Page 79 of Carnival Master

I step toward him, noticing that his men are all lowering their weapons. They’re wondering what the fuck is going on with their leader as he’s acting like a lunatic.

Jimmy’s face twists into an arrogant smirk as he turns to Lars and Nash. “Apprehend them both. Now.”

Lars and Nash exchange glances before bursting into laughter. Nash actually doubles over, clutching his stomach.

Jimmy’s face reddens, his jaw clenching. The gun in his hand trembles with barely contained rage.

“I said grab them!” he barks.

“You really thought my most loyal men would turn like that?” I shake my head, fighting through the pain inmy shoulder. “Shows how little you understand about loyalty, Jimmy. These guys aren’t bought—they’re family.”

Lars wipes tears of mirth from his eyes. “Sorry, boss. Didn’t mean to laugh. But the old man thinking we’d choose him over you...”

“Especially after everything we’ve seen him do to his daughter,” Nash adds, his expression hardening.

Blood continues seeping through my shirt, but I move forward with Sofia caged behind me. Once I’m close enough to the bastard, I disarm him and punch him in the face, sending him sprawling across the concrete floor. His men raise their weapons, but they don’t shoot.

“Try to hurt Sofia again,” I growl, standing over him, “and I’ll break more than your pride.”

Jimmy spits blood onto the warehouse floor. “You think you’re better than me? Running your little carnival drug ring?”He pushes himself up to his knees. “I built this city from nothing!”

“And now you’ll watch it slip through your fingers,” Sofia says, her voice steady despite the tremor I feel in her hand as she grips my arm. “All because you couldn’t let go of control.”

“Control?” Jimmy laughs, a manic edge creeping into his voice. “You want to talk about control? Ask your boyfriend here about the drugs he’s trafficked through his carnival. Ask him about?—”

“Shut your mouth,” I cut him off. “We both know who runs the trafficking rings in Dawsbury. Phoenix has the paper trail to prove it.”

Jimmy’s face pales.

“It’s over, Dad,” Sofia says. “Just stop fighting.”

I watch as federal agents flood the warehouse, their weapons trained on Jimmy and his men. The look of defeat on his face as they slap the cuffs on him is worth all the trouble he’s caused us.

“Jimmy Moretti, you’re under arrest for drug trafficking, racketeering, conspiracy to commit murder...” The list goes on as they read him his rights.

Sofia grips my hand, and I pull her close against my side. She doesn’t need to watch this part.

“Mr. Kendall,” Agent Cooper approaches me, holstering his weapon. “The Bureau appreciates your cooperation in bringing down the Moretti organization. The evidence you provided was instrumental.”

I nod, keeping my expression neutral. “Just doing what any concerned citizen would do.”

“The carnival’s background check came back clean,” he continues. “Looks like you run a legitimate business after all, and Moretti was trying to pass the blame.”

Phoenix did his job well—every trace of our less savory operations has been scrubbed clean. The carnival stands pristine under scrutiny, thanks to years of careful planning. We always had a contingency for the shit hitting the fan.

“I’ll get someone to take a look at that bullet wound,” he says before walking away.

I unbutton my shirt, wincing as the fabric pulls away from the wound. The paramedic approaches with hiskit, his expression professional as he examines my shoulder.

“You’re one lucky son of a gun,” he says, probing the area with gloved hands. “Bullet only clipped you.”

I grunt as he cleans the wound. The sting of antiseptic is nothing compared to the burning rage I’d felt when Jimmy pulled that trigger. If he’d aimed a few inches to the right...

“No major damage,” the paramedic continues. “Didn’t hit bone or any arteries. It’s really just a flesh wound—it will hurt for a couple weeks, but that’s about it.”

Sofia hovers nearby, her face pale. I catch her eye and wink, trying to ease her worry.

The paramedic applies a clean dressing, making his movements quick. “Won’t even need stitches. The bullet barely caught you. Just keep this bandage clean and dry. Change it in a couple of days.”

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