"What the hell am I doing here?" Barney exclaimed as he alighted from the bus with Tyler. "And don't you have a car to drive us around?"Tyler patted the guy on the back. "I have a bike, but the passenger seat is reserved for my near and dear ones. So the bus was our best option. Besides, I didn't ask you to accompany me. Your boss did."Barney rolled his eyes and grimaced. Tyler was his designated partner, and they were supposed to go on all field trips together. But that didn't include suicide missions!When the manager, Clyde Smith, read Donald Glover's message aloud, Barney was the first to object. The CEO wanted Tyler to handle the Red Vipers gang account. Not only was the young man a newbie, but letting him deal with a notorious gang was like signing his death warrant.However, Barney's protest backfired heavily. The angry manager ordered him to join Tyler. The duo's task was to refuse the gang's insurance claim to their face."I don't want to die!" the bespectacled guy exclaime
A thick layer of makeup covered the young woman's face, making her appear more mature and slightly different in facial features. She was wearing a silver wig and overly glamorous clothes. However, Tyler, having grown up with Isabella, immediately recognized her.The scene before the young man made little sense, no matter how much he tried. Why would Isabella become an erotic pole dancer at the infamous Cinderella bar? Wasn't she employed as an accountant? Why did she lie?Isabella was talented, charismatic, and street-smart enough to land a decent job herself. Even though the Greens were a middle-class family, they took pride in their cultured manners and habits. Working as a dancer at a shady bar would be antithetical to the family's foundational values.Tyler grew up with Isabella and thought he understood her really well. However, the girl's current choice of profession confounded him. Tyler winced as he saw middle-aged men salivating at Isabella's dancing. As she spun, bounced, a
Connor giggled drunkenly and grabbed Isabella by the arm. She struggled viciously, but it was pointless. The man was tall and burly, while she was a slim young woman.Connor overpowered Isabella and threw her onto the couch roughly. "Why are you scared of me, sweetheart? I just want some love!""Please let me go, Mr. Bailey!" the girl wailed in panic. "I have to get home before it's late!"The manager guffawed. "Don't lie to me. I know very well you kept the erotic dancer job a secret from your parents. Do you want me to call up the Greens and tell them the truth?""Yes, call them! But don't hold me here! Unlock the door!"Isabella picked up a lamp to defend herself. The manager bit his lip, realizing his tactics weren't working. The situation could spiral out of control. He raised his arms as if in surrender."Please let me talk to you once, okay, sweetie? Just calm down for a moment. Sorry about my misbehavior. I've had too much to drink. I'll let you
“Get the fuck out of my office!” Connor barked, reaching for his dropped pants. “Guards! Guards!”The manager was furious because his sexual adventure with Isabella was rudely interrupted. He had been fantasizing about it for months.However, before Connor could make a movement, Tyler’s right hand flashed in unexpectedly, landing a heavy slap across his face. The impact threw Connor across the room, and he landed on a glass table, shattering it into bits.“Your bouncers are all incapacitated,” Tyler said, not even bothering to look at the slumped man. “Stay right there if you want to live.”Seeing her disheveled clothes, he approached Isabella and quickly covered her body with his coat. The young man breathed a sigh of relief because Connor had not undressed her yet. Her modesty was intact.After the evening shift ended, Tyler had meant to confront Isabella about her secret, dishonorable profession. However, she was summoned to the manager’s office. She did not exit the room for fifte
Tyler tried to soothe Isabella's nerves. She had just gone through a harrowing physical experience and barely escaped being violated. An average female would be already in hysterics."I work for Skyline Insurance in the claims department. I was in the building regarding Cinderella Fashion Agency's policy. But never mind how I got involved in this issue. You are safe now, and that is all that matters."Isabella bit her lips and nodded. Tyler's explanation made sense, and she realized she was being unfair to him. Does a survivor treat her hero like that? Moreover, he was a beloved childhood friend."I'm sorry I didn't mean to attack you," she said with a bitter smile. However, a look of exasperation was persistent on her face. "I'm just rattled by the bizarre events of tonight."Just then, they reached the Green residence on Maude Street. As the cab drove off, Tyler offered Isabella a bottle of water. "Before you go inside, you can tell me what's on your mind. I can see something is bot
The elevator hissed open to reveal a well-furnished lobby. Tyler had expected an unruly place, but it looked pretty sophisticated. The Baileys and Red Vipers had built a good facade for their shady businesses.Tyler and Isabella walked out of the lift, but Barney looked terrified and refused to exit. At the last moment, he slipped into the lobby reluctantly."I rue the hour you joined Skyline Insurance and became my partner," he told Tyler under his breath. "I was doomed to die right then!"Tyler chuckled and shook his head lightly. He was surprised that Barney had followed him that far. Having low expectations of people was always rewarding.Tyler approached the reception desk. The staff of Cinderella Fashion Agency were mostly beautiful females—young women who didn't look like they were from Sapphire City. Barney was momentarily transfixed and wondered if he had accidentally stepped into heaven.Actually, some of the staff appeared foreign and exotic. Were they hired from among traf
Isabella used to work at Cinderella Dance Bar. Still, she had the wrong impression that the Baileys, a respectable billionaire group, ran it. She had no idea the Sapphire City branch of the Red Vipers Gang was what constituted the Bailey family of two brothers.Connor ran the Cinderella dance bar while his elder brother, Draven, managed the fashion agency. Together, they put up a facade of business and profits, whereas their primary income was from illegal activities. The Bailey family was founded a couple of years back and suddenly rose to prominence.Tyler overlooked Barney's outburst but answered Isabella's question."Yes, of course, we'll get recompensation from the Baileys. First, I must have a polite conversation with the family head. Why don't you and Barney rest on the waiting couch? I'll call you inside when it's the right time.""Alright." Isabella looked slightly unsatisfied with the answer but followed Tyler's instructions anyway. With so many onlookers, it was not the tim
In the back office, Tyler looked around at the money safes. “So you keep all your cash in here? You don’t even lock the safes?”Draven Bailey scoffed. “Who would dare to steal from the Red Viper Gang? Do they want to die a premature death? Not even the cops would raid our place.”Tyler sighed. The Red Vipers were not based out of Sapphire City. Draven’s lair was a small branch of the dominant gang. Since it generated sound and consistent illicit income, Red Vipers allowed the Baileys to borrow their name and influence. That was enough for the authorities not to intervene.“You did a good job fooling Isabella into my den,” Draven added. “Are you looking for a job? I can offer you a salary of five thousand dollars for helping me with the scams. Moreover, you can have any of the trafficked girls every night. What do you say?”“About that,” Tyler said, finally tired of the pretense. He slowly rose from his seat.“It’s time to tell you the truth. I am really from Skyline Insurance and came