Billion dollar adventure: Meeting Mr arrogant

Chapter 29: The Darkness Closes In

Ryder paced the dimly lit study in Marcus’s house, the voice from the phone call still echoing in his mind. The threat had been chillingly clear. Whoever this syndicate was, they wanted him out of the way, and they were willing to use Lucy as leverage to get what they wanted.

Marcus sat across from him, deep in thought, his fingers steepled as he watched Ryder.

“This isn’t just about a new player in the game, Ryder. This is personal,” Marcus finally said, breaking the silence. “They’ve been studying you, tracking your every move. They know about Lucy. They know what you care about.”

Ryder’s jaw tightened. He had spent years avoiding vulnerabilities, keeping his personal life buried under layers of security and secrecy. But Lucy had changed everything, and now he was forced to confront the reality he’d spent so long trying to escape.

“I won’t let them touch her,” Ryder said, his voice a low, dangerous growl. “They think they can control me by going after her. They’re wrong.”

Marcus nodded. “Then we need a plan. And we need to be smart about this. Charging in with guns blazing will only play into their hands. We need to figure out who’s behind this.”

Ryder clenched his fists. “Whoever it is, they made a mistake coming after her. If they want a war, I’ll give them one.”

Marcus stood, crossing the room to a hidden safe behind a painting. He punched in a code and retrieved a stack of files, laying them out on the desk. “I started digging into the syndicate’s activities a few days ago. They’ve been careful, covering their tracks well, but I found a few patterns. They’ve been expanding aggressively, taking over territories abandoned by the Delvecchios.”

Ryder’s eyes narrowed as he scanned the documents. “So, they’re building an empire of their own. But why come after me? There are other players in the city—they could’ve targeted any one of them.”

Marcus sighed. “That’s the question, isn’t it? I’ve been asking around, and I think it’s because you have something they want. Something they need.”

Ryder’s mind raced. “But what? I’ve kept my business separate from them. I don’t have any interest in their territories or their networks.”

Marcus shook his head. “Maybe it’s not about territory or power, but control. Think about it. You’re one of the few people in this city who’s been able to operate without bending to any of the major families. That makes you a threat. If they can bring you down, it sends a message to everyone else.”

Ryder considered this, his expression darkening. “If that’s the case, they’re not just coming for me. They’re coming for everyone who values their independence. They want to control the entire network.”

Marcus nodded, his eyes hard. “Exactly. And that means they won’t stop until you’re either with them or out of the way.”

Ryder’s mind sharpened with resolve. He’d been on the defensive too long, reacting to their moves. It was time to take control. He looked at Marcus, a steely glint in his eye.

“Then let’s give them a reason to fear us.”

***

That night, Ryder returned to Marcus’s estate where Lucy was staying. As he stepped inside, he found her in the living room, curled up on the couch with a book. She looked up as he entered, a mixture of relief and worry in her gaze.

“You’re back,” she said softly, closing her book. “Did you find anything?”

Ryder moved to sit beside her, taking her hand in his. “Yes. This group—this syndicate—they’re after me, and they think they can use you to get to me.”