Page 6 of Victorious: Part I

He lets out an unamused chuckle as he continues his slow, cinematic descent. Finally reaching the bottom of the stairs, he comes into view, rolling up the sleeve of his seventies-inspired silk shirt as if he is trying to make himself look tough. Though that shirt, teamed with his thick mustache and slight beard, only makes him look like a knockoff from the television seriesNarcos.

He may prove me wrong, but from first impressions, this guy, whoever he is, doesn’t grab me as the Pablo Escobar type.

He scans me up and down, a hint of a smirk crossing his features as he takes the final step from the staircase, rolling up his other sleeve. “Funny you talk about brutality in the workforce, it’s kind of my thing,” he states, stalking toward me. I don’t move, just keep my eyes on him as he begins to circle around me menacingly, though, his bullshit doesn’t faze me.

Not one little bit.

But I suspect he’s hoping it will.

As he makes his way back around to make eye contact with me, I shrug. “Well, that’s all well and good, but my chicken’s getting cold, and we’re wasting time with all this crypticness when you can just say whatever it is you want to fucking say, then I can be on my way with my food. Bingo, bango, bongo, everyone’s happy, and I get fed. Seems like a good deal to me. So, you wanna maybe stop showboating and get to the point where you tell me whothe fuckyou are and whatthe hellyou want?”

A dark smile crosses his face as he stalks around me like a predator sizing up its prey. “You Americans, always so impatient, always so… disrespectful. You think you can march into someone’s territory, murder their family, destroyeverythingthey’ve built, and there won’t be consequences?”

His voice drops to a menacing whisper. “My uncle spent decades building an empire. Blood. Sweat. Countless sacrifices. We ruled these streets with honor, withtradition.” He slams his hand on the metal table beside Livvy, making her whimper.

My hands ball into fists as he continues his rant, “And you and your pathetic little motorcycle club thought you could just wipe us out? That there wouldn’t be anyone left to make you pay?” He lets out a bitter laugh, shaking his head as the pieces of the puzzle start to fall into place. “Oh no,mi amor. The Rojas name willnotdie so easily.”

Swallowing hard, my eyes shift to Livvy, now clearly seeing the terror in hers.

Evidently, we didn’t take out everyone from The Rojas Cartel the day we attacked.

Fuck!

The same Cartel who told Livvy and Alpha they killed Poppy, but they actually took her into The Nest.

The same Cartel who trained me as an assassin, and I unknowingly was training Poppy.

We took down The Nest.

We took down the Cartel.

So why the fuck is a Rojas Cartel member standing in front of me right now when they’re all supposed to be dead?

His footsteps echo through the room as he circles me again, his shoulders squared, chin lifted with pride. “I was groomed from childhood to protect our legacy. Whileyouwere destroyingmyfamily, I was gathering our remaining soldiers, rebuilding our strength in the shadows. And now…” He spreads his arms wide, theatrical, which I am quickly learning seems to be his style. “Now, the student becomes the master. I am Javier Rojas. Nephew of Rico Rojas, and Iwillrestore our Cartel to its former glory. Starting with making an example ofeveryoneAlpha holds dear.”

Inhaling deeply, I let out a small scoff and then begin a slow, mocking clap. “Wow,” I deadpan, stepping slightly closer to Livvy’s table. “That’ssuperdramatic. Did you rehearse that speech in the mirror? Practice your villainous walk down those stairs a few times for added effect?”

His eye twitches. “You mock what youdon’tunderstand. While you and your little club were celebrating my uncle’s death, I was building something new. Something stronger. Something without limitation, and now, because lines have been crossed, we are unrestrained. In a way, my uncle’s sacrifice paved the way for the Cartel to be truly what we werealwaysmeant to be.”

Raising my brow, I take the bait just because I want to hear what he means. “And what is that,exactly?”

“Merciless.” His eyes darken as he steps closer, his face changing, almost contorting into a sinister sneer. His voice drops to a guttural whisper. “The kind of monsters that make the devil himself cower in fear.”

I’ve never been the type to falter.

Never had someone stare me down and twist my insides.

But there is something about the way Javier is looking at me right now that’s having that exact effect.

It’s like staring into the eyes of someone who has no soul.

It’s fucking scary as hell, and I don’t scare easy.

Suddenly, movement to my right catches my eye, my head flicking to check who has entered the room, breaking my intense stare down with Javier. The air suddenly feels thick, suffocating, and my heart stutters to a stop when a figure emerges from the shadows behind Javier.

The sharp click of boots on concrete echoes through the room as she steps into the light, and I force myself not to react.

But fuck, my insides are twisting in knots.

---