Like any other day in the city, the sun hides behind the clouds as though its their protection. However, its ardent rays shine down on me despite its strict protection.

As it often is this time of year, the day is cold and full of life. No one around to accompany you on your travels due to being busy in their respective lives, as it should be. It can be quite lonesome at times. But I find it freeing, joyous, and any other exaggerative word to describe the cloud of ease hanging over my head.

Others may find it grim and boring, but for me, it's the most wonderful and the worst thing in the world. A moment of freedom to be with my thoughts, but it's still worth the risk all the same.

The sound of one of the many scattered twigs along the path I stroll along breaks, letting me know there's someone behind me. I find it neither odd nor unnerving. It's what they plan to do with me that has me a bit concerned. I can be quite the handful at games like these.

Like a thief in the night, I lurk through the park, leading my hunter all over to get him lost in case he doesn't know his way around. I'd rather not get anyone involved in this. In case, he corners me, I can fight back.

With each minute passing by, my body begins to weaken with each move I make. Fatigue floods my senses due to not being able to get any sleep. 

I let out a sigh of defeat and duck into one of the empty alleys in the park, leaning against the wall for support. My body's given up on the chase. It was fun while it lasted, I'll admit, but it's time for the moment of truth.

"Young master."

My gaze lifts from the pile of sticks beside me to meet one of my mother's many lackeys.

"I've told you not to call me that," I hiss, getting tired of having to correct them every time we meet. "I have no affiliation with that title as much as I did then."

"Your mother wishes to have a word with you."

Sitting in the Sedan by the curb with the window down, she stares at me, waiting for me to get in. Her grand gestures like this gets old as time goes by. Old habits should die hard, shouldn't they?

"Get in," She addresses me with a simple frown on her wrinkled features. After a few moments of struggling, she manages to say, "Son."

The words arrive at my ear, a wave of nausea coming over me. I fight back the urge and join her in the car, hoping it will end soon. What could she want from me now?

As I sit in the back of her car, my gaze remains on the forestry we're passing through to get to where we need to go. Silence reigns among us as no one dares to say a word.

"What do you want this time, mother?" I ask her as I rest my chin in the palm of my hand, adding, "It's rare for you to come find me before the annual dinner. I assume you're in trouble. Again."

Upon hearing those words, the car comes to an immediate halt in the middle of the road. My gaze remains on the landscape before me in fear of seeing something I may regret. The air around us, thick with tension, thickens more as everyone remains on edge.

"We need to deal with him before the rest come along."

"Stay in the car," I tell them before opening the door and stepping out.

A few feet from me, a man of average height stands, emanating an air of confidence in the skills he possesses. I survey his appearance, taking in all I see.

The suit he wears, much like his hair, is as dark as the night sky, almost sending me into a void like no other. His furrowed eyebrows crown what appears to be sharp eyes, squandered by a deep scar. The sight of it almost sends a chill down my spine, reminding me of my own.

"You must be the famous Slut of the Roman family!" A boisterous laugh sounds in my ears as he revels in the "delight" of this situation.

He licks his lips as his eyes scan my body for something he can "devour". A few shudders is all it takes for the look on his face to disappear.  A sneer replaces the once small grin he wore as he eyed my body as some toy for him to play with.

"Oh, and you must be another asshole for me to get rid of." I fire back at him, trying to see if he'll back off.

I have to do all I can to get this over with before I change my mind, even if it means having to fight. It's all or nothing and there's no turning back now. The sound of a sot grunt pulls me out of my thoughts. A fist flies in my direction, grazing my chin. I notice a bit too late that it's only a faint when the second doubles me over, knocking the wind out of me.

A hell of a shot, I'll admit, but it's not enough to knock me down. I return the favor by sweeping his legs. He dodges it and jumps back away from me. I rise to my feet. Standing straight, my eyes bulging with vengeance, I glare at my target before me with a smug smirk on his face.

"You...motherfucking..." I take a step forward with each word. "Prick!" On the third, I swing at him.

The blow feels a bit weaker than usual. My arm isn't ready yet. I knew it the second I launched it. I get closer to him, meeting him eye to eye from where we stand. How much longer is he going to stare at me like that?

"You...are...so..." I continue to move closer to him, covering the distance between us. "Dead!"

On my final word, I swing at him a right hook. He dodges it in time. Before I can recover, he delivers a blow to my right side, sending a round of fresh ripples of pain through my torso. I remain standing. I'm not about to let him win, but the blow hit me much worse than I wanted it to. Between the blow to my right side and my vengeance, I can't seem to identify which is burning more.

He goes in for another shot. I dodge this time, shoving him off me before he can land another on me. He scoots back, recovering faster than I thought. I cover the distance between us with a few punches, landing right where I want them to. He falls to his knees. I don't expect him to get up yet he does.

I need to end this so I can get back home. I fire a couple more shots at him while I still can. As I expected, he dodges each of them without any effort. He throws another at me and in turn adds another - an uppercut.

Click.

The sound of my jaw and his fist making unplanned contact sickens me. All the same I do my best to remain standing. I use the last bit of strength in my body to swing at him one last time, hitting the knockout button. I watch as his limp body falls onto the asphalt with a loud thud.

"Well done. Get back in before your blood gets onto my seats."