Page 58 of The Devil's Chaos

“Maybe he is so excited about his engagement that he wants to talk about what colors he’s choosing for his tux,” Theo joked as he sat on the opposite end of the couch.

“Yeah, what was all that about? Why didn’t you tell us you were engaged?” I pressed. “You’re going to have your hands full with that one. She takes no prisoners.”

“Trust me, I know it,” he smiled.

“What Kai is trying to say is that we are proud of Mila for standing up to that piece-of-shit father of hers,” Theo said as he gave me a wink.

“Who would be headless if you two hadn’t intervened,” Archer mumbled.

“You can’t protect her if you’re in prison,” Theo reminded him.

“Yeah, I’m not babysitting while your pretty ass gets fucked by your celly,” I chuckled. “Just saying.”

I didn’t mean it, but I also didn’t want Archer to get himself thrown in jail. I didn’t want that for any of us. While we had enough people to help us get away with murder, it would be a lot harder to do that if he murdered someone in a room full of rich assholes.

“That’s not going to happen because we will be smart,” Archer moved to the front of his desk and rested against it. “Alexander told Mila that they owned her father, and her father agreed that Mila was his as a show of good faith. And judging by the reaction her father had when our engagement was announced, this puts him in a shitty position with The Collectors.”

“Or it just moves his timeline up.” Theo looked at Archer.

Archer wouldn’t admit it, but I knew the pressure of everything weighed heavily on his shoulders. He found the girl he loved, and even though he knew he couldn’t shield her from the life we lived, he wouldn’t let her go either.

I get that.

“We are going to cripple Alexander’s empire before that happens,” Archer growled. “We need to send a message. But it needs to be precise. We can’t afford any missteps.”

Damion, our head of security, stepped forward. “I have a few ideas.”

I leaned forward, intrigued by what Damion had to say. The man was an expert at sending messages, often in the most brutal and creative ways. If anyone could strike fear into the heart of Alexander and his Collectors, it was Damion.

"Let's hear it," Archer said, nodding at Damion to proceed.

Damion stepped closer, his muscular frame casting a shadow across Archer's desk. "We need to hit them where it hurts. Disrupt their operations and cut off their revenue streams. Make it clear that messing with The Brotherhood comes with severe consequences."

Theo rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "We could target their shipments. Intercept their goods before they reach the buyers."

"And send a clear message with the bodies of their men," I added, a wicked grin spreading across my face. "Leave no doubt about who's responsible."

Damion laid out his plan, detail by detail. It was risky, but calculated—a surgical strike at the heart of Alexander's operations. If executed flawlessly, it would deal a crippling blow to The Collectors while minimizing collateral damage and exposure for The Brotherhood.

As I listened, I couldn't help but admire Damion's tactical brilliance. The man was a virtuoso when it came to these sorts of operations. But even so, a knot of unease tightened in my gut. This was the point of no return. Once we embarked on this path, there would be no going back.

My thoughts drifted to Haven. What would she think of me if she knew what I was contemplating? Of the man I had become? I pushed the doubts aside. This was about survival—hers, mine, and The Brotherhood's. In our world, sentimentality was a luxury we couldn’t afford.

Archer leaned back against his desk, his expression grim, yet resolute. "It's a solid plan, Damion. But we need to make sure every contingency is accounted for. There can be no room for error."

Damion nodded. "I'll refine the details and have a finalized operation outlined by morning."

"Good." Archer turned to Theo and me. "I need you two to be ready to move at a moment's notice. Once we set this in motion, things will escalate quickly. We need to be prepared for any retaliation from The Collectors."

I cracked my knuckles, a feral glint in my eye. "They won't know what hit them. By the time they realize what's happening, it'll be too late."

Theo gave a curt nod, his demeanor serious. "We've been preparing for this moment for years. The Brotherhood is ready."

"I agree," Archer said once Damion laid out the details. "But we need to move fast. The longer we wait, the more time Alexander has to fortify his defenses."

Theo nodded in agreement. "I'll assemble the team. We can be ready to strike within forty-eight hours."

"Good. Kai, I want you to coordinate with our intel sources. Verify the shipment schedules and routes. We can't afford any surprises," Archer ordered.

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