2024-10-17 02:02:24
Orion SteeleHello everyone. Please tell me how well I've been holding up with this book. This is my first book. Thank you for reading!
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The Underdog Turned Kingpin Chapter 10: Chicago Boy in the Ranks
Ethan reached out, taking her hand in his. "Well, you certainly traded up, didn't you?" He flashed her his million-dollar smile, the one that graced magazine covers and charmed investors.Olivia's expression softened. "I did, didn't I?" She squeezed his hand. "God, I'm so glad I left when I did. Can you imagine if I'd stuck around? I'd probably be visiting him in lockup right now, listening to him swear he'd 'make it big' someday."They shared another laugh, the champagne making everything seem brighter, funnier. Ethan topped off their glasses, his mind already working on possibilities. "We could really milk this for all it's worth, you know.""Oh?" Olivia leaned in, intrigued."Think about it," Ethan continued, warming to his theme. "Chicago's golden couple, exposing a would-be fraudster? We could spin this into a crusade against financial crime. I'll give some impassioned interviews about the importance of vigilance, maybe even start a foundation..."Olivia's eyes lit up. "Ethan, tha
The Underdog Turned Kingpin Chapter 11: Secrets in the Safe
They burst out into the night air, the rest of the team converging from different directions. Sirens wailed in the distance, growing closer by the second."Everyone in the cars, now!" Mason barked. They piled in, tires squealing as they peeled away from the warehouse.Mason's mind spinned with different thoughts as they sped through the empty streets. He'd been so damn sure, so cocky about his plan to turn Ethan against Ramirez. But now... now it felt like he'd stepped in something way deeper and stinkier than he'd ever imagined.Back at the safehouse, the team gathered in tense silence. Mason paced, running a hand through his hair, trying to imitate what Leo could be playing when a mission failed. "What in the ever-loving hell happened back there?" he demanded. "How'd they know we were coming?"Eve's face was fame. "Someone squealed. We've got a rat."The implications of her words settled over the room. If they had a mole, in Leo's leadership, it meant death and a gruesome one at tha
The Underdog Turned Kingpin Chapter 12: Power Plays and Phone Calls
He took a deep breath and answered. "Hello?""Leo, darling!" The voice that purred through his phone dripped old money and maternal disapproval. "Six months without a word! I was starting to think you'd joined a monastery and had completely forgotten about your poor old mother."Mason's mind raced. "Come on, Mother," he said, trying to infuse his voice with affection. "Just drowning in work, you know how it is.""Oh, I'm sure," she practically sang. "Your... 'work.' Speaking of which, have you given any thought to our Christmas discussion?"Christmas? Shit. Mason scrambled for a response. "Uh, refresh my memory?"A sigh crackled through the line. "The family business, Leo. Your father's legacy. I understand you have your... alternative interests, being in the old shoes of your father, but it's time you took a more active role in the legitimate side of things. I don't want to loose you."Mason's eyebrows shot up so fast they nearly left his forehead. Legitimate business? Now that was an
The Underdog Turned Kingpin Chapter 13: Payback's a Boss
Mason turned to her, the heady rush of power coursing through him. "Eve, I think it's time I paid a little visit to an old hood. Got some unfinished business there. I will love to go alone."Eve's face hardened. "Hell no. Last time you went solo, you vanished for half a year and left everything in shambles. And yesterday?" She jabbed a finger at his chest. "I barely let you out of my sight and you ended up in handcuffs. I'm done with your 'experiments.'"A lazy smile spread across Mason's face. "Worried about strike three?""Strike three might end with your head decorating Ramirez's dining room. We just hit their warehouse, and someone's feeding them intel. God knows what's waiting out there – if I even let you walk out that door."Mason's smile took on a dangerous edge. "You know what they say about the third time being the charm? Like how Christ rose on the third day?" His voice dropped to steel. "This isn't a request, Eve. It's an order."Eve's eyebrows shot toward her hairline. "Af
The Underdog Turned Kingpin Chapter 14: The Boss of all Bosses
Mason watched Bill scurry away like a frightened rat, savoring the taste of power on his tongue. The construction site hummed with whispers and sideways glances. His former co-workers gathered in small clusters, their conversations dying whenever they caught his eye."Hey, Rivers!" Jake jogged over, dust coating his safety vest. "What's gotten into you, man? Standing up to Bill like that?"Mason shrugged, letting a cryptic smile play across his lips. "Let's just say I found my backbone.""Found it? More like you grew an adamantium one overnight." Jake wiped sweat from his brow, leaving a streak of dirt. "Though I gotta admit, seeing old Bill turn whiter than printer paper? Worth the price of admission."The office door banged open. Bill emerged, clutching a check like it physically pained him. His face had taken on an interesting shade of puce that clashed magnificently with his yellow hard hat."Here's your blood money," Bill spat, thrusting the paper at Mason. "Now get off my site be
The Underdog Turned Kingpin Chapter 15: When Vengeance Meets Virtue
Mason hadn't taken three steps when a voice called out behind him, urgent and pleading."Mr. Rivers! Please, a moment of your time." Hughes's voice carried a desperate edge that made several workers turn their heads.The site president hurried across the construction yard, his Italian leather shoes collecting dust with each stride. The man's usual usually immaculate suit was dusted with concrete powder, his carefully styled hair disheveled from running."Sir?" Mason turned, catching Jake's equally puzzled expression beside him.Hughes reached them, slightly out of breath. "I must personally apologize for the inexcusable behavior you've endured under Bill Hawkin's supervision. The way he treated you... treated all of you..." He gestured helplessly at the construction site. "The company's failure to address this situation earlier reflects poorly on my leadership. It was a failure of leadership on my part. I should have seen it sooner."Jake stood nearby, mouth slightly agape at the sight
The Underdog Turned Kingpin Chapter 16: In the Shoes of a King
Jake's laugh held more pain than humor. "Right. Fifty thousand dollars just lying around?" He shook his head."Things change." Mason straightened, decision crystallizing. "Let me do this. For my nephew.""Nephew?" Tommy perked up, studying Mason with curious eyes."Yeah, kid." Mason's throat tightened. "Uncle Mason's got your back.""Ha! I'm onto you, Mason—I caught what you did there. That sneaky little mood-boost of yours? It totally worked. "Let's say I could," Mason pressed. "Hypothetically."Jake studied him, something shifting in his expression. "Then I'd have to ask where the money came from. And who you really are. Because the Mason Rivers I know barely had two nickels to rub together this morning."Mason muttered under his breath, "Can't blame him for doubting."Tommy coughed again, and Jake's attention immediately returned to his son, murmuring soft reassurances."I love you, Daddy," Tommy whispered, his small voice carrying surprising strength despite his frail frame.Maso
The Underdog Turned Kingpin Chapter 17: Wolves in the Henhouse
Mason gave a slow nod, the silence saying everything.“Good. We’re still a team. More than that—we’re family here. When one bleeds, we all bleed. When one wins, we all win. Whatever storm's brewin', we weather it together, capisce?"The room went wide, some of the guys got too excited and started poppin' off rounds into the ceiling. Good thing the room was bulletproof, probably they'd had got some explaining to do to the neighborhood.Mason soaked it in, feeding off their energy. This was the juice he needed."What's the play, boss?" Viktor leaned forward, interest kindling in his eyes.Mason laid out what he'd caught wind of at the warehouse, watching his lieutenants' reactions closely. "Ethan Langford's in deeper than we thought. And Ramirez? This punk's pushin' stuff that makes our merchandise look like penny candy at the corner store."That hit them hard. A few murmurs slipped through the crowd, but Mason raised his hand, silencing them."We've got a potential rat, yeah. But here'
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Chapter 137: Burning Rubber, Burning Hearts
The air in the room shifted. Mason's eyes locked onto Eve while Sister Agnes's prayers buzzed in the background like white noise. The space felt cramped as a jail cell and big as Lake Michigan all at once, like the universe had condensed to focus on this single, volatile moment."Gotta lay this out straight," Mason said, voice rough as Chicago asphalt. "This ain't some walk in the park for me. These feelings for you... wanting you... still been burning me up inside for years. But I can't let you fall for some counterfeit Leo version of me. Not like this."Eve cocked her head, eyes sharp as a street hustler's. "You think you got exclusive rights to damaged goods, sugar?" Her words cut deep as a switchblade. "Maybe if you'd put in more effort finding me. Wasn't like I vanished into thin air."Mason's jaw clenched tight enough to crack teeth, her words stinging worse than he'd expected. "I busted my ass looking," he growled, frustration bleeding through. "Hit up every damn foster joint,
Chapter 136: A Thirty-Three-Year Secret
Agnes’ trembling hands gripped the edge of the garden bench like it was her last lifeline, her eyes playing ping-pong between Mason's burning stare and the dirt she looked ready to sink into."Aha, it's you, ain't it?" Mason's voice sliced through the silence, raw and unyielding. "You're the one behind all this shit. The reason I got dumped there… abandoned. Split from my own brother, from a mother who—damn her struggles—at least wanted to step up! But you—" His voice broke, but not his anger. "You still got no kids of your own, right? Now I see why."Agnes took the hit like someone catching a bullet, her oversized outfit couldn't hide how bad she was shaking. Even Eve felt that one land. She moved in quick, laying a steadying hand on Mason's arm. "Easy, Mace. Look at her... she's breaking apart here."Just then, Agnes crumpled to the garden soil, folding in on herself like a house of cards. Her lips moved without sound, hands pressing against her ears like she could block out Mason's
Chapter 135: The Road to Reckoning
"Jesus H. Christ," Eve breathed, the words hitting the air like bullets. "Your life's one hell of a mess, ain't it kid?" Her eyes stayed fixed on Agnes, watching for any sign of deception.Mason's face hardened into concrete, jaw working overtime as his teeth ground together. "The fuck you trying to tell me?"Agnes met his gaze. "I'm saying you're the product of a night Ramirez will never admit to, a drunken encounter with Camila. She worked as domestic staff in his residence." A pause to make sure that part sinked. "Camila possessed both beauty and an uncommon kindness. She remained beneath his notice until that particular evening when alcohol clouded his judgment. He..." Her voice wavered slightly. "He took advantage of her. The following morning, in what I can only describe as a fit of shame-induced rage, he had her forcibly removed from the premises. He claimed she... disgusted him, that she had provided him with what he termed 'the poorest sexual experience of his life.'"Mason's
Chapter 134: Between Two Worlds
Sister Agnes sat there looking like death warmed over, her face drawn tight as Mason and Eve leaned in close enough to catch a whisper. The old garden bench creaked under the weight of more than thirty years' worth of secrets.Agnes's fingers wove together like she was about to start praying, maybe for strength to get through this. "I wasn't meant to make it this far. Helena King, she made sure to clean up after herself - and we were the mess she needed gone." Her voice stayed level, but Mason caught that telltale shine in her eyes, the kind of tears tough old broads learn never to let fall.Eve stood rigid, immune to the waterworks routine. She'd seen enough crying games in her time to last several lifetimes. "If you're done with the drama show, maybe get to the part about how you're standing here breathing if you ain't meant to stay breathing this far."A sound escaped Agnes that might've been a laugh in another life. Her head shook slow, like she was trying to clear old cobwebs. "D
Chapter 133: The Truth in Tears
Mason nodded slow, hands still reaching for mercy. "I'm telling it straight. I'm Mason Rivers. Not Leo King. Never was."Eve's eyes narrowed to slits, her mind churning like the dirty waters of the Chicago River. Old memories leaked through the cracks in her armor - glimpses of a skinny kid with fire in his eyes who refused to let the orphanage break him down."Prove it," she spat, her voice a brittle edge. "Tell me something only the real Mace would know."Mason seized the lifeline like a drowning man. "Found you hiding in Sister Agnes's garden after you smashed that fancy china plate. Instead of selling you out, I split my chocolate bar with you." His lips twitched, remembering the exact words he used. "Told you sisters couldn't yell if your mouth was full of candy.""Fuck you!" The gun barked, sending dirt flying at Mason's knees. "I handed you that story myself at the damn luncheon, you two-faced bastard!""Wait... please... I'm not lying." Mason's whole body trembled, sweat mixin
Chapter 132: The Trigger and the Cross
Mason stood frozen, hands raised toward the sky. His mind raced through a lifetime of close calls, but this time felt different. This time, death wore Eve's face. His lips moved in a silent prayer - the kind reserved for men staring down the barrel of certainty.Eve's finger danced on the trigger, her eyes locked on Mason's every breath. Her chest heaved with each sharp intake of air, matching the hurricane of thoughts tearing through her head. Leo. Her teacher. The man who'd shown her how to survive when the streets wanted her dead. The same Leo who'd left bodies cooling in Chicago's darkest corners. Her head snapped side to side, trying to shake the memories loose. If she didn't end him here, now, she'd be next on his list. No way he'd let her walk after this.But before her finger could finish its deadly arc, Sister Agnes darted forward, her arms spreading wide like wings, standing guard against the violence crackling in the air."What are you doing?" Eve's words cut sharp. "Move i
Chapter 131: Checkmate in the Garden
She edged closer to the glass, assessing her surroundings. The garden was dense, its shadows deep and concealing. Perfect for an ambush if she played it right. Her eyes tracked possible escape routes as her mind tallied the odds. Agnes was terrified, which meant this could be a setup. Experience screamed that she needed to secure the perimeter before making her move. One wrong step now would get them both killed.Mason, unaware of Eve’s presence, leaned forward, closing in on Agnes like a shark that's caught the scent of blood, his gaze locking onto Agnes. "Why'd you do it?" he pressed. "Why'd you do it?" His voice scraped low, rough as broken glass. "Who's this woman you're talking about? The one you switched the babies for?"Agnes stuttered, her breath catching. "I... I was young." Her voice came soft, cultured - a reminder of her life before all this. "I didn't know better then. Could've gone to the authorities, yes, but..." She gave a bitter laugh. "They owned this city. What coul
Chapter 130: Between Lines and Choices
Agnes stumbled, her foot catching on an upturned root as she fled through the back garden. Mason stalked behind her, his breath coming in slow, measured exhales. He had no intention of harming her. His presence alone was a suffocating weight pressing down on her shoulders. When her knees finally gave out, she collapsed onto the damp earth, trembling hands clutching the hem of her worn skirt. Her tear-streaked face turned skyward as if seeking divine absolution. The garden's mint and lavender - normally so soothing - mixed with the metallic tang of fear coating her tongue."Please..." Agnes sobbed, her voice thin and cracking. "Don't kill me! I'll confess. I'll tell you everything. Yes... I switched... him. I switched him!" The words spilled from her like a prayer, desperate and raw.Mason crouched before her, his expression unreadable. Inside, his mind raced through possibilities he'd never allowed himself to consider. The words tumbling from her mouth were erratic, but the fragments
Chapter 129: More Pieces Missing Than Whole
Mason tore through the orphanage's corridors like a man running from his own shadow. He found Sister Margaret in the courtyard, her hands deep in the dirt, tending roses that had seen better days – just like everything else in this joint."Sister Margaret." The words came out with urgency."Mace?" She turned, concern etching lines in her face. "Didn't expect to see you back so quick."His throat worked like he was choking down bad booze. "Eva – she say anything about me? Anything strange?" The desperation in his voice would've gotten him killed in his other life, the one where Leo King ruled the Underworld with an iron fist.Margaret wiped earth from hands that had dried more tears than he could count. "You're shaking like a junkie in withdrawal, boy. Eva dropped by, played Santa Claus to the kids, took a walk in the garden. Nothing worth getting your shorts in a twist over." Her eyes cut through him sharper than a switchblade. "Though she seemed... thoughtful but harmless.""The gard
