Bloodlines of Betrayal-Chapter 43: part S2: Game Ghost

Tittle : Bloodlines of Betrayal S2 - Celestia's Ascension

Written By : Reviline James Wang

Genre : Paranormal Romance | Alpha Werewolf | Billionaire | Vampire | Family Drama | Rumors | Mafia

Part 23: A Game of Ghosts

Leo wasn't one to lose sleep over threats. But this time? This time was different.

He sat on the rooftop of the Tensai-kai headquarters, the city sprawled beneath him in a maze of neon and shadows. The revelation that The Broker had put a price on his head wasn't what bothered him. It was why.

"You're thinking too hard," Dante's voice cut through the night air.

Leo didn't turn. "And you're not thinking enough."

Dante plopped down beside him, stretching his arms behind his head. "Oh, I am thinking. I'm thinking about how I warned you that your charming personality would get you killed one day."

Leo shot him a look. "I'll remember to put that on my gravestone."

Dante grinned. "Make sure it says: Here lies Leo. Too handsome to die, but they tried anyway."

Leo snorted but shook his head. "This isn't just about me. The Broker doesn't make random moves. If he wants me dead, it means I'm in the way of something bigger."

Dante leaned back, staring at the sky. "Then maybe it's time we found out what The Broker is really after."

Leo's eyes flickered with mischief. "You're thinking what I'm thinking?"

Dante smirked. "That we crash one of his little business meetings and ruin his day?"

Leo exhaled. "You know me too well."

Breaking the Broker

This content is taken from freeweɓnovel.cѳm.

The Broker wasn't an easy man to find. He was a ghost in the underground world, operating through whispers and middlemen. But Tensai-kai had its own network of informants, and after some "persuasive negotiations," Marco got a lead.

"Warehouse district. Dock 47," Marco announced, shoving a paper across the table. "The Broker's hosting a 'private auction' tomorrow night. Word is, some high rollers are coming."

Leo scanned the details. "Weapons? Information?"

Marco shrugged. "Could be both. Could be neither. But if The Broker is making moves against us, he'll be there."

Dante grinned. "Oh good. I love crashing expensive parties."

Hiroshi, who had been listening quietly, finally spoke. "If we go in loud, we might lose the real information. The Broker is a slippery bastard."

Leo smirked. "Then we don't go in loud."

Dante blinked. "We don't?"

Leo leaned forward. "We go in smart."

A Night at the Auction

Dock 47 was crawling with armed men. High-end cars lined the outside, and inside, wealthy criminals and underground power players mingled over expensive whiskey.

Leo adjusted the sleek black suit he had borrowed for the occasion. "Remind me again why I have to be the one in the tux?"

Dante, wearing an identical suit, grinned. "Because I make this look too good, and we don't want to overshadow the mission."

Marco, dressed as an unimpressed security guard, muttered into their earpieces. "Quit flirting with yourselves. You're almost at the main floor."

Leo and Dante stepped into the auction hall, their eyes sweeping the room. At the far end, sitting in a plush leather chair like a king surveying his kingdom, was The Broker.

A man in a gray suit and dark sunglasses, he exuded power without lifting a finger. And as Leo watched, The Broker leaned in and whispered something to a nearby bodyguard.

Seconds later, the bodyguard's gaze locked onto him.

Leo's stomach flipped.

"Uh, Dante?"

"Yeah?"

"We might be in trouble."

Dante sighed. "Already?"

Leo forced a grin as two more guards started moving.

"Yup. Looks like The Broker's expecting us."

High Stakes and Higher Risks

Leo kept his posture relaxed, his fingers grazing the rim of his whiskey glass as the guards moved in.

"Well, well," Dante murmured, his smirk barely concealing his tension. "Guess we made quite the impression."

"Yeah," Leo muttered, "and not the good kind."

The Broker didn't move from his seat at the far end of the auction hall. He merely watched, a quiet amusement in his expression, like a man who had already played his winning card.

Leo hated that look.

Two guards stopped just behind him and Dante. The taller one, a mountain of muscle in a black suit, leaned in. "Mr. Broker would like a word."

Dante exhaled. "Funny, I was just about to introduce myself."

Leo shot him a look. "Let's not test their sense of humor."

The guards gestured toward a private lounge behind the main auction stage. The crowd was too busy sipping cocktails and bidding absurd amounts of money on black-market artifacts to notice their little escort.

As they were led inside, Leo's mind raced. If The Broker wanted them dead, he wouldn't have done it here. That meant he wanted something.

And Leo wasn't sure if that was better or worse.

Face to Face with The Broker

The private lounge was lavish, with velvet chairs and a bar stocked with rare whiskey. The Broker sat at the center, a glass of amber liquid in his hand.

"You boys sure know how to make an entrance," he mused, swirling his drink. "Tensai-kai never disappoints."

Leo didn't sit. He leaned against the bar, arms crossed. "We aim to impress."

Dante, ever the wildcard, grabbed a glass from the bar and poured himself a drink. "Though, I have to say, the hospitality could use some work."

The Broker chuckled. "You've got nerve. I respect that." Then his smile vanished. "But respect only goes so far."

Leo's jaw tightened. "You put a bounty on my head."

The Broker took a slow sip before responding. "Business, Leo. Nothing personal."

"Yeah? Feels personal."

Dante leaned forward. "You don't just slap a price on someone like Leo unless you're scared of what he might do."

The Broker's lips twitched, but his eyes stayed cold. "I don't fear Leo. I anticipate him."

Leo clenched his fists, forcing himself to stay calm. "Then why the bounty?"

The Broker set his glass down. "Because you're standing in the middle of something much bigger than a gang rivalry. And frankly, you're a problem."

Leo narrowed his eyes. "A problem for who?"

The Broker exhaled, almost as if he pitied them. "Let's just say... forces are moving, alliances are shifting. Tensai-kai is either going to evolve, or it's going to burn."

Dante chuckled, but there was no humor in it. "See, that sounds a lot like a threat."

The Broker shrugged. "A warning." He leaned back. "And an opportunity."

Leo frowned. "An opportunity?"

The Broker's smile returned. "Join me. Work with me, not against me."

Silence.

Dante blinked. "Well, I was not expecting that."

Leo scoffed. "You put a hit on me, and now you want to recruit me?"

The Broker lifted his glass in a mock toast. "If I wanted you dead, you wouldn't be standing here. I just needed to see if you were worth my time."

Leo's blood boiled. He had dealt with power plays before, but this was different. The Broker wasn't just a player in the underground world

he was trying to reshape it.

And Leo had just been given a choice.

One that could change everything.

The Decision

Leo exchanged a glance with Dante.

"We'll think about it," he said, voice unreadable.

The Broker's smirk deepened. "Do that. But don't take too long. The tides are changing, and when the storm hits? You'll either be standing with me... or drowning."

Leo turned to leave, but The Broker's final words sent a chill down his spine.

"Oh, and Leo?"

He hesitated.

"You're not the only one I've made this offer to."

Leo's stomach twisted.

As they stepped out of the lounge and back into the chaotic auction hall, Dante let out a low whistle.

"Well. That was fun."

Leo's mind was racing. If The Broker was gathering more allies, then Tensai-kai wasn't just facing a gang war.

They were facing something much bigger.

And Leo wasn't sure if they could survive it.

To Be Continued...