Xander's POV

"You got fourth-degree burns on your ribs and waist." The doc inhaled the cigarette in his mouth while he reached for some bandages in his bag. "That's why you ain't feeling nothing. Your nerve ending is destroyed." He explained.

"I don't need an explanation. Just fix it." I spat.

"Fine." He muttered, "some patients just like an explanation of exac-" he trailed off into a rant. I'd kill him if he weren't part of the cartel. He's been around since my father was still in power. He was well trusted and loyal, so I let his smart mouth and antics pass. "All done." He finished laying the clean white bandage over my deep wound. "Change the bandages every couple hours. No drinking, and here are some pain killers for when it starts hurting." He slapped a bottle on the nightstand. "Reframe from any more life-threatening jobs for a while." He rolled his eyes and got up without a word. Just as he did, Henry, Felipe, and the four goons walked in.

"Bye, doc. Thanks for patching him up." Henry called out to him as he walked out the door.

"Yeah yeah." He waved him off. He exited the door, closing it tightly behind him.

"Why are you all in here?" I asked, slightly annoyed that I was in the presence of everyone but the person I wanted.

"We came to check on you, of course." Julian smiled at me.

I scoffed. "Sure." I can tell by the look on their goofy faces that they wanted something.

"Okay fine." Pedro breathed out, "We want to go drink with some of your guys...is that cool with you?" Pedro quickly said, squinting his eyes like it would shield him from my wrath.

"I don't fucking care." I waved them off. "If I find out you guys are starting shit, I'll personally kick your asses," I warned even though I knew they were bound to start a drunk fight with another member. It happened all the time.

"Ooo," Pedro cooed, "your injured boss, kicking our asses doesn't look possible."

"I'd say it's possible," I said, pulling the gun from under my waist and pointing it at him.

"Okay. Got it." Pedro's eyes widened, and he scurried off along with Julian, but everyone else stayed behind.

"Now, what do you both want?" I pushed myself up from the chair I was in with a groan and began walking to my closet. My clothes were still stained with that bastard's blood, and my clothes reeked of sweat and smoke.

"Is it okay if we go check on Harley?" Emilio said. My head snapped to him as her name left his mouth. After we got here, the doc checked on her, ruled it as an upper respiratory problem, and said she'd be fine. Her face was wiped of her usual olive skin tone, and her pink lips now wore a shade of purple. I couldn't look at her unconscious body anymore. I left her in the care of my most trusted maids. Looking at her like that made my chest tighten and every muscle in my body clench. The longer I stayed staring at her, the angrier I got at myself. If I didn't leave her, I'm sure I'd explode and do something I'd regret. I've accepted my feelings for Harley; I always knew they were there, but Harley would never reciprocate them. It was a burden I couldn't put on her right now.

"No. Leave her." Is all I said. I didn't want anyone by her but me. "I'll let you know when you can see her." I unbuttoned my shirt.

"But I-" Emilio started, but I stopped him.

"I said no." I spat. Right now, I wanted her to myself, by herself.

"Yes, sir," Ralph answered, pulling his brother with him out of my bedroom door and shutting it behind him.

Henry and Felipe stood in the same position they'd been in since they got here. Neither of them said a word to me or each other. Deciding to ignore them, I pulled on a pair of thin pants and grabbed the first hoodie I could find—the blue one. I stared at it for a moment, remembering Harley's dimples popping out as she told me that this color blue didn't count because it wasn't blue enough. I chuckled at that. It was so simple, yet; it made every nerve in my body pulse. Shaking the thoughts away, I pulled it on over my bare upper chest and walking out of the closet.

"Are you both going to stand there all night, or are you going to say something?" I brushed past them.

"Oh." Felipe started, "Well, unlike the dicks that were just in here, we actually came here to check on you."

"Since when did you both get so fucking soft," I muttered, grabbing Huncho's phone from my nightstand. No calls or messages have come in besides ones from his wife. I'd already sent someone to take care of the people he left behind. As much as I hated Huncho, I promised him I'd take care of his family, and I meant it. It wasn't their fault he was a desperate bitch.

"You're one to talk," Henry mumbled under his breath. I had become soft the past month, and everyone knew who was responsible for it. I tried to deny it over and over again but tonight only proves how true that statement was.

"Get out. I have work to do." I waved them off.

"Hey, the doc said to take it easy." Henry pulled a blunt out of his suit pocket and held it up to his lips to light it.

"Don't smoke that shit in here." I walked past him again, snatching it from his lips and tossing it on the floor. The smell stuck to everything.

Felipe pushed Henry. "But he's right; the doc said no working."

"The doc is also high off of his own pills ninety percent of the time," I sat down on one of the leather chairs in the corner of the room. I began scrolling through Huncho's contacts leisurely. He barely had any names attached to the numbers. I needed to find out whose numbers all of these belonged to.

"How'd you get into his phone?" Henry asked, ignoring my comment.

"It's new. There wasn't a password on it." I muttered. I was looking through his messages now. He had multiple conversations with escorts and other women. Lewd photos of naked women covered his camera roll—sick bastard. I scrolled past them, not paying any mind until I saw one photo that piqued my interest. I clicked on it, so it blew up to a larger size.

It was the summary report for the amount of cocaine Daniel purchased. It was exactly 34 kilos of cocaine and 160 grams of marijuana purchased in Tijuana only three days ago. He hadn't even had the chance to move it. I knew just by the stamp that his product was shit. It was cheap—the type of shit you sell to juvenile kids that don't know the difference. I'd did him a favor when I burned it all. He bought a large shipment off of Benny Rios. He was the 'go-to guy' when buying your product, but I haven't done business with him in months. He was the definition of "starter pack." However, we are on good terms, so good that I know for a fact that he wouldn't conduct business with my rivals. He would never cross me. My eyes shifted to the end of the paper. The contract's bottom had four signatures; Huncho, Daniel Miller, Benny Rios, and mine.

"Motherfucker." I slammed the phone against the floor and ran my hands through my messy hair. Luckily the phone didn't burst open, but I heard the screen crack.

"What's wrong?" Henry picked up the phone and looked at the screen to what I was reacting to. "That crazy fucker." His eyes widened. "I didn't think he had enough balls to do something like this."

"He's confident," I replied. "He didn't think he'd get caught."

"Kind of smart, though." Henry chuckled. Felipe grabbed the phone from his hand and inspected the screen.

"How did he get your signature so perfect?" Felipe frowned.

"Evan." I sighed. "He'd been supplying Daniel with info for a while." Felipe handed the phone back to me. My anger never subsided, but I was calmer; however, all of that disappeared now. I was pissed.

"So he forged your name on a contract so Benny would agree to give him 34 kilos worth of mediocre cocaine. He went through all that trouble just for us to burn all of it." Henry chuckled. "How ironic." He shrugged.

"So what now?" Felipe asked.

"We wait." I started. "He'll be calling soon. " I kneaded my hands together. My mind drifted to Harley. I instantly regretted it since picturing her hurt and in pain only made me madder. So mad I felt like cracking open Daniel's skull and tearing his face apart piece by piece. "And when he does, I'll make him beg for his life."

"How do you kno-" Felipe started but couldn't finish because a foul ringtone was omitted through Huncho's phone.

"That was too immediate." Henry chuckled.

Without a word, I picked up the phone. Daniel's number wasn't saved, but I knew it was his. I'd seen it a million times when we worked together. "No talking. No breathing. No moving." I warned Henry and Felipe. They only nodded in response when I slide my thumb across the screen and pressed the cracked glass to my ear.

"Huncho. I've been trying to reach your estate phone for the last hour. I need that info tonight! Evan's had more than enough time to find out about Harley! I'm losing my patience!" He rambled. Her name leaving his mouth sounded foul and bitter; I hated it. Rage was creeping up my body.

"Don't say her name. Ever. again." I started. My breathing came out heavy now.

"Who is this?!" He croaked, "What's going on?!"

"I'm insulted you can't recognize my voice, Daniel," I growled. I could hear a sigh leave his mouth.

"Xander." He croaked out.

"There we go," I smirked to myself.

"Look, Xander," he began.

"You sound like you've been expecting me as much as I've been expecting you," I said

"We can talk this out." He ignored my observation. "It doesn't have to be like this."

"It's too late for talking, Daniel," I replied. "It's done. I warned you. I told you not to fuck with me, and you deliberately disobeyed me. You've caused me a lot of trouble, and it's only fair that I returned the favor."

"What did you do?! You don't know who you're fucking with, Xander. I'm not the same man I was three months ago. I can have you killed in a heartbeat." I couldn't help but let out a hearty chuckle.

"By who?!" I roared. "By Huncho? because that motherfucker is currently buried under the ashes of his estate and your cocaine." I finished. There was a couple of beats of silence before he spoke again.

"Let's meet." He said calmly.

"Why would we do that, Daniel? If I see you, I'll kill you, and you know that." I breathed.

"We'll meet at your club, your territory. I'll come alone. I have a proposition." He said. It wasn't a bad idea since he would never make it out alive if he did try and pull something quick; however, Daniel was full of shit. Nothing but pure shit.

"Cut the bullshit. I'm only interested in getting my money back and putting you back in your shitty furniture store."

"I'll return it." is all he said.

"Is that so?" I asked. I didn't believe him, nor did I care about the money right now. My mind was only on Harley. If it weren't for him, I wouldn't have had to try and take his daughter. I wouldn't have accidentally taken Harley. I wouldn't have had to lie to her about her mother, and She wouldn't have gone on that job with me. "Why the sudden change of heart, Daniel?"

"I need something back." He said.

"You don't seem to know how this works." I breathed. "You fucked up!" I roared again. "Therefore, you will return my money without anything in exchange and shut down your sorry attempt of a cartel."

"Xander-" He started. He cleared his throat for a moment and sighed. "I need you to give Harley back." ————————————

AHHHH I FORGOT TO WRITE A LIL END NOTE HERE

HOPE EVERYONE ENJOYED THE NEW CHAPTER KISSES XOXOXO