Page 58 of EX

“I was locked in a cage for a decade. I know how it all works. I know how to survive. Now if you’d like to have a conversation, tell your two guys to fuck off. We don’t need it to be like this.”

I put my feet down and reach to the floor.

Axel’s guys are ready to blow my fucking head off.

I pick up a large bag and place it on the desk.

“Here’s the rest,” I say. “Shoot me. Kill me. Take the heroin. Burn down the garage. Go ahead, Axel, make your next move.”

See, here’s something I’ve learned.

Most people won’t take action when prompted. They’ll take action when forced. Back someone into a corner and they’ll strike. Stand in front of someone and offer them a chance to hit you and they won’t.

If Axel has balls, he will take the heroin, kill me, cut my head off, and leave it on the desk for Mutt to find.

I know the risk in giving Axel that chance.

“Leave us alone,” Axel says to his guys.

Just like that, I now own Axel and his crew. I own everything about him and his. From this moment on out, I will call all the shots. I’ll make sure the distribution rate is completely fair, ensuring my moron of a cousin will get properly paid.

And believe me, it’s not like Axel and his guys are going to go hungry here.

All I’m doing is giving the scales a little bit of an adjustment, as needed.

“You don’t scare me, Corbin,” Axel says.

“I don’t need to scare you. I play it straight. You sent someone here to kill my cousin. What was I supposed to do?”

“That was a message directed at you.”

“Try better handwriting next time.” I stand up and place my hands on the desk. “What’s right is right here, Axel. My uncle ran it all. There’s a respect for the lineage of things. My uncle built this secret empire we’re all part of. You took advantage of his idiot son. You know what you did, Axel. I’ll be honest with you. I would have done the same thing. Except I showed up.”

“You know it takes one phone call…”

“You would have done it already,” I say. “Take the fucking bag and let’s work out a deal.”

Axel steps up to the desk and unzips the bag.

As soon as he flips the flap open, the smell of dog shit hits the air.

I grab for Axel’s head and slam his face down into the bag as hard as I can.

There’s a mushing sound. A crunching sound. The smell is almost unbearable.

I rub his face in dog shit for a few seconds and then let him go.

He stutter steps back in complete shock.

I climb up and over the desk and kick Axel, sending him back to the couch in the office.

“You came here to fucking kill me,” I growl. “You think I’m going to stand for that. Here’s your last fucking warning… you stepped in shit, Axel. Now it’s all over your face. You want the heroin? You play by my fucking rules. Next time you show up here like this, bring a fucking army. Now get the fuck out of here.”

Axel is in total shock.

I reach for the desk and grab the bag full of shit.

“Take this out to the dumpster for me?” I ask.