Chapter 65 The Challenge
Zack's POV
Sweat slicked my skin as I thrust deep into the blonde beneath me, her moans mixing with the louder cries of the redhead I had bent over the edge of the bed.
The room reeked of sex, perfume, and expensive whiskey. I had one hand fisted in the redhead’s hair, pounding into her from behind while the blonde writhed under me, her legs wrapped tight around my waist.
“Fuck—yes, just like that,” the redhead gasped, pushing back against every brutal stroke.
I switched between them fluidly, lost in the raw heat of their bodies.
The blonde’s nails raked down my back as I drove into her harder, chasing that final release. When it hit, it was violent.
I groaned loud, emptying myself inside her with several deep, punishing thrusts while the redhead kissed my neck, whispering filthy praise in my ear.
For a few blissful seconds, the only sound was heavy breathing and the wet slap of skin.
Then my phone started ringing on the nightstand.
I pulled out abruptly, ignoring the girls’ disappointed whimpers. “Get the fuck out. Both of you. Now.”
They knew better than to argue. Scrambling off the bed, they quickly gathered their scattered lingerie and dresses, slipping out of the room without another word.
The door clicked shut behind them.
I snatched the phone, seeing the encrypted number flash on the screen. My spy.
“What?” I barked, still breathing hard.
“Boss,” the voice on the other end was low and urgent. “Xavier married the girl yesterday. Secret ceremony while everyone was sleeping. He cancelled the big wedding. It’s done. She’s legally his wife now.”
I froze, the post-sex haze vanishing instantly. “He did what?”
“He married Anna yesterday. Short ceremony. Priest was paid heavily. They spent the night at a hotel and returned to the mansion this morning.”
A slow, dangerous rage began to build in my chest. I paced naked across the room, muscles coiled tight. “That son of a bitch moved fast.”
“It gets worse,” the spy continued. “He’s been extra careful lately. Changed some routines. I think he suspects someone is watching him. The sudden marriage… it feels like a preemptive move.”
I slammed my fist against the wall, cracking the plaster. “Of course he’s suspicious. The bastard is smarter than I gave him credit for. My plan to take him out cleanly on his wedding day—gone. Just like that.”
The fury burned hotter. I had envisioned it perfectly: chaos at a lavish wedding, bullets flying, Xavier dead on the ground while I watched from a safe distance. Now that opportunity was stolen from me.
“He thinks he can outmaneuver me?” I growled into the phone.
“Fine. I’ll be the one to kill Xavier myself. I want the satisfaction of looking him in the eyes when I put a bullet between them. But his new wife… Anna. She dies. Your source inside the mansion should handle her. Make it clean but painful. I don’t want her giving that bastard an heir. Cut that bloodline off before it starts.”
“Understood, boss. I’ll pass the order.”
“Good. Keep me updated on every move they make. If Xavier even breathes differently, I want to know.”
I hung up without waiting for a reply, tossing the phone onto the bed. My blood was boiling. Xavier had always been a step ahead, but this felt personal.
Marrying the girl so suddenly, claiming her like that—it was a direct fuck-you to anyone watching. Especially to me.
I got dressed quickly—black shirt, dark jeans, holster strapped on. The anger didn’t fade; it sharpened into something colder and more lethal.
When I stepped out into the main lounge where my men were gathered, the mood was far too light for my liking.
A couple of them were laughing loudly over cards, slapping each other on the back, cracking jokes about pussy and money.
Their laughter grated against my nerves like nails on a chalkboard.
They should have been strategizing. Planning. Thinking about how to destroy our enemies.
Instead, they were acting like idiots.
My vision went red.
I pulled my gun from the holster in one smooth motion. The laughter died instantly as I raised the weapon.
“What the fuck is so funny?” I snarled.
Before any of them could answer, I fired. Two quick shots—headshots—dropped the first two men mid-laugh. Blood sprayed across the table and cards.
The others scrambled up in panic, chairs clattering to the floor.
“Boss—wait—”
I shot a third man in the chest as he tried to back away. He crumpled with a wet gurgle. The fourth tried to run.
I put a bullet in his spine, then walked over calmly and finished him with one to the back of the head.
Silence fell over the room, broken only by the soft drip of blood hitting the floor.
I holstered the gun, breathing steadily now. “Next time I hear laughing when we should be focused on killing Xavier and his new whore, it’ll be all of you. Clean this shit up.”
I stepped over the bodies without another glance and headed for my office. The rage was still there, but now it had purpose.
Xavier wanted to play games? Fine.
I picked up the secure line and dialed his private number—the one very few people had. It rang twice before he answered, his voice calm and controlled as always.
“Zack.”
I smiled coldly, even though he couldn’t see it. “Congratulations on the wedding, brother. Heard you couldn’t wait to claim your pretty little prize. Secret ceremony and all. Very romantic.”
There was a pause on his end. “What do you want?”
“I want you to stop hiding behind your walls and your sudden marriages,” I said, voice dripping with venom. “You think you’re smart, Xavier? Moving the wedding up, marrying the girl before anyone could make a move? Clever. But not clever enough.”
“Get to the point.”
I leaned back in my chair. “I dare you. Come meet me. Face to face. No guards, no army. Just you and me at the old warehouse district by the docks. Midnight tomorrow. If you’re bold enough. If you’re man enough to stop hiding behind your new wife and your money.”
Another pause. I could almost hear him calculating.
“You’re challenging me to a face-off?” Xavier asked, tone flat.
“Exactly. Come alone, or don’t come at all. But know this—if you don’t show, I’ll assume you’re the coward I always suspected. And I’ll start picking off the people around you. Starting with your sweet new bride. How long do you think Anna will last when I send my men for her?”
The line went quiet for a moment. Then Xavier spoke, his voice dangerously low. “You threaten my wife, and you’re signing your own death warrant, Zack.”
I laughed. “Big words from a man who just rushed into marriage out of fear. Midnight. The docks. Come if you have balls, Don Xavier. Or stay home and fuck your new toy while you still can.”
I hung up before he could reply, adrenaline surging through my veins.
Let the games begin.