Page 50 of Property of Chux

Then, as casually as possible, I reach over Dimitri’s still-twitching corpse and extend my hand. “I look forward to a future together.”

The man—now my new contact—reaches across the blood-stained table and shakes my hand.

I smirk, pulling back and lacing my fingers together. “I want three percent of every crate. Outside of that, you can move anything necessary through us in the state of Alabama.”

He considers this for only a second before nodding. “Done.”

I reach into my cut, pull out a thick envelope, and slide it across the table toward him. “A hundred thousand in cash. A gift.”

He raises an eyebrow.

“For returning the missing gun cargo container,” I clarify. “West Virginia Kings were expecting that delivery, and I don’t like loose ends.”

He takes the envelope, weighing it in his hands before tucking it into his coat.

I stand, tapping the cigar against the edge of the tray. “Pleasure doing business with you. I’m sure you’ll be in touch.”

Konstantin is still frozen, his expression unreadable as he stares at Dimitri’s lifeless body.

I glance down at the blood-soaked old man and smirk. “You good, old man?”

His gaze snaps to mine, still wide with shock.

I chuckle, adjusting my cut, grabbing my cigar again. “Next time, maybe don’t bring a man to a table when you don’t know where the real power sits.”

Then I turn on my heel and walk out, Mellow right behind me.

The Kings just won a war before a single battle started.

I don’t go far. After stepping outside the Dark Syndicate, I pull my phone from my pocket and dial.

The ringing barely lasts a second before Konstantin answers. His voice is rough, shaken in a way I’ve never heard before.

“You really do not waste time, do you?” he mutters.

I take a slow drag from my cigar, exhaling into the night air. “No, I don’t.” I let the silence stretch just long enough for the weight of what just happened to settle in. “We need to get something straight.”

Konstantin exhales sharply, probably dragging a hand down his blood-splattered face. “I suppose I have no choice but to listen.”

“Damn right, you don’t.” I take another hit of my cigar, rolling my shoulders to shake off the tension lingering from that meeting. “If you ever keep a single secret from me, from my club, or from my woman again, I’ll personally put the bullet between your eyes.”

There’s silence on the other end. I don’t fill it.

Finally, Konstantin chuckles. It’s humorless, empty. “I underestimated you, Chux.”

“Yeah,” I say, flicking the ash from the end of my cigar onto the pavement. “You did.”

“You just made a deal with men far more ruthless than you realize,” he warns, his voice quieter now, more measured.

I smirk, glancing back at the Dark Syndicate, where the blood of a once-powerful man is still soaking into the floorboards. “No, you’re wrong once again. They just made a deal withme.”

Another beat of silence.

Then, “I knew you were dangerous. But you, Chux…” Konstantin exhales slowly. “You’re something else entirely.”

“I’m the man keeping your granddaughter safe,” I remind him. “And I’ll do it with or without your help. You understand me?”

His voice is steady when he says, “I understand.”

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