From Bullets To Billions novel Chapter 236

Chapter 236: The Invitation

It didn’t come as a huge surprise to Max that the Black Hounds knew where he lived.

They already knew which school he attended. And more importantly, they knew he was a genuine member of the Stern family. After all, they had confidently claimed they’d be in touch within two days, so Max had been expecting something like this.

If anything, he had half-expected them to try and provoke him, maybe to see if he’d run.

But when Max went to the door, the real surprise wasn’t that someone had shown up. It was who was standing there.

A bald-headed man dressed head to toe in black stood on the porch. His appearance screamed street thug, rough hands, sun-worn skin, eyes that didn’t blink often.

If Max had passed him on the street, he would’ve avoided eye contact entirely. He was the kind of man most people instinctively avoided, the kind of man you didn’t want to be on the wrong side of.

"You’re Max Stern, right?" the man asked, his voice deep and gruff. "Before you say no, I’m with the Black Hounds, and I’ve got a schedule to keep. I’d rather stick to it."

"I am," Max replied, keeping his voice even. Without hesitation, he stepped out and followed the man.

Outside, a large black SUV waited at the curb, its engine idling with a low hum. Another person sat in the driver’s seat, their face mostly obscured by tinted glass.

The bald man walked around and, surprisingly, opened the door for Max. It was... polite, oddly so, coming from a gang member. Then again, maybe they were trying to keep things smooth. Max was a high school student, and they probably preferred this to be an easy transaction. Or maybe they wanted him calm, compliant.

Still, Max couldn’t stop wondering what exactly the Black Hounds wanted.

As he climbed into the vehicle, he glanced into the side mirror to check his surroundings.

No one’s taken my phone. No threats. No demands. How exactly do they expect this to go down? They haven’t even asked about the money yet...

"Last time I spoke with Vivian," Max began casually, "will I be seeing her today?"

The bald man chuckled, loud and amused. "Vivian? She doesn’t handle small tasks like this. You probably only saw her last time ’cause she happened to be nearby."

He turned slightly in his seat, flashing a grin that didn’t reach his eyes.

"But trust me, we’re all part of the same crew. So it’d be in your best interest to follow the plan today."

As the car moved, Max began to recognize the route. He’d been here recently. They were heading back toward the KTV parlor.

When they arrived, the thug opened his door and stepped out.

"Stay here," he said to Max.

A few minutes passed before the door opened again, this time, the man had someone else in tow. He was dragging Chad by the ear, practically hauling him along like a misbehaving child. Without ceremony, he shoved Chad into the seat next to Max.

’So much for being polite,’ Max thought, watching Chad groan and clutch his ear. Guess that treatment was just for me. But honestly... anyone would want to mess Chad up. I get it.

"Would you guys be gentle for once?" Chad snapped, wincing. "You want your money, right? If I’m dead, you’re never getting it!"

Max rolled his eyes. He didn’t know how someone could be so shameless, especially when he wasn’t the one giving up any money.

"Let’s face it, Max. You’re putting on a brave face, but today the Black Hounds are gonna show you they mean business. They’re a real gang. And even with all your money, there’s nothing you can do to protect yourself.

"There’s only two ways this ends. The hard way, where you resist, learn the hard lessons, and eventually have to cough up the cash. Or..."

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