BORN TO BE A MAN,FORCED TO BE A GANGSTER

CHAPTER 4

UNWELCOME GUEST

The next day, people are already expecting some mistakes, weakness, or one wrong move that could end a life. Griffin knew his city for that and built his reputation on it.

Tonight wasn’t about revenge, but control. A small gang called The Strays was running drugs on his turf, testing him, saying he’d gone soft. That talk couldn’t last. He came to end it.

Rain poured, hiding footsteps and gunshots. Griffin moved like a shadow through old factories. His men spread out silently, watching every corner and roof with guns ready.

“Two guards inside,” a voice whispered in his ear. “No movement.”

Griffin was calm. “Then we move.”

They slipped in through a side door. The warehouse smelled of oil and steel. Flickering lights showed rows of crates—guns, drugs, fake money. Trash Griffin kept off his streets because it drew too much attention.

He gave a quick signal. Shots rang out twice. Guards dropped before they could scream.

Griffin stepped over the bodies, calm and steady. Another small gang crushed. Another warning. It should’ve ended there, but fate had plans.

Elsewhere, Selena got out of her car in the rain, tightening her bag strap. She wasn’t meant to be here. Her source—someone she barely trusted—told her about a drop at the docks.

She had no clue Griffin was already inside.

Selena moved quietly, thunder hiding her steps. She wasn’t dressed for a fight—just a black jacket, gloves, and a sidearm.

She followed sounds—metal clanging, faint shouting, a gunshot. Her stomach tightened. Too soon.

She peeked inside a broken window.

Bodies. Crates. Men with guns.

And in the middle, a man she didn’t know—but everyone else did. Every weapon pointed at him, waiting for his word. He didn’t need to shout. His presence said it all.

Selena’s chest tightened when she saw him—Griffin. He's even more impressive than I expected. He looked like a man who could ruin a room with just a look. Dangerous, silent, untouchable—the kind people feared, not respected.

She knew she shouldn’t stay. But something about his calm control kept her frozen.

Then things went wrong.

One of the men she’d been following ran out, yelling, "It’s a setup!" He didn’t see her until it was too late. His gun went up—Selena fired first. Two shots, one hit his shoulder, and he fell back through the door.

Griffin’s men turned fast, guns aimed at her.

“Stop!” Griffin shouted, his voice sharp like a knife.

Selena stood at the doorway, gun ready, breathing hard. The rain made her almost invisible.

One of Griffin’s men growled, "Who are you?"

She didn’t answer. Calm and steady, she said, “You first.”

Then Griffin came closer, half in shadow.

“You’re pointing that the wrong way,” he said calmly.

She didn’t move. “Depends on who you are.”

He smirked slightly, but his eyes stayed cold. “You don’t know me?”

“I don’t care,” she said. “You’re in my way.”

That made him pause. No one talked to Griffin like that unless they were crazy or dead.

Before they could react, a wounded man tried to grab a gun. Selena fired again. Shot echoed.

Griffin’s eyes locked on her—cold, calculating.

“You’re not police,” he said flat.

“Neither are you.”

Silence hung between them. Two predators caught in the same chase.

Griffin slowly lowered his gun. “You walked into the wrong storm.”

Selena stepped forward, steady. “Maybe. But I think you’ll want what I found.”

“What’s that?”

She met his eyes, voice low and sure.

“Not what you think. But something you’ll need—trust me or not.”

Thunder rolled outside. Griffin said nothing, just stared like he’d found something dangerous he didn’t understand.

Then the warehouse doors flew open. His men rushed in, guns ready.

One asked, “Boss, is she one of them?”

Griffin’s eyes stayed on her.

“No,” he said quietly. “Not yet.”

Griffin stared at Selena, his eyes locked on hers. She stood calmly, surrounded by his armed men. The air was tense, and the smell of smoke still lingered from the earlier explosion.

"Not what you think," she said softly. "But something you'll need."

Griffin's fingers drummed on his desk, a slow and deliberate movement. He didn't answer, waiting for her to say more. But Selena just stood there, her gaze steady.

"Who are you?" Griffin finally asked, his tone cold and detached.

Selena tilted her head slightly, a small smile playing on her lips. "That doesn't matter right now," she said. "What matters is that you're surrounded by enemies you can't see. And I'm not one of them."

Griffin's instincts screamed to reject her words, to lash out at her audacity. But something about her tone made him pause. She wasn't begging or pleading; she was stating facts.

"Why should I believe you?" Griffin asked, his voice low and even.

Selena leaned forward, her eyes never leaving his. "Because I just saved your life outside, and you didn't even notice," she said, her voice soft but confident.

Griffin's expression didn't change, but a spark of curiosity ignited within him. He had been so focused on the ambush that he hadn't noticed anyone else intervening. Could it be true?

He studied Selena's face, searching for any sign of deception. But all he saw was a calm determination. She wasn't trying to manipulate him; she was trying to convey a message.

Griffin leaned forward, his eyes locked on hers. "We'll see," he said quietly, his voice barely above a whisper.

In that moment, something shifted between them, a spark that neither could ignore. Griffin wasn't sure what Selena wanted, but he was determined to find out. And for the first time in a long time, he felt a glimmer of curiosity about someone other than himself.