Dylan_Dent

Aaron Hughes thought he escaped the worst of Chicago’s underworld—until a Polaroid of his tortured friend and a bloodstained chess piece pull him back into the grip of Bishop, the sadistic crime lord who once shattered his life. Reuniting with a violent ex-enforcer and a broken brother who may no longer be on his side, Aaron leads a desperate war against a man who doesn’t kill his enemies—he owns them.

But vengeance isn’t clean.
And Bishop doesn’t need to survive.
He just needs to be remembered.

Ashes Of Vengeance

The explosion hit like a memory—fast, hot, and already too late.

Aaron didn't see the wall go. He just felt it—heat slamming into his chest, wood splinters tearing across his face like angry glass. The chair flipped. His shoulder cracked. Air gone.

Then sound—muffled at first, like he was underwater.

His own breath, ragged and full of blood.

Leon landed hard—thrown against the far wall, ribs crunching. He rolled, weapon gone, ears ringing like sirens trapped in bone. His vision swam, but he saw Matt through the smoke.

Leon tried to get up. His arm wouldn't move. He hissed, bit back a scream.

Walked to Aaron, who lay half-conscious in the rubble, ropes shredded by fire and force.

He knelt beside him. Touched his shoulder.

"Aaron," he said softly. "We have to go."

Leon crawled toward them, breath catching.

"We gotta move. Whole place is wired."

Matt met his eyes. "I won't let him die. Not like this."

And maybe—for just a flicker—Leon believed him.

They burst through the side door seconds before the second charge hit—fire chasing them down the hall like a living thing.

Outside, rain hit their faces like absolution.

Aaron coughed hard, blood spraying the concrete. Matt held him up. Leon limped behind.

And far above, on a rooftop three blocks away…

Bishop watched through binoculars.

Chapter Eighteen – Ruin, in Motion