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"I’ve got some questions for you, and if you know what’s good for you, you’ll tell me the truth," I challenge Daniel, my tone icy.
He scowls at me as defiance crosses his face. "I'm not scared of you, Blackhart. Do you know who I am? My father will kill you."
I can’t help but laugh at his desperate attempt at intimidation. "I know exactly who you are," I respond, my voice thick with contempt. "And your father can go fuck himself."
Without another word, I land a punch on his face, feeling the satisfying crunch of his nose breaking under my fist.
"Why did you destroy my shipment of weapons?" I demand with my gaze piercing into his.
He spits out a mouthful of blood before responding. "Fuck you, man," he snarls. "Your brother fucked with us, so we fucked with you."
"What the hell is he talking about?" Victor asks.
My fist buries itself into Daniel's stomach, knocking the wind out of him. "Explain," I snarl, my gaze boring into his.
Daniel doubles over, wincing as he tries to catch his breath. After a moment, he straightens, his eyes weary but defiant. "Your brother," he grunts, glaring at me. "He...he wanted you gone. Wanted your power."
I flinch at his words as my heart clenches at the mention of Jackson. I remain silent, my gaze unyielding.
Daniel continues with his voice full of venom. "Jackson hated you, Damien. He hated you so much that he was willing to partner with us, The Hawthorns. He wanted to take your place."
I feel my blood run cold at his revelation. However, I don't let my emotions show. I keep my face impassive and my gaze steady.
"What did the Hawthorns have to gain from this?" Victor interrupts in a sharp tone.
Daniel smirks and it’s a chilling sight. "It was a win-win situation, you see. We gave Jackson money, a lot of money, to hire mercenaries to take you out, Damien."
He pauses for a moment, letting the words sink in. "And the best part? It would look like one of your enemies did it. No one would suspect Jackson...or us. Then we’d be running everything."
His grin widens, and the sight sends a chill down my spine. I feel a growl rise in my throat, and my hands ball into fists. The walls close in on me, the air growing thin as the betrayal stings me.
A whirlwind of emotions engulfs me, leaving me standing in the shadows, staring at Daniel's smug smile. My mind is a battlefield of thoughts, struggling to process the betrayal that's being laid in front of me. My brother. The one I've always protected and always looked out for. Could he really have done this? As I look at Daniel, his satisfaction at my shock mirrors the truth in his words.
It's a bitter pill to swallow. My mind recoils at the idea. Yet, the possibility that there’s truth in his words gnaws at me. There's a burning rage simmering within me that’s fueled by the betrayal. It’s also tempered by a sadness so profound that it threatens to consume me. It's a tormenting mix of disbelief, anger, and shattered trust, spinning around in my mind, leaving me torn and battered.
Daniel’s voice cuts through my spiraling thoughts. "The plan would have gone off without a hitch, Blackhart," he says, his tone filled with a mocking kind of regret. "But your brother, that fool... he trusted the wrong people with our money."
He laughs bitterly. "He gave it to some two-bit hustler, claimed he was reputable and could facilitate the entire operation smoothly. But the bastard ran off with the cash. Disappeared without a trace."
His voice drops lower with a hint of anger creeping in. "That's why we attacked your shipment. We needed to recoup our losses. Jackson... he cost us. Big time."
"My brother wouldn't do that," I growl. "You're lying to save your own ass."
My fist collides with Daniel's face once again, and the impact vibrates through my knuckles. His head snaps to the side, but he starts laughing. A manic, deranged chuckle that echoes around the empty warehouse.
"Stop," he gasps out, coughing to clear his throat. He straightens up, and the glimmer of amusement in his eyes is replaced by a harsh, cold stare. "Let me finish."
Blood drips from his mouth, and his gaze never leaves mine. "Jackson came to us," he says, his voice quiet yet firm. "He said he had a way to get a large sum of money."
A sickening feeling washes over me, but I remain silent with my eyes locked on Daniel's.
"He told us he'd pay us backandpay for the hit on you," he continues. "We believed him."
A bitter smile twists his features. "Then he got married and went months without talking to us. No word, no nothing. We had no idea where our money was or what the hell was happening."
His gaze hardens, and his eyes seem to bore into my soul. "Your brother... he betrayed us all."
My mind recoils at the thought, a thin veil of denial desperately attempting to shield me from the harsh reality. Suddenly, a thought strikes me like a bolt from the sky. Isabella. Could she be the one feeding information to the Hawthorns? My heart clenches at the thought. The woman I've found myself undeniably drawn to potentially embroiled in this web of deceit.
