Chapter 27: Ashes of Pride
1:00 PM.
The sky over Lincolnville was clear, not a cloud in sight. The sun hung high overhead, drenching the small town in a punishing blaze. Midday light bounced off the windows of every house, too bright, too sharp—illuminating everything with a painful clarity.
El slammed the gas pedal, and his black car roared away, leaving Denny's house in the rearview.
Denny stood at the doorway, unmoving. His breathing was heavy. Blood still trickled down from the cut on his temple. His eyes seethed with a simmering rage—cold and sharp. After a moment, he exhaled sharply, shoved the door open, and stepped inside.
The house was large—far too large for an eighteen-year-old. He'd bought it for a hundred thousand dollars—a steal, thanks no doubt to Lucci. But the luxury stopped at the price tag. Inside... it was a mess. Dingy, stale, and reeking.
As the door shut behind him, a wave of stale air hit him. The stench of forgotten pizza slices mixed with alcohol and old cigarettes clung thick in the atmosphere. The living room was in chaos. The sofa was crooked. Empty bottles lay scattered. Cigarette butts littered the floor.
Still, Denny kept walking.
Until his eyes locked on a familiar figure—a man in his late twenties, wearing a ragged hoodie and torn jeans. He was sprawled under the coffee table, passed out like a corpse.
Denny's face tightened. His jaw clenched. Old anger surged like fire.
Without a word, he lashed out and kicked the man—hard.
THUD!