The scent of alcohol was faint but unmistakable.
Emod sniffed and frowned.
He preferred strong liquor, the kind that burned all the way down with one gulp.
Then, he'd drink half the bottle in one go.
But now, he had to maintain his status.
He was no longer the type to mingle with street thugs, he had to have style.
At least, he had to appear to have style to outsiders.
That's what the big shots should have, right?
So, even when he was alone, he made sure to maintain that style.
Because, this was what he had always longed for.
Even if he didn't feel particularly good about it, he relished it.
Ding-ling-ling.
The phone rang.
Emod glanced at the string of asterisks on the secretive caller ID and picked up directly.
"I've done as you told me,"
Emod said in a deep voice, without probing.
