The smell of gunpowder lingered longer than it should have. Lex Latham stood over the bodies, the weight of the pistol still resting in his hand. He wasn't shaking—not yet.
Rose crouched beside him, rifling through the pocket of the man she'd stabbed. Her fingers moved quickly, tugging out a folded slip of paper. She barely glanced at it before shoving it into her coat.
"They didn't bring much. Just a message," she muttered.
Lex's eyes didn't leave the second man's face—the one he'd shot point-blank. There was something familiar about him. One of Barnie's usual grunts.
Lex slid the gun back under his coat, breathing slowly.
"The message was loud enough," he said flatly.
Rose tucking the knife into her belt. Her gaze drifted toward the cracked doorway, the faint glow of hallway lights bleeding into the room.
"Cops will be here soon."
Lex smirked faintly.
"If Barnie didn't pay them off first."
She didn't argue.
Lex's eyes flicked to the shattered door, then back to Maddie.
"We can't stay here."
Rose crossed her arms, leaning against the counter like she wasn't standing over two bodies.
"I wasn't planning on it."
Lex stepped over the man's outstretched arm, grabbing his jacket from the back of a chair. The weight of the gun at his hip felt heavier than before.
"I'm heading to the office."
Maddie arched a brow.
"That office hasn't been yours for a while."
Lex's smirk tightened.
"That's why it'll be a surprise."
Maddie didn't stop him as he walked toward the door, only tossing him the paper she'd found.
"Don't get yourself killed."
Lex caught it mid-air, but he didn't open it.
"No promises."
Maddux Holdings – 42nd Floor
The lobby felt colder at night, the marble floors gleaming under sterile white light. Lex's shoes echoed faintly as he crossed toward the private elevator.
It had been almost a year since he'd last stepped foot inside the building.
Long enough for Barnie to repaint the offices. Not long enough for Lex to forget exactly where every security camera was.
He slipped inside the elevator, turning his back to the mirrored wall. His reflection stared back, calm but unreadable.
When the doors opened on the 42nd floor, nothing felt different.
The same glass walls stretched across the executive floor. The same faint hum of the city below whispered through the windows.
Lex walked toward the office at the end of the hall—the one that used to have his name on it. Now, it belonged to Barnie.
The door wasn't locked.
Barnie Maddux sat behind the wide oak desk, papers sprawled in front of him. He barely looked up when Lex stepped inside.
"You know, Lex, most people call ahead."
Lex smirked faintly, closing the door behind him.
"Didn't want to ruin the surprise."
Barnie finally glanced up, his eyes flicking to the slight bloodstain on Lex's cuff.
"**I assume you came
to explain that?**"
Lex followed Barnie's gaze to his sleeve. He tugged the cuff lower, but he didn't bother hiding it.
"Your guys paid me a visit. Thought I'd return the favor."
Barnie leaned back in his chair, lacing his fingers together as if Lex's words bored him.
"You didn't need to kill them."
Lex's smirk didn't fade.
"They didn't need to break my door."
Barnie's eyes narrowed faintly, but the smile stayed plastered across his face, like a mask that had been worn too long.
"I sent them to remind you who holds the leash, Lex."
Lex took a slow step forward, the faint glow of the city lights catching in his reflection on the glass wall.
"Funny thing about leashes, Barnie. You've got to be close enough to pull them."
Barnie didn't move, but the air in the room shifted.
"You're still breathing because I let you. Don't mistake that for generosity."
Lex placed his hands on the edge of the desk, leaning in just enough to shrink the space between them.
"Let me guess. The next time I step out of line, you'll send more men. Maybe you'll try a different door."
Barnie's eyes darkened.
"Maybe I'll skip the door altogether."
The threat hung in the air, but Lex didn't flinch.
Instead, he lowered his voice, calm but sharp enough to cut.
"You think putting a bullet in me ends this? You'll still be looking over your shoulder. Derrick, Maddie… they won't stop."
Barnie's smirk finally slipped.
"I don't need to kill you to win, Lex. I just need to remind you that you already lost."
Lex's gaze stayed locked on Barnie's, unblinking.
"If I lost, why are you still trying so hard to bury me?"
Barnie's silence was answer enough.
Lex straightened, adjusting the cuff of his jacket as he stepped back toward the door.
"I'll send you the bill for the window."
Barnie's voice followed him as he reached for the handle.
"You don't walk away from this, Lex. Sooner or later, I collect."
Lex paused, glancing back over his shoulder.
"Then you'd better be fast."
With that, he slipped out the door, leaving the tension hanging behind him like the ghost of the man he used to be.