Page 26 of Up in Flames

“Cut. Him. Some. Slack?”I shove Trap up against the wall, my eyes staring deep into the pools of a complete moron. My temper is about to reach boiling point.

He glares back, almost daring me to make a move.

He’s pulled me away from Makaylie for this?

This ishisdamn mess.

Entirely his fault.

Now we’re in hot water with the LA branch of the Bachelors because we can’t get them their shipment. This Buckley idiot sold it for his own gain, and Trap wants me to let it slide.

I know howIwant to handle this, but this minefield is too big for me to take the reins on myself. It doesn’t only involve us. This matter concerns another branch as well.

I have to take this to the top.

“Wait here. I have to discuss how to settle this with Boss.” I shove Trap into the wall harder, then let him go, turning for the door.

“Cain. I called you soyoucould deal with it. We don’t have to take this to Boss,” Trap begs.

I turn back, my hand on the doorknob. “Thatwas your first mistake, Trap. Your second was thinking I wasn’t going to do anything about this shitshow.” I turn to Alfie by the door and dip my head at him. “Don’t let them leave.”

He nods, moving to cover the exit as I walk out and go to Boss’ office. The anger boils inside me, knowing he will probably tell me to handle it. But regardless, he needs to know. Knocking on his door, I slip my head inside, seeing a Bachelorette on his table, her skirt up around her waist and Boss’ head buried between her legs.

“This better be good,” he mumbles, not lifting his head from between her thighs, as she glances back, smiling at me.

“The shipment to LA was compromised. Trap palmed it off to Buckley instead of doing the job himself, and Buckley took the product and sold it for his own profit. Trap managed to get wind of it and got hold of Buckley before he could leave town. I have Trap and Buckley in the yellow room now.”

Boss lets out a low groan, his fist slamming on the table beside the Bachelorette. She doesn’t even flinch as the glass on his desk rattles with the brute force of the hit, his head still buried between her legs. “I put you beneath me to deal with this bullshit, Cain. You know what needs to be done. Traitors can’t be trusted. As for Trap, tell him he’s on probation. Now, get the fuck out before I rethink my position onyourrole here too!”

Flaring my nostrils, that lava bubbles intensely as I spin, making my way back to the yellow room.

Makaylie floods my mind, and the only thing I can think of is that I should be there with her right now instead of dealing with bullshit like this. Bullshit that shouldn’t have even happened in the first place. Trap should have done his job properly, and I wouldn’t be dealing with the damn consequences.

Shoving open the door, I rush to Trap with my fist clenched so tight my fingers burn. I can’t hold back the venom and hatred I have for this asshole as it floods through my veins, and I slam my fist into his face. He tries to fight back, but I ram my other fist into his stomach. He hunches over, and then I uppercut him in the jaw. He falls back onto the floor, coughing and spluttering, groaning out in pain as I turn with fire in my eyes as I lock them on Buckley.

The idiot has the audacity to step back dramatically, his back pressing against the wall. His hands come up, trying to stop my hastened approach as I reach out, grab him by the collar, and throw him to the floor. He yelps as I kneel over the top of him, landing a fist into his face. He coughs, trying to fight back, but I am too strong for him as I land another fist into his face. The volcano erupts like an inferno, surging through me so hot I can’t contain my rage.

Buckley’s head snaps to the side, panting, bleeding as he tries to buck me off him. But all that does is spur me on. The devil inside has come out to play, and there’s no stopping him now. My hands slide out, wrapping around Buckley’s neck. His eyes bug out of his face as he gasps for breath. His legs begin to kick, his hips jerking as he tries to fight me off. Buckley’s hands grip at my arms, shirt, jacket, anything he can to try and fight me off, but I am far too in this now.

Because of him, I’m here, not with my girl.

Heis the reason I have to do this right now.

Heis the reason I have to let the devil back in.

Heis the reason I have to fall back into the flames of darkness.

If I am going to be swallowed by hell, I am taking this asshole with me.

Finally, Buckley’s body begins to give out. His muscles relax, his eyes roll into the back of his head, and he finally stops fighting as adrenaline surges through me.

How easy it is for me to take a life should scare me.

But it doesn’t.

All it does is remind me how fucking evil I am.

And how I am no good for Makaylie.

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