The door burst open with a crash.Austin Callahan barged in, gauze taped across his nose, with more than a dozen men behind him. The hallway beyond the doorway was packed with more.“Get everyone else out of here,” he ordered. “Tell them to leave while they still can.”One of his men hurried off to clear the restaurant.Moments later, Bellini’s owner appeared in the doorway, pale and visibly nervous.“Mr. Callahan, please. What happened?”He attempted a smile.“Whatever it is, I’m sure we can work something out. There’s no need for this. I’ll cover—”Austin slapped him across the face.The owner stood stunned, one hand pressed to his cheek.“Someone’s leaving here on a stretcher today,” Austin said. “Keep running your mouth, and you can join them. I’ll put you in the hospital for six months.”He reached out and patted the man’s other cheek.“Want to find out if I’m serious?”“No. No, I’m leaving. I’m sorry, Mr. Callahan.”The owner backed away, then turned and hurried out, abandoning

“Get the fuck out! What are you waiting for? You want him to kill me?”Austin barely recognized his own voice. The glass bit into his throat whenever he moved, and he couldn’t stop thinking about how little pressure it would take.His men reluctantly backed out of the room.“There. They’re gone.” He tried to keep still. “Now let me go.”Derek ignored him. He looked at the employees gathered around the table, then at Jensen, who was still on the floor.“Everyone, head for the exit. Carrie, help Jensen.”No one moved.“Mr. Moss, we can’t just leave you.”“Let's contact Mr. Wells. Maybe he can pay even more money to these people.”“Listen to me.” Derek kept his voice firm. “There are too many of them. I can hold Austin, but I can’t watch all of you as well. I need you out of here.”That silenced them.They had known him for only a few hours. Now he was staying behind with a broken bottle in his hand so they could escape. Several looked away, struggling to compose themselves.Carrie caught his sleeve.

“Thank you, Alan,” Derek said. “You won’t regret standing by me.”He meant every word. Alan had come here knowing exactly who Austin was and had stepped in anyway. Derek had expected his support in business. He hadn’t expected him to risk his life.This wasn’t the place for promises. Once they got out, Derek would let the returns on Alan’s investment speak for themselves.Alan met his eyes and gave a brief nod. He understood.Austin’s jaw tightened. His men had them surrounded, yet the two of them were talking as though he weren’t even there.He snapped his fingers. “Don’t let them leave!”The men by the doors moved to block them. Those along the sides of the room followed, stepping into the gaps until every route out was blocked.The Wellspring security team closed around Alan and Derek. They moved quickly, keeping their employers behind them while they faced the men pressing in from all sides.There were twelve of them.Austin had close to a hundred.Derek glanced toward the entranc

The kitchen door swung open, and Austin’s men poured through. But it wasn’t a retreat. It was a collapse.A big man with a shaved head stopped in the doorway, ripped a gold chain from his neck-the kind that marked him as Austin’s inner circle-and threw it onto the floor. He spat and kept running.Two others followed, shoving past their own wounded, leaving a man with a shattered knee crawling behind them, begging for help. Nobody stopped.The back hallway was chaos. Men were climbing over each other to get to the alley, shouting curses, kicking the slower ones aside. A fistfight broke out between two men trying to squeeze through the same doorway. Neither would yield.Derek watched it all from the center of the dining room, his injured arm cradled against his chest, his ribs throbbing with every breath. He didn’t move. He just let the scene burn into his memory. These men who’d walked in thinking they were wolves, now tearing at each other like rats in a flooding sewer.Austin emerged

Hi everyone!This chapter is still being finalized and will be updated here with the full content once it's ready.Thank you for following the story and for your continued support. I hope you enjoy what's coming next!And now, some random rambling to fill up the word count:As we continue following Derek Moss and his journey, I'd like to take a moment to share a few thoughts about the story and its characters.Derek's life has never been particularly easy. As a firefighter, he spent years putting himself in dangerous situations to protect people he barely knew. It was a demanding job, one that required courage, discipline, and the willingness to make difficult decisions under pressure.But being brave in the face of danger doesn't necessarily mean someone knows how to handle every challenge in life.Sometimes, the most difficult situations aren't the ones involving burning buildings or life-threatening emergencies. They can be much more personal, involving relationships, trust, expect