AUTHOR’S POV

“bChange /bof ns, Get Ro hitched up in the warehouse in the next ten minutes!” Lucian growled as he stormed outside the mere presence like an active volcano ready to erupt any minute.

bestate/b.

his

“On it, boss.” Ace’s response was tight, his jaw clenching as he threw a re up the stairs, knowing exactly who was bresponsible /bfor the sudden shift in Lucian’s mood.

Ace hated that Alina held so much power over a man whomanded an entire country from the shadows, a man whose very name made others quake in terror, yet one tiny bwoman /bwas bhis /bundoing.

He wished he had a way of getting rid of Alina once and for-

“ACEb! /b!--

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Lucian’s booming voice startled him back to reality

“Shit.” Ace cursed under his breath, already moving into action. Someone was about to bear the full brunt of Lucian’s wrath, band /bfor once, Ace was grateful it wasn’t him.

Ace rushed out to find Twenty guards standing in a rigid formation, their faces tense and bodies stiff under Lucian’s burning stare. When he addressed them, his voice carried the weight bof /babsolute authority.

Lucian bhad /ba strong Aura that can make any grown man wet themselves whenever he is in the room, it’s even worse when he is angry.

“I do not want her leaving this estate without my knowledge. In fact, on no ount should anything living or otherwisee into or go off these grounds without my permission. Understood??”

“Yes, boss.” All twenty guards echoed in unison.

There were some new guards amongst the older ones, but the newer bones /bwere well informed that when it came to Alina, Lucian didn’t mess around. The older ones had witnessed the endless battle between the master of the house and mistress band /bunderstood that his threats were never idle words.

“I’m not sure I’m quite clear,” Lucian went on, his tone icy. “If Alina leaves this premises, you’d better not be here when I get back. Is that clear enough?“.

A wavering “Yes, boss” rose from the newer guards. Ace suppressed archuckle, this was hardly the atmosphere for amusement, but he couldn’t help it.

“ACE

Lucian’s voice slices through the air, snapping Ace to attention.

“Right here, boss.” Ace sounded behind bLucian /blike his constant shadow.

Lucian turned his bre /bon him. “I hope Ro is already at the warehouse.”

“He is, boss. Ace replied swiftly.

“Let’s get moving then. Lucian gritted, he could hardly wait to unleash his anger.

Ace opened the car door for Lucian, then slid into the driver’s seat. The ride bto /bthe warehouse bwas /bfilled with a tense silence, the only bsound /bthat could be heard bwas /bbut the hum of the engine and the anger radiating from Lucian. It was something Ace was used to, though he never liked it.

As soon as the car pulled up. Lucian bstepped /bout without waiting for Ace to open the door. Ace puffed out an air of relief, d he could breathe freely again.

The “warehouseb” /bwasn’t ba /bbstorage /bfacility per say. It was a huge building that housed a shooting range, a boxing ring, a fighting arena and

beneath bit /ball, a cold–metal section where Lucian vented his wrath on those who bcrossed /bhim.

The moment Lucian stepped in, the atmosphere shifted. Every bperson /bpaused midb–/bbaction /band lowered their heads in respect.

There were rumors whispered of Lucian having ties with the mafia, of bodies of victims which he killed left unimed, but no bproof /b

6:27 AMolli/li/ol

bhad /bever stuck enough for thew to pin anything on him. His businesses remained spotles,

solid sil

“He better be in there,” Lucian growled to the guards posted at a bsolid /bsilver door.

“Yes, boss. He is in there.”

They swung open the door and on the other side revealed ba /bbman /bin histe thirties–Ro–hanging limply from the ceiling. unconscious.

“Why in the devil’s name is he unconscious, Ace?” Lucian growled. He liked his victims alert; he wanted each bruise to bear his own personal touch.

“He was making a fuss when they brought him in, bossb, /bso they knocked him out.” Ace bexined/b.

Lucian’s lips curled in annoyance. “Wake him the fuck up, then.”

He made his way to a table on the other end of the room where ba /bpair of leather gloves and other torture devicey waiting. He knew blood was binevitable/b, he just didn’t want it soiling his bare hands.

When he turned back, Ro had been doused in cold water and was blinking himself awake, looking panicked as he eyes flickered around trying to make sense of his surrounding. His eyes finally focused on Lucian and they widened in pure horror which gave Lucian

sense of satisfaction.

“Mr. Mr. ckwo. ckwood.” bRo /bstuttered, his voice squeaking in fear.

Lucian slowly closed the distance between them, his presence stifling, a sadistic look on his face. “Have I been too soft with you, Ro?” His voice was as sharp as a knife, his eyes unflinching on Ro’s face.

A shiver of fear ran through bRo’s /bbbody/b, his skin breaking out in cold swear. He realized he had mad a deadly mistake, he knew Lucian ckwood wasn’t a man to be toiled with but he’d assumed for some reason that Lucian would forget the debt he owned. He was after all just another face from a bunch, but now he knew how wrong he had been

“1. wi.. will pay back your mon.. money. I s… swear, Mr. ckwood.” Ro’s voice bcracked /bas he wet himself.

Both Lucian and Ace eyes flickered down to his crotch area. Lucian’s lip curled in disgust while bAce’s /bexpression was a mix of amusement and a little bit of pity. Lucian was using the anger bcaused /bby Alina to deal bwith /bRo, he stood no chance.

“Oh, but of course you will bpay /bme back, Ro, Lucian sneered, a cruel smile spreading across his face. “You’ll pay me down to thest dime. But first, I bhave /bto make an example of you.”

With that, he delivered his first punch. The sickening crunch echoed through the room.

But it was only the beginning of Ro’s reckoning.

b2/2 /b

AD

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