Bound by Darkness

Chapter 13

Massimo sat in his dimly lit office, fingers drumming against the polished wood of his desk. The usual calm in his eyes was gone, replaced by a barely contained fury. He had built his empire on fear, respect, and loyalty. But tonight, that empire had been shaken. Ben, his most trusted guard, had been found dead.

The news hit him like a punch to the gut. Ben was not just another foot soldier. He had been loyal to Massimo for years, handling his dirtiest work, keeping the underworld connections smooth, and protecting Massimo's secrets. Ben had disappeared without a trace after a night at the club. Now, the police reports confirmed his body had been found near a lake, mutilated beyond recognition. The details were still sketchy, but one thing was clear—Ben had been murdered.

Massimo's jaw clenched as he thought of the implications. Who would dare touch his man, his right-hand guard, without facing swift and brutal retribution? Whoever did this had sent a message—a declaration of war.

Across from him stood Aslan, his new enforcer. Cold and stoic as ever, Aslan was a man of few words, a perfect fit for the ruthless world Massimo controlled. His reputation had grown rapidly since joining the ranks, and with his calculated demeanor, Massimo trusted him to clean up the mess.

Massimo's voice was low and simmering with anger. "Aslan, I have a job for you."

Aslan stood in the shadows, his face barely visible under the dim lighting. His silence was an answer in itself. He didn't need explanations. Orders were enough.

"You've heard about Ben," Massimo continued, though it was more a statement than a question. "He was found dead. Someone took him out, and I need you to find who did this. They crossed a line. They think they can afford this with us."

Aslan nodded slowly. He had heard the news, but he already knew more than Massimo was letting on. The truth gnawed at him from within, but he kept his face blank, unreadable.

The memory of that night flickered through Aslan's mind like a dark reel. Ben had been too forward with Sahar, and something primal inside Aslan had ignited. The club lights had flickered, casting shadows as he moved swiftly through the chaos. In the darkness, he had dragged Ben away from the dance floor, silencing him in an alley near the club. No one had seen it, and the street cameras had been disabled ahead of time by his own contacts. Ben's body had been left by the lake, just another casualty of Chicago's violent underbelly.

Now, Massimo was asking Aslan to investigate the very murder he had committed. Aslan's mind worked rapidly, but his face betrayed nothing. There was no trace of guilt, only the cold detachment that had served him well over the years.

"I'll take care of it and I'll make sure that whoever done this will know his place" Aslan replied, his voice even, as though he hadn't already taken care of it.

Massimo leaned back in his chair, narrowing his eyes as he studied Aslan's expression. For a moment, something passed between them, an unspoken understanding. Massimo trusted Aslan, but the world they lived in was built on secrets. "Good. Whoever did this needs to pay, and they need to pay soon."

Massimo fell silent for a moment, the tension between them heavy. He cleared his throat, changing the subject. "One more thing. I'll be out of town for a while. There's a meeting I need to attend."

Aslan raised an eyebrow, though he quickly masked it. Massimo never mentioned meetings without details. This time, though, he was being cryptic.

"With whom?" Aslan asked, his curiosity piqued.

Massimo's lips curled into a thin smile, but his eyes remained hard. "Doesn't concern you. My secretary will handle the arrangements. I want the job done as soon as I come back" His tone left no room for further questioning.

Aslan nodded, but the unease in his gut grew. There were layers to this, layers Massimo wasn't revealing, and Aslan's instincts screamed that something was wrong. He had never been the type to ignore his gut.

"I'll keep everything under control while you're gone," Aslan said, keeping his tone neutral.

"See that you do," Massimo replied, his tone final. "Find the one responsible for Ben. Make sure they know what it means to cross me."

Aslan left Massimo's office, stepping into the cool night air. The streets of Chicago were quieter than usual, but that didn't matter. The underworld never truly slept. He walked in silence, his thoughts turbulent, though his expression remained composed.

He had killed Ben in a moment of anger, a flash of uncharacteristic violence that he hadn't been able to stop. It wasn't like him to lose control, especially over a woman. But Sahar was different. She wasn't just a woman; she was his—even if she didn't know it yet.

His phone buzzed, pulling him from his thoughts. A message from one of his contacts.

"Ben's body was found near the lake. Police are investigating, but no leads so far. Everything's clean."

Aslan exhaled softly. His tracks had been covered. No one would ever trace Ben's death back to him. He had made sure of it. But the look in Massimo's eyes, the fury boiling beneath the surface—it was a reminder that the world they lived in was one of constant danger. One misstep, and Aslan would be next.

His phone buzzed again, this time with a message from Massimo's secretary.

"The meeting is scheduled. Everything is arranged."

The cryptic meeting again. Aslan's mind raced. What was Massimo hiding? And why now, in the midst of Ben's death?

Aslan had built his career on not asking questions, but this time, he couldn't help but wonder. There was something deeper at play, something connected to the shadowy world of power that Massimo controlled. The key players were moving, and Aslan knew he had to stay one step ahead.

For now, he had a role to play: the loyal enforcer, hunting down the killer of a man he had killed himself.

Meanwhile, Massimo sat alone in his office, the darkness swallowing him. He leaned back, staring at the ceiling as thoughts swirled in his head. He wasn't a fool. He knew something was off, something he couldn't yet put his finger on. Ben's death had rattled him.

Aslan was useful, for now. But Massimo knew that in their world, trust was a commodity. Everyone had secrets, and eventually, all secrets came to light.