Path To Resolution (Fighter's Den, #5)

Chapter 30 - Wolfe

"Everyone listen up," Dante booms.

I look across the room at Coach who's watching Dante with a glare, his arms crossed. He's been keeping a close eye on him because he doesn't trust him just yet. I'd be worried but I know Coach can hold his own and that he has my back. Asher is the same, jaw clenched and staring holes into the back of Dante's head.

Dante points to his right hand man. "Me and Sergio go in first, followed by Greg and his students. Only the four of us will go inside Kane's house. The rest of you stand guard outside. You're to act like there's a party of sorts going on. Use the red solo cups, dress casually, but keep your guns on you. And don't forget to keep the music as loud as possible to conceal possible gunshot sounds or screams. We need to make this clean and fast. Emerson, I'm giving you ten minutes with him before I step in."

I look to Coach again, using my eyes to tell him what I'm thinking. He nods and faces Dante. "The situation will be a touch-and-go. It's up to Emerson what he's going to want to do once he confronts Kane. There's a possibility he'll want to let him go and that's his call to make and our orders to follow."

"Let him go?" Dante laughs. His lip curls in a sneer. "We didn't go to these lengths just to let the fucker go. I was told that blood will be spilled and I'm making sure of that."

"Go fuck yourself," Coach counters in a bored voice.

In unison, all chatter immediately stops and the room goes quiet. It's like all the oxygen has been sucked out of the room as everyone holds their breaths. Dante freezes, blinking slowly at Coach as he starts to tense up. No one has ever challenged him before. At least not unless you want to die. He's a dangerous man and I gape at Coach incredulously for what he just did. I glance over at Asher and find the same shell-shocked expression on his face. He's pale and I'm betting I'm the same because I can feel the blood draining from my face. What the hell is Coach doing?

"You want to try that again?" Dante demands in a low voice, taking slow and calculated steps toward Coach. Everyone in the room looks around at each other nervously. It doesn't take a genius to figure out Dante is getting riled up and that can't be a good thing.

"I said," Coach starts is a deadly calm voice. He meets Dante halfway by walking right up to him and getting in his face. "Go. Fuck yourself."

I sit up straighter in my seat, tensing up. Damn it. Why the fuck is Coach trying to make himself a target? Beside me, Asher leans forward like he's prepared to get involved. I stop him with a hand on his shoulder until he looks at me and shake my head. Dante isn't someone you want to cross. I've seen it myself.

"Do you know who I am?" Dante's nostrils flare, his patience officially snapping.

Coach looks him up and down and scoffs. He's the poster image of not impressed. "You're a fucking wannabe. The way you run this gang is sloppy at best. You have too many enemies, you're constantly putting your own people in danger, and you partake in senseless violence. Do you know what senseless violence looks like? Desperation. Like you want to prove so bad you're tough and need to be feared. You want to be feared and respected? Stop acting like a little bitch crying for attention. Do your job, treat your own with respect, and create more allies than enemies."

Dante is fuming now. He looks around the room with angry eyes as everyone stares. They all look down at the outrage on his face and Dante's cheek grow red with embarrassment. He pushes Coach back and immediately Ash and I are on our feet. "The fuck do you know? I could kill you right now if I wanted to."

Coach looks down at his chest where Dante just had his hands and back up to his face. There's a moment where nobody moves or says anything. Then, before I can even make sense of what happened, Dante is pinned to the wall a few inches off the ground with Coach's hand wrapped around his throat. Dante gasps for air as Coach digs his fingers in deeper, eyes flashing.