3. The Bet

Clancy's POV

This is not the first time I survived a near-death experience and definitely not going to be the last.

I alighted from the dirt bike in the garage with a briefcase in my possession and staggered away with pain coursing through my entire body.

I might not fear death but still, I'm a human who feels and hears the whispers of death saying, 'You might not be so lucky next time, mortal man'

My face was covered with the blood of those I'd stabbed to death that evening and my white long sleeve was soaked with my blood.

I had a bullet wound on my shoulder and it was bleeding nonstop, weakening my body with each passing moment.

I would have been able to withstand that pain but I had others coming from the bleeding slashes at my back.

Tonight was rough, like every other night I decided to take on risky mafia tasks on my own.

Call me stubborn but I spent all my life as the Underboss of the family who carried out dirty jobs while the boss relaxed and dished out instructions.

I'm the King now and yet, I do the sh*ts myself.

Sitting and serving instructions to subordinates could be sometimes boring.

I found my way down the hallway, staggering as I went until I almost bumped into one of my men who was armed with a rifle.

He was shocked to see my state and couldn't help but mutter, "Boss.."

"Where is my brother? Where is Dale?" I demanded coldly ignoring the concerned look on his face.

"He found the rat who stole from tonight's delivery, Boss. Dale is asking questions"

My countenance changed without warning and I tightened my fist before finding my way to the basement of the building.

I was in California City today for two reasons.

First; to sell an exclusive product of ours to a top-notch customer who resided here and the other; to retrieve a product of mine stolen during shipment and to be sold to a local dealer here.

The first deal didn't go through with the dealer because a considerable amount of the product was missing from each parcel when weighed.

One of my men was responsible for stealing to resell and I had no option but to cancel the deal and ask my brother to handle the situation while I deal with the other cause.

I attacked the transaction locations and managed to retrieve the package stolen from my shipment with the skin of my teeth.

Crashing a drug deal as a lone wolf was crazy but c'mon, they're just a bunch of local gangsters trying to go global the wrong way.

No one steals from Clancy McCain.

I kicked open the basement door strongly to see Dale standing in front of a dark-skinned man tied to a chair and his face was swollen.

Evidence of severe torture.

My brother never fails in his doings, a good reason I can leave tasks to him and not look back to inspect.

Dale turned to see me with a big smile on his face but it immediately transformed into a deep frown.

"You look like sh*t," He told me with a slice of sympathy in his voice and then pinched the roof of his nose.

"I got the package, that's the most important thing," I said to him and dropped the briefcase at the side of the door.

Dale had tried several times to warn me about playing lone wolf but after surviving on every occasion, he resolved to remain silent about it.

Then asked him, " So... This is the son of a b¡tch. Rafael, look into my eyes"

I squat before him with an angered look.

I cared less about the pain in my system and more about this betrayal from one of my trusted men.

Rafael whimpered with his head down and my brother couldn't help but laugh loudly, and say, "The tears won't save you, Buddy. You stole from us. Only you had access to the nose candy parcels before we moved them into the van"

"I'm sorry... Okay?" Rafael cried bitterly and his voice only added more heat to the rage boiling inside of me.

I rose coordinatively and without warning, connected my tightened fist to his nostril feeling the sharp tweak of his nasal bone.

A painful roar rushed out of his throat and as he raised his head, thick crimson liquid flowed out of his double pipe, down to wet his bushy moustache.

This was the first time I cancelled a deal with my California client because of fvcking missing stuff.

Motherfvcking greedy bastard!

"Tell me this is the first time you pinched out of my parcels and I'll take out your fvcking eyes..!" I yelled at him, pulling the gun behind me and pointing it at him with a furrowed brow.

I guess I've been reluctant the entire time and trusted them to be contented with their various pay.

"Tell me you're alone in this and I'll make you swallow my bullet!" I cursed, tightening my grip on the pistol when Dale stepped in front of me and cocked his brows.

"That's enough, Brother. We'll interrogate him when you have a clear head"

I wasn't exactly sure what he was pointing at but one thing was sure; the longer I stayed in this basement, the higher the tendency to put a bullet in the skull of this rat.

Slowing lowering my pistol, I trailed my feet out of the basement and located the living room where I collapsed into the modular sofa, and shut my eyes for a moment.

Tonight was completely fvcked up and--

"I rescheduled a new deal with the Kevins. I also have Sonia checking and refilling the parcels for the deal. She's the most trusted at the moment" My thought was interrupted by the firm voice of Dale and his footsteps resounded inside the room.

I massaged my forehead and opened my eyes to see him approaching with an open bottle of vodka in his right hand.

"Sonia will come over to stitch you up but for now...." Without warning, Dale poured the content of the bottle on my bleeding arm, soaking my shirt and sending a painful signal to my brain.

"Fvck!" I couldn't help but curse and snatched the vodka bottle from him.

I gulped in the remaining content and flung it to the corner of the room where a crash noise was heard almost immediately.

I looked over my shoulder to see the bleeding seizing up already and then raised my head to see the proud smirk at the end of Dale's lips.

"You enjoy this. Don't you?"

"Not yet" He responded and pinched the roof of his nose before cocking his brows at me.

I knew something big was coming at that instant.

"It's time to pay up"

My brows furrowed, not understanding what he meant by the line until he clarified, "You forget our bet so easily"

I gulped upon hearing this and couldn't stop myself from inhaling deeply.

If I knew better.

Dale and I had done the pinky bet thing before I left to retrieve my product.

He claimed they would know I'm coming and try to ambush me but I bet otherwise.

"Rumors spread like wildfire in California, Brother. The Lance, The Ricardos, The Lincolns, every one of them got leaking mouths to sell information regarding your presence here"

I could only nod slowly to what my brother said because he was right.

I ran straight into waiting gangsters and managed to escape.

He won the bet and now I had to pay up.

With what exactly? Whatever he wishes, I grant it to him without complaining.

That was the rule of the bet.

"So... What do you desire? My card, women, cars..."

Dale had never won a bet against me before and that's enough reason why I can't guess what he would suggest.

This was his first time and I believed it would be something enormous but alas...

"Will you see a therapist now brother?"

My jaw dropped in shock and a big annoying smile appeared on his face.

"You still struggle with the trauma that comes with Mom and Dad's death. It's time you deal with it?" He whispered to me with a concerned voice.

I waved my hand at him and rest my forehead on my open palm. "I'm fine, Brother. I need no godamn therapist. I am Clancy McCain, the--"

"Spare me the title" He interrupts and took a few steps back to relax on the couch opposite me.

Dale continued. "I spoke to Doctor Ivory about my traumas and I've been a fine brother. I don't have that madness roaming my head anymore. Look at you, you just raised a gun at Perez, the look in your eyes, you were going to shoot"

"He's a rat" I defended, almost angrily.

"I know. You've been over your head lately, Brother. The memories are haunting you again, ain't they?"

I wasn't ready to hear any more words from my brother to suggest I'm weak. "I don't need a fvcking therapist. Doctor Ivory, I ain't spilling my madness to that old woman who wants the notes. I'm out of here"

I made to walk away when Dale spoke, "Are you walking out on your bet? It's fine though"

I turned to see him resting his back on the sofa with his legs crossed and an indifferent stare.

That's it. I couldn't go back on my words else it would pave the way for him to walk out of a bet in the future.

I grit my teeth tightly and waved my hand, "Fine. Any therapist but not Doctor Ivory, and it must be here in California. I ain't seeing no therapist home. Let's be done with your crazy demand here and forever"

I swear I could see a creepy smirk curling at the end of his wide lips.

Dale knew nothing would hit me harder than being forced to see a therapist to help with the trauma that causes me to be violent at people.

It hurts harder than giving him my platinum card or favourite vehicles.

I wasn't sure if he truly cared about my mental health or if this was just vengeance on his part in relation to the bets I'd been winning since we were kids.

I've made him do a lot of things to date and he has been waiting patiently for the day he manages to win one. Today was the day.

Dale wanted me to see the one person I despise most in life.

A fvcking therapist.

I knew better not to back out of the bet and just face it.

He would lose more bets to me in the future and I'll have my pound of flesh then.

"That's the spirit, Brother. I'll arrange one for you now.." Dale rose to his feet and I said quickly to him, "Let me choose... Bring the list..."

His brows furrowed.

"I choose my therapist or no therapist. You choose..."

He sighed heavily and pinched the roof of his nose.

Dale knew better not to let me off the hook. "It's fine... Let me see...."

He pulled out his device and approached me quickly.

I watched him open the On-help app and navigate his way to the Therapy service section where an endless list went on and on.

"Professor Cruz here got thousands of reviews... I'm gonna arrange him for you" Dale told me pointing to the number one service which was highly recommended by the application but I had better plans.

Was it exactly better?

Without warning, I swiped and the list rushed up until the last came smiling at me like a woman who just discovered her fiancee is secretly a trillionaire.

"That one... Sofia Dante... That's the one I want" I revealed with a big smirk knowing full well the account was inactive and probably abandoned for all eternity.

"What?" Dale's eyes bulged out and he stared dagger at me but I wasn't moved.

"A bet is a bet, dear brother. You agreed that I can choose any therapist and now... I picked my choice. Back down now, will ya?"

I always managed to find my way out of my problems and here is Dale trying to outsmart me in a bet game.

"I'm gonna go wash up then" I whispered with a victorious smirk and walked away from him but stopped midway when his voice reverberated, "You sneaky Bastard!"

I thought Dale was gonna let go at this point but this was his only chance to force me to seat with an unwanted therapist.

He still went ahead to arrange Sofia Dante for me by all means.