“When are they going to come out of hiding? They can’t fucking hide forever,” I yelled throwing my phone against the mattress. I had been hiding out in this drab fucking cabin instead of the lavish mansion soon to be mine.

“I’m not sure they’re alone. That’s all I know, sir,” Miller added like he was some smart shit or something. He needed to keep his mouth shut before he found himself swimming with the fishes.

“No fucking way. Did you want a prize for stating the obvious?” I growled reaching across the table for his throat. I was angry and impatient. If blood wasn’t shed soon... I would start killing my own men until I could go out and do the job myself.

“Sir….” Miller sounded scared. He had a reason to be, but then again, why was some pussy like him working for me.

“Miller….” I yelled anger radiating from me.

“Calm down, sir.” Devon’s voice vibrated through my mind.

“Do you have any new info?” I growled turning my aggression to him. He looked like a kid… hardly old enough to be chasing after people like Alzerro, who would kill him on site?

“I think I have an idea of where they’re staying. I’m going to go scope it out this evening.” His voice never wavered, and his eyes stayed on mine. He wasn’t lying.

“Good and you best bring back something to tell me. I’m going crazy sitting here waiting.”

“Sir, we could be shooting or throwing knives…” Miller added. Ahhh, yes we could be.

A Texas-size grin showed on my face. “You’re right, we could. Get my knives, Devon,” I ordered. I had some aggression I needed to work out, and Miller reminding me of ways to do so only made my life easier. Devon scurried out of the room to retrieve the knives and I stared at Miller.

“You know, while I worked for Alzerro, he was very keen on making sure nothing, and I do mean nothing, scared the men who worked for him.…”

Miller nodded as if he was acknowledging what I had said, but the sweat forming on his forehead, and the faraway look in his eyes told me he wasn’t anywhere but here in this room with me.

“Do you have any fears, Miller?” I asked my voice menacing. What a pussy! He was shaking like a leaf in the wind. Where had John found these men?

“No, sir.” He sounded determined, but one look at him said he was lying.

“Good. Go stand against the far wall. We’re going to test this theory out.” Devon placed a knife in my hand. It was light weight and the blade glistened in the light. The need to sink it into flesh was overwhelming. I could just imagine the blood dripping from the blade as I sunk blade after blade int—

“Sir,” Devon asked, concern clearly found in his voice.

“What?” I questioned with raised eyebrows. If I had no way of getting my hands on Bree and Alzerro, then I would do with what I did have—Miller.

“What are you doing, sir?” Devon questioned once again.

“Never question me, or it will be you who is on the receiving end of this knife,” I growled gripping the end of the knife with so much anger, I was certain I would break it. My words weren’t a threat—they were a promise.

Devon said nothing, his eyes simply widening as he took in the scene before him. Turning my attention back to the coward, I narrowed my eyes with precision. Where would he bleed the most?

My mind drifted back to the very first time Zerro had ever asked me that question.

“MACK. When I tell you to do something, you do it. There is no reason to fear these small things. Death is always following these people.” He all but yelled at me. I was only nineteen. He had been killing for years, and this... this was my very first time.

I hadn’t landed the knife right, so the person was struggling. Their death would be painful.

“He’s hurting though…” I tried to say. I wasn’t a child, but watching someone bleed to death… It did something to your heart. It pulled the strings tight and made it beat fast.

“What’s your point? He deserved to die? What are you scared of?” Was it a trick question?

“Nothing, sir,” I immediately answered him. I didn’t want to be the next one with a knife in my neck.

“Good, because being scared is a weakness. You’re to be afraid of nothing, not a fucking thing, when you’re in my kingdom. Do you understand?” he questioned. I nodded my head as I watched him lift his foot. What was he doing?

Then I heard the crunching of bones, the splatter of brain matter, and blood against the ground.

“This is what we do to people who are weak… scared,” he snarled, staring down at what was left of the man’s body. I never even got the man’s name.

Pulling myself back to the present, I stared at the man before me. He was weak. He was scared.

With complete control, I arched my arm back and threw the knife. It flew through the air, barreling toward Miller. His eyes grew large, and I could practically hear his heart beat from where I stood as the knife sunk into the deep word directly above his head. He wasn’t just a coward—he was a liar, too. He wasn’t just scared—no, he was fucking terrified.

“You’re a liar…” I spat the words with venom. “You said you were scared of nothing, but it is clear to me as I watch you shake in your fucking skin, you are in fact scared of something…” I smiled, because I was a fucker like that. Nothing got me harder than making people pay for what they did wrong. I recognized failure.

“Sir, give him a break. He just started with us—” Devon tried to cut in. I turned glaring at him. He was lucky I needed him. He had the information I needed. Killing him would be a grave mistake at his time. His death would have to wait until later.

“Breaks are for the fucking weak…” Taking a deep breath, I smiled before I threw the next knife. It landed just millimeters from his throat. Hmmm…. his throat… yes, that’s where the next one would land.

“Are you going to beg?” I mocked. At the very least, he could go out feeling like a man. If I had one thing to thank Alzerro for it was his ruthless ways. He had taught me any emotion outside of killing was unneeded. When I put the bullet in his head and fucked Bree, it would be from his teachings.

“Men don’t beg,” he said quietly. His voice was wobbly. Was he going to cry? Was this fucking pathetic excuse for a human going to cry? I had seen women handle death better than this excuse.

“Glad you figured it out,” I mocked, gripping the blade in my hand. With one single arch, I whipped the blade at him, watching his eyes dilate, and his chest move for the last time. The blade sank straight into his throat, and I listened to the gurgling sound of him struggling to breathe while blood filled his throat. As I watched the light leave his eyes, a sick sadistic smile spread across my lips causing my heart to swell with happiness. “You didn’t have to kill him.” Devon sounded as if he was actually hurt.

“Yes, I did. He was a weakness. He wouldn’t have done anything but drag us down.” I was satisfied with all I had done, and as I watched the blood pour from him… I smiled even more. Blood wasn’t a sign of death, but a sign of victory. I had won—they just didn’t know it yet.

“Remove his body and get ready to go. We have a plan to follow through with.” I was going to get them. Both of them, even if I had to die fucking trying.