Bloodlines of Betrayal

r 2: R

wood. His men were scattered around, waiting for him to speak, but Ryan was deep in thought. The report that had landed on his desk this morning still burned in

, he was waging war. Ryan knew it was only a matt

ou alrig

a face scarred from years in the game,

ckered up, cold

ed a line and he'

been gathering support from some of the smaller gangs

king him, I'll make sure I end

wer was infuriating. They had been in a cold war for years,

l's playing with fire, and I'm going to make sur

erous glint in his ey

beneath him, the twinkling lights of the streets and buildings masking the violence simmering j

hurts, His clubs, his mone

already gettin

htened for a moment, and he hesitated before answering. Sofia was Daryl's sister, and that made her a complication. But there was something about

ll, his voice care

📱So

e was an edge to it. I heard what happened.

fia completely, but she had her own issues with Daryl,

do you wa

other end, the silence ha

I want

brow fu

And why would

t laugh, but there

us all down with him. I'm not asking you to trust me, R

s. If Sofia was playing him, it could be a deadly trap.

said, keeping his tone neutral. "B

upted, her voice stea

eaving Ryan staring at th

NGE HI

side, the music pulsed, and the crowd moved like a wave, but Ryan's focus was elsewhere. Tommy was waiting at a seclu

got a crew set to hit Daryl's s

, his expre

eel the pressure. We're not

f his drink, then

Word on the street is there's a

eyes na

hat do

gged, his

n gathering intel on both you and Daryl. The rumor is h

t thing he needed right now. If there was one thing that co

e?" Ryan asked, his vo

nd out,Tommy promised. We've

this detective quietly and quickly. If the cop got too close,

him tonight, Ryan

grin r

der it

*

toward one of Daryl's clubs. It was a seedy, rundown place on the outskirts of the city, a stark contrast to th

, his mind focused on the task at hand. He wasn't just going to

ping out of the vehicles with a silent, practiced efficiency. Jake, one

this, boss? Jake as

ed, his j

get i

ng them like a wave. Inside, the club was packed, people dancing

It didn't take long to find them. One of Daryl's lieutenants, a burly man wi

raised. The moment the lieuten

DE) stammered, his e

deafening over the music. The lieutenant collapsed, blood pooling

brutal efficiency. Shots rang out, glass shattered, a

nant, his phone buzzed in his pocket. He

knows. He's c

into his pocket. Let him come, he thou

at I want. L

*

Daryl was going to retaliate, that much was certain. But Ryan had the upper hand now

ooking worried, Ry

His name's Callum Price.

in his glass, a cold smil

s voice dripping with menace. W

s, but it also presented an opportunity. If they could turn Callum Price, or at least keep him busy c

ith a sharp clink. He had too many problems stacking up, and

and controlled. "I want to know everything about him. Wher

ving toward the door. "I

yl was heating up, and now this detective could complicate everything. But Ryan was

hit on Daryl's club. His men had destroyed the place-thousands in damage, a few of Daryl's key players taken out,

d. It was a mes

e tonight. We

ned him about her brother, and Ryan knew she wasn't lying. But the bigger question still hung in t

or a moment be

e place a

ater, Sofi

Midnight.

to dwell on it. There was too much at stake now.Chapter . Sofia was a wild card in

*

apartment complex that seemed so out of place for someone tied to the violent underworld. Sofi

e if anyone is outside, her voice stea

nod

ou asked. What's

e before sitting on the couch, gesturing for him to join

said quietly, taking a sip of her wine. Y

smi

. That was

u don't understand. He's not going to stop. He's already planni

arms, leaning a

You warned me once. What are yo

es flashed

des. I'm trying to keep both o

hough there was

ray. You can't stop it, and you sure as hell can't fi

ass down, rising

want Daryl to destroy everything, and I don't want you to die eit

er, his voice low

ou're wrong. And if you're just here to protect

ened, but her eye

yl. I'm here to stop him from burn

s mind was racing, trying to read Sofia's motives. Was she really just try

his phone buzzed again. I

got Callum Pr

ck at Sofia, h

Sofia, "Or you'll get burn

ent, not waiting for her reply. There we

*

room sat Callum Price, the undercover detective who had been circling around both Ryan and Daryl for months. His face

approached him, his tone casual. Poking

spond, his jaw

is eye level, his voice lowe

ops knowing about. But you're also a smart man, aren't you? Smart enough to unde

y spoke, his

e? You and Daryl are both going

ed, rising

u're going to be working for me now. You're going to feed your bosses f

him, his voice sh

'd betray everythi

by cold steel. He leaned down aga

f you dear go question me again,

tween us you don't hav

o that, only if

orward, his voi

ou want us to do

Price, standin

re he understands his new role. If he

e, Price called out, h

on't get awa

n look back. "I

*

l was gearing up for something big, and Ryan needed to be ready. The pieces were all i

from Sofia, but he didn't open it. Whatever she had t

d making sure Callum Price played his part. The clock wa

s only just

CONTIN