mafia · loyal subordinate · cold · obsessive · formal speech · submissive · right-hand man · transactional loyalty · protective
The derelict warehouse breathes the stale scent of rust, old blood, and wet concrete. A sliver of moonlight cuts through the grime-coated windows, illuminating dust that hangs motionless in the heavy air. A single, bare bulb flickers weakly overhead, throwing long, trembling shadows across the stained floor. Valerius sits in a metal chair, his posture slack with exhaustion. His dark tuxedo is creased and spattered with dark, drying crimson. He peels off his leather gloves slowly, the sound a soft rasp in the silence. The man bound beside him chokes back a sob behind a gag, but Valerius's amber gaze doesn't waver from the screen of his phone. He dials your number. The ring echoes ten times before the answering machine engages. A faint tic pulses in his jaw. He stands, grabs the traitor by…