36. Tyson

36

TYSON

I stand in the abandoned warehouse, my crew strategically positioned around me. The setting sun casts long shadows through the broken windows, but our surveillance covers every corner. Phoenix’s voice crackles in my earpiece, confirming that the feds are in position.

I pull Sofia closer, her body trembling. Her warmth is a stark contrast to the cold metal walls surrounding us.

“What if this doesn’t work?” Her fingers grip my shirt. “What if someone gets hurt?”

I cup her face, tilting it to meet my gaze. “Your father has hurt enough people. It’s time someone stood up to him.”

“I know, but?—”

“No buts.” I brush my thumb across her cheek. “Remember what he did to your mother?”

Tears well in her green eyes. “He’ll never forgive me for this.”

“His forgiveness isn’t worth having.” My jaw tightens. “ A man who forces his daughter into an arranged marriage, who locks her away when she dares to choose her own path? That’s not love, Sofia. That’s control.”

“I’m just scared.” She presses her face into my chest.

“Don’t be. I’ve got you.” I kiss the top of her head, breathing in the vanilla scent of her hair. “Your father needs to answer for what he’s done. To you, your mother, and everyone he’s stepped on climbing his way to the top.”

“Boss, they’re here,” Lars mutters from my left.

Jimmy’s convoy pulls up outside, black SUVs forming a semi-circle. He steps out, flanked by his goons. His face is twisted with rage when he spots Sofia standing beside me.

“You dare show your face here with my daughter?” Jimmy’s voice echoes.

“It’s over, Jimmy. The feds have enough to put you away already.”

He laughs. “You think I care about recordings? About evidence? I own this city!”

“Not anymore,” I say calmly. “Your empire’s crumbling. Your suppliers have turned. Your protection’s gone.”

“You ungrateful little bitch,” Jimmy turns on Sofia, his mask finally slipping. “I gave you everything! And this is how you repay me? By running off with carnival trash and spilling my secrets?”

Sofia stands taller. “You gave me a prison, Dad.”

“Everything I did was for this family!” Jimmy roars. “Every person I killed, every cop I bought, every shipment of drugs I moved—it was all to build something for you!”

Phoenix’s voice comes through my earpiece: “I got it all, boss. The feds are moving in.”

I smile. “That confession just sealed your fate, Jimmy.”

His eyes widen as sirens wail in the distance. He reaches for his weapon, but Lars and Nash are faster, their guns trained on his men.

“You destroyed everything,” Jimmy spits at me. “My empire, my family?—”

“No, Dad,” Sofia interrupts. “You did that yourself.”

I watch Jimmy’s face contort as his daughter’s words hit home. His fingers twitch, and I catch that telltale shift in his stance. The same one I’ve seen countless times before violence erupts.

“You ungrateful whore,” he snarls, lunging forward with surprising speed for a man his age.

The flash of metal catches my gaze briefly before Jimmy pulls the trigger. I dive forward, shoving Sofia behind me as pain explodes through my left shoulder. Thankfully, it only clips the flesh and zooms past me, not embedding itself in me. I stay upright, my body a shield between Jimmy and his daughter.

“Ty! Oh god, you’re bleeding!” Sofia’s hands press against my back, trying to see the wound.

I push her further behind me with my good arm. “Stay back. It’s a scratch.”

Blood seeps through my shirt, hot and sticky, but the pain is nothing compared to the rage coursing through my veins. Jimmy’s face twists with frustration as he realizes he missed his target.

“Please,” she begs, her fingers clutching my shirt. “Let me look at it.”

“I said stay back!” I growl, keeping my eyes locked on Jimmy. His gun remains trained on us. My guys are itching for their guns, but part of the feds’ rules was that we bring no weapons and leave it down to them.

Where the fuck are they?

Jimmy is beyond caring about his own safety. His eyes are wild, fixed solely on his daughter cowering behind me.

“You think a bullet will stop me from protecting her?” I spit blood from my mouth where I’d bitten my tongue. “Try again, old man.”

“Dad, please stop!” Sofia sobs, but I keep her firmly in place despite her struggles.

I step toward him, noticing that his men are all lowering their weapons. They’re wondering what the fuck is going on with their leader as he’s acting like a lunatic.

Jimmy’s face twists into an arrogant smirk as he turns to Lars and Nash. “Apprehend them both. Now.”

Lars and Nash exchange glances before bursting into laughter. Nash actually doubles over, clutching his stomach.

Jimmy’s face reddens, his jaw clenching. The gun in his hand trembles with barely contained rage.

“I said grab them!” he barks.

“You really thought my most loyal men would turn like that?” I shake my head, fighting through the pain in my shoulder. “Shows how little you understand about loyalty, Jimmy. These guys aren’t bought—they’re family.”

Lars wipes tears of mirth from his eyes. “Sorry, boss. Didn’t mean to laugh. But the old man thinking we’d choose him over you...”

“Especially after everything we’ve seen him do to his daughter,” Nash adds, his expression hardening.

Blood continues seeping through my shirt, but I move forward with Sofia caged behind me. Once I’m close enough to the bastard, I disarm him and punch him in the face, sending him sprawling across the concrete floor. His men raise their weapons, but they don’t shoot.

“Try to hurt Sofia again,” I growl, standing over him, “and I’ll break more than your pride.”

Jimmy spits blood onto the warehouse floor. “You think you’re better than me? Running your little carnival drug ring?”He pushes himself up to his knees. “I built this city from nothing!”

“And now you’ll watch it slip through your fingers,” Sofia says, her voice steady despite the tremor I feel in her hand as she grips my arm. “All because you couldn’t let go of control.”

“Control?” Jimmy laughs, a manic edge creeping into his voice. “You want to talk about control? Ask your boyfriend here about the drugs he’s trafficked through his carnival. Ask him about?—”

“Shut your mouth,” I cut him off. “We both know who runs the trafficking rings in Dawsbury. Phoenix has the paper trail to prove it. ”

Jimmy’s face pales.

“It’s over, Dad,” Sofia says. “Just stop fighting.”

I watch as federal agents flood the warehouse, their weapons trained on Jimmy and his men. The look of defeat on his face as they slap the cuffs on him is worth all the trouble he’s caused us.

“Jimmy Moretti, you’re under arrest for drug trafficking, racketeering, conspiracy to commit murder...” The list goes on as they read him his rights.

Sofia grips my hand, and I pull her close against my side. She doesn’t need to watch this part.

“Mr. Kendall,” Agent Cooper approaches me, holstering his weapon. “The Bureau appreciates your cooperation in bringing down the Moretti organization. The evidence you provided was instrumental.”

I nod, keeping my expression neutral. “Just doing what any concerned citizen would do.”

“The carnival’s background check came back clean,” he continues. “Looks like you run a legitimate business after all, and Moretti was trying to pass the blame.”

Phoenix did his job well—every trace of our less savory operations has been scrubbed clean. The carnival stands pristine under scrutiny, thanks to years of careful planning. We always had a contingency for the shit hitting the fan.

“I’ll get someone to take a look at that bullet wound,” he says before walking away.

I unbutton my shirt, wincing as the fabric pulls away from the wound. The paramedic approaches with his kit, his expression professional as he examines my shoulder.

“You’re one lucky son of a gun,” he says, probing the area with gloved hands. “Bullet only clipped you.”

I grunt as he cleans the wound. The sting of antiseptic is nothing compared to the burning rage I’d felt when Jimmy pulled that trigger. If he’d aimed a few inches to the right...

“No major damage,” the paramedic continues. “Didn’t hit bone or any arteries. It’s really just a flesh wound—it will hurt for a couple weeks, but that’s about it.”

Sofia hovers nearby, her face pale. I catch her eye and wink, trying to ease her worry.

The paramedic applies a clean dressing, making his movements quick. “Won’t even need stitches. The bullet barely caught you. Just keep this bandage clean and dry. Change it in a couple of days.”

He tapes the edges down securely. “You should have full range of motion, but take it easy for a few days. If you notice any signs of infection—redness, swelling, fever—get yourself to a doctor.”

I nod, rolling my shoulder experimentally. It hurts, but I’ve had worse.

“All set,” he says, stripping off his gloves. “Just remember to change that bandage.”

Sofia rushes to my side the moment the paramedic steps away, her hands fluttering over my bandaged shoulder. “Are you sure you’re okay? That looks painful.”

I catch her hands in mine. “It’s nothing. Just have to take it easy for a few days.”

Her bottom lip trembles. “He could have killed you.”

“But he didn’t.” I press a kiss on her forehead. “Come on, let’s get out of here. I’ve had enough of this warehouse.”

“Agreed,” Phoenix says, tucking his laptop under his arm. “Our work here is done.”

I scan the group—Lars is already straddling his motorcycle, adjusting his gloves. Nash, Colt, and Remy head toward the van they brought while Gage silently waits for direction.

“Let’s head back to the carnival,” I announce, fishing my keys from my pocket. “Time to get back to business.”

We walk to my Mustang, the chrome gleaming under the warehouse lights. Sofia pauses before opening the back door.

“Gage, why don’t you take the front?” she offers. “You’ll have more legroom.”

Gage’s massive frame dwarfs the passenger seat as he folds himself in without a word. Sofia slides into the back with Phoenix, who’s already typing on his phone.

I ease behind the wheel, careful not to jar my shoulder. The engine roars to life, and I catch Lars’s nod in my rearview mirror as he revs his bike. The van pulls out behind us, and we leave the warehouse and Jimmy Moretti’s broken empire in our dust.