Quinton Carson :POV
Prologue
Quinton
Age 16
Rain pounded against the windows of the abandoned warehouse that Quinton called his headquarters. The sound echoed through the empty building while members of his crew cleared out for the night.
Quinton sat alone on a dusty couch, counting cash from a recent deal. At sixteen years old, he already ran one of the most feared gangs in the city. Respect wasn't given—it was taken.
A loud knock interrupted his thoughts.
Before Quinton could answer, the door swung open.
King stepped inside.
At seventeen, King already carried himself like he owned the world. Dressed in all black, expensive jewelry glinting under the dim lights, he looked every bit like the future Mafia king everyone feared.
Everyone except Quinton.
"You know how to use a door?" Quinton asked.
King smirked. "You never lock it."
"Because nobody's stupid enough to walk in here."
"Guess that makes me stupid."
Quinton rolled his eyes, fighting a grin.
King had been his best friend since they were kids. Before the gangs. Before the Mafia. Before blood stained their hands.
Back when life was simple.
Now nothing was simple.
King's smile slowly disappeared.
"We need to talk."
The seriousness in his voice made Quinton sit up.
"What happened?"
King stared at him for a long moment.
Then another.
Something felt off.
"King?"
"I can't keep pretending anymore."
Quinton frowned.
"Pretending what?"
King took a deep breath.
And everything changed.
"I'm in love with you."
The words hit Quinton harder than any punch ever could.
For a second, he thought he'd heard wrong.
"What?"
King's jaw tightened.
"You heard me."
Silence filled the warehouse.
The rain outside seemed louder now.
Quinton stared at him.
His best friend.
His brother.
The person who had always been there.
"No."
King laughed bitterly.
"No?"
"No, man."
Quinton stood quickly.
"This isn't funny."
"I'm not joking."
The hurt in King's eyes made Quinton look away.
Because deep down, he knew King wasn't lying.
And somehow that made everything worse.
"You don't mean that."
"I do."
"King—"
"I love you."
The words came out stronger this time.
Certain.
Real.
Quinton felt his chest tighten.
Why would King love someone like him?h
King came from power.
Money.
Legacy.
A future.
Quinton came from nothing.
Just violence and survival.
"You deserve better than me."
King froze.
"What?"
"You heard me."
Quinton laughed harshly.
"Look at me."
"I'm looking."
"I'm a gang leader."
"So?"
"My hands aren't clean."
"Neither are mine."
"I'm not good enough for you."
King's expression darkened.
"Don't do that."
"Do what?"
"Decide what I deserve."
Quinton shook his head.
"You don't get it."
"No, you don't get it."
King stepped forward.
"I've known you my entire life."
"Exactly."
"I know every scar you hide."
"King—"
"I know every nightmare."
"Stop."
"And I still love you."
The words hurt.
Not because Quinton didn't want them.
Because part of him did.
A part he wasn't ready to face.
"You don't love me."
King's face hardened.
"I do."
"No."
Quinton pointed toward the door.
"You think you do."
King stared at him.
Then laughed without humor.
"So that's it?"
"What do you want me to say?"
"The truth."
"The truth is this won't work."
"You don't know that."
"I do."
King's eyes flashed.
"For once in your life stop acting like you're not worth loving."
The words landed like a slap.
Quinton's anger exploded.
"You don't know what I've been through!"
"I know enough."
"No, you don't!"
The warehouse echoed with his shout.
King didn't move.
Didn't flinch.
Just stood there looking at him with heartbreak written all over his face.
And somehow that made Quinton even angrier.
"Leave."
King blinked.
"What?"
"I said leave."
"Quin—"
"Leave!"
The silence that followed was unbearable.
King swallowed hard.
For the first time since Quinton had met him, he looked broken.
"Fine."
The word was barely above a whisper.
King turned toward the door.
Then stopped.
"If a war came tomorrow, I'd still choose you."
Quinton said nothing.
"If every person in this city turned against you, I'd still stand beside you."
Still silence.
King nodded slowly.
"I guess that's my answer."
Then he walked away.
The door slammed shut behind him.
Quinton stood frozen.
Listening to the rain.
Listening to his heartbeat.
Listening to the emptiness King left behind.
He told himself he did the right thing.
That pushing King away would protect them both.
But as he stared at the closed door, a feeling settled deep in his chest.
A feeling he couldn't explain.
One that would follow him for years.
Because Quinton had just pushed away the only person who had ever truly loved him.
And one day, he would realize that was the biggest mistake of his life.
