Page 24 of Lesson on Depravity

He doesn’t need to tell me how to take care of that small problem, but every action comes with risks that can spiral out of the domino effect. Every choice I make has to be put into perspective because I have to make sure that absolutely nothing connects to Coco.

“My men heard some talk on the streets,” Xavier baits with a smirk and a flicker of fire from his lighter.

The end of the cigar burns orange with darkening and graying ashes. “Heard they were looking for… a kid.”

I steer my complexion to neutral. Xavier wants to read me so he can get something out of me or have an upper hand to whatever plan he has for calling this meeting. If he’s working with the police as an informant, then he will be wiretapped and recorded.

Xavier will need me to incriminate myself for that plan to work. I have seen desperate attempts to overthrow me, but it’s the first I have had someone work with the police to put me in prison.

The crimes I have done and the crimes that no one knows about, they are enough to put me to death. The state has the death penalty, but the cops will need more than gun-running charges to put me on that waiting list.

“I’m sure you’ve seen her. She stands out, you know, green eyes and all.”

I sink my teeth into my tongue, tasting a hint of copper as Xavier’s face becomes conceited. I strongly remember that I have this one clamp that I could use on his tongue when I use that sharp knife that I had sharpened the other day.

It would be the perfect occasion to be used, and Xavier wouldn’t mind being the first subject on the newly reformed blade. His biggest crime is threatening me with Coco.

A single bullet will do fine if he had only threatened me, but he brought Coco into this, and that is just unfair to my sweet princess, who hasn’t done anything wrong in her life.

“Cops want to have a talk to her—something about drugs, or was it about dead bodies?” Xavier snorts, laughing out a cloud of smoke from his wide mouth.

“Are you with them?” It’s a question that startles the men behind him, but I could tell they have the same thoughts as I do.

Is Xavier working with the police? I’m positive an uproar would happen if that comes out to be true, but Xavier doesn’t seem to be a dumbass and admit to it.

“That’d be suicide, Alistair,” he comments, inhaling the cigar, and the tip brightens with orange.

“I’m just letting a fellow brother know about the activities on the streets,” Xavier says. “We’re all on the same boat. I go down; the cops will look at you for it.”

Entertaining this clown won’t be beneficial to me, he is looking for something, and I just have to find out before he fucks up the entire city with the shitty genes as his brother. Javier was known to be the crazier boss out of the ones that I know of, but Xavier uses his brain to make his business bloom.

“Since we’re the same,” he begins with another laugh as if he’s doing me a favor. “I can take the problem off your hands.”

I decline coldly. “My business is none of yours; stay out of it.”

It’s a warning that makes his men draw in a sharp breath as a flash of fear crosses their concerned eyes. Xavier doesn’t blink at the threat, but he’s visibly withdrawn with a tight grin.

“It’d be a disgrace to let your empire fall because of a girl.” He taps his finger on the cigar and let the ashes float down to the ground by his shoe.

“I didn’t think your type would be this young. She can’t be more than eighteen.”

My knuckles crack, breaking the silence with a vehement pop as I clench my fist. “Arguments can’t be avoided. Competition is competition. Touch her, and I will kill you.”

“Is that a threat?” He grins, biting on his cigar. “I welcome this challenge if you’re up for it.”

“Look forward to it,” I promise.

One of the men behind me bends down after a while and whisper something in Xavier’s ear. Color drops from his face and his lips twist in a nasty glower, snapping at his men for being incompetent as he jumps up from his chair.

“Damn pigs,” Xavier hisses, two puffs of smoke pouring out of his nose. “Raiding my places—round up my men!”

I have no reason to stay here any longer for this conversation that was useless to me. I fail to see the need for this meeting, but I did get information on Coco that would have come to me sooner or later.

News about Coco is the treasure in my territory. By now, everyone knows that Coco is placed above me, and anyone who disrespects her will meet their end rather swiftly. I don’t believe a single soul wants to test out the predicament of my bloodlust if anything were to happen to her.

We part our ways semi amicably. None of us want to get violent here, but I won’t hesitate to stomp on his ribs if he makes one more remark about my Coco. Xavier doesn’t turn back to me and leave with men.

I return to my own domain, eyes glued on my phone to see where Coco is. Her surrounding isn’t in the heart of the city anymore; it’s off to the East in an upscale area. I try phoning her, but she isn’t picking up.

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