"Oh! Azzy! Come in," a voice replied.
ᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠᅠ𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝕿𝖍𝖗𝖊𝖊
Az promptly opened the door and stepped inside a dazzling dining room that exuded a sense of elegance and functionality. The room looked like it was more expensive than the average house. It had a high ceiling and a classy, shimmering chandelier hanging from it. The walls were painted a royal red with dozens of beautiful paintings on it.
A smirking old man, Hades Grimwood, was seated on a chair that looked like it could've belonged to a king. The bald old man had a scraggly gray beard that could have been mistaken for pubes, and the beard hair looked like they were trying to flee from his chin. Hades wore a long gray robe, and Az noticed several long gray hairs on his chest, possibly long enough to braid. Like his security guard, Hades was an overweight man. However, he didn't look like a big water balloon about to pop.
The old man picked up a fork as Az wondered why there were so many fat people in this mansion.
"Morning, Az, I was just about to have breakfast," he greeted.
Az looked down at Hades' plate of scrambled eggs and bacon sitting on an elegant polished wooden table. There was also a large Chinese bowl containing different sorts of delicious fruits, and one could infer that they were grown on the freshest of farms. Two crystal wine glasses containing expensive red wine, as well as the wine bottle stood on the table.
"Care to join me?"
The room did smell amazing because of the delicious food that was about to be eaten, but Az ignored his empty stomach begging for breakfast.
"No thanks, old man. I'm here to talk."
The old man frowned while his beard hair tried harder to flee from his chin. "I've told you multiple times, Azzy," he said as he broke the egg yolk. "Take your hands out of your pockets when talking to me. And don't call me an old man."
I hate when you call me Azzy but you don't see me complaining, Az thought. He ignored Hades' request and remained silent with his hands in his pockets.
"Do you want my men to take them out for you?" the old man threatened.
Az rolled his eyes and reluctantly removed his hands from his pockets. He then leaned his weight on one leg.
"Why did you make them do it?" he asked.
"What do you mean? I'm not understanding where you're getting at here," Hades replied, knowing exactly what Az was talking about.
Az exhaled frustratedly. "Why did you tell my men to kill an innocent person?!"
"Ha, why do you even care? That was a nobody, not worth your time."
Az slammed his fist against the table before smashing a wine glass to the floor, making red wine spill all over and ruin the nice, expensive carpet made with real animal fur laid on the floor.
"A nobody?! An innocent man is dead!"
Suddenly, two lean security guards each loaded with a pistol barged the heavy wooden doors open.
"Hey!" one yelled, pointing his gun toward Az who was unbothered.
Hades shooed them away like a fly with his hand. "Calm down, it's nothing. You know how my boy can get. Stay outside."
The security guards scrambled outside of the dining room and made sure to quietly close the doors behind them.
The old man turned his attention to Az and gave him a stern look. "You need to chill, Az," he said as he ate a small piece of bacon. "I apologize for the fact that I did not inform you of my plans."
"That's not it!" Az replied as he walked over to a luscious green sofa. He sat down on a generously filled cushion and hoped that nothing weird was done on the sofa, as he knew how weird this old man could get.
"You promised me not to kill anyone," Az said.
Hades stood up from his chair. "Well, I had to make an exception. That fool was just an eager rat ready to speak false nonsense about the syndicate. That's why I had them do it."
He walked over to the green sofa Az was sitting on and looked at him. "But how did you know I was involved?"
Az stared down at the polished wooden floor. "Those guys were acting stupid so I had my eye on them."
"Good boy, that's how you be a boss," Hades replied as he rested a hand on Az's shoulder. "I always knew you could be a good leader."
The old man smirked. "Do put that right hand to use for me."
Az scowled and turned his head to face him. "Of course, I'll help you walk."
"I see you've acquired a bit of rudeness," Hades commented as he crouched down to see Az eye-to-eye. "You used to cry like a banshee every time I told you to do something for me."
"Sorry, I have dementia," Az responded as he rolled his eyes.
"I see," the old man said. "But there is something you shouldn't forget - I picked you off the streets. Remember that one."
He sneered as he brought the hand resting on Az's shoulder up to his poker face. "You know I love you, sweetheart. Hm?"
Az remained silent but frowned at the fact that Hades' hand was carressing his cheek. He looked down at his red sneakers. Hades' hand may have felt very soft because of the many expensive hand lotions he used, but Az knew that his hands were nothing but very rough.
"You can leave now. Be a good boy for me."