"I don’t think he is doing well, Liam. What if he goes on a killing spree? You know Raymond, he likes to punish people who offend him, but none of them ever ends up alive," Damon said in a low voice as he and Liam stopped in front of Raymond’s room.
They had co with a purpose, to inform him that everyone he had summoned was already gathered in the courtyard, but now, standing before the door, that purpose felt secondary to the tension weighing heavily on their minds.
Liam’s face dimd instantly as he processed Damon’s words. He knew exactly what Damon was referring to.
After Raymond’s mother’s death, Raymond had spiraled into a darkness so deep it had taken everything, and everyone, to pull him back. For a long ti, he had cut ties with the underworld, refusing to use those n or involve himself in anything remotely tied to that life.
But tonight... for Lena’s sake... he had called them back.
That alone said more than words ever could.
Liam exhaled slowly, his jaw tightening. He was beginning to wonder if Raymond was slipping, falling back into that version of himself they had all feared.
They both stood there in silence, lost in their own thoughts, montarily forgetting why they had even co.
Suddenly, the door swung open from the inside.
Both n flinched slightly, caught off guard by Raymond’s sudden appearance.
Raymond leaned against the doorfra, his sharp eyes scanning them with an unreadable expression. "Never knew when you guys beca this kind," he said, his tone laced with sarcasm.
"So, you’re afraid I’d go on a killing spree? I thought you both used to enjoy that."
Damon scoffed lightly, folding his arms. "Well, that was before I beca a doctor. Things change. I prefer saving lives now rather than ending them."
Raymond let out a quiet chuckle, though there was no real amusent behind it.
His gaze shifted to Damon. "It never stopped you before," he said, then he turned to Liam, he narrowed his eyes slightly. "Liam, let ask you sothing. Put yourself in my shoes, Sylvia missing, probably dead. What would you do?"
Liam didn’t hesitate.
"I would destroy anyone who laid their hands on her," he replied imdiately, his voice firm, his eyes flashing with sothing dangerous and deeply personal.
Raymond held his gaze for a mont, then nodded slowly. "Thank you. I knew you’d understand." His lips curled faintly before he pointed at Damon. "Him... not so much. He doesn’t know how it feels to lose soone you..."
His voice trailed off. He couldn’t finish the sentence.
Damon stepped forward, his expression sharpening. "Say it, Raymond. What, are you afraid to admit your feelings?" He challenged .
"Funny, you’re ready to tear the entire city apart for one person, but you’re too scared to admit how you feel. What does that make you?"
He paused, then smirked slightly. "A coward."
The air grew heavier.
"I’m still better than you in that sense," Damon continued, his voice steady but provocative.
"Because when I find the woman I love, I won’t let her go. I won’t wait until sothing terrible happens before I realize how much she ans to ."
For a mont, silence swallowed the hallway.
Raymond exhaled deeply, dragging his hand through his hair, gripping it tightly before letting it fall. His shoulders seed tense, burdened by sothing far heavier than anger.
"Of course I love her," he said finally, his voice rough, almost breaking. "Is that what you want to hear? You want to mock ? Tell ’I told you so’?"
He shook his head, letting out a bitter laugh.
"You don’t have to. I already know," he continued, his voice dropping. "I know I love her... and it hurts so much that it took this long to realize it."
He covered his mouth with his hand, trying to steady himself.
"I’m afraid," he admitted, quieter now. "I can’t sleep. I keep thinking about her, wondering if she’s alive, if she’s scared..." His voice trembled slightly despite his effort to control it. "I can’t lose another person in my life. I swear, I can’t. I don’t know if I can survive that kind of pain again."
His eyes darkened.
"And the worst part is... this is my fault. All of it."
Damon’s expression softened instantly, the earlier tension dissolving into concern. He stepped closer. "It’s okay, Raymond. We’ll find her, I promise. I didn’t an what I said earlier... and this isn’t your fault."
"Yeah," Liam added firmly. "I already told you that. None of this is on you."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"We actually ca to tell you sothing. Everyone you requested is already waiting downstairs. And... Fever called earlier while you were in. Not directly about the taxi driver, but he passed so information along about Mr Smith and Ashley. Anyway I picked up and asked if he could help us dig further, and he agreed."
Raymond’s head lifted slightly.
"We have a location," Liam continued. "Not the exact spot... but we’ve narrowed it down to an area where they might be holding Lena."
For the first ti since opening the door, sothing shifted in Raymond’s eyes, a faint spark of hope breaking through the storm.
"What are you still doing here?" he snapped suddenly, the urgency returning to his voice. "You should have said that earlier. Let’s go, I need to address the team."
Without waiting for a response, he strode past them.
Liam and Damon exchanged a quick glance before following closely behind.
Raymond moved through the living room, his pace unrelenting, only to find Bertha, Sylvia, and Mama seated there, clearly waiting for him.
He paused for only a fraction of a second, surprise flickering across his face, but he didn’t stop.
They attempted to speak, concern evident in their expressions, but Damon and Liam subtly shook their heads, silently signaling them to hold back.
They understood.
Now was not the ti.
Reluctantly, the won remained where they were, watching him leave.
"I think we should wait until he’s in a better mood... and ready to talk," Bertha said gently.
The others nodded in agreent. They had all known Raymond long enough to understand what his anger looked like, and what it could beco.
They had witnessed it firsthand.
Outside, the atmosphere was entirely different.
Raymond stepped into the courtyard, Liam and Damon trailing behind him. His sharp gaze swept across the area, taking everything in at once.
n were scattered around, so familiar faces from the past, others new. A few leaned casually against the walls, while others lingered near the waterfall, speaking in hushed tones.
But the mont Raymond appeared, everything shifted.
Conversations died.
Postures straightened.
Attention snapped toward him.
"Mr. Black! It’s been a while!"
A voice rang out from the crowd, carrying a hint of amusent.
The crowd parted slightly as a man with a scar running across his face stepped forward, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
Raymond’s expression didn’t soften.
"Scarface," he said coolly. "I would say it’s a pleasure to see you... but you know I’d be lying."
For a brief mont, the tension between them was palpable.
Then Scarface broke into a grin, and to everyone’s surprise, Raymond returned it.
They shook hands.
"When you left the ga and took over the city," Scarface began, his smile slowly fading, "I never thought there’d co a day when you’d be asking us for help."
Raymond’s eyes darkened instantly.
"Well," he said, his voice lowering, "I’m not really asking for help... am I?"
The shift in his tone was imdiate, and dangerous.
He stepped forward slightly, his presence commanding absolute attention.
"Now, you all need to understand sothing," he continued, his voice louder, harder. "Whether I stepped back or stayed active... it doesn’t change anything."
His gaze swept across the gathered n.
"You are all still under ."
Silence.
"Most of you are standing here today because I allowed it," he went on. "I left you under Scarface’s rule, yes, but that doesn’t an you get to ignore when I call."
His grip on Scarface’s hand tightened suddenly.
Pain flickered across Scarface’s face.
"And don’t mistake this," Raymond added, his voice dropping to sothing colder. "I may dress better now. I may look... refined. But that doesn’t change who I am."
His eyes locked onto Scarface’s.
"And disobedience," he said slowly, "will be punished. Even if it cos from friends."
Scarface winced, clearly feeling the pressure in his hand.
"Alright... alright," he muttered quickly. "Forgive , I was out of line. I’m not challenging your authority."
After a brief pause, Raymond released him.
"Of course you wouldn’t dare," he said calmly.
Scarface stumbled back slightly, trying to regain composure, but the mont hadn’t gone unnoticed. The others had seen it. They understood the ssage.
Raymond turned away from him as if nothing had happened, facing the rest of the group.
"Now... where were we?" he said, his tone shifting back to controlled authority.
His eyes scanned the area once more.
The police were nowhere in sight.
Maybe they were waiting inside.
Even better.
A faint, dangerous smile touched his lips.
Tonight, there would be no mistakes.
And no rcy for any one that dares challenge him.
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