~41~
Author: Gem Lynne
last update2025-03-29 21:30:04

Zach unclenched his fist and shook off the pain creeping into his knuckles. His gaze swept over the broken men groaning on the ground, his face twisted in a grimace of disgust.

“Get lost.” His voice was sharp, final.

Two of the men, still trembling from the brutal display, rushed forward to their fallen leader. He was barely conscious, blood dribbling from his swollen mouth. They hoisted him up between them, his legs dragging limply against the gravel.

Neither of them dared to meet Zach’s gaze. They simply threw open the car door, shoved their leader inside, and disappeared into the night, tires screeching in their desperate escape.

Zach exhaled, shaking his head. "Some men never learn."

When he turned, he found Barbara still staring at him, her lips slightly parted, her expression a mixture of awe and disbelief.

“Your city’s really… hospitable," he quipped, raising an eyebrow. "You know, back home, we welcome guests with dinner. Here, it’s knives and poison darts.”

She let out a sh
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  • THE UNFORSEEN DOMINANCE OF ZACH MARLOW   ~ 43 ~

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  • THE UNFORSEEN DOMINANCE OF ZACH MARLOW   ~ 44 ~

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  • THE UNFORSEEN DOMINANCE OF ZACH MARLOW   ~ 45 ~

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  • THE UNFORSEEN DOMINANCE OF ZACH MARLOW   ~ 46 ~

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  • THE UNFORSEEN DOMINANCE OF ZACH MARLOW   ~ 47 ~

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  • THE UNFORSEEN DOMINANCE OF ZACH MARLOW   ~ 48 ~

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  • THE UNFORSEEN DOMINANCE OF ZACH MARLOW   ~ 49 ~

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  • ~ 92 ~

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  • ~ 91 ~

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  • ~ 90 ~

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  • ~ 89 ~

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  • ~88~

    The hours dragged by like slow-moving clouds as Zach cultivated, seated cross-legged on the floor, palms resting on his knees, his breathing controlled and deep. Even after the poison in his system had been washed away in mere minutes, he pressed on. His body ached for restoration; his energy reserves felt hollowed out by the night's turmoil. He could feel the faint rush of new energy coursing through his veins, splashing and crashing like a roaring tide against his inner walls.When at last he opened his eyes, the dark circles beneath them had faded slightly. He heaved a breath, steady and low, before dragging himself to the bathroom. Under the steaming water of the shower, he tilted his head back, letting the rivulets wash away the weariness clinging to him like a second skin.After drying off, he made his way barefoot toward the kitchen, gulped down a glass of cold water, then turned to leave. Passing by the first room in the hallway, he noticed the door ajar. Curiosity stirred. He

  • ~ 87 ~

    Zach's steps faltered slightly as he entered the villa, a wave of dizziness clouding his vision. He instinctively reached out to the wall but missed. His body leaned dangerously forward—then firm hands caught him."Hey, are you okay?" a concerned voice asked.He blinked away the haze and straightened, forcing a smile as he recognized Barbara’s face. "Yeah," he said, though the faint spinning in his head said otherwise. "Wasn’t expecting to see my finance manager at my house past 11 p.m."Barbara rolled her eyes, a soft smile playing on her lips. "Well, I wasn't planning on staying either. Should’ve been gone hours ago, but your sister wouldn’t let me."He frowned. "Mary wouldn’t let you?""Yeah. I just put her to sleep."He blinked in disbelief. "What?""I brought her back like I said I would. Wanted to leave, but she begged me to stay. Said she felt uncomfortable being alone in such a big house—especially not knowing you’d be back tonight.""I see," Zach murmured, stepping past her,

  • ~86 ~

    The doctor cleared his throat, trying to regain composure. "Is that actually yours?" he asked stiffly.Zach raised an eyebrow. "You want to find out?"The nurse, still skeptical, grabbed the payment machine. "If it's counterfeit, security will be happy to deliver you to the police."The doctor leaned in, clearly expecting the worst. "Treatment bills will be approximately ten thousand dollars."Zach inserted the card with a bored expression. "Make it fifty. Get them the best."He input his pin. The transaction processed instantly.Approved.The machine chimed brightly.Silence fell.The nurses blinked at him like he'd grown wings. The doctor paled, sweat beading on his forehead."I...I apologize, sir," he stammered. "Please forgive our...mistake.""You!" he barked at the nurses. "Apologize at once!""Sorry, sir!" the nurses chorused, heads bowed.Zach barely spared them a glance."Move them to the special wards. Get them prepped now." the doctor barked, snapping his fingers at the stun

  • ~ 85 ~

    His scream snapped the others out of their daze.“Get him!” The leader yelled.Two of them lunged forward at once.Zach ducked beneath the first swing, then drove his elbow hard into the man’s ribs. The impact sent him spinning to the pavement, wheezing.The second came with a short blade.Zach seized his arm mid-strike, twisted, and with one violent jerk, flipped him over his back. As the man hit the ground, Zach snapped the joint with ruthless precision. The crunch echoed.Two more were already coming.Zach didn’t hesitate. He grabbed one by the neck mid-charge, slammed him headfirst into a nearby brick wall. The man’s body slumped as blood sprayed down the wall in a thick line.The last attacker barely had time to shout before Zach spun, gripped his throat with both hands, and squeezed.The man struggled, legs kicking, fingers clawing at Zach’s arms, but it was no use. His gasps turned to silence, and then—nothing.The leader, still on the ground, stared wide-eyed. His last man—a y

  • ~ 84 ~

    “No…” Yvonne breathed, panic crawling up her spine.She watched in frozen horror as he raised his hand to strike.“Fine!” she shouted, her voice cracking. “I’ll get it!”She rushed back to the car, her hands trembling as she reached beneath the front passenger seat — the only place she could think of hiding it earlier. Her fingers curled around the small, black flash drive. Reluctantly, she walked back toward them, raising it up.“Hand it over,” the man ordered, eyes greedy.“Not until you let him go,” she barked, refusing to be intimidated.The leader smirked, then flicked his fingers lazily. The two men shoved Ricky down and released him.Yvonne’s eyes stayed on Ricky, making sure he was breathing, before she slowly stretched the flash drive toward the leader. He snatched it and inserted it into a portable reader clipped to his belt.She crossed her arms. “You and whoever sent you — Pablo — you’re both going down. Soon.”He looked up from the device, laughter dancing in his eyes. “

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