Page 27 of Taming the Demon

The back passenger door on all three vehicles opened at the same time.SOFRAWmade their wall of outlaws, ready for war. Enforcers flanked the left side, ready to fight or kill. Darrowstepped up next to Slade, ready for anything. Monte, Deed, and the prospects flanked the right. Custer and Warren hung back a little, but each old man held a shotgun.

Three people climbed out of the vehicles. The middle car was where Damien stepped from. He stood tall, clean, devilishly evil and handsome. His hair perfectly kept. Facial expression matching. To his left and right were massive bodyguards. Men twice as big as the previous ones.

“You know how we feel about unexpected visits,” Cyrus said.

He stepped toward Damien. The two bodyguards looked ready to pounce.

“Easy,” Damien said to the two men. “Nothing is going to happen here.”

Darrow noted Damien’s slow Russian accent. A very powerful voice.

“You seem to be missing some people, no?” Damien asked Cyrus.

“We call itthe Irish flu,” Cyrus said with a grin. “Ever hear of that?”

“Can’t handle your liquor, huh? Should we pour drinks and see who remains standing?”

“Don’t tempt me, my friend,” Cyrus said. “Or maybe we can get right to the point here. Showing up unannounced. Three vehicles. Blacked out windows.”

“Save the threats, Cyrus,” Damien said. “You knew it was me. And if we wanted to attack, we would have already. We don’t show up and attack.”

Darrow’s jaw tightened. The veiled threats…

“We’re a little busy around here, Damien,” Cyrus said. “Last I checked, our business had been settled. Right?”

“Heard your end of it got messy. You have a rat? You have a guy in a coma? Like I said, you’re missing people… and it’s not from drinking too much…”

“Doesn’t concern you.”

“It actually does,” Damien said. “Let me get us a drink, Cyrus. I have the best vodka in the world. I want you to sip it. Take a drink. Have a drink with me. We haven’t had a moment like that together. It’s a little bit of a tradition for me.”

One snap of his fingers and the bodyguard to Damien’s left hurried to the middle vehicle and reached inside. He emerged with two glasses and a bottle of clear liquid.

The bodyguard poured the drinks. One handed to Damien. One handed to Cyrus.

“Drink,” Damien said to Cyrus.

“You think I’m fucking stupid?” Cyrus growled. “You think I’m going to drink this shit before you do? I don’t have time for this bullshit, Damien. Fuck your vodka. Fuck you for being here. How does that sound?”

Cyrus closed in on Damien. The two bodyguards closed in on Cyrus. Darrow reached for his knife.

“Fuck this,Prez,” Darrow said.

He stabbed the bodyguard to Damien’s left in the leg. Darrow pulled the knife out right away. The big bodyguard screamed and stumbled and toppled to the ground, but not before Darrow purposely bumped into the guy… for good reason…

Darrow held the bloody knife in his hand, looking at Damien. Damien reached with his right hand and stopped the other bodyguard from attacking.

“I just wanted a drink with a friend,” Damien said.

He downed his glass of vodka and smacked his lips together. Then he smirked at Cyrus.

“How about we get to the point?” Darrow asked, taking charge. “Want me to have our enforcers put your guy into the car?”

“I suppose,” Damien said. “He’s bleeding everywhere. Put him in the trunk. I’ll finish him off later and bury the body.”

The man Darrow stabbed screamed in Russian.

“We share a common problem, Cyrus,” Damien said as Virus, Amos, and Dolph began to drag the Russian bodyguard to the trunk of the middle car.

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