CHAPTER 304: CHAPTER 304 NOT TODAY

Tony froze when he saw Liam step into view. The image of his friend, Aiden, being lifted off the ground by his neck was still fresh in Tony’s mind. His body shook as the memory came back, the urgency still raw.

He swallowed hard.

"I–I–I..." he started, voice cracking.

"Where is he?" Liam’s voice was low, so cold it cut through the noise in the lot.

Tony’s hand dropped to Aiden, slumped against the side of the car. "He’s... he’s in the back seat," Tony said, voice barely louder than a whisper.

Dickson raised an eyebrow. He leaned back against the hood of the car. "Huh! You two have history? That’s... unexpected. What did I miss?" He laughed, arms folded across his chest, scanning the exchange.

Liam didn’t respond. He didn’t crack a smile or glance his way. He focused on the car and on Aiden. Then he moved. Quick, silent—like a panther on a kill.

In one smooth motion he opened the door and reached in. He pulled Aiden out of the vehicle as if he weighed nothing.

Aiden collapsed to his knees. He looked up at Liam, eyes red and unfocused. His face twisted. The alcohol had made him brave in a stupid way.

"You! You came again," he slurred. "This time... I kill you... feed you your own teeth!" His insults were barely coherent. Tony winced.

Liam didn’t speak. He just listened and let the words sink in.

Aiden spat again. "I kill you! I kill you!" each syllable dragged out, slurred from intoxication and rage.

Liam’s lips curved into a cold smile. "What a coincidence." He gripped Aiden by the neck again and lifted him off the ground. This time Aiden’s knees cleared the pavement. His legs kicked uselessly.

"This guy is here for the same reason." Liam kept his eyes fixed on Aiden’s face as he spoke. His voice was clipped, matter-of-fact.

Aiden’s head lolled. His hair swung forward as Liam tightened his grip.

Tony stumbled back. His legs buckled as his friend’s rear end dropped to the ground before Liam. The strain hit Tony hard. He knelt, pressing one hand to his mouth.

Tony didn’t speak. He shut his eyes. He watched, helpless. He bowed his head and tried to look away.

Liam’s stance was firm and unwavering. He stayed locked on Aiden as the man’s eyes began to lose focus. His windpipe squeezed tight. His muscles trembled.

Outside, cars quietly rolled by. The party inside the mansion still rattled with noise, but it felt like a million miles away.

Aiden’s boots trembled centimeters above the ground. His mouth opened and closed. He tried to breathe. No air came through.

Liam didn’t let go.

Tony’s voice cracked. Still on a knee. "Stop. Please. You’re gonna kill him."

Liam’s eyes didn’t flick away. His grip didn’t loosen.

Aiden’s eyes rolled back. His body went limp and heavy.

Liam’s muscles bulged as he held him there. He didn’t look angry. He looked absolutely calm, cold. Like he was waiting for something to break.

Then a distinct footstep on pavement hit him. It caused him to pause.

He turned to find Dickson standing next to the car. He’d moved while Liam was focused on Aiden. The change in air felt instant. Liam loosened his grip but didn’t release Aiden yet.

Dickson rubbed his forehead. He walked slowly forward. He kept his voice low.

"Look man, I don’t know what he did. But you can’t go around killing everyone who offends you."

Liam didn’t blink. He flicked his eyes between Aiden and Dickson.

Dickson cut his eyes to Liam’s. He rested his hand on the hood of the car. He sounded firm, calm, and real.

"He’s liable to die if you don’t stop," Dickson said.

Liam’s face hardened. He looked back at the wasted man in his grip. Aiden’s throat was red and bruising already.

"He almost hurt Vanessa," Liam said in one breath. "He deserves to die."

Dickson frowned. He shook his head and raised one fist, voice low and edged. "Is that you saying this?"

He paused. "He’s fucked up. But death is still too much. We can’t do that."

Liam’s hand quivered slightly. He didn’t let go. Aiden’s arms dropped lifeless, head cleaning below. His eyes were glazed over.

Tony pushed himself up from the ground and swayed. He sounded shaky, but his voice carried.

"Man... he’s gone. Just... let him go." He rushed forward with caution.

Aiden started breathing irregularly as the pressure eased. He sucked in a long, gasping breath, then folded against Liam’s hand.

Tony edged closer. Dickson stepped back to give room.

Liam tightened his fist, eyes locked. He looked at the broken man in his grip. Then he looked at Dickson.

Dickson waved a hand. "Come on, man. Let him go before he actually dies."

Liam hesitated. He closed his eyes. He exhaled.

Slowly his fingers loosened.

Aiden tumbled forward. His body hit the asphalt with a soft thud. He coughed violently. He sucked in air like a dying fish.

All three men stood frozen.

Aiden crawled backward on his hands, wheezing, tears in his eyes. Tony rushed to catch him. He steadied him against the car.

Liam didn’t move. He just stared down at the body of a broken man.

Then he spoke.

He spoke just loud enough for Tony and Dickson to hear.

Dickson grabbed Liam by the back of his collar. Liam snapped his head toward him.

"You!" Liam growled.

Dickson sneered. He pulled Liam toward the Rolls‑Royce. "Let’s go before you do more damage."

Liam climbed in silently. Dickson closed the door, slid behind the wheel, and started the engine. They passed through the mansion gate, and the guards nodded, waving them through as soon as they saw Dickson’s face. They recognized him.

The Cullinan rolled out onto the street, leaving the mansion’s lights behind. As they merged into the flow of traffic, Dickson tweaked the rear‑view mirror and locked eyes with Liam in the backseat.

Liam raised an eyebrow. "Say it," he said.

Dickson didn’t hesitate. He shifted gear and exhaled hard. "How many people have you killed to date?"

Liam looked out the window, as if counting streetlights. He furrowed his brows in thought.

Dickson stared at him, mouth open. Then he spoke again. "Don’t tell me it’s more than ten?"

Liam remained silent.

"Twenty?"

Liam didn’t blink.

"Thirty?"

Still no answer.

"Forty?"

Liam finally responded, voice calm. "Stop guessing. I lost track."

Dickson ground his teeth and jammed the wheel into a sharp turn. "So you really go around killing anyone you like?"

Liam watched people on the sidewalk. Homeless families gathered around small fires, trying to stay warm. Others passed by, eyes on their own destinies. He shook his head. "I kill only those who deserve it. Only those who take advantage of the weak."

Dickson shouted over traffic noise. "Is it your place to judge?"

Liam burst out laughing. It cut through the quiet like a knife. He met Dickson’s reflection in the mirror. "If I don’t judge them, then who will?"

Dickson looked sideways, his voice strained. "I don’t know, maybe the system?"

Liam’s smile didn’t waver as he looked out again. "Honestly, even the system is worse. The police, the government, the Crimson Hand—they’re all part of a dangerous conspiracy."

He turned sharply to look at Dickson. "I don’t care how many people get killed. I will see it through to the bottom."

Dickson’s grip tightened on the wheel. The car went silent except for the hum of the engine and lurch of passing traffic.They continued down the highway. Both men were quiet. The weight of what was said still lingered in the cabin.

Dickson finally spoke. "You really think you’re above the law?"

Liam shifted slightly, folding his arms. "I do this because the law failed. Corruption runs to the top. And until someone breaks the sickness, nothing will change."

Dickson glanced at him again in the mirror. "You think killing is the answer?"

Liam’s expression hardened. "Killing those who prey on others does more than talking. It gives people hope."

Dickson gripped the wheel tight. "Hope doesn’t come from murder."

Liam laughed again, bitterness edged in. "Hope comes from results."

Dickson studied him. Not with admiration, but concern. "There is a difference between justice and revenge."

Liam responded without turning. "The system won’t give us justice. We have to take it ourselves."

They passed under city lights. Liam’s gaze was fixed ahead.

Dickson changed lanes. "And what do you plan to do next?"

Liam said nothing at first. He folded his hands across his chest and leaned back. "We find who made that serum. We’ll bring down Boss’s operation."

Dickson nodded slowly. "And the people who killed when they broke their code?"

"They’ll pay."

Dickson sighed deeply. "Just... don’t lose yourself."

Liam turned to him. "Losing myself isn’t an option. I’ve never been clearer."

They drove on. The city rolled past, unaware.

The ride grew long in silence. Dickson monitored Liam’s face in the mirror, saw the resolve in his eyes. Every time the headlights reflected off the mask, Liam looked invincible.

After several miles, traffic slowed near a construction zone. They caught up to red lights, brake lamps flaring around them. Dickson tapped fingers on the wheel.

"Where to now?" he asked quietly.