THE DARE | BWWM 18+ (editing)

xix - naughty

X A V I E R

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~After leaving the elevator~

Leo is always telling me to be careful, and to not go into things alone, yet he sends me to follow a Diabolo. Did he forget that I got shot the last time I did that shit?

I can't be mad at him since I keep telling him that I'm fine and I can handle myself, but catching a bullet isn't fun and I would much rather not have to do it again.

Chasing after this guy is boring, simply because I have chloroform, my .45, and my handy knife with me. After that shit that happened at the alley, I added a few more safety precautions to my reservoir. I wasn't scared of anything, I just don't want to waste my time fighting with imbeciles.

He walks in front of me at a moderate pace, not slow enough to be a walk in the park, but fast enough as if he had to take a shit and was trying to rush to the bathroom unnoticed. The Diabolo might have a cruel reputation, but he certainly isn't a good representation. I've been following him for the last two minutes and he has yet to sense me behind him.

I spoke too soon.

Within what felt like a second, he turned around and his fist met the side of my face. Hell of a right hook, but that's the only hit he's getting in today.

"Why are you following me?" He asks as I regain my balance from his punch.

"I just happen to be walking in the same direction as you, dude. You're fucking weird." Placing doubts in his head is the perfect diversion. I assumed that he was a paranoid man because of his line of work so getting to him would be easy.

"Oh, I'm sorry," he apologizes and helps fix me up. I got him right where I want. I don't want to cause a scene in the hospital. Too many eyes.

As I straighten my jacket, his eyes land on my gun. So much for not causing a scene. His eyes then move to the tattoo on the top of my hand. It is a lion.

I feel like a lion in a lot of ways. I will always protect my cubs, even though I don't have children. My cubs are my family, and that now includes Iris and Bella.

"You're him, aren't you?" I laugh at his question.

"You look like you've seen a ghost," I taunt him. I know exactly what he means.

Leo and I have the same tattoo on the exact hand. We got it as a symbol of unity the day after our fathers were taken away. I am almost as ruthless as he is because we were both taught by the same devils. Luciano and Martello.

Leo has extra darkness because he watched his mother die, but I lack that because I never knew my mother. From what I can conclude, she was one of my father's playthings and he got her pregnant because he wanted an heir. He paid her a lump sum to have me, then another one to walk out of my life.

I never cared much for her because she left her son behind for a check. As far as I know, she was my father's surrogate, and to me, she is a nobody.

I step toward the guy and he flinches a little. He's new in the business. That's why he took so long to realize I was following him.

I take my knife out and run it down his face. "How about you make this easy for the both of us and quietly come with me?"

"No, I can't. He will kill me."

"I'll kill you if you don't do what I say, so you're dead anyway. He swallows hard and grabs the knife from my hand." He holds it against his neck and exhales deeply.