculating.Waiting.A slow smile spread across his lips.“Carlos,” he whispered to himself.“This is going to be fun.”
