Page 11 of Hendrix

The dude was built like a brick outhouse and had way more intelligence than his uncle. I suspected Larry’s business had only lasted this long because of Cross’s input. He was an okay dude and ambitious. Cross wouldn’t like me and my club taking his birthright away, even if it was a shitty-assed legacy.

Scanning the room, I watched as, one by one, all my men moved into their positions. Diablo was obviously making the rounds, prepping all the brothers. Slowly, I began to walk toward the ring where two big fuckers were duking it out.

Weaving through the crowd, I checked one last time that everyone was in place and stalked straight for the ring, where Larry stood next to the redhead.

She saw me first, and her face paled. Her elbow discretely nudged Larry, who twisted his neck to glare at her, his expression tightening when she gestured toward me.

I came to a halt about three feet away and folded my arms across my chest, eyeing him like he was my next kill.

Larry’s mouth dropped open, and his face lost all color. His eyes darted around, looking for help, but it wasn’t there. His lackeys weren’t trained and even if they had a clue what was about to happen, they wouldn’t be a match for the Demons.

The fucker knew his time was up.

I walked around the ring where the two men were still punching the snot out of each other. “Finish it off, Hammer,” I called up.

One of the fighters turned to me and grinned widely, showing off his blood-coated teeth. He turned back to the other man and began to pummel him hard before going at him with an uppercut that took the poor fucker off his feet, knocking him out stone cold.

The crowd exploded. Everyone who wasn’t already on their feet jumped up and roared their satisfaction at the savagery. A lot of these people had a lot of cake riding on the fight, and my boy Hammer had just upset the apple cart in a way where most of the people in the room, including Larry, would be broke tomorrow.

Though my club would be a lot richer. We knew you should never bet against a Demon.

My ears picked up a few isolated shouts, and I knew my men had moved in. I skirted the ring, stalking toward Larry, who’d grabbed the redhead and was trying to find a gap in the crowd to escape. Grabbing the scruff of his neck, I pulled him clean off his feet and threw him on the ground.

That was when somebody came at me from behind and banded their arms around my chest, effectively caging me in.

A roar went up, and Hammer dived from the ropes, taking down Larry’s minion, who was trying to keep me contained so his boss could disappear.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Cross stomping toward me. “What the fuck’s going on?” he roared.

Bending down, I grabbed Larry’s collar and pulled him to his feet. He let out a pained cry as I dragged him so forcefully toward the ring that he lost his footing and landed on his knees.

“He stiffed me,” I bellowed.

The entire crowd quietened, watching as Cross’s eyes snapped incredulously toward his uncle.

“The envelope was light a-fuckin’-gain,” I declared. “I warned him last time what would happen if he kept trying to fuck me over. Now I’m keeping my promise.” I turned to Hammer. “Get everyone outta here except Larry and his boys. We’re taking over.”

My brother jerked a nod and disappeared into the crowd.

“Told ya what would happen.” I leaned down to grab Larry’s shirt, dragging him to his feet, then I pulled my neck back and headbutted him hard in the face.

I heard the loud crack, smiling as blood exploded from Larry’s nose, and he shrieked in pain before slowly sinking to his ass.

The sound of shouts filled the air. Screams and yells came from the crowd as the fighting between my boys and a couple of guys in the crowd escalated, but it only took a few seconds for my men to get the sitch under control.

“Everybody out!” my dad yelled. “If anybody’s owed winnings, come back tomorrow.”

Protests and complaints filled the room, but still, everybody began to file out of the building, muttering as they went. Some of them were familiar to me. Local businessmen stood with their arms around women who weren’t their wives. I even recognized a man who was rumored to be running for office duck his head to avoid my stare.

Diablo’s voice suddenly barked from close behind me, “You want me to break Larry’s jaw, Prez?”

I jumped at the unexpected timbre of his voice and cursed under my breath. “Jesus Christ, bro. Will you stop doing that shit?”

He grinned before nodding toward Larry, who still sat on his ass in the ring, nursing his broken nose. “Can we make an example of him?”

My stare fell on Cross, who stood with three of my men flanking him. “What the fuck did you do now?” he demanded, trying to twist his body away from Picasso’s hold.

“My envelope was short,” I informed him. “I warned him what would happen last time he tried to stiff me.”

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