7.5

Dare

I stood in my living room, the stench of blood heavy in the air, bodies scattered around me like discarded chess pieces. These men were supposed to be my recruits. Now they were nothing but lifeless proof of what happens when you cross me.

After watching the news, everything in my life had spiraled. I hadn’t expected her to be the Mayor’s daughter. It had never crossed my mind. She didn’t act like she came from money, and she never once mentioned her family—not that I gave her much of a chance to talk. I’d assumed she was another runaway, abandoned by the world, just like the rest of us.

But a million dollars changes everything. That kind of reward? It could make men betray their blood, and here I was, in the middle of the aftermath.

“No one touches what’s mine,” I muttered under my breath, tightening my grip on the situation.

Then came the voice from outside—grating, arrogant, and loud enough to make me grit my teeth.

“Listen up!” it called out. “We know you have the Mayor’s daughter. Bring her out, and no harm will come to you.”

I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. I couldn’t catch a moment’s peace. She’d just proven to me how much trouble she was, and yet…she was mine.

Opening a hidden compartment in the wall, I pulled out a loaded gun and a grenade. If they wanted to test me, I’d show them exactly why people feared stepping on my territory. I stormed to the front door, shoving it open with enough force to rattle its hinges.

Outside, two police cars sat with their lights flashing, painting the mansion’s driveway in eerie red and blue streaks. Six armed men stood around a middle-aged officer, likely the one in charge. He looked calm—too calm for a man walking into my world.

I scanned the faces. The question clawing at my mind wasn’t just how they knew she was here, but who told them. I had ensured no one alive could have leaked that information.

Then it hit me.

“Mark.”

That bastard. He was the only one unaccounted for. After I’d tossed him out of my house like the trash he was, I should’ve known his pride wouldn’t let it go. He must have run straight to the authorities, probably desperate to claw back some semblance of control.

My teeth clenched as I muttered his name again, quieter this time.

Revenge? Fine. He’d just signed his own death warrant.

“Where is she? We know she’s in there!” The man in the police uniform barked into his microphone, his voice echoing across the grounds.

I stood firm, gun in hand, my eyes scanning the line of officers spread out like ants trespassing on my property.

“No one is taking her out of here,” I replied, my voice cold and steady, making sure they all heard me loud and clear.

The officer’s face hardened. “We have you surrounded. Bring her out now!”

The audacity. Who did this man think he was? I raised my gun and fired a single shot, hitting one of the officers standing closest to him. The man crumpled to the ground, blood pooling beneath him.

That should’ve been their warning. I wasn’t bluffing. No one was taking her out of here.

Pulling the pin from the grenade in my hand, I lobbed it toward one of the police cars. The explosion sent debris flying, and officers scattered like roaches, some of them blown off their feet.

Chaos erupted. Gunfire rang out as they opened fire in retaliation. I darted behind the concrete walls for cover, the bullets pelting against the stone like hail. Peeking out, I took aim and shot two officers through their front mirrors, shattering glass and silencing them instantly.

From my left, I caught movement—a man trying to sneak through the garden. He didn’t make it far before I put a bullet in him, dropping him where he stood.

The sound of gunfire grew quieter. I looked around the corner just in time to see my men emerging from the shadows of the mansion. They moved quickly, efficiently, cutting down every officer on the scene. One by one, the intruders fell until only one man was left—a civilian in a black suit, crouched low and trembling as he hid behind a broken car door.

I stepped out from behind the wall, my boots crunching on the gravel as I approached him. He looked up, his face pale and drenched in sweat, barely able to meet my eyes.

“Who are you?” I demanded, my gun still in hand.

He raised his chin defiantly, his voice steady despite the fear in his eyes. “You have my daughter.”

I paused, narrowing my gaze. The man in front of me looked nothing like her. No resemblance at all.

She must’ve gotten her looks from her mother.

“I want my daughter,” the man repeated, his voice firmer this time, but it only made me smirk.

“Is that a threat or a command?” I asked, tilting my head slightly, my tone calm yet mocking.

“Listen here, young man,” he began, puffing out his chest, trying to muster some authority.

“I am the Mayor of this town. I have several men at my beck and call. I demand that you bring out my daughter this instant, or there will be dire consequences.”

I studied him for a moment, unimpressed. The rumors about the Mayor painted him as a ruthless, cunning figure capable of unspeakable things, someone no one dared to cross. But standing here in front of me, he was a disappointment. Small, frail, and hiding behind his power like a shield. I’d expected someone formidable, not this trembling shell of a man.

“She’s not leaving this mansion,” I said firmly.

“Listen, boy, you’re messing with the wrong person,” he shot back, his voice shaking despite his attempt to sound tough.

I stepped closer, closing the gap between us. The air grew heavier with each step, and his bravado crumbled under my glare.

“Your men are dead,” I said, my voice low but sharp. “Send more, and I’ll send their bodies back to you in pieces. Now listen carefully.”

Before he could react, my hand shot out, grabbing him by the neck. His eyes widened in panic as I squeezed tightly, cutting off his air.

“Your daughter is with me,” I growled, my grip tightening. “She’s safe here. And she’s never leaving. Not you, not your army, no one is taking her from me.”

I pulled my gun and shoved the barrel into his mouth, watching as his pupils dilated in terror. He froze, his body trembling beneath my hold.

“You’re going to go back home,” I said, my voice dripping with venom. “You’re going to call off this fucking search for her. You will never step foot on my property again. And if I so much as hear a whisper that you’re plotting to take her away from me…”

I leaned in closer, my face just inches from his, letting my words sink deep into his mind.

“…I’ll bring you here myself and let your daughter watch as I kill you with my bare hands. Do you understand me?”

He nodded weakly, the fight drained out of him, his face red as he gasped for air.

“Good,” I said, releasing my grip and shoving him to the ground. He collapsed in a heap, coughing and wheezing, barely holding himself together.

“Remember,” I added, towering over him, my shadow swallowing his small figure. “Your daughter is with me now. She’s mine.”

“Leave,” I said coldly, my voice cutting through the air. He scrambled on the rough ground, struggling to push himself up. His hands trembled, his movements clumsy, his fear noticeable. Good. That’s exactly how I wanted him to feel—small, powerless, terrified.

I should’ve killed him. That thought lingered in the back of my mind as I watched him stagger toward his car. Everyone else who tried to take what was mine had met their end. But this man—her father—somehow, I spared.

“Dad!”

Her voice echoed through, high-pitched and desperate. My jaw clenched as I heard her footsteps pounding the ground behind me. I turned, and there she was, racing toward him, a whirlwind of panic and tears.

He froze in his tracks, his eyes lighting up with hope as he stood by his car. She didn’t even glance my way as she ran past, her focus entirely on him.

But she didn’t make it far.

My hand shot out, grabbing her wrist and pulling her back toward me. She let out a gasp, stumbling into my chest. Her towel was loose, clinging halfly to her damp skin. She must’ve rushed straight from the shower when she heard the commotion.

She struggled against me, her body thrashing, her hands clawing at my arms. Her nails raked across my skin, leaving sharp red lines, but I didn’t flinch. My grip only tightened, one arm around her waist, the other steadying her flailing hands.

“Let me go!” she cried, twisting and kicking, trying to get free. Her eyes were wild with desperation, fixed on her father, who stood rooted in place, torn between his fear of me and his instinct to protect her.

I leaned in close, my lips barely moving as I whispered, “Leave.”

The Mayor’s face crumpled, his last shred of resolve shattering. He looked at his daughter, tears welling in his eyes, but he didn’t move toward her. Instead, he turned, climbed into his car, and drove off without looking back.

She screamed his name, fighting harder, but I didn’t let go. My grip stayed firm, holding her against me as her father disappeared down the driveway.