She nodded.




"Yeah, doesn't surprise me."



"Why?"




Andy sighed loudly as he ran a hand through his hair.




"Michel doesn't like innocent girls. He won't touch it. I mean, don't get me wrong, he's a dangerous mafia. A killing machine. But he has this, where he is. he's super aware of the difference between himself and others. Like he knows what his position is. If he knows someone is innocent, and I mean not involved or affiliated with the world, he won't come near it. It's almost like he thinks his presence alone has ruined them."



"Is that a mafia thing?"



Andy shook his head.



"That's Michel. Carlos and Vengo see it as a sport to bring down girls before they get married. They don't make two complaints about it. But Michel doesn't. And it's not just with women, it was a general rule for him. Once we were in the middle of breaking into this massive house, but we didn't know there would be kids there. It was a big gang house and they immediately started shooting. But Michel still grabbed the kids and locked them in their room so they wouldn't get hurt. He turned on loud music for them to drown out the noise."



Fanny felt another wave of confusion come over her.



Why does this make her heart flutter? Is it unrelated that Michel just did it so he can participate in the murder that is happening in the rest of the house?



Had she become so delusional that she couldn't see how messy this story was? Her best friend, Rosabella, would hit her head with a rolled-up newspaper if she knew any of this.



Andy didn't wait for her answer as he continued.



"Don't worry, Short Legs. Just avoid him from now on and everything will be fine."



But what if she doesn't want to avoid him? Was that just another sign that she must have completely lost her mind?



Of course, she didn't ask that question.



"Damn it, it's almost dinner time. Come on. Let's wash up so we can go down together." Andy spoke quickly as he got up from the bed and fixed his clothes.



"Do I have to go?"



"Want to face Vengo?"



Fanny sighed.



No, she didn't want to do that.



---



"Look, we're sorry. Our people should be more vigilant when you do business in our territory." Mr. Aiden said as he took the wine glass and took a sip.



Everyone was sitting around the large dining table, as the leader of Davies tried to justify the incident in the warehouse.



Fanny tries not to look him in the eye, but she's curious about the man who means high through the alliance they formed two years ago when Carlos married his daughter Gwen.



It was an alternative to finding eye contact with Michel, so she kept staring at her plate or their guests.



"Be more vigilant? That means at least they'll be there. Phoenix has surrounded the place. My second-in-command has been shot." Vengo raised his hand, angry that the man was lowering it.



Audrey tried to reassure her husband as she placed her hand over his, whispering something to him.



Meanwhile, Gwen was sitting next to the man who just sighed.



"We're all worried about Michel. Maybe you could consider?" She spoke softly as she looked at her father, Carlos nodded in agreement beside her.



"Fifty percent of next month's profit is a huge loss for my people." However, he retorted, his face red with anger.



Michel leaned back in his chair and lit a cigarette, shrugging nonchalantly.



"We would also offer the same if you or any of your people were attacked on our territory, but we won't even let that happen. We do a great job of allowing people your business on our premises." He calmly explained but his expression remained glued to Mr. Aiden looked like he was quietly daring to speak again.



But, the man knows better.



Instead, he clenched his fists under the table and tried his best not to snarl his answer as his lips continued to curve up to his teeth in repressed frustration.



"Alright." He stood up and threw his napkin on the plate, straightening his clothes.



"I'll call you tomorrow." He hissed at Vengo as Michel coolly finished his cigarette.



"I'm leaving. It's not that difficult now, is it?" He smirked and Gwen glared at him.



"I'll take you out, Dad." She left her seat and took her father's arm, leading him out of the dining room.



---



"You know you should offer to pay without them suggesting. Making a fuss like that just makes you look more guilty." Gwen sighed as she sat next to her father in a black SUV with tinted windows.



"Damn it. Fifty percent." He yelled, throwing back some of the whiskey he kept in the mini-fridge in the back seat.



"Dad..."



"I wasn't prepared for that trash. Michel should have died and the other three would be brought to me. Maybe we should aim for Vengo."



Gwen shook her head as she received the drink from her father, she took a sip of brandy.



"He may have been the top but let's face it, it was Michel's words that guided them. Vengo might eventually be convinced but Michel would never agree to join Phoenix. Just he's alive, the others won't be. No, Dad. We have to focus on him."



Mr. Aiden let out another growl in frustration, hating what his daughter told him, but knowing very well that she was right.



He just couldn't believe how badly the strategy they had been planning for months turned out to be with what had happened in the warehouse.



They came very close to achieving what they wanted: taking over the Black Roses gang, joining forces with Phoenix, and eventually gaining more territory and ultimately making more money.



But no, Michel must survive.



"It's not like we can join Phoenix now. They only want us if we can give them access to Davies territory. Only then will they be willing to share the profits and territories theirs with us."



Gwen nodded.



"That's right. But it might take a while, Dad."



Mr. Aiden drank the rest of it and wiped his mouth with his hand.



"You should go back. The last thing I want is for them to start suspecting anything."