The Veiled Syndicate Book 1: Shattered Loyalties

Chapter 3: The Devil in a Suit

Chapter 3: The Devil in a Suit

The room felt heavy as everyone shuffled out, leaving the three men behind. They lingered awkwardly, exchanging glances, fear palpable in their eyes. Max, Drake, and Ryan were visibly tense, their postures rigid as they stood before me, uncertain of what their fate would be.

"Relax, I'm not going to do anything," I said, my voice casual, though the underlying threat hung in the air. "Yet."

I signaled to Jason, who promptly stepped forward, handing me the files. I opened them, flipping through the pages with deliberate calmness. Nothing out of the ordinary, at least not on paper. But I wasn’t convinced. The circumstances that brought these three into my world were too coincidental, too suspicious.

"You see," I began, my eyes still scanning the documents, "I usually handpick the second-in-commands myself. This time around, I was swamped, and I trusted the judgment of others to fill the ranks." I let the words linger, making sure they understood the weight of my scrutiny.

I closed the file and set it on the table. "Now, here's the issue. I don’t like unknown variables in my business. And you three..." I paused, letting my gaze fall on each of them, "...are just that."

Max shifted uncomfortably, muttering, "No offense taken," in response to my earlier jab at his involvement. His voice was barely audible, his eyes avoiding mine.

Drake, ever the smooth talker, leaned forward. "We won’t say anything, I swear. We’re here to help, not cause problems." His voice was steady, but the slight twitch in his jaw betrayed his nerves.

I smirked, leaning back in my chair, my fingers drumming lightly on the table. "Hmm," I hummed, unconvinced. "I don’t believe you."

Ryan, the most uncomfortable of the three, quickly jumped in. "We’ll be quiet. We won’t mention anything. We’ll act as if we don’t even know you." He said the words quickly, like he was rushing to save his own skin.

I snapped my gaze to him, narrowing my eyes. "Oh, really?" I shot back, my voice dripping with sarcasm. "Because you’ve done so well with secrets before, haven’t you, Ryan?" The venom in my tone was unmistakable, and he flinched as if I’d physically slapped him. His eyes widened, and for a moment, he looked like he was going to argue, but instead, he stared at his hands, defeated.

"Leave it, boss," Jason whispered behind me, sensing my irritation rising. "We’ll keep an eye on them and report back if they step out of line."

I let out a slow exhale, leaning forward and folding my hands on the table. "Fine," I said grudgingly. "But let me be clear." My eyes pierced through them, hard as steel. "You keep this quiet. Outside these walls, we don’t know each other. We cross paths, you look the other way. Understand?"

"Yes," they chorused, nodding eagerly, their fear still hanging in the air like thick smoke. I waved them off, and they wasted no time scurrying out of the room.

As the door shut behind them, I let out a long sigh, the weight of the moment finally settling in. "Well, that could’ve gone worse," I muttered, leaning back in my chair.

Jason sat beside me, his face pulled into a grim frown. "Yes," he mumbled absently.

I raised an eyebrow, noticing the shift in his demeanor. "Alright, out with it. You’ve been sulking all night, and I’m not in the mood for cryptic. What’s going on?"

He hesitated, then sighed deeply. "Fine. Marcus is here, and Rico’s people have been snooping around."

I tilted my head, waiting for more, but when he didn’t continue, I waved my hand dismissively. "Okay, and? What’s the big deal?"

Jason shot me an incredulous look, like I’d just asked the dumbest question in the world. "Seriously?" His voice was laced with disbelief. "Marcus and  Rico in the same sentence? This is huge. You know how complicated things get when those two start hovering around."

I rolled my eyes, already tired of the drama that seemed to follow Marcus wherever he went. "Alright, alright," I said with a sigh, waving my hand. "I’ll deal with Marcus when he decides to show his face. As for Rico—"

Before I could finish, the door swung open with a soft creak, and my breath caught in my throat. There he was, Marcus, striding in with that infuriatingly confident smirk, dressed in his signature black suit that seemed to cling to his form just right. His dark eyes gleamed as they locked onto mine, and he stepped forward with the grace of a predator.

"Will you be taking care of me, love?" Marcus purred, his voice smooth as silk, the smirk never leaving his lips.

My pulse quickened, but I kept my face impassive, my eyes narrowing slightly. His presence was electric, dangerous, a storm waiting to erupt. And as he stood before me, something dark and unsettling coiled in the pit of my stomach.

There was more to Marcus being here, more than just an inconvenient visit. He was a ghost from the past, one who always brought chaos in his wake. And this time, I had a feeling he wasn’t here just to make conversation.