Tore

twenty-nine | son/sun

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Nico

The fog rolled in thick over the Vineyard, turning the harbor into a ghostly blur of shapes and shadows. I stood on the dock, the cold bite of the sea air a sharp contrast to the fire burning in my chest. The game was finally nearing its end, and Kaine thought he had the upper hand.

He always thought that.

"Are they here?" My voice came out steady, controlled, even though every muscle in my body was coiled tight, ready to spring.

One of my men, a hulking figure in a dark coat, nodded. "Just pulled up. He's alone."

"Of course, he is." A smirk tugged at the corner of my mouth. I'd taught him well.

Too well, maybe. But there was one thing, he always underestimated: me.

I turned away from the water, moving toward the boathouse. The old wooden planks creaked under my boots as I walked, the sound a steady drumbeat that matched the rhythm of my thoughts.

Kaine had become something of a legend in the tech world, the token black boy who'd clawed his way up from the gutta I'd found him in. But no matter how many millions he made, no matter how many headlines he grabbed, he couldn't change where he came from.

He couldn't outrun me or his past.

I paused at the door to the boathouse, my hand resting on the weathered wood. There was a time when I'd looked at Kaine and seen a reflection of myself—hungry, ruthless, willing to do whatever it took to survive. But somewhere along the line, he'd gotten soft. It started with her.

Leigh.

Leaving her alone was the dumbest decision he could've made.

I knew that her name was strangely familiar to me.

She was that fast tail girl from the neighborhood. Her mother was one of my favorite customers. She was what they call "functioning".

I'd seen the way he looked at her, the way his gaze softened, his guard dropped. That was his first mistake. Now, it was my opportunity.

Inside, the space was dimly lit, the shadows deep and thick. I liked it that way—kept people on edge, made them feel vulnerable. I heard footsteps behind me and turned to see Grant enter, his expression a mix of anger and fear. Just the way I liked it.

"So, you decided to join us," I said, my voice low and amused.

Grant stiffened, clearly uncomfortable in my presence, but he was too proud to show it. "I'm here for my son," he replied, his voice tight.

"Of course you are." I couldn't help but chuckle. "But you're also here because you know I'm right. Kaine is a liability, a loose cannon. He's dangerous, Grant, and you're smart enough to see that. Do they know?"

Grant's jaw clenched, he shook his head, and I could see the conflict warring in his eyes.

Good.

He needed to doubt Kaine if this was going to work.

I stepped closer, lowering my voice. "You want to protect your son, don't you? Make sure he has a future?"

Grant swallowed hard but nodded. "Yes."

"Then trust me," I said, the words dripping with false sincerity. "Let me deal with Kaine. He's the one who dragged your son into this mess, not me."

Grant hesitated, his resolve weakening. Just a little more...

Suddenly, the door creaked open, and there they were—Kaine and Leigh, walking in like they owned the place. Kaine's eyes met mine, and for a moment, the room seemed to crackle with electricity.