Chapter 87 Unfinished Business

Rick had just finished spilling everything—every illegal brothel they ran, every hidden operation, every dirty secret they thought was buried deep. His breath was ragged, his face pale from blood loss. An arm and a leg had been shot, and while the wounds weren’t fatal, he needed medical attention soon. He had done exactly what Liam wanted, told him everything. That meant Liam would spare him... right?

Rick’s hope clung desperately to that thought. He had done his part. He had been forced into this situation; he wasn’t the mastermind. He was just following orders. As Liam stood there, silent and still, Rick felt his nerves break. He pushed himself up slightly, groaning in pain, and looked up at Liam with pleading eyes.

"Please... don’t go." His voice was weak, filled with desperation.

Liam arched a brow, confused. "I’m not going anywhere."

Rick let out a shuddering breath of relief. "Thank God," he whispered, then swallowed hard before speaking again. "Call an ambulance, man. Please. I beg you."

Liam stared down at him, dumbstruck. Did this fool really think he was getting out of this alive? Had he forgotten the last time Liam spared him? That mistake had nearly cost Ann her life. It had put Vanessa in danger. It had made Liam feel something he hadn’t felt in a long time—true, unchecked rage. He wasn’t about to make the same mistake twice.

"I said I wouldn’t give you a slow death, didn’t say I would let you go"

Slowly, Liam raised his gun, his expression unreadable. Rick’s eyes widened in horror as he saw the barrel aimed directly at his forehead. He raised his uninjured hand shakily, as if that small gesture could stop the inevitable.

"Wait—"

BAM!

The gunshot echoed through the empty, wrecked lot. The bullet tore through Rick’s skull, slamming his lifeless body against the cold ground. Blood pooled beneath him, flowing outward until it almost touched Liam’s boots. Liam didn’t flinch, didn’t blink. He simply stared at the corpse before him, exhaling slowly.

It was done.

No more second chances. No more loose ends.

Then, slowly, he turned his gaze ahead. His mind wasn’t on Rick anymore. It wasn’t even on Dean’s pathetic corpse beside him. No, there was only two person left to deal with.

Khan.

Boss

The man who had orchestrated this entire mess. The man who thought he could control everything and everyone in this city. But tonight, that illusion would be shattered. Tonight, the Crimson Hand would learn a lesson they would never forget.

Liam rolled his shoulder, wincing slightly at the pain from the bullet wound. It didn’t matter. Nothing mattered except what came next.

Tonight, the hunter would become the hunted.

Liam walked back toward Ann and Vanessa, his movements steady despite the pain searing through his shoulder. His shirt was soaked in blood, sticking to his skin, and each step he took left a faint trail of crimson on the ground. As soon as Ann saw him, she ran to him without hesitation, throwing her arms around his torso as if afraid he might vanish if she let go. Her grip was tight, desperate, her face buried in his chest.

"You’re safe," she whispered, her voice trembling with relief.

Liam winced slightly, his injured shoulder throbbing under the pressure of her embrace, but he didn’t push her away. Instead, he placed his free hand on her head, gently running his fingers through her long dark hair. His blood smeared onto her clothes, staining the fabric, but Ann didn’t care. The only thing that mattered was that Liam was here, standing before her, alive.

A few feet away, Vanessa watched them in silence, an unfamiliar pang of jealousy striking her chest. She hated herself for feeling this way, but she couldn’t deny it. Liam was strong, dangerously attractive, and more importantly, he had put his life on the line to protect her. It was impossible not to feel something for him, not when he had fought like a demon to ensure both her and Ann’s safety.

Then suddenly, Liam’s sharp senses picked up something in the distance. His body tensed, and his head snapped toward the source of the noise. Sirens. Police sirens. They were getting closer.

He turned to Vanessa, his expression serious. "Did you call for backup?"

Vanessa nodded. "Yeah, I called for backup and an ambulance. You were bleeding out, Liam. I had to."

Liam let out a sharp breath before shaking his head. "That’s a problem. If the police find me here, it’s going to get complicated. I killed a lot of people tonight. Even if it was self-defense. They won’t just let me go freely."

Vanessa’s eyes widened in realization. "Shit," she muttered under her breath, bringing a hand to her forehead. How could she have been so careless? Of course, Liam couldn’t afford to be here when the authorities arrived.

"You need to run now," she said firmly, looking Liam straight in the eyes.

Ann turned to her in shock. "You’re just going to let him go? Won’t that get you in trouble?"

Vanessa nodded but smiled faintly. "Liam saved my life. That’s the least I can do for him."

Ann’s gaze softened with admiration. She knew Vanessa couldn’t be someone who bent the law easily, yet here she was, willing to risk her career for Liam. That only proved how much she respected and trusted him.

Ann turned back to Liam, stepping onto her toes before pressing her lips against his in a deep kiss. It was fierce, filled with emotions she couldn’t express with words. When she pulled away, her hands lingered on his face. "Run while you can," she whispered.

But before Liam could move, Vanessa stepped forward, shaking her head. "You can’t go on foot, not in your condition. Get in my car. I’ll drive you somewhere safe."

Liam hesitated for a moment, knowing that staying with Vanessa any longer would only put her at more risk. But she was right. His body was growing weaker, and if he tried to escape alone, he wouldn’t make it far.

He turned to Ann, bringing a hand to her cheek as he spoke softly. "Go home. I won’t be back tonight. I have something to take care of."

Ann nodded, though her heart clenched at his words. She didn’t want to let him go, but she trusted him. She knew he had unfinished business.

Before Vanessa got into the car with Liam, she quickly turned to Ann and gave her instructions. "When the police get here, tell them you were kidnapped by a gang, but another gang showed up, and they killed each other. You managed to escape in the chaos. Don’t mention Liam. Tell them I already went after the survivors."

Ann listened carefully and nodded in understanding. It was a solid cover story. If she played her part right, Liam would be in the clear.

Vanessa climbed into the driver’s seat as Liam settled beside her. As she started the engine, the sirens grew louder in the distance. She pressed down on the gas pedal, and the car sped off, leaving behind the bloodstained battlefield and the flashing red and blue lights that approached.