Chapter 172 Let Me Apologize to You!
<Chapter>Chapter 172 Let Me Apologize to You! </Chapter>
Patrick and his buddies' faces instantly contorted in anger!
These guys were used to throwing their weight around in Wildwood, and their threats would usually make anyone cower and apologize in no time flat.
But Ryder's reaction was totally unexpected, and it just fueled their rage!
Patrick, teeth clenched, growled, "You little punk! If you don’t get on your knees today and beg for mercy, you’ll regret ever crossing paths with me!"
"I'm looking forward to it," was all Ryder said before he turned on his heel, pushed open the door, and left the store.
Patrick grabbed a half-finished beer bottle and quickly followed with his friends. Several onlookers also spilled out of the store, eager to catch the showdown with the new guy in town.
Patrick emerged from the store, his eyes locked on Ryder who stood about eighteen feet away, facing them. He cracked his neck, the sound echoing in the quiet street.
Just as he was about to charge at Ryder and give him a beating—
Click!
Click!
Click!
Suddenly, a row of headlights flashed to life directly in front of them. The bright lights blinded Patrick and his crew, making it hard to see.
“What the hell?! Who turned on those lights? What's going on?"
It took Patrick more than ten seconds to adjust to the glare. Squinting, he looked ahead, but when he saw who was there, his once arrogant face was plastered with terror.
More than a dozen sedans had formed a semicircle, blocking off the store's entrance, each with their headlights shining bright. men stood beside each one, easily forty in total, armed and ready.
P
In the middle of them all was a familiar face that Patrick recognized instantly: A stern-faced Josh.
What... why was he here?
In a flash, Patrick felt a cold sweat and was at a loss for.
His buddies, who didn't know Josh, were utterly confused.
"Who brought all these cars in front of the store? What's this about?"
"Someone turn off those headlights! They're getting in the way of us teaching this new punk a lesson!"
"Hey, who's that guy over there? He looks a bit roughed up—the one with the limp on his left?"
That was when Josh took slow, measured steps towards Patrick, snorting coldly through his nose. "Patrick, you sure know how to run, huh? What, you decided not to pay back the gambling debt you owe me?"
When Patrick heard that, his legs gave out, and he fell to the ground, trembling, "J-Josh, I wouldn’t dare! I came back just to raise the money to pay you back!"
Though he said that, his mind was in a complete mess. He had seen Josh in Houston and knew all too well how ruthless he could be. He was terrified!
A while back, he'd racked up over thirty thousand in debt to Josh due to gambling and couldn't pay it off.
He couldn’t get the money from Thelma, so he figured he'd lay low for a while over at the Martins' compound.
Knowing Josh as he did, he doubted the man would deign to come after him personally for revenge. After all, he was just small fry, hardly worth the effort.
To his shock, Josh showed up with a posse in tow just a few hours into his retreat, intent on hunting him down!
Josh towered over Patrick and said authoritatively, "So you're back to scrape together some cash, huh? Fork it over then! Three hundred grand! I'll take a finger for every penny you fail to return!"
Patrick's face twisted with fear as he pleaded, "Josh, any chance you could give me a few more days? Just let me figure this out, and I swear I'll pay you back every cent!"
He began fervently nodding his head at Josh, the universal sign of desperate pleading clear in his eyes.
Patrick's buddies and the onlookers from the local store, stood frozen in place, shocked to their core.
Patrick, who they knew as a tough guy who feared neither heaven or hell, was actually kowtowing to someone!
And they gathered the man's name was Josh.
The Martins' compound was only about twenty miles from Houston, and the locals had heard a thing or two about the city's underworld rumblings.
Josh, some knew, was a heavy hitter in Houston. He wasn’t quite on the level of a boss like George, but he certainly wasn’t someone any average Joe could mess with!
When Patrick’s friends realized he was in debt to the dreaded Josh, they instinctively stepped back, silently praPying the trouble wouldn't spill over to them.
Josh asked in amusement, "You mentioned having a way to get the money, so what's your plan? Do share."
Patrick swallowed nervously and, eyes darting, hastily responded, "I've got it! Yeah, I do! Heh, I don't mean to boast, Josh, but my high school daughter, she's quite a looker. If I pull her out of school tomorrow and marry her off here in town, I'm sure I'll get a high price for the marriage. Three hundred grand? That's the going rate on the marriage market these days, right?"
A look of disdain flickered in Josh's eyes. He leaned in and patted Patrick's cheek mockingly, "You want to use your own daughter to make money? I didn't realize you were dirtier than I thought. You're not fit to be human!"
Patrick didn’t dare get mad at Josh’s scorn, and instead responded with a sycophantic laugh. "Heh, you're right, Big Josh. I'm just an animal. I’m definitely not fit to be human!"
Josh chuckled coldly, " I didn't come here just to collect the debt today. I'm also here to seek justice on behalf of my brother George for one of our elders."
"Justice? Your brother George?"
That line sounded eerily familiar to Patrick.
Suddenly, he made the connection, and his gaze swiftly shifted to Ryder, who was standing not too far away.
That young man couldn't possibly be...
As the disturbing thought crossed his mind, he saw Josh move swiftly toward Ryder, bending slightly in deference. "Ryder, man! What do you want to do with this scumbag Patrick? Just say the word. Do you want to cripple him, or something worse? I’ve got it covered!"
Patrick's eyelids started twitching uncontrollably.
Even Josh was being respectful towards him. What kind of big shot was Ryder anyway?
Patrick had once boasted about being a distant relative of the well-connected Thelma Goldbranch.
He had known Thelma for nearly twenty years and never once heard about her having such a powerful relative!
Of course, the shock was nothing compared to the desperation for survival that surged within him.
With a face that was the picture of misery, he pleaded, "I... Sir, this is all a misunderstanding. If I had known Jenna was related to you, I wouldn't have dared harm her, not in a million years! Wouldn't an apology be enough? She'd forgive me, I'm sure!"
Ryder didn't respond.
He just walked over to Patrick and picked up the half-empty beer bottle next to him.
Without warning, without a word. The beer bottle crashed down in an instant.
Crack!
It shattered on top of Patrick's head!
Ryder, with an expression as tranquil as a gentle breeze, said, "I owe you an apology. Forgive me, will you?"
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