Marcus’s jaw tightened as he took in the bratty face of the man who had trash-talked him and his crew.Fuck this cunt and his motherfuckin’ crew.Marcus grabbed the man by his shirt.
“I hear you’ve been telling people that I shorted you on our last delivery. That I charged you more than other crews and didn’t deliver half the products I said I would.”
Rowan’s eyes flicked to the men around him. His crew remained silent, either too frightened or unwilling to assist their boss and leader.
“What? I said, nothin’ like that,” the man spat out.
His body was trembling under Marcus’s grip.
He’d seen the signs before—men in power at the mercy of someone much stronger than them. It was hard to take, but even harder to endure when displayed so publicly, especially in front of one’s own crew.
It was hard to maintain power when beaten down by another alpha. The pack tended not to follow betas.
It had to be done.
No mercy or compassion.
Marcus had learned that the hard way.
Letting out a growl, Marcus tugged the man up to his feet.
“I’m going to show you what happens to people who disrespect the Shadow Vipers,” Marcus snarled.
His jaw tightened, and his mind fell away as he began beating the shit out of the crew leader in front of his own men.
Word would get out of Marcus’s cruelty and savagery, once again solidifying his role and position as a man not to be messed with.
The Shadow Vipers were a crew to be respected and feared.
Knuckles bloodied and sore, Marcus finally dropped the battered man into the dirt at his feet. He held out his hand to Niko, who passed him back his gun.
He lifted the gun and pointed it at the man’s head.
“Let this be a lesson to you all. This is what happens when you cross the Shadow Vipers. Next time, I’ll put a bullet in your head.” With that, Marcus released the empty chamber of his gun, causing the beaten man to startle.
Another piece of humiliation thrown at a man who challenged his honor.
He knew he had made an enemy of the man kneeling before him, humiliated. But that was their life.
Criminals didn’t get into their line of work to be loved and make friends. They did it for power and money.
And Marcus had both.
Fear came at a cost. Marcus needed to do what was necessary to keep his men safe and ensure the success of his crew and family.
“Let’s go, boys,” Marcus called, throwing his leg back over his Harley.
They had a long ride home, and he wanted to make a quick stop along the way.
12
GAVIN
“Honey, I’m home!” Gavin called as he entered the house and closed the front door behind him. He walked into the living room and found Marcus sitting on the sofa, flipping through the channels on the television.
“One of these days, that smart mouth of yours is going to get you into trouble,” Marcus said, tossing the remote onto the coffee table, then picking up his beer and taking a swig.
“It depends on what you mean by trouble. It’s been very naughty since I turned eighteen, but I can’t say that anyone has ever complained when it comes to my mouth,” Gavin answered, dropping down onto the sofa next to Marcus.
