Page 24 of Depraved

I took a deep breath, steeling myself, then knocked softly.

"Come in," Raul's voice called, weaker than I'd ever heard it.

I stepped inside, blinking as my eyes adjusted to the dim light. Heavy curtains were drawn across the windows, casting the room in shadows. The air was thick with the medicinal smell of sickness. Sarge passed by me, his eyes meeting mine, looking red rimmed. He just shook his head and shut the door behind him.

Raul lay propped up on his bed, looking small and frail against the mound of pillows. His once-imposing frame had withered, skin stretched tight over sharp bones. Dark circles ringed his sunken eyes.

My breath hitched at the sight of him. This wasn't the powerful, larger-than-life man who had molded me into his perfect weapon. This was just a sick old man, clinging to the last threads of life.

"Layla," Raul rasped, a ghost of his old smile flickering across his face. "Mija. Come, sit with me."

I approached the bed slowly, perching on the edge carefully. Up close, I could hear the wet rattle in his lungs with each labored breath. "You asked to see me," I said, keeping my voice neutral.

Raul nodded weakly. "The time has come.I'm finally dying."

The blunt statement hung in the air between us. I'd known this was coming for months, and had seen the gradual decline. But hearing him say it aloud made it real in a way I wasn't prepared for.

"The doctors—" I began, but Raul cut me off with a wave of his skeletal hand.

"The doctors can do nothing more," he said. "I've made my peace with it. But there are things we must discuss before I go."

This was it. This was the moment he told me I’d failed. He was going to give the throne to his nephew, not me. Raul'swithered hand reached out, grasping mine with surprising strength. His dark eyes, though sunken and weary, burned with life.

There is so much I need to say to you. So many regrets that weigh on my soul as I face the end." I remained silent, my heart pounding as I waited for him to continue. The room felt oppressively quiet, the only sound the soft whir of medical equipment and Raul's labored breathing.

"From the moment I saw you, all those years ago—a fierce, wild thing with fire in your eyes, I knew you were special. You reminded me so much of myself at that age. Angry. Defiant. Refusing to be broken by the cruelties of this world."

He paused, a wistful smile playing at the corners of his mouth. "I told myself I was molding you into a weapon, into the perfect soldier for my empire. But the truth is, Layla, you became the daughter I never had."

My chest tightened, a lump forming in my throat. I wanted to speak, to deny the swell of emotion rising within me, but I couldn't find my voice.

"I have done many terrible things in my life," Raul continued, his eyes growing distant. "I have shed blood, destroyed lives and taught you to do the same. But despite my failures, despite the cruelties fate has dealt you, you have come out stronger for it.” Raul's grip on my hand tightened, his dark eyes blazing with renewed intensity. "Which is why I have made my final decision. You will be my successor."

I stared at Raul, certain I had misheard. But the resolve in his gaze left no room for doubt. "I don't understand," I whispered, my voice barely audible over the steady beep of medical equipment. "What about Alex?”

He smiled, his eyes sad. “Alex is loyal to me, but something tells me that loyalty has shifted elsewhere in these last few months.” I frowned, not understanding. Raul chuckled with acough. “I find it amusing that before I had the chance to tell Alex I’d picked you, he beat me to it, and took himself out of the game. Strange turn of events, don’t you think?” His eyes twinkled mischievously.

Something warm bloomed in my stomach. Alex had forfeited his right at the throne for me. He took himself out of the running to head this syndicate…for me.

He shifted, wincing slightly as he reached for a folder on his bedside table. With trembling hands, he passed it to me. "Open it," he urged.

I did as he asked, my fingers numb as I flipped through the documents inside. Property deeds, bank statements, business contracts, all bearing my name. My eyes widened as I realized the full scope of what I was seeing.

"I have already transferred everything into your name," Raul explained, his voice growing thinner with each word. "My assets, my business holdings, all of it. It's yours now, Layla."

"Raul, I... I don't know what to say," I managed, my voice barely above a whisper.

He smiled, a hint of his old strength shining through. "Say you'll accept. Say you'll take what I've built and make it greater than I ever could."

I swallowed hard. Part of me wanted to refuse, to run far away from the legacy of blood and violence that had shaped my life for so long. But a larger part—the part Raul had carefully cultivated over the years—was thrilled at the prospect of that kind of power.

"What about Carlos?" I asked, buying myself time to think. "He won't take this lying down."

Raul's eyes hardened, a flash of the ruthless cartel boss I'd always known. "My brother made his choice when he betrayed me. His fate is in your hands now,mija. Do with him as you see fit."

The implication was clear. Carlos's life was mine to take, a final test of my loyalty and resolve. I nodded slowly, already imagining the myriad ways I could make him suffer.

"There's more," Raul said. He gestured towards a small safe built into the wall behind his bed. "The combination is the day my love died," he said softly. "Inside you'll find everything you need to know about our operations, our allies, our enemies."

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