07. Law-abiding citizen

King…

[ Trigger warning: mentions of man slaughter, torture, gruesome violent activity]

" I didn't do it!" He managed to say as my hand was wrapped around his neck.

" Oh, but that's not what Richard said. He blew a fuse. Spilled his whole guts literally and figuratively. You stole my fifteen-million-dollar shipment and you fucken lie to my face!" I seethed.

" I..."

" Let him go, man. He is no use when he is dead. We still need to know who he is working for," Ronaldo said, placing a hand on my shoulder.

I dropped him on the cold floor. We were in the basement, down in my den. When I was told that my crates full of new tech weapons were stolen and, somehow, I had a mole in my family, I exploded. I did not want to believe I was being betrayed, but now I did, especially when two fuckers decided to try and get into my office.

He was now on the cold floor, sucking and searching for air. He would cough and then gasp. Ronaldo then kicked him in the lungs with his Timberlands and he groaned. I moved back because it was now time for Ronaldo to play.

" Bring the electric chair," he motioned to the other members that filled the whole torture chamber. I had ordered everyone to come and watch, for them to see what we do to snitches.

Alberto dragged a steel chair with him and placed it in the center of the room, under a single light bulb that hung up on the ceiling. The only source of light in this huge chamber. He picked up the weak cunt on the floor and threw him on the electric chair, strapping him on the seat.

Ronaldo emerged from the darkness with a gallon of water, before pouring all of it on the rat. Quinton gasped and searched for air as he could not breathe. The liquid entered his nostrils, causing him to let out a strangled cough.

Ronaldo, out of nowhere, tortured him. The electricity flows rapidly through the wet Quinton. If I weren't me, I would still enjoy this torture. Quinton gritted his teeth together as he was being electrified. Ronaldo wasn't showing any emotion about removing his thumb from the trigger, so I had to stop him from having his fun.

" Ronaldo!" I warned him and he removed his thumb from the trigger. Quinton's shoulders slumped as he continued to fight for air in his lungs. He was suffocating but I did not care.

" Who are you working for?" Ronaldo demanded, disappearing again into the light. I was seated on a leather couch, me being the VIP.

" I'm working for King!" he lied.

" So, you tell me, King wanted to sabotage himself?" Ronaldo asked, appearing back into the light, with something dragging behind him. It was shimmering and it scraped against the concrete floor.

Machete.

" No, I..." the guy managed to say until he saw the killer weapon in Ronaldo's hands and he froze.

" No, you?" Ronaldo enquired.

" Who sent you?" I repeated, standing from the seat and strutting towards the rat.

" No one sent me. I am loyal to this family," he lied and a smirk was embedded on Ronaldo's face. I took a step back as he dug the weapon into his hand, separating it from his arm. The hand flailed due to the attached skin.

Quinton screamed so loudly, it even echoed. Tears cascading down his cheeks, mixing with the rivers of blood leaking from him.

" Tell us who sent you and I'll take you to the hospital and I won't kill your son!" I seethed.

" Dominic Santiago!" he shouted.

" That wasn't hard now, was it?" I asked and I got a whimper as a response.

Ronaldo gave me the machete and in a single movement, it was digging into the top of his head, making him slowly lose his life. I do not know when, or how Ronaldo did it, but after I dug the machete into his head, he was now in flames, leading to his loud screams of agony.

" It was paraffin," Ronaldo spoke with a proud smile on his face and I nodded.

The metallic door burst open, grabbing everyone's attention. Lorenzo ran to us with a frown on his face as he saw the burning corpse on the steel chair. He chuckled and ran a hand through his messy salt-and-pepper hair.

" There was another hit," he spoke.

" What was stolen?" Ronaldo asked.

" They trashed one of our cabs and stole one of our girls," Lorenzo answered.

" Which one?" I asked.

" Dark Pearl, Los Angeles, not far from the club," Lorenzo responded.

" Who was the driver?" I asked.

" Leo. He is in hospital but he is awake," Lorenzo said, and I nodded.

" Clean up this mess" I said to the others before the three of us stormed out of the basement.

Why was my organization continuously taking shots?

We finally reached the doors that led to the main house. Lorenzo dialed the access code before the metallic doors flew open. We went inside the house, me rushing up towards the kitchen to get a bottle of water, while Lorenzo and Ronaldo went to tell our security team to prep the cars.

I grabbed the bottle from the fridge, twisted the cap and gulped down the water in one go. I wonder who decided to organize this hit. If it was Dominic Santiago, I would feed him his own ball sack before I burned him.

" Let's go!"

The SUVs were already waiting for us outside. Lorenzo got in first, deciding to sit at the back, while Ronaldo and I sat in front. The cars convoyed out, with ours in the middle. Lorenzo was busy with his iPad while both Ronaldo and I were in our thoughts.

" Did Quinton reveal who he was working for? " Lorenzo asked, balancing his folded arms at the back of our seat.

" Dominic Santiago," Ronaldo said.

" That Colombian cunt that caused the massacre in Chicago?" He asked, sounding impressed.

" That one," Ronaldo said.

" Damn," he said, and I rolled my eyes.

" What does he want?" I spoke.

More like asking myself than these two imbecilic people.

" Why are you asking me? Am I him?" Ronaldo scoffed. Proving to myself all the time that I am not wrong when I call them imbeciles.

" I'm not talking to you, idiota!" I spoke.

" Oh, so you are talking to yourself? You crazy motherfucker!" he scoffed, and Lorenzo chuckled.

" I'll kill you with my two bare hands if you don't shut up!" I threatened and he chuckled.

" You wish!" he scoffed.

We soon came to a stop. I glared out to check where we were but we were not at the club, that is for sure. I peeked out and close to us, I saw the car. It toppled over and there was glass down the road. Yellow tape closing the scene. The audience backed up at a corner while others were taking videos.

The police lights blinded my sight. We jumped out of the car, walking towards the scene, Lorenzo and Ronaldo following behind me. I took short yet long struts towards the scene. Police flooded around the scene, others stopping the audience. I stood close to the scene but far away from everyone else, so I could not be seen but to see what was happening. There was a dent on the side of the car. It seemed like a very heavy car crashed into it.

" Mr. Knight," I heard a feminine voice call out to me.

I turned to face the lady walking towards me, with a rooky or her tail following behind her.

" Florida Scott," I exclaimed.

" What are you doing here?" she asked, plastering a fake smile on her face.

" I was on my way to a club with my brothers until I caught such an amazing sight" I seethed. She peered over to see Ronaldo and Lorenzo standing behind me. A joint in both their hands.

" Gentlemen," she said with that cunning smile still on her face.

Lorenzo and Ronaldo looked at her before I nudged them, both feigning smiles on their faces. Ronaldo's took the cup. He was smiling like a three-year-old who got sweets.

" Florist", Ronaldo said with the same smile.

" Who is your tail for the night?" Lorenzo asked as he cocked a brow at the guy walking behind her, "Does your husband still not know of your promiscuous ways?"

" Look you bastards- " she said and I stopped her with just a raise of my hand.

" What do you want, Florida? Can't you see we are being gossipmongers in peace? So, what the fuck do you and your tail want?" I seethed.

" I'm not her tail. I'm Detective Jacob Scott," the boy ranted, and we all turned to face each other with smiles on our faces.

" I didn't know you were nepotistic?" I said, facing the captain.

" I didn't know you were a dick!" she seethed.

" Oh, please sweetie, stop dreaming about my dick and talking about it in front of your son or whatever your tail is." I shot back.

" I will end your reign!" she seethed and I chuckled.

" My reign? Knight and Co Enterprises? For what? I'm a law-abiding citizen and I pay my taxes just like everyone, so that you, useless police, could stuff your faces with donuts, so why are you threatening me? " I whined the last part, feigning a sad face. She turned away, dragging her son along with her.

" That flat ass bitch," Ronaldo seethed and I chuckled.

" You like them with no ass," Lorenzo scoffed.

" No, I don't," Ronaldo said, defending himself.

" Yes, you do," I added, and he pressed his hand on his chest with shock.

" Oh no you didn't," he said, his voice high pitched.

" Let's go," I said as we turned away to go back to the SUV.

We climbed in and the driver drove us away. It didn't take us more than five minutes to reach Dark Crystal. Fernando was standing outside before he bowed his head in respect and we nodded. He opened the doors to the club and we walked in.

There were few people in the club, because there were no dancers on the stage. People filled up the bar while others sat in hope for a dance. We walked towards the back of the club, going up the ascending stairs. Passing the first and second floors, going to the third floor, which was our floor. We walked up to our office, Lorenzo swiping the access key against the pad.

The doors went open and we slithered in. Ronaldo went up to the desk, pressing a hidden button. The book shelf on the right side, slid open, revealing a display of expensive cloths.

Masks.

They were all the same design. It is just that mine had Carbonados, Ronaldo's had red ruby's while Lorenzo's has emeralds.

I grabbed the masks and handed them each of their barricade diamond masks. These things cost us millions, because they were custom made for us, designed by a British fashion designer. We put the masks on before we headed out the office, going back to the first floor.

We finally reached it, going to Patrick's office. We opened the door to find the room filled with the dancers. Some in their costumes while others were wearing their personal clothes.

Lorenzo's eyes peered over at a girl whose string was disappearing into her butt. He stifled a groan and quickly turned away while Ronaldo seethed. I strutted over to the front of everyone, with the two imbeciles walking behind me.

" King," Patrick greeted.

" Mm," I hummed.

" I thought you were coming on Monday?" he questioned.

" You really think that I would blindside the fact that one of my girls got stolen and one of my men got injured?" I asked, glaring at him.

" No," he said, and I waved him off.

" Ladies," I said, ignoring the thin stick close to me.

" King," they all seductively purred in unison.

Whores!

" I'm not sure if you have heard, but one of our girls has been abducted," I said and, as I expected, gasps filled the room while others formed inaudible conversations at the back. " I know, you are all scared, but you should not. We will do everything in our might to protect you guys."

" What about the girl that was taken?" someone asked.

" We still do not know who it was. Patrick, please search and do a checklist of all our girls so we can see who it was." Lorenzo said, and Patrick nodded.

" We will organize safer, standardized SUVs to take you guys back home. But please do continue coming to work, we will handle the situation," Ronaldo added, and the girls nodded.

" That's all we have to say to you all," I said, ending the small meeting. " Patrick, find the girl as soon as possible, so we can know who we are looking for."

" Why don't we ask Leo?" Ronaldo suggested, and we nodded.

I walked over to Patrick and whispered in his ear. " Take care of the situation this side" and he nodded.

Ronaldo and Lorenzo had already strutted out the door and I followed suit. We walked out of the club, still wearing our masks, and got inside the car. We removed them and my driver handed us a briefcase. I took it and opened it before placing the masks in it. I used my fingerprint scanner to close and lock it.

" Take us to LA hospital," Ronaldo said before leaning back into his seat.

I don't know when we arrived, but Lorenzo patted my back, telling me to get out of the car. We jumped out before walking into the hospital building. The place smelt of medicine and disinfectants. We strutted over to the reception. The lady looked at us, with a smile on her face.

" Good evening, how can we help you?" The lady asked.

" We would like to see Leo Jameson," I said with a forced smile plastered on my face.

" Are you his relatives?" the lady asked.

" I'm his husband," Ronaldo blurted out.

" And we are his brothers," Lorenzo said.

" Oh, right this way sir," the lady said, getting off her chair and walked out from behind the reception desk.

She led us into the elevator. Ronaldo acted like a devastated damsel and feigned sadness. Lorenzo shushed him and told him everything was going to be okay, while I rolled my eyes.

The doors slid open and then we followed the lady to a room close to the elevator. She let us through before she excused herself. Leo was seated, his arm behind his head while the other was holding the remote. He turned to face us and his body froze. We waltzed around the room, Ronaldo not forgetting to close the door.

" Hey buddy," Lorenzo said, walking over to the other side of the bed.

" Don't worry, we are not here to kill you. We are here to pay our respects and to tell you I'll be paying for your hospital bill," I said and he nodded, thankfully.

" May you tell us what happened?" Ronaldo asked, dragging two chairs with him and we plopped down.

" I was driving one of the girls back home. She lives on Kennedy Road in block eight. We were talking when we got blinded by lights and the car toppled over. When I became conscious, I saw her being dragged into some van," he said.

" Who is she?" Ronaldo asked.

" Anastasia," he said, and we nodded.

" Do you know her stage name or her surname?" I asked and he shook his head no.

" Well, thank you," Ronaldo said.

" I just texted Patrick the missing girl's name and asked for her whole file," Lorenzo said.

We left the hospital, obviously after promising Leo some money because he almost died, working for me. He was involved in something he did not know about, so I felt accountable.

We were now on our way home. I could not even imagine what the poor girl was going through. I do not usually care about my girls. If they bring me money, I am good... but something told me I would be very worried about this specific one due to the situation.

We were now going up the never-ending driveway leading to the mansion, the Den, we call it. When the cars stopped, we jumped out, immediately strutting towards the house. I pushed the door open, the whole family walking about in their casual clothes. They greeted me as I passed them to go to my room on the third floor, where the most important people's bedrooms reside.

I climbed into the elevator and when the doors slid open, I climbed out and went to my bedroom. My room was the last door down the corridor. I walked inside the dim room, slipping off the suit jacket and placing it on the bed. I strutted over towards my bathroom.

I slipped my clothes off before heading into the shower. I needed a cold one. It helped me think. After the cold shower, I walked out with a towel around my waist, heading into the closet to get a black hoodie and black pantsuits. I slid into some slides before heading over towards my bed, to take a three-minute nap.

Knock knock*

" Come in," I said, climbing on to the bed and resting my head against the headboard.

Then they walked in, both with smiles on their faces which I could not help myself to not smile back. She ran up to me, jumped on the bed before wrapping her arms around me. I pecked a kiss on her cheeks and on her forehead.

" Daddy!" she screamed as I started tickling her.

" How are you, princess?" I asked, placing her on top of the waterbed.

" I'm okay. I had chocolate chip waffles with ice cream for breakfast", she said enthusiastically, and I glared at the female behind her.

" Tania wasn't sure about what she wanted, so the sweet lady at the diner surprised her," she said, and I nodded.

" Will you be able to take care of her tomorrow?" I asked her.

" Fratello," she sighed. " You do know I have other things to do, right?"

" I know, but look Syd, I must deal with the family. I cannot take care of a five-year-old as well," I said, and she sighed.

" Serves you right for not wrapping it up," she scoffed and I frowned.

" Tania is still in the room," I said and she rolled her eyes.

" Storm, I will not stay long. At the end of the week, I am going back to my own life in Greece. The reason I do not want to live here nor in Milan is because I am running away from the family, so one more week and I am out," she said.

" Thanks sis, I owe you one," I said and she rolled her eyes before walking out my room, leaving me and my princess.

" Daddy, I want to go back to the diner," she said before jumping on me and straddling me on my stomach.

" Why principessa?" I asked, playing with her tiny hands.

" So that the nice lady can give me another surprise, daddy! She calls me little princess," she said, revealing her deep dimples that she had gotten from me.

" And what's the nice lady's name, principessa?" I asked.

" She said it was Anastasia," she said, and I frowned.

" Are you sure that's her name?" I asked and she nodded enthusiastically.

" Daddy, I'm sleeping here," she said, moving her tiny body towards the end of the California King bed, to drag the blankets and cover herself with them.

" Daddy will join you, okay?" I said and she frowned, her youthful skin creasing near her eyebrows. A small pout was embedded in her face. Her black eyes glistening. I sighed aloud. " Come."

She smiled. I carried her up and she placed her tiny arms around my neck as we walked out of the room, going downstairs. We climbed up in the elevator, and she held me tight as the elevator went down. When we finally reached the last floor, we climbed out of the elevator.

" Send everyone to the boardroom," I whispered in one of the soldier's ears and he nodded.

"Daddy, I want ice cream," she said and I chuckled.

" You had ice cream in the morning," I said.

" I want ice cream," she said, and I sighed.

I walked with her to the kitchen; grabbing out a bowl and an ice cream tub from the freezer. I scooped the ice cream three times and placed it in the bowl, before placing it down on the kitchen island with a teaspoon. I then took it and gave it to her. Her face lightened up as she started eating.

" Sir, they are waiting," the soldier said, and I nodded.

" Let's go, you will eat in the boardroom." I said, walking behind her as she focused on the ice cream rather than where she was walking. " Tania, left."

She turned left, almost hitting her head against the door, but I pushed it open in time. She did not even dare to look up. She walked into the boardroom, munching the ice cream away. I followed suit, everyone glaring at the princess eating the ice cream. One thing I know, everyone loved her like their own.

" Sorry guys, she decided to join us today," I said and everyone snickered.

I picked her up and placed her on my throne at the head of the table. Lorenzo and Ronaldo's seats, which were situated next to mine, were empty.

Where were they?

I turned to face Alberto but he shrugged, causing me to frown. I stood behind my throne and as I was about to talk, the two imbeciles came rushing in. "Sorry" they whispered in both my ears as they sat down, Lorenzo holding a file in his hand.

" Sorry for calling you in this late, I see we were all prepared to go and sleep," I said, eyeing those in sweatpants and pajama shorts. " I'm here to call you and announce that Dominic Santiago is throwing an attack at us. He sent moles up into our Den, not knowing that they were never to come out alive in a cave full of Monsters. Later, I was called as someone attacked one of our cars for the girls in Los Angeles. A girl was abducted while the driver is still in hospital."

" Do you know who is behind this attack?" a soldier asked, and I turned to face Lorenzo and Ronaldo.

" Dominic Santiago," Lorenzo said, and everyone sighed. Including myself.

" He is throwing an attack at us. I do not know what he wants, or why he is doing what he is doing, but I know, we must find the girl and end whatever he thinks he is doing," Ronaldo said.

" Do you have any information on the girl?" I asked Lorenzo and he nodded.

" Cataleya Anastasia Tory," he said.

" She's Colombian ?" I asked with furrowed eyebrows.

Somehow, her name sounded familiar.

Cataleya.

" Anastasia," a tiny voice raptured from my throne and we all glared at her. Her mouth was covered in ice cream. Her eyes were glooming over the picture on the file. " Daddy, this is the lady from the diner. She brought me ice cream."

" That's another thing I called us for. She mentioned Anastasia from the diner and I wanted one of you guys to get something about her from the manager of Derick's Diner." I said, and the guys nodded.

" Are you sure that's her, Tania?" Ronaldo asked and the girl nodded.

" Lorenzo, tomorrow I want you to go to the diner and get information on the girl," I said and he nodded.

" Ronaldo, organise a task team to search for a place where the Colombians reside and a place where they would place her," I said and he nodded.

" Lorenzo, get more SUVs. Custom them so they would be safe for all the girls," I said and he nodded. " That will be all."

I was about to walk out when a squeal stopped me. Tania. I quickly grabbed her and placed the empty bowl back on the table. They will handle it. We walked out of the boardroom, went on to the elevator, and climbed in.

When we reached the floor, I climbed out of the elevator. I strolled towards my bedroom and when we arrived, I placed her on the king-sized water bed. She tugged herself underneath the blankets and I too joined her.

" Daddy, are we going to the diner?" she asked as I settled next to her.

" Why don't you go with Uncle Lorenzo and Aunty Sydney?" I asked.

" But I want to go with you," she said with pouted lips.

" But daddy is busy, principessa," I said.

" He always is," she said, turning her fragile body away from me.

Shit! How do you deal with a five-year-old child?

I tried to drag her tiny body towards mine but she would not budge. Her body would jerk up and she would mutter inaudible words from her lips.

" Okay fine, I'll come with you," I said, she squealed. Little diavolo.

I managed to drag her body on to mine, her head placed on my chest. She snuggled on to my hoodie while I played with her black silky hair, soothing her so she could fall asleep and I could go to work. Her breathing became slower and her body became heavier as she relaxed.

" Cataleya," I whispered, still brushing Tania's black hair. Something was quite familiar with that name.

" Catalina!" I roared, Tania groaned, and I continued to brush her hair.

I took my phone and sent Lorenzo a text. When I felt the tiny person on me was dead sleep, I gently moved her from my chest and gently tucked her in. Her tiny body camouflaged, making her look like a pillow. I rushed into my closet, grabbing a pair of black Airforces and a watch.

I walked over to my watches before turning on the Rolex ones and a secret closet emerged from behind my hung clothes. I grabbed up two untraceable, 9mms. I filled the magazine with bullets before placing the weapons in safety and tucking them behind my pants, dragging the hoodie to hide the weapons.

I grabbed three blades before placing them in a holster, and wrapping the holster around my calf, also placing three magazines before dragging the leg down, to hide my weapons. I then took a fire grenade and placed it in my hoodie pocket. You can never be too safe.

I switched the watches back and the closet disappeared. I walked up into my room, to make sure that Tania was sleeping and she was. I switched off the lights in the room and walked out of the room. I rushed towards the elevator and climbed in. It pinged open and I rushed towards my office.

Lorenzo and Ronaldo were already waiting for me. All of us were wearing the same attire. On my desk, a silver briefcase was situated. I walked over to it, did the fingerprint scanner, and revealed the masks.

" And?" I asked, looking at Lorenzo.

" Cataleya is Catalina," he said, and I groaned.

" What's wrong?" Ronaldo asked and I shook my head no.

" Let's just go get the shipment from the dock," I said, grabbing the mask and placing it over my head.

They looked at me quizzically and I waved them off, walking out the office and going outside to the cars. This time we were traveling with the i8s. They were fast, bullet proof and they had more work done on them to help us escape deadly situations. I hopped up in mine, which was matte black, while Lorenzo's and Ronaldo's were milky white.

I saw them walk out the mansion, as I closed the car door. Voice activation and the ignition went on. When the two got inside their cars, black SUVs emerged from behind us. One of the SUVs led the way as we all followed suit.