Page 59 of King of Violence

“You’re the one they’ve been talking about?” the enforcer says, his eyes narrowing. He steps closer, looking me up and down with disdain. “Julian’s little plaything, huh?”

I don’t respond, not sure if I should. I know the situation is getting worse, and I can feel the pressure mounting. I have no idea what the hell is going to happen to me, but it doesn’t look good.

The enforcer steps forward, and before I can react, he grabs my arm and yanks me up, dragging me across the room to a chair. “Don’t try anything stupid. We’re just getting started.”

I open my mouth to speak, to plead, but the words don’t come. The fear, the uncertainty—they paralyze me. How much worse can this get?

“Julian’s one of the precious princes of the Greco family.” He cracks his knuckles. “But you already knew that, huh?”

I don’t say anything.

“Hm, quiet.” The man grabs my chin, forcing me to look at his scarred face. “I bet you’re a screamer. The quiet ones always are.”

“Don’t fucking touch me,” I growl, but my heart isn’t in it.

And he knows it.

The man smiles. “Just tell me where Julian’s stash is and I’ll let you go back to daddy, huh?”

His stash? “I don’t know?—”

The man’s fist slams into my face. Pain erupts from my nose as the bone snaps.

“Let’s skip the pleasantries.” His disgusting smile fills my vision. “You’re going to tell me everything.”

JULIAN

The roar of the crowd echoes faintly through the walls of the locker room, a muffled reminder that kickoff is just minutes away. I sit on the bench, lacing up my cleats with deliberate focus and letting the ritual settle my nerves. Around me, the guys are loud, hyped up, the usual pre-game chaos. But I keep my head down.

I can’t stop thinking about Felix.

We haven’t talked since I humiliated him at the Greco estate. My phone’s been eerily silent, and even though I know I should feel relieved—it’s safer this way—every quiet second feels like a weight pressing on my chest.

I should have told him. I should have come up with some sort of plan with him before I told him he was just a whore to his face, but there was no time.

“Yo, Julian.” Cole’s voice cuts through the noise, dragging me out of my thoughts. He’s leaning casually against the lockers, watching me with that familiar smirk that’s always made me uneasy, though I’ve never been able to pinpoint why.

“What?” I snap. I’m not in the mood for his usual antics.

“Just wondering how things are going with your boy,” he says, his tone light but probing. “Haven’t seen him around lately. Trouble in paradise?”

My hands still on the laces. “He’s not mine.” The words feel like ash in my mouth.

I glance up at him, narrowing my eyes. “We’re done.”

Cole’s smirk widens, a spark of something I can’t quite read flickering in his eyes. “Done, huh? Guess you finally figured out he wasn’t worth it.”

I glare at him, my chest tightening. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Relax, man.” He raises his hands, feigning innocence. “I’m just saying, you can do better. I mean,seriously, Julian. Felix Caruso? He’s not like us. He doesn’t understand what you’re dealing with, what youneed.”

“What the fuck do you think I need?” My teeth grind against each other.

Cole smiles. “Well, someone who won’t be a pussy about your whole ‘family situation,’ ya know?”

My stomach drops. “What the fuck?”

“Don’t be surprised, Jules. You know your dad had to put someone on the team to look out for you.”

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