Page 115 of The Pakhans’ Curvy Prize

The words hang in the air between us a split second before Russ and Alex come into the bedroom.

"What happened?" Russ asks, his voice sharp.

Nick turns the phone so they can see the screen. "Mayor resigned. Effective immediately. No explanation given."

The atmosphere in the room shifts instantly. Russ's hand finds my lower back, pulling me protectively closer to his side. His body is warm and solid against mine, grounding me when everything feels like it's spinning too fast.

Alex's expression transforms into something dangerous and satisfied. It's not quite a smile, but there's a dark pleasure in his eyes that makes my breath catch. He looks like a predator who's just watched his trap spring perfectly.

"You did this," I say quietly, looking at Alex.

It's not a question. I can see it in the way he stands there, calm and controlled while Nick and Russ are still processing the news. Alex planned this. He executed it. And he's been waiting for this exact moment.

"I did," Alex confirms, his voice smooth and unapologetic.

Nick crosses his arms over his chest, his black hair falling forward slightly as he studies Alex with those calculating green eyes. "How long have you been working on this?"

Alex moves to the sitting area and settles into one of the leather chairs like he's about to deliver a business presentation. "Since the night we found out about Zach and his father's connections."

Russ guides me to the couch, keeping his hand on my back the entire time.

I sink into the cushions, my heart pounding as I watch Alex's face. There's something terrifying and mesmerizing about seeing him like this, completely in control and utterly ruthless.

"The mayor made a critical mistake," Alex continues, his brown eyes sharp and focused. "He thought he could play multiple families against each other while taking money from all of us. He skimmed profits from shipments, selectively leaked information to law enforcement, and manipulated investigations to protect his own interests."

"We knew he was corrupt," Nick says.

"Corrupt is one thing," Alex replies. "Betrayal is another. I found documentation proving he was positioning himself against his own protectors. He took our money, then worked with federal investigators to build cases against us. He thought he could ride both sides and come out clean."

My stomach twists. The mayor wasn't just protecting Zach from consequences. He was actively working to destroy the men who'd been paying him for years.

"How did you get the evidence?" Russ asks.

Alex's smile is cold and precise. "I have people everywhere. The mayor was sloppy because he thought he was untouchable. I compiled everything into a very detailed file and anonymously leaked it to the right people."

"What people?" I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.

"Other families he was betraying," Alex says, his gaze shifting to me. "Rival organizations who don't appreciate being played. Federal agents who realized they were being manipulated. Journalists who love a good corruption story. By the time the information finished circulating, resignation was his only option for survival."

The room falls silent. I can hear my own heartbeat pounding in my ears. Alex didn't kill the mayor.

He didn't need to. He destroyed him systematically, piece by piece, until the man had no choice but to walk away from everything.

"What about Zach?" I ask quietly.

The question hangs in the air. All three men look at me, and I see the answer in their faces before anyone speaks.

"He's next," Alex says, his voice flat and emotionless.

"How?" Russ demands. "The mayor might be gone, but Zach still has connections. He's still dangerous."

"I'm handling it," Alex says.

"That's not an answer," Nick says, his tone hardening.

Alex stands, his lean frame radiating controlled power. "It's the only answer you're getting right now. Trust me or don't, but I'm not explaining my methods until they're complete."

Nick and Russ exchange a look, some silent communication passing between them. Finally, Nick nods once.