CHAPTER 9: The nightshade

The car was quiet throughout the drive, the only sound being the low tone of "Savage Love" playing in the background. Chris sat in the backseat, his hand on his chin, lost in thought as he gazed out the window. Apart from Chris, there were two other people in the car: the driver, who was focused on the road, and Caleb, Chris's secretary, who was seated in the passenger seat, holding an iPad.

Caleb broke the silence, his voice cautious. "Boss?" he said, looking at Chris in the rearview mirror. Chris responded with a low "hmm," giving Caleb permission to continue. "The Shadow has requested a one-on-one meeting with you," Caleb said, holding out the iPad for Chris to take.

However, Chris didn't take the iPad. Instead, he glanced at Caleb for a brief moment before returning his gaze to the window. "Tell him to speak with Raven," Chris said, his voice firm and dismissive. "Whatever he wants to discuss with me, he can discuss with Raven."

Caleb hesitated, clearly unsure if he should push the issue further. "But, boss, he said it was about the..." he started to say, before trailing off as he saw Chris's cold, unyielding expression. Chris's eyes seemed to bore into Caleb's skin, making him shiver.

Caleb's eyes darted to the driver, who was watching him with a mixture of amusement and warning. The driver clicked his tongue, a subtle signal for Caleb to drop the matter. Caleb swallowed hard, realizing he had overstepped. "Yes, boss," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I'll inform him that you're busy and that he can speak with Raven instead."

Chris's expression didn't change, but his voice took on a final, authoritative tone. "Set up a meeting between Raven and The Shadow, if he agrees. Raven is my underdog, and it shouldn't be a problem." With that, Chris turned back to the window, dismissing Caleb and the conversation.

The driver glanced at Caleb, who was sweating profusely. The driver's eyes seemed to say, "You're lucky to still have your head attached." Caleb's mistake was clear: he had questioned Chris's decision, and that was a mistake he wouldn't soon forget. The rest of the drive was silent, the only sound being the music and the soft hum of the engine.

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The rest of the drive was filled with the sound of music and the soft hum of the engine, a stark contrast to the silence that had filled the car earlier. As they approached their destination, the driver spoke up, his voice low and gravelly. "We're arriving at our location, boss."

Chris nodded, his eyes still fixed on the window, his gaze distant and unreadable. "Very well. Let's get this over with," he said, his voice firm and commanding.

The car turned into a dense area, surrounded by tall trees that seemed to close in around them. They passed through a fenced wall, guarded by a big gate that swung open as the car approached. The gate men, recognizing their boss, immediately opened the gates and bowed as the car drove past them.

The car pulled up to a nondescript building, the sign above the door reading "The Nightshade" in bold, black letters. Chris got out of the car, his movements fluid and confident, his eyes scanning the surrounding area. The driver and Caleb followed, their eyes darting back and forth as they took in their surroundings.

As they entered the building, Chris was greeted by a woman with long, dark hair and piercing green eyes. She was dressed in a black jumpsuit, her arms covered in tattoos that seemed to shimmer and dance in the light. Her movements were sleek and deadly, her eyes never leaving Chris's face. "Boss," she said, her voice low and husky. "Welcome, we've been expecting you."

Chris nodded, his eyes narrowing slightly as he took in the woman's appearance. "Leona, get Raven to my office now, and get the torture room ready for our 'visitor'," he said, his voice firm and commanding.

With that, Chris turned and walked to his office, Caleb following closely behind him. They arrived at the office, and not more than two minutes later, Raven appeared. "Boss, welcome, I heard you asked for me," he said, his voice deep and gravelly.

Raven was a man with no hair on his head, his body covered in tattoos that seemed to tell a story of their own. He wore a black singlet and shorts, his tongue piercing glinting in the light as he spoke. Chris nodded, his expression unreadable. "Raven, I have a meeting set up with The Shadow. I want you to handle it. Caleb will brief you on the details."

Raven's eyes flicked to Caleb, his gaze piercing. "Okay, boss, I'll take care of it," he said, his voice firm and confident.

Chris nodded, his expression still unreadable. "Very well. Keep me updated on the situation," he said, his voice firm and commanding.

With that, Raven and Caleb left the office to handle the meeting with The Shadow. Not long after, Leona walked in, a look of excitement on her face. "It's all ready, boss," she said, her eyes crinkling at the corners.

Chris stood up from his seat, his expression still unreadable. He had just had a talk with Zoey, and watching her hold back tears that he had caused had left him feeling restless and angry. He couldn't wait to get into the torture room and pour his anger out on whoever was stupid enough to get on his bad side.

With that, he walked out of the office, followed closely by Leona. The air seemed to vibrate with tension as they walked, the sound of their footsteps echoing through the corridors. Chris's anger and frustration seemed to build with every step, his eyes burning with an inner fire that threatened to consume him.