I raise a finger, signaling Ranger to hold back.The man with the shotgun shifts his gaze from Fury to me, his finger twitching on the trigger.I hold his gaze, my own cold and unblinking.Ranger halts his approach, but the tension is thick in the air.
“Do you want to live?”I ask, my voice a low growl.
“Tell him to stop!”the man begs, his voice shaking.
I don’t take my eyes off him, but I can hear Fury’s fists still relentlessly pounding into the other guy’s face.My gaze flicks to Fury, and I speak again, my tone sharper, more commanding.
“Fury.”He doesn’t stop.I can still hear the sickening thud of his fists.“Fury,” I repeat, my voice more forceful this time as I stare at him.
Fury halts his assault, the guy crumpling in front of him, his face unrecognizable.I nod, and Fury steps back, still panting with rage.He has blood speckled over his face and is grinning like a madman.
“Nobody fucks with the Kings,” Fury states.
The man with the shotgun is trembling, but the terror in his eyes tells me he’s not sure if we’re about to kill him or let him walk away.Either way, he knows this is the last chance he’s getting to make the right choice.
I keep my eyes on the guy as his hands shake, the gun still in his grasp.His voice wavers, full of desperation as he tries to justify himself.“I didn’t want any part of this, but my girl is pregnant and—”
“We don’t care.”My voice is flat, emotionless, as cold as the water beneath us.My fingers twitch at my side, itching for the gun I keep hidden under my coat, but I don’t reach for it.Not yet.“Put the gun down.”
He hesitates, looking from the weapon to me, back and forth, weighing his options.It’s obvious he’s too scared even to think straight.His breath comes in shallow gasps.Finally, the gun drops from his hand with a clatter, the metallic sound sharp in the night.
As he straightens, his fear doesn’t fade—it intensifies.Ranger steps up behind him, his large hands landing on the guy’s shoulders, and the man screams, the sound ragged and broken.
“Good choice,” Ranger growls, his voice a low rumble, the animalistic tone sending a shiver down my spine.His eyes are wild and feral, and for a moment, I think he might actually go ahead and finish the job anyway.But he doesn’t.Not yet.“Although I was looking forward to killing you.”
I turn my attention back to the trembling man.“Fury, get the cash.”
Fury doesn’t even acknowledge me with a nod.He jumps off the boat, moving so quickly it’s as though he’s part of the shadows.Moments later, he’s back, the envelope of cash in hand.He passes it to me.
I open it, count the bills, then pull out half and hold it out to the man.
Ranger lets go of him, gives him a shove, and sends him stumbling toward me.His eyes flick to the envelope, but he doesn’t take it.He stands there, frozen, as if he’s unsure if this is a trap.
I reach out, grab his hand, and place the envelope on his chest, covering it with his shaking fingers.“Take it.Forget what you saw here tonight.And never come back.We know what you look like.We have your scent.If you return, we’ll know.”
His breath hitches in his throat, and I watch as he swallows hard.His eyes lock with mine, full of fear but also gratitude.He nods once, twice, as if trying to convince himself that this is real and he’s actually getting away with his life.
I don’t look back at him again.Instead, I meet Ranger’s gaze and hold a finger in the air, making a circle with it.There’s no need for me to say more.He knows exactly what I mean.Without a word, Ranger grabs the body of the man he killed, his movements swift and brutal.Fury follows suit, his form a blur of motion as he drags the second body off the boat.When he hits the dock, he bends, grabs their leader by the collar of his coat, and drags both to the end of the dock.The man, still frozen with fear, stares at the envelope on his chest as though he can’t quite believe it’s happening.
He opens his mouth, his voice tentative, full of doubt.“What do I tell their f-families?”
I don’t even flinch at his question.“Tell them they died at sea.”
His eyes widen, panic clear in his expression, and he licks his lips nervously.“They’ll know I’m lying.”
“Then make them believe it.”My voice is hard, unyielding.“If you don’t, you’ll end up like your friends.”
I should end it here, should put him out of his misery and tie up the loose end.He’s a witness, a liability, but something makes me hesitate.His eyes are wide, terrified, and beneath all the fear, there’s a flicker of something else, something human.His woman is depending on him.Life up here is hard, brutal, and unforgiving, and I can’t help but wonder if he deserves a chance at redemption.
For a moment, I let the silence stretch between us, the weight of it suffocating.
“Go,” I mutter.“Get out of here and don’t ever come back.If you do, we’ll be waiting.”
The man doesn’t hesitate.Without another word, he grabs the envelope, tucking it under his arm as he scrambles to untie the boat.I watch him.His movements are hurried as he hastily tosses the stern line into the boat and starts the engine.I watch from the dock, my men and goods with me.
Ranger’s lips curl into a grin, but there’s no amusement in it.“You let him live?”
“Yeah,” I mutter, the weight of the decision settling in my chest.“For now.”
