Thicker Than Blood

🧿 Chapter 19: Rats and Pigs

Olexei's Pov

As I headed back to Xan's apartment , I thought more about Anna and where she had been. Something was off and even though she usually made my fucking skin crawl, it was too much of a coincidence.

Ryder and I had already figured that there was a rat in the family. Both warehouses that were hit were ones that held most of our product. There is no way this fact could be known by anyone on the outside. The job was too clean.

The thought of someone from the inside betraying us made me livid. I understood that I wasn't very popular among the family but, Ryder was their leader. Without loyalty, the family would surely fall.  

Walking back into the apartment building, I came upon Xan's door and knocked. He once again opened it. The scowl on his face seemed to have become permanent over recent years or maybe it was reserved for only me and Ryder. To think that this used to be a boy that would do nothing but smile and laugh in my presence when we were younger hurt.

"Hey" I hummed. He just rolled his eyes and walked away. I didn't like to disrespected so, I had to fight the urge to grab him and teach him a lesson.  Whether the lesson would be lethal or sexual, I wasn't sure.

There were papers all over the counter, that was the first thing I noticed. Picking up a few, I saw they were the ones that were in the folder Xan had delivered to me. Pages upon pages of all the horrible acts I had committed over the years, including what I did to his father.

"What happened at the warehouse?" Ryder asked coming up to me.

"Same as the other one. Looks like an inside job. They were too clean, like they knew what time to hit and where everything was" I explained.

"Shit. We need to get this handled before news gets around and people start trying to take advantage. They're gonna think we're weak and try to take our position" he hissed pulling out his phone.

"Who are you calling?" I asked.

"My father. I got to fill him and my mom in before they find out from someone else" he sighed walking out the apartment to talk privately in the hallway.

"So many problems" Xan hummed from his corner.

"They'll be handled" I replied and he just chuckled darkly.

"The same way you handled these" he murmured pointing to the papers.

"If necessary, yes. I don't regret anything I've done because it was all for a reason. Much to your disbelief, I don't kill for no reason" I argued and he just shook his head. Slowly, I stepped over to where he was standing. Leaning down, I placed my lips next to his ear.

"I would kill that bastard a million times over for what he did to you" I whispered before stepping back.

"I was gonna handled it. I was moving away after graduation" he replied.

"You think he would've just let you leave! People like that would never give up their power over you. Not unless you take it! He would of killed you first and I loved you too much to let that happen! You can hate me all you want but, at least your alive to do so instead of six feet in the ground!" I spat getting angry. This time he just looked at me.

"Thank you" he whispered after a long silence.

"You don't need to thank me" I said. I didn't need his gratitude. Truth is, I only did what I wish someone would've done for me. After that nothing else was said, and it felt like we had finally moved on from the past.

"Alright we need to go" Ryder spoke coming back into the apartment.

"Where?" I questioned confused.

"To get ready. Xan says he knows someone who could help you. I talked to my father and he is gonna reach out to one of his old contacts about the warehouses" he explained.

"Who is this contact? Someone in the station?" I asked skeptically. I wasn't ready to risk my life working with a pig I didn't know or have on my payroll.

"He isn't on the force. He's someone I met before going into the academy" Xan spoke looking down at his hands. I could tell that whoever this person was, they had history. Something about that irritated me but, I didn't pay it any mind. If this was gonna help get rid of this damn case then I was all for it.

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