— “Where and when?”
Miller gave him the location: the same steakhouse, tomorrow evening at seven.
— “Come alone. We’ll be without security too. A real conversation.”
Andrew hung up.
Gray asked:
— “You going?”
Andrew nodded:
— “I’m going. It’s time to end this.”
Gray frowned:
— “Be careful. A ‘last conversation’ can easily be a trap.”
Andrew smirked:
— “I know. But there’s no other way.”
The next day, Andrew arrived at the restaurant. Gray, Gus, and Lee were outside, keeping watch. Inside, the three fathers were at the same table. Their faces were grim and exhausted. Andrew sat down.
Bennett spoke first, his voice cold:
— “You destroyed my project. Millions in losses. I could have you killed right now.”
Andrew looked at him calmly:
— “You could, but you won’t. Because if anything happens to me, my people will come for all of you. And your families. Wives, daughters, grandkids. Everyone.”
Miller raised a hand:
— “Stop. Enough threats. We all know: a war won’t do anyone any good. We’ll lose money and reputation. You’ll lose your life. Let’s end this. Like adults.”
Owens nodded:
— “We’re offering a deal. A final one. You leave town. We give you a million dollars, help you find a place in another state, and provide your mother with a lifetime pension. You disappear. We forget you. That’s it.”
Andrew looked at them, silent. Then he said quietly:
— “No. I’m not leaving. This is my city. My mother has lived here her whole life. I’m not abandoning her. But here’s what I’ll tell you. If you leave us alone, I’ll leave you alone. No more fires, no more threats. But if even one of you tries anything against me or my family, I will dismantle everything you have. This is your final warning.”
The three men looked at each other. Bennett clenched his jaw but nodded. Miller sighed:
— “Fine. Deal. You stay quiet. We stay quiet. No more games.”
Andrew stood up:
— “No more games.”
He walked out of the restaurant.
Six months passed. Fall of 2015 painted the city in shades of red and gold. Life went on as usual. But for some, this fall was very different.
Kyle Miller left town a month after he was released from the hospital. His father found him a quiet job in a different city. Kyle didn’t go to clubs anymore, didn’t film videos, didn’t harass people. The scar on his back was a daily reminder: there are things you pay for. He became quiet and withdrawn. His friends said he’d changed, that he seemed lost and frightened. Kyle didn’t argue…
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