Page 10 of Between Dusk and Dawn

She nodded, scurrying into the shared bathroom, immediately blasting the shower.

I was not above cheating. I knew early on in my life that I would do whatever it took to get to the top, even if it meant I had to lie, cheat, or steal.

What I did was fuck up my own ruthless laws. I didn’t do this because it was a step to get what I wanted. No, I did what I did because I was selfish. If I had some moral code, I’d feel bad for Cagen, as I was about to open the door and lie to her face. Then I took one more look over my shoulder to Madison’s shut door and knew I’d never hurt her.

I could never get her out of my mind. Because what she had done tonight—what we had done tonight—only solidified that she would be mine one day.

I sauntered over to the door, unlocking it and composing myself before opening it with a practiced smile. I kissed Cagen on the cheek as she questioned the delay.

"Sorry about that. Had the TV on, lost track of time," I stated.

Cagen asked about Maddy's whereabouts, and I gestured toward the sound of running water from the other room.

"In the shower," I replied, hoping my nonchalant demeanor masked the tension in the air.

Cagen, ever perceptive, sniffed around, and I panicked, fearing she could smell the lingering scent of sex wafting in the air. Swiftly changing the subject, I pinned her to the wall, kissing her deeply, desperate to divert her attention.

"I missed you so much," I confessed, and she giggled, reciprocating the sentiment. I seized the opportunity, leading her into her bedroom, where I pulled up her miniskirt and opened the zipper of my pants.

My cock was still sticky and hard, but I plunged inside her pussy, and she reared her head back, moaning.

Closing my eyes, I could hearhermoans and seethe wayherlips parted. I couldtasteher cum covering my fingers.

As I fucked my girlfriend, I hoped my muse was listening. I hoped she heard the way I could make her feel when the time was right. I just needed to think about the bigger picture for the time being. It was already a huge misstep, something I never would have dared attempt, and I needed to cover my tracks to make sure Cagen suspected nothing.

The image I wanted to portray to everyone was crafted with precision in a meticulous and efficient way. I was the big bad wolf Little Red Riding Hood was warned about.

Chapter Three

Sophomore Year – Night of Spring Bonfire

"Please, Walsh," Cagen begged. The muggy, night air hit me as I tried to keep Cagen from leaving the Alpha house.

It was the night of the spring bonfire, and our leader, Luca, wanted me to go out to get one of their coveted marks and the one person my dad wanted dead, Ash Ortiz. The Ortiz family were prominent members of the Cartel, and Ash was the last piece of revenge we needed to avenge my mother’s death.

Every year in Isles, the spring bonfire allowed rival fraternities one night to purge the leader. The rest of the year, the university acted as neutral territory, allowing kids from large, underground organizations the ability to attend school without fearing for their life.

I was a member of the Alpha house which most of the Mafia kids belonged to. Because my dad was second-in-line to be capo of the entire organization, I was groomed to be the next leader of the Alphas. After I graduated, I’d go right into my father’s business working under him. My goal was always to be the capo.I loved the feeling that power gave me, and my rightful place was not beside my father but above him.

The Den was our rival fraternity and they were part of the larger Cartel organization, and Ash Ortiz was their leader’s son. There was a long-standing history between our families that made us bitter enemies.

As a kid, I stumbled upon one of my worst nightmares—my mother dead and father bound in the living room. I stashed my sister, Ember, in a closet, taking the grim task of finding my dad and dealing with the aftermath of my mother's death on my own shoulders. It was such a fucked-up situation for a ten-year-old kid, witnessing her lifeless gaze—an experience I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy.

Although my father wasn’t born into the family, he loved my mother, whose father was the capo of a predominant Mafia family. After her death, he took it upon himself to lead the family, and he was on a rampage to find the killer.

Later, we discovered the cause—my mother's affair with someone in the Cartel. She thought she was falling in love, but it was a setup to fuck with our family. We had killed one of their guys, so they played the long game, tricking my mom into falling out of love with my father and in love with this dude. We took out the guy she was involved with, but losing our mother left a profound scar. My father was hell-bent on making them pay and determined to inflict the same pain they caused us.

Hence tonight's mission: hunting down Ash Ortiz. With my little sister coming to Isles next year, my father had pressed me about the importance of killing him this year. We did not want her to be a part of this.

While that bastard hid, I was on the prowl. I'd make him suffer, torture the hell out of him, then end him so his father understood the agony of losing someone you love. It was my duty as future capo of the family.

It was always about family for me, but I was bred to be a leader. I was born to head up the Mafia and take over for my father. It was in my blood, and I fucking loved the power it gave me. I’d spent most of my life angry for what happened to my mother, and the only thing that gave me any little satisfaction was knowing the power was in my hands.

"Shut the fuck up." Cagen’s eyes went wide. I’d never spoken to her like this before, always playing the role of perfect boyfriend, but this was about my business, and nobody got involved with my business.

"This isn't safe. You’re only a sophomore. I was told that?—"

"You don't know anything." I had told her the truth about my family earlier this year, hoping she would understand the necessity for her to stay away from today. The truth didn't seem to faze her as much as I’d expected. It seemed to have the opposite effect.

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