Chapter 1~ A MONSTER

Aiden,

I sat at the back of the car, the window rolled down as I took a long drag from the cigar between my lips, then puffed a cloud of smoke that curled around me. I watched as two men stumbled out of the abandoned building across the street, fists flying as they fought each other.

"What is the time?"

"It's half past four, boss," my driver replied, turning to me

"What the fuck are they still doing there?" I grunted with irritation.

They should have been done an hour ago why were they still there?

"Boss, Should I go check on things?"

I pushed my head back against the seat, closing my eyes as I took another drag. "Goddamit,"

I opened the door and stepped out. I tucked my hand into my pocket as I walked towards the building, eyes locked on the two men on the ground, still throwing punches. I drew my gun from the holster and fired. The man on top collapsed, lifeless, onto the body of the other man.

"Boss, I am one of your men!" The man who was badly beaten on the ground screamed as I pointed the gun at him.

I tilted my head to the side, my eyes narrowing. He pushed the corpse away, rolling up his sleeve to reveal a tattoo of a skull impaled with a sword. The symbol of the Kingston family.

"What year did you join, kid?" I asked, eyeing the weakling before me.

"Last hear, Boss," he replied in a shaky voice, his eyes on the ground.

Such a pussy.

I would have to question Storm on why the recruits from last year were such weaklings. How could he have let himself be beaten to that extent? If he was to go back in there he would end up dead. Not that I care.

"Get up," I commanded, letting the cigar fall to the ground and crushing it under my shoe.

A man charged at me with a steel pipe, swinging it to land a hit, and I pulled the trigger, his body falling with a thud as he struggled to breathe.

"Get your weak ass moving and do something," I barked.

He scrambled to his feet, trembling. "Yes, boss,"

I stepped into the building, my eyes scanning the area. It was a chaotic mess of men swinging steel pipes, wooden planks, and hammers with vicious intent at each other. The clang of metal on metal, grunts, and screams filled the air. A gun would have put an end to this a long time ago.

One of my men was held down by several members of the rival family. I fired taking down four of them with clean shots. The fighting ceased, and all eyes turned to me. The room went silent except for the heavy breathing of the fighters.

I ran my finger through my hair. I was supposed to stay out of anything that would ruin my suit.

"Don't just stare, swing those weak arms!" I extended my hand and shot another man as the fight continued.

"Aiden Kingston!" I heard a man scream my name.

I turned to see a huge bald man with an eyepatch, his face twisted in anger. "Just die already." I grumbled, pointing the gun in his direction.

"Do you remember me?" He gritted.

I raised an eyebrow, studying his face. Was he someone I was supposed to know?

"I don't usually remember every unimportant face I run into?"

He clenched his jaw, pointing at his eyepatch. "You took my eye three years ago! How dare you forget me!" He yelled, matching towards me.

I chuckled. "Ah, you must have caught me in a good mood. I let you off easily, and you have the balls to show up again?"

"If you are man enough, let's settle this in hand-to-hand combat." He said. "I will have your two eyes gouged!"

"In as much as I will enjoy beating the shit out of you, I have an appointment today, and the last thing I want is to ruin my suit."

I shot his legs, and he crumpled to the ground screaming. I approached him slowly, pressing the barrel of the gun against his forehead. He glared up at me. "You bastard," he spat. "I won't beg for my life."

"You don't need to, buddy."

"The Kingston family will fall soon, and you will be the first, Aiden Kingston. The other families..."

I pulled the trigger, ending his life interrupting whatever garbage he was planning on spewing.

I saw a shadow move behind me, and someone yelled, "Boss, behind you!"

I spun around quickly, my gun raised as I fired, the bullet hitting his chest.I stared down in horror as a spray of blood splattered across my coat and shirt.

Another man came forward his hammer raised high, I grabbed his wrist, twisting it as I pressed the gun to his stomach and fired two shots then shoved him.

There was no need holding back. I took of my gloves and tied my hair into a bun then wore it back.

Picking up a steel pipe from the man that stained my coat, I moved through the building smashing heads and bodies with unrestrained anger.

"Get rid of the bodies. Hurry!" Storm relayed my orders to the other men and they stood up immediately carrying it out.

I walked out of the building, the air around me not tainted with the smell of gun powder and blood. The morning was calm but it wouldn't last. Not with these roaches stiring up trouble.

I reached into my coat pocket and pulled out a box. Flipping it open, I selected a cigar and clipped the cap with a cutter. Placing the cigar between my lips, I patted my pockets for my lighter.

"Boss," the kid I saved earlier said, and I turned to him.

He was holding out a lighter. "You survived?" I murmured, holding the foot of the cigar near the lighter when he lit it.

"Yes, thank you for saving me." he had his head to the ground.

I chuckled, drawing air through the cigar, allowing the flame to catch and the tobacco to smoulder evenly.

"How old are you?" I asked, eyeing him. He looked like he was in his early twenties.

"Twenty-five, boss," he replied.

"Oh,"

I took a drag from the cigar, savouring the taste as I exhaled.

I remembered being nineteen when I joined the family. I just got out of prison, abandoned by my family when the Don found me. He came to pick up someone but got the news that a rival family had killed him that morning. So he took me instead and adopted me.

And it was because of the Don that I had a chance to face my nightmares and deal with it permanently.

♧♧♧♧♧♧♧♧♧♧

I stepped out of the car, a freshly lit cigar dangling from my lips. I was on my way to meet the chairman of a company that was under our family's protection. I flickered an ash from the new suit I had changed into after the morning fight.

My eyes fell on a woman stepping out of her car a few spaces ahead as I crossed the parking lot. I couldn't see her face, only her back. Her long blonde hair tumbled down her  back just above  her firm, round ass. The dress she wore did little to hide the gentle curve of her hips. I watched her put her phone into her purse, her hips swaying seductively as she walked, demanding my full attention.

I found myself curious about a woman I hadn't seen her face yet. I walked in long strides behind her to catch up, my eyes fixed on the way her body moved, completely absorbed in her own thought. I reached out lightly, brushing a few strands of her soft, silky hair between my fingers. I smiled, wondering what had her so distracted that she didn't realise a man was behind her.

I was about to say something when she stumbled, a gasp escaping her lips when my arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her against me.

When she turned, my eyes widened slightly as emerald green eyes stared back at me. She was even more beautiful than I imagined. My eyes fell on her full lips, and I fought the urge to run my thumb against them.

A dark, twisted urge swelled within me as I took a drag from the cigar, my eyes holding hers.

I don't care what it takes. I want her.