Noah watched, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
He opened the car door and stepped forward, his gaze scanning the surroundings before muttering to himself, “So that’s what this is about…”
Jackson’s heart was working on overdrive as he walked through the warehouse’s entrance.
His fist was still throbbing from soccer punching the man.
His eyes darted around the warehouse in anxiety. What greeted him was a sickening sight.
The place reeked of blood.
There he saw it, his younger brother Jack slumped in the centre of the floor.
He was barely recognizable, his face swollen with dried blood on his hair and face.
His bloodied strands of dark hair fell over his eyes, but a hand tightly gripped around his hair and yanked his face up.
“Ryker!” Jackson’s voice tore through the silence, his hands clenching into fists again as he took a step forward.
Fury simmered inside him, a cold and relentless rage bubbling to the surface. His expression was that of anger and sadness.
Ryker smirked, not even flinching as he turned to face Jackson.
With a lazy motion, he yanked Jack’s head back even harder, an action that sent a fresh trickle of blood down Jack’s chin.
“Let him go!” Jackson’s jaw was clenched so tightly he could barely get the words out, his fists shaking.
Blood flowed from Jackson’s fist, as his nails dug deeper into his palms.
“Oh, look who decided to join us.” Ryker’s voice was filled with mockery, a smug grin across his face.
“Didn’t think you’d have the nerve to show up here alone, Jackson. I thought you would bring your little gang here, to help you.”
The urge to rush forward and wipe that grin off Ryker’s face nearly overwhelmed Jackson, but he forced himself to hold back, his glare fixed on the men around him.
Jack’s eyes fluttered open, his vision hazy and unfocused as he struggled to look at his brother.
“Jackson… why did you come alone?” His voice was a whisper, filled with pain and agony.
Before Jackson could respond, Ryker let out a low chuckle, then drove Jack’s head down with brutal force, slamming his face into the concrete floor.
Thud
The sickening sound echoed through the empty warehouse. Jackson’s stomach twisted in fury and helplessness.
“Damn it!!” He thought.
“Tsk,” Ryker clicked his tongue, looking down at Jack with annoyance.
“Didn’t I tell you to keep that mouth shut?” He sneered, his fingers gripping Jack’s hair even tighter making him grunt from pain.
Jackson’s anger flared even hotter, his fists trembling as he fought to control himself.
His gaze swept over the room, taking in the sight of his brother’s friends scattered around, each one tied up and beaten senseless.
Blood trickled down their faces with bruises that couldn’t be hidden.
His blood boiled.
“You fu*king bastard,” Jackson spat, taking a step forward, his voice cold and deadly.
“What do you want Ryker?”
“Just say it already!”
Ryker raised an eyebrow, looking almost amused by Jackson’s fury.
“Oh, what do I want?” he drawled, tilting his head thoughtfully.
“I don’t want anything. It was you and your little group of misfits who decided to get greedy. You thought you could invade our territory and start selling without any consequences?”
Jackson scoffed, his voice dripping with un-hidden disdain.
“Invaded your territory? You’ve been doing that to us for months, Ryker.”
“Just because you do it under the radar doesn’t mean we haven’t noticed.”
Ryker’s smirk only grew wider, his eyes gleaming with malicious delight.
“Oh, so you did notice? And yet, you didn’t have the guts to do anything about it until now.”
He tightened his grip on Jack’s hair, twisting it cruelly. “Guess that makes you all the more pathetic.”
“Arghhh!”
“Jack!” Jackson’s fists clenched even tighter.
“What’s it going to take, Ryker?” he asked, his voice steady but ice-cold.
“Just say it. Let them go.”
Ryker feigned thought, rubbing his chin as though considering some monumental decision.
“Hmm, let’s see,” he said with a hand on his chin.
The smirk never left his face. “One million dollars, Jackson.”
“Cash. And maybe—I’ll consider letting them go.”
“A million?” Jackson’s fists shook, his knuckles turning white.
His teeth ground together, the sound barely audible but filled with suppressed rage.
He could feel his patience wearing thin, but he was helpless.
Ryker shrugged nonchalantly, the grin still plastered across his face.
“Well, you can’t expect me to go easy on you. It’s just one million, I’m not even pushing you to the limit here. I’m being quite merciful if you ask me, right boys?” He said with a grin on his face.
“Of course, the boss is merciful towards you. Count yourself lucky, so hurry up and pay or you can say goodbye to your brother and your little friends here.” One of his goons said.
Rkyer leaned closer to Jack, his grip tightening, his voice turning low and mocking. “Though I’m not sure they’d be worth that much anyway. Kind of pathetic if you ask me.”
“Jack, your brother is hesitating whether to pay a million dollars to get you out, I think he agrees with me. You aren’t worth that much. ” He said chuckling, in Jack’s ears.
Jackson’s vision blurred momentarily, his rage overwhelming his senses.
He forced himself to keep calm and not do anything reckless, though every word felt like it was clawing its way out of his mouth.
“You’ll get your money, Ryker… Just let them go.”
“Hahahaha, are you hearing this?” Ryker’s laugh was sharp and cruel, echoing through the empty warehouse.
“Of course, I’ll let them go…” he replied, his tone dripping with insincerity.
“Just as soon as I see the cash.”
Jackson felt his pulse race as he tried to keep calm, knowing that any reaction might set off the volatile situation.
Jackson’s brother, bruised and bound on the cold floor, stared at him with a mixture of exhaustion and confusion.
His friends, equally battered, sat slumped against the walls, watching through swollen eyes.
Taking a breath to calm himself, Jackson made a move toward the door, attempting to leave and find a way to get the money.
But he barely took two steps when two thugs moved swiftly and blocked his path with smug grins.
“Whoa, where do you think you’re going, Mr. Jackson?” one of them sneered, crossing his arms as he leaned in close, his tone dripping with mockery.