Chapter 4

Cedric POV

The car reeked of bleach, blood, and that sharp, metallic copper smell that always comes with the mess. It was in the air, in the seats, even in the damn leather. I leaned back in the plush seat of the Bentley, pulling off my gloves and wiping my hands with a damp cloth. It didn’t do much. The scent was there, lingering in the fabric no matter how many times I tried to scrub it out. It stuck to everything, a constant reminder of the shit I have to deal with.

“Boss,”

Dominic said, glancing at me through the rearview mirror.

“You’ve got blood on your collar.”

I looked down, seeing the dark smear just below my tie. Great. Another shirt ruined.

“Thanks for the heads-up,”

I muttered, grabbing a cleaner rag from the seat next to me.

“Figured I’d mention it before you get home and scare the crap out of the twins,”

Dominic added.

That made me pause.

“Shit, I forgot they’re staying over tonight.”

“Yeah, man. You think Mia wants to explain to her six-year-olds why Uncle Cedric looks like a butcher?”

I sighed, scrubbing at the stain. The fabric was too far gone, but I kept at it anyway.

“Last thing I need is one of them running to Mom, saying I look like a horror movie extra.”

Dominic chuckled.

“Pretty sure little Aria would straight-up faint. Lexi, though? She’d probably ask if you fought a dragon.”

I smirked. That sounded about right. The twins were the exact opposite of each other. Lexi, the wild one, always full of crazy ideas and getting into trouble without a second thought. If there was a way to make a mess, she was already in the middle of it. Aria, though, was the total opposite. So sweet and sensitive. she’d start crying if she so much as scraped her knee. She’s so sensitive to the point you would think she was made of glass. Looking after her was more challenging than I'll have to admit.

The two of them together were a strange mix of chaos and caution, but somehow, it worked. Having them around always made things more... unpredictable, yet it was fun watching them together. My beautiful little angels.

“Remind me to keep my distance until I change.”

Dom nodded, switching lanes with an ease that came from years of driving for me.

“Anyway,”

Dom said, breaking the silence,

“You want to talk about tonight? Or just let it go?”

I leaned my head back against the seat, staring at the roof. The night had been pretty straight forward, at least as far as these kinds of things went.

First, there was Carter. A nobody who’d owed me money for about six months. He’d dragged out this shit for far too long, always stalling with some excuse and making a fool out of me. Turns out, he lost all his cash on some dumb game he thought would double his pay. Got sucked into a scam, thinking he was gonna hit it big. But now he was trying to talk his way out of it, swearing he’d pay me back double of what he owed.

Yeah, sure. Too bad for him, that didn’t change the fact that he was still broke. It was nothing personal, just business. He couldn’t pay, so we made him understand that in the usual way. A few broken ribs, snapped a few of his fingers, a broken nose and some bits of blood to set him up straight. I don’t think he’ll try that shit again anytime soon.

Then came in the real fucker that got me leaving my office. The night should’ve just ended with Carter, but it didn’t. No, things only got worse when we found that damn spy.

“Where’s the loyalty?”

I muttered under my breath, thinking about the guy we’d just dealt with.

“I give people the benefit of the doubt, and they turn around and make my life a goddamn mess.”

Dominic didn’t respond right away, letting the words hang in the air. He was used to my rants, especially when things went south. The spy, though... that was a problem we weren’t going to sweep under the rug.

“You think he was alone?”

Dom asked, his voice low as he swerved around a corner.

I sat up straight, the image of that rat-faced bastard still fresh in my mind. The spy, caught red-handed trying to dig up info for a rival clan, had begged like a dog, but there was no room for mercy in my world.

“No,”

I said, my voice clipped.

“He wasn’t alone. There’s no way they would’ve sent just him.”

The scent of bleach in the car seemed to amplify, irritating the fuck out of me. A reminder of how easily blood could be spilled, and of how ruthless we had to be to protect what was ours.

“It’s definitely them. The Alvadores.”

Dom’s eyes flicked to me in the mirror, his hands tightening on the wheel. The Alvadore clan, now that was a name that carried weight. Their ambition was starting to get dangerously obvious. They were a more refined bunch, known for their underhanded tactics, blending into high society while scheming behind closed doors. For years, they’d been eyeing my territory, thinking they could take what didn’t belong to them just because they thought I was some half-blooded, unworthy fuck for a leader.

“I told you they’d come for us eventually,”

Dominic muttered, his tone dark.

“We should’ve handled them sooner.”

I frowned.

“Not yet,”

I said, trying to think through the next steps.

“They're testing the waters. Think they can push us around just ‘cause of my bloodline. They’re wrong.”

I leaned forward, tapping my fingers against the cool surface of the armrest, my mind racing.

“Get Alaric on the line. We need to set up surveillance around the borders of our territory. Every angle covered. If they think they can walk in here and steal what’s ours, they’ve got another thing coming.”

“I’ll get right on it,”

Dom replied, his voice sharper now.

“And reach out to the others,”

I added.

“The Alvadores have been quiet too long. They’re too comfortable. We need to rattle them a bit. Send a message.”

“You want to retaliate tonight?”

Dominic asked, glancing back at me, his brow furrowing.

“I thought we were gonna lay low for a while. Let them think they’re safe.”

I leaned back again, considering. He had a point. Laying low was always a strategy. But these Alvadores were overstepping.

“No. We make it clean. A message, but no chaos. Let them think they’ve won, then hit them where it hurts most.”

I gazed out the window then back at the rearview mirror where our eyes met. Dom smirked through his eyes, reading my thoughts.

“Business?!"

He asked to be sure

"Business.”

I leaned back

"We’ll Cut them off from their usual contacts. We’ll pull their supply chain from under them. Watch how fast their fancy suits crumble when their cash flow dries up.”

A small smile tugged at the corner of my lips. The Alvadores might’ve had the upper hand in social circles, but in our world, money was power. And without it, they were nothing.

“We get the word out, make sure their people know what happens when you cross the line. Hit ‘em hard in their pockets. The rest will follow.”

Dominic was quiet for a moment, but then his voice came, softer this time, like he was treading carefully.

“I get that, it’s personal. But don’t forget, your nieces are staying over this weekend. Mia’s already on edge. You need to cool off.”

I paused. My mind shifted gears for a second.

“You’re right,”

I said after a moment, leaning back in the seat and rubbing my eyes.

"The girls are staying over. I don’t want them seeing me like this.”

I ran a hand through my hair, pushing it back as I let out a frustrated sigh.

Dominic gave a small, understanding nod.

“Exactly. Lexi’s going to be running around like a tornado, and Aria’s going to want to be glued to you, thinking she’s your little protector. You’re gonna need a clear head, Cedric. Let the boys handle it for tonight. Get your mind off it for a while.”

I sighed, letting the tension in my shoulders relax just a little.

“I’ll talk to the team in the morning. For tonight... I’ll let The Alvadores think they’ve got a win. They won’t get another one. Not while I’m still breathing.”

“Good call.”

Dominic’s voice was steady, like he knew this was the right move.

“And hey, maybe Lexi will convince you to play her game of ‘king of the castle’ or whatever it is she calls it these days. That should keep your mind off things.”

I chuckled lightly, even though it wasn’t really funny.

“If I get dragged into that mess, I’ll be lucky if I can escape without a concussion.”

“Just don’t let Aria see you all worked up, man,”

Dominic flashed a grin through the rearview mirror.

“She’ll have a meltdown if she thinks something’s wrong.”

I gave him a pointed look.

“I know. I’ll be fine.”

We turned off the main road, and the car eased onto the long driveway that led to my estate. The iron gates creaked open slowly as we approached. Few more minutes and the manor came into view, the dark stone and big windows almost glowing in the moonlight. It was peaceful, almost too peaceful, like nothing could ever touch it….or me.

As we neared the front door, I caught a glimpse of the girls. There they were, waiting for me like they always did. Lexi was jumping up and down like she’d just seen her favorite celebrity, while Aria stood calmly beside her maid, clutching her stuffed bunny. Even from here, I could tell she was looking at me, waiting for the second I stepped out of the car. It hit me again, how much they meant to me, how much I had to protect them.

“Looks like you’ve got an audience,”

Dominic said, a grin spreading across his face as he parked the car.

I rolled my eyes.

“Yeah, I can see that.”

I stepped out of the car, and before I even had a chance to straighten up, Lexi was already sprinting toward me, arms wide. Aria followed, a little slower but still excited, her little bunny bouncing with every step.

“Uncle Cedric!”

Lexi shouted, practically tackling me into a hug.

“Hey, hey, take it easy, Lexi!”

I laughed, picking her up for a second before setting her down.

Aria’s soft voice came from behind her.

“Are you okay, Uncle Cedric?”

I ruffled her hair, leaning down so I was at her level.

“Yeah, sweetheart, I’m fine. Just a long day. ”

She nodded, still holding onto that bunny like it was her security blanket.

Lexi was already jumping in again, her voice full of excitement.

“So, I have this awesome idea for a pillow fort, and you’re going to help me build it!”

I looked up at Dominic, who was giving me an amused look.

“Looks like I’m stuck for the night,”

I said, trying not to laugh.

Dominic shrugged, giving me a wink as he put the car in reverse.

“Good luck with that, boss.”

I shot him a quick look before turning back to the girls who were practically dragging me in.

“Alright, alright, let’s see what you’ve got.”