Lucien arched a brow, disbelief tightening his expression. Vincent? Betray him? Impossible.
His brother had always been like a loyal dog, his shadow, his most faithful ally, always a step behind him.
"Vincent betraying me?"
His grip crushed the folder, the paper crinkling under his strength as his violet eyes burned into Obscura.
"If you're wrong, David, I swear I'll burn you alive."
Obscura flinched. After all, he was still the new Capo after his father died. Still young and often made mistakes, but this time he was sure of this.
The Don rarely used his Capos' real names only their aliases. To hear David spoken aloud was a blade to the chest.
But Lucien's fury was real, and the accusation was heavier than iron.
Vincent wasn't just his right hand. He was blood, his family.
Obscura swallowed hard, forcing his voice steady. "No, Servei. He will betray you. The evidence is clear."
Lucien ripped open the folder and skimmed its contents. Not just reports, transaction records, payments, even bribes from the Dominus Group to secure safe distribution in Lucero territory.
And then photographs. Vincent and Mikhail Reznik–Crimson Diablo–entering a building together.
The paper crumpled in Lucien's hand, along with his composure.
His chest tightened, fury boiling with betrayal. Vincent, planning a coup? Against him? Why?
Had his loyalty not been enough? Had Lucien's protection, his kindness, meant nothing?
"Fuck!" His snarl cracked the air. "I'll destroy that bastard!"
Lucien surged to his feet, but stopped short. His gaze snapped to Obscura.
"David, dig deeper. I want everything. Every move, every word, every fucking detail. Before I shove this report down his throat and drown him in the ocean."
"Yes, Servei!" Obscura snapped to attention, vanishing from the room like a fleeing shadow.
Lucien stood trembling, breath ragged. Rage consumed him. His heart hammered like it wanted to tear out of his chest.
Betrayal was no stranger to him, but each time it cut, it cut deeper.
With a growl, he shoved his hands through his golden hair until it was a disheveled mess, then slammed his fists against the table.
"I'm going to fuck you up, Vincent!"
***
Lucien never went back on his word.
So when the time came to move against Dominus, he summoned Vincent to the field.
"You'll go with them," Lucien said, his voice calm but cutting. "Hound will stay with me. He'll observe and guard my position."
Vincent's brows knit together. He rarely received missions that required brute force. "Are you sure, Lucien? This is a serious operation, isn't it better if—"
Lucien cut him off, sharp and merciless. "Why are you questioning me, Vincent? I am your Don. I expect you to follow like a loyal dog."
He pressed a fist against Vincent's chest, eyes narrowing.
"Don't disappoint me, brother."
Vincent paled, understanding the weight of those words. He had just been made captain of the operation.
Lucien turned on his heel, leaving with Hound and a few men until they reached the rooftop overlooking the battlefield.
The sky was sinking into darkness, wind tugging through Lucien's blonde hair as he raised his night-vision binoculars.
Below, Vincent barked orders amid chaos, his men exchanging gunfire with Dominus soldiers inside a decrepit building.
Lucien spotted his brother ducking behind a table, bullets hammering the walls around him.
He smirked. "I know you won't die this easily, brother. I haven't tortured you enough yet."
The battle raged on, bullets, grenades, and even small bombs rocking the night.
Beside him, Hound spoke at last, his tone low and restrained. "Servei, are you certain you don't want me involved? Watching my men die like this… It's painful. I could finish this in five minutes."
"Let it be, Hound. Tonight isn't your night." Lucien pulled out a cigarette, placing it between his lips.
But no flame appeared. For the first time, he realized—Vincent wasn't there to light it for him. A small thing, but it twisted in his gut. Annoyance flared, sharp as the craving in his veins.
"Tch. Should I send him to you? Train him into something better than… whatever that is?"
Hound chuckled, a sound so rare it startled even his own men. "Servei, I'm no miracle worker."
Lucien blinked, then burst into laughter. The rooftop echoed with it, his men staring in disbelief at the tense, scarred Capo cracking a joke.
"You do have a good sense of humor behind that gloomy mask and appearance."
"Don't judge a book by its cover they say. I do have a great sense of humor, it just people barely understand it."
When the gunfire finally ceased, Lucien lifted his binoculars again. Vincent stood, alive, and worse victorious.
Lucien exhaled in disappointment. "Still healthy. Hnh. I should've put a bullet or two in him myself."
His violet eyes turned glacial as he drew his pistol, sighting Vincent through the cracked window below.
"Servei?" Hound's voice was low, questioning.
No one–except him and Obscura–knows about the betrayal of Vincent. Fewer people know the better.
But the rooftop door creaked open before Lucien could answer.
Every gun turned to the source. However, they were all stunned when they realized the one who opened the door.
It wasn't their men.
"Long time no see, Serpent," came a deep, amused voice. "Still as heartless as ever, I see."
Lucien's pistol shifted immediately, his gaze hardening.
The man standing in the doorway was unmistakable.
Fiery red hair tumbling over broad shoulders. Golden, reptilian eyes glinting in the dark.
A body like a predator's, towering and muscular, painted with the scent of death.
Behind him lay the corpses of Lucien's guards, sprawled in the hallway.
"Mikhail Reznik," Lucien growled, finger tightening on the trigger. "Are you here to avenge your men?"
Hound and every gunman on the rooftop aimed their weapons at him.
Mikhail only smirked, casual and devastating. "Oh? You still remember my name? How sweet."
The sound of it made Lucien omega's instinct tremble. If he wasn't using a powerful suppressant right now, he might have folded in front of that alpha.