RAZE (Fighter's Den, #0.5)

Chapter Two

7 years later...

My knuckles meet flesh and a crack sounds into the night, followed by a whimper of pain. Pathetic. I take hold of a head and bring it down on my knee with brute force. More whimpers as the body falls to the floor.

"Please," Lloyd croaks. "M-mercy."

"You are begging?" I sneer. "South Bloods do not beg! Get on your feet."

He scrambles, raising himself on his feet with strained effort. The brick wall of the dark alleyway holds him up because his body cannot. He leans against it and his harsh, pained breaths are the only sounds among the hushed night we are surrounded in.

"Who is responsible?" I ask again. "Do not lie to me. It wouldn't please me to kill you but if that's what must be done, that will be your fate. You decide."

"I have a family," He whispers. "You know that."

"And you know my rules." I don't miss a beat. "In my kingdom, you follow them. So tell me—who. Is. Responsible?"

"I don't know."

"This is a lie."

"I swear on our people, I don't!"

"How dare you?" I grab him by the collar of his shirt and slam him back against the wall. He groans in agony. "You swear on our people? The very people you failed to protect? I think you wish to die, Lloyd."

"I don't know what happened," He bites out. "Raze, please—"

My fingers lock around his throat and his eyes protrude. His fight for oxygen is one he will fail if I don't get answers. "That does not save you! Not knowing what happened is worse. It was your duty to watch our men. Who the fuck killed our men?"

I loosen my fingers just enough so that he can speak. His face contorts in anger and he strikes his leg out to nail my stomach. I release him, not because he caught me by surprise, but because I will allow him a final chance to stand his ground before I'm through with him. As I've said, ego is all a man has sometimes. I will allow him to go down with honour even if he's undeserving.

"Fuck you!" He spits. He puffs his chest out with false courage. He thinks he claimed the upper hand, that he rivalled me in strength. It's making him drunk with power. His lip curls as he gets into my space and shoves me back by the chest. Again, I allow him. My men go for their weapons but I hold a hand out to ward them off. "You know what your problem is? You're fucking spoiled. Just because Abram created this gang doesn't mean you're fit to run it as his son. I keep telling you I don't know how the ambush happened! If you were a true leader you would believe me!"

His fists clench like he's ready to...what? Fight me? I tilt my head just barely. What a horrible idea for him to consider.

"I never liked your smug ass," I click my tongue.

Lloyd flinches as I go for my pocket, all the more evidence that he is a coward, but forces himself to relax when I pull out a mere recording device. He's confused until I play the tape. His face drains of blood when he recognizes his voice.

"They're protecting the shipment on the warehouse just outside of Buffalo. It's five men including me so bring at least ten. Wait for my signal before you start shooting. Last fucking thing we need is for me to get caught in the crossfire. And bring the money I asked for or the deal is off."

I shut off the recording and Lloyd backs up, eyes darting for a way out. He won't find one.

"Which gang did you cut this deal with?" I demand in a low voice. "Speak the truth or the next minutes of your life will be excruciatingly painful."

"You don't understand," He pleads. "I was low on money. I was desperate."

"You are a traitor." I take a step forward and he backs up into the wall, trapped. "We look after our own. You were to approach me for a loan if you needed cash. Instead, four of our men are dead because of your greed. This is the last I will ask of you—who is responsible for their deaths?"

His mouth pinches into a thin line. He would rather protect the killers than himself? Then he should expect nothing less than death.

"Raze." He eyes the knife in my hand with a sort of maniacal frenzy. "You can't do this."

"Now you decide what I can and can't do?" I shake my head pitifully. "Your next words dictate what will be made of you. I am out of patience. Answer your leader, now."

"Fine!" His knees knock together and I glance down just as the front of his jeans darken in colour. I sneer. Disgusting man. "It was the Asesinos! I give you my word!"

"Your words mean nothing." I poise the tip of my knife at his jugular. He doesn't dare move. "What business did they want with the South Bloods?"

"T-they're looking to expand. They want to be as high-profile as we are. They've been stealing drugs and heavy artillery from all kinds of gangs and selling them for double the price."

"They will fail, just as you have."

"Raze, no! Please!"

The tip of the knife digs into his skin and just barely breaks the surface. A dot of blood appears and Lloyd gulps down bursts of air. His eyes are full of desperation and they plead with me. Stupid, stupid man. He was safe with us. He knows better than to make himself an enemy, especially to me. Part of me wants to spare the man I've known for a decade but I cannot make this decision with emotions. As a leader, I cannot show even an ounce of weakness for the sake of credibility alone. He shouldn't have expected mercy. He did this to himself.

"Run," I command. "While you can."

A man should die with hope. He should die believing he has a chance. Lloyd's eyes widen but he wastes no time taking off, his feet pounding heavily on the cement.

I count to three before I propel forward and follow him. I'm faster, more agile, and level-headed. His panic has made it impossible for him to breathe steady so he is breathless seconds into his run. I catch him by the back of his shirt and yank, wrapping my arm around his chest to lock him in place. He screams, begs, but it's pointless. I raise my hand and slash the knife across his throat, letting go of his body. It falls to the ground with a lifeless thump and he bleeds out all over the pavement. I wipe my knife on the back of his shirt and straighten up again.

"Get rid of it," I say when my men catch up. "I don't want any questions."

"What now?" One of them asks. The rest gather Lloyd's corpse and make calls for the tools to dispose of him.

"We avenge our men." I stick the knife back in my pocket and head for my car, knowing the rest will follow. "This is the final time any gang will cross me."

Or it will be my body bleeding out.

___________________________

A/N

Told y'all you weren't ready for this side of Greg. Are you as oddly turned on by him as I am? What a bad-ass.

Please VOTE, comment and share if you liked this chapter.

Happy Reading :)