His Wicked Obsession (Archer and Virginia) novel Chapter 450

Warm coffee splattered everywhere, the scene chilling to the bone.

Chloe!

Archer squeezed his eyes shut, his chest heaving violently.

He used to harbor an ounce of pity for her. After all, she had been sick for years, and she had saved his life once upon a time.

But now... they had actually dared to scheme against his own flesh and blood!

"Boss..." A cold draft shot down Zachary's spine. "Do we move on the Kendrick family now?"

"Not yet." Archer opened his eyes, a lethal violence swirling in their dark depths before settling into an icy calm. "If they want to play dirty, we'll make sure they pay it all back with interest. Have someone keep an eye on the Kendricks and the Caldwells. Don't spook them."

......

Meanwhile, outside a rundown pool hall in The Docks District.

The summer sun was toxic, the air so thick and humid it felt like walking into an oven.

Liam Kendrick slouched against a nondescript black sedan in a gaudy silk shirt. Wearing dark sunglasses and an unlit cigarette dangling from his lips, he looked thoroughly agitated.

The back door of the pool hall banged open, and a man in a tank top with tattooed arms swaggered out.

This was Blackie Graves, a degenerate gambler and the middleman who had hired the van to hit Virginia and orchestrated the kidnapping of Cynthia and Toby Vanderbilt at the abandoned factory.

"Mr. Kendrick! Sorry to drag you out in this heat. You got the money?" Blackie rubbed his hands together, his smile practically dripping with greed.

Liam spat out his cigarette, shooting him a venomous look. "Blackie, your appetite is getting out of hand. You took millions of dollars last month, and now you want millions more? Do I look like an ATM to you?"

"Come on, now," Blackie murmured, inching closer.

"Running down the Caldwells' eldest daughter, kidnapping Mr. Vanderbilt's son... those are guaranteed death sentences if they get out. My luck's been garbage lately, I dropped some cash, and my boys need serious funds to skip town. Millions of dollars is pocket change for you and Chloe..."

"Motherfucker, you wanna put me in the ground? Fine, we can all burn together!"

He whipped out a burner phone, pulled up a number he had sniffed out long ago, and hit dial.

......

3:00 PM, outside The Abandoned Heights on the outskirts of the city.

A black Rolls-Royce Phantom and an SUV idled silently in the shadows.

Archer pushed his door open and stepped out.

He had ditched the suit jacket and wore only a dark grey tailored shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. The red sandalwood prayer beads on his right wrist glinted menacingly in the dim light.

Zachary followed close behind, clutching a black briefcase, flanked by a perimeter of highly trained bodyguards.