Friction

by Dwayne Gill

  Table of Contents

  A Quick Note

  Written By Blood Series Order

  Prologue: Ashes to Ashes

  A Leg Up

  Dirty Dancing

  Old Wounds

  Out of the Dark

  Networking

  Brainstorming

  Familiar Faces

  Sudden Departure

  Footloose

  Crossing Lines

  Domestic Disturbance

  Bad Timing

  Exodus

  Mistaken Identity

  The Battle Of Baku

  Inventory

  Intervention

  Step Ahead

  Leaving a Mark

  Zeroing In

  Derailed

  Extended Family

  Then and Now

  Countdown

  Regrouping

  Turning the Tables

  The Ties That Bind

  Epilogue: Red Omega

  Afterword

  About the Author

  Also by Dwayne Gill

  Dwayne Gill

  Written By Blood: Friction

  Copyright © 2019 by Dwayne Gill

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise without written permission from the publisher. It is illegal to copy this book, post it to a website, or distribute it by any other means without permission.

  This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.

  First edition

  This book was professionally typeset on Reedsy

  Find out more at reedsy.com

  I’d like to dedicate Friction to my street team. I have a circle of loyal readers who have helped me so much in my journey as an author. There have been readers who’ve been following me from the very beginning, and they’ve offered me unbiased, sound advice many times. I probably don’t say it often enough to them, but I really do appreciate you. Thank you so much for your support and encouragement, for you believed in me from the start.

  To my street team: I couldn’t have done this without you!

  A Quick Note

  If you’re just starting the Written By Blood series, welcome!

  Friction is the second novel of the series, which is one, long story. However, each book and story is self-contained, meaning it has a plot and wraps it up by the end. No cliffhangers!

  However, for maximum enjoyment of the series, I’d highly recommend reading it in order, which means that if you’ve just found the series, you have some catching up to do. Never fear; I will make it very easy for you. On the following page you’ll see a series reading list, in chronological order. Just click on the one or ones you need and it’ll direct you!

  If you’d like to get one of the titles for free, all you need to do is sign up to my mailing list. I’ll give you a free copy of the short story, CaneDemnation. To sign up, just click HERE.

  I hope you enjoy Friction, and please don’t forget to leave a review on Amazon and/or Goodreads when you’re done!

  Regards,

  Dwayne Gill

  Written By Blood Series Order

  Written By Blood: Conviction Prequels (Cane’s Detour & Daniel’s Darkness)

  Written By Blood: Conviction

  Written By Blood: Friction Prequels (Detortion & William’s Defiance)

  CaneDemnation

  Written By Blood: Friction

  Prologue: Ashes to Ashes

  May 5, 2024

  5:30 p.m. CST

  Chicago, Illinois

  Daniel knew something wasn’t right when he saw the gates of the Marcini mansion standing wide open. The guards in front were absent, so he continued, wondering what was happening. As he drove up the driveway, a bullet splintered the windshield on the passenger side, hitting the headrest behind.

  It would be the first of many bullets.

  Gunfire rained down from the hill up ahead, and Daniel ducked down to avoid being hit, accelerating at the same time. A round struck the corsage container lying on the seat beside him, sending it somersaulting to the floorboard.

  Daniel wasn’t built for this type of maneuvering; besides not being an overly skilled driver, he was too large to be slumping down. This wasn’t the sort of movie-worthy action where he excelled. He needed to get out of the vehicle.

  Daniel swerved the car sideways and felt the thud of a man’s body making contact. Before coming to a complete stop, he’d opened the door, rolled onto the ground, and sprang to his feet.

  He didn’t have long to survey the scene; two men stood five feet on either side of him, both shocked by his acrobatic display. Though Daniel was over seven feet tall and weighed four hundred pounds, he was as agile as most smaller men.

  Daniel’s theatrics didn’t stall the two men long. Their weapons rose as he pondered his next course of action. Daniel committed to the man on his left, who aimed haphazardly as Daniel closed, firing a wild shot. Daniel bear-hugged the man, lifted him, and leapt forward, crashing them down to the ground. They landed in front of his stalled car, temporarily obstructing the other shooter’s line of sight.

  Daniel knew he had only a moment to react. He snatched the gun from his opponent’s hands and aimed as the second man walked around the vehicle. They fired simultaneously, but Daniel’s round hit the man in the chest while the incoming bullet hit Daniel’s gun, the impact sending the weapon vibrating from his hands. The man beneath him clutched the weapon as it fell, but Daniel kneed him in the groin, regained possession, and shot him in the head.

  A third assailant was rising to his feet. He was likely the man Daniel had hit with the car. Daniel fired twice, hitting him once, and the assailant collapsed. As Daniel lifted himself off the dead man below him, he noticed a strange pattern of clustered X’s on the intruder’s right forearm. Because of his own birthmark, it aroused his curiosity, so he inspected the other two and found the same markings. Though Daniel’s looked nothing like theirs, it was still strange.

  Taking a moment to look around, Daniel realized these men were just the gatekeepers of an even bigger raiding party, as evidenced by the three SUVs parked in the driveway, which he assumed belonged to the invaders. He heard gunfire coming from inside the house, and when he saw a fire burning on the first floor, his heart dropped.

  Layla.

  Daniel had left twenty minutes ago to run a quick errand. Layla had forgotten her date’s corsage at a friend’s house, so Daniel had offered to retrieve it before she left for her dance.

  The last thing he’d expected to see when he returned was his boss’s house transformed into a war zone. He’d seen the gates shut behind him as he left, but the house he remembered as an impenetrable fortress now seemed anything but.

  Daniel could hear screaming inside, both from men and women under assault. As he glared at the front door, which stood open, he felt the familiar rush of darkness descending on him.

  This other side of him had been present throughout his entire life, originating from his chaotic childhood spent in foster homes. He’d always stood out because of his size, and life for him had been highlighted by one conflict after another.

  However, Daniel had always suspected his dark self had been the product of something deeper, a force he had no control over. It seemed to have a life of its own, and when it gripped him, he was at its mercy.

  Only since meeting Layla had he felt any hope or remedy from his affliction. He’d moved here almost six years ago to work for Layla’s father, Benito Marcini, one of the more influential mob bosses in Chicago.

>   After some resistance, Daniel had warmed to Layla, and the two became close friends. She was able to help him contain his darkness; he hadn’t lost control since the night he’d confronted Layla’s tormentors and his fellow employees nearly six years ago. That night, Layla had calmed him at the apex of his rage, and his monster hadn’t returned since.

  Until now.

  Layla was inside, along with many others, and something bad was happening. Daniel’s body felt like it was overheating, and his vision narrowed. He submitted to his internal beast, letting it overcome him, knowing it would fuel the impending carnage.

  Daniel sprinted to the front door, and although he typically abhorred guns, even in his darkness he realized the necessity of holding on to one. He peeked inside and noticed several corpses scattered about the den, but he couldn’t identify them. Someone ran across the large room—one of Benito’s men, though he couldn’t place his name. A gunshot echoed through the house, and the sprinter tumbled and fell. The assailant walked from the kitchen with his weapon still aimed, ready in case the fallen man recovered.

  Daniel looked to his right; it was hazy because of the smoke, but he saw two men in the distance, looking around. The den occupied almost every part of the first floor within eyesight. Daniel knew the stairs leading to the upper levels were to his left, where the lone assailant stood. Though Daniel was certain he’d be engaging every combatant eventually, his priority was finding Layla, who’d been upstairs when he left her.

  Daniel walked toward the man in the den, whose gun was still raised. Daniel wasn’t a great shot from afar but was decent at close range, so he wanted to get closer before engaging. The man must have sensed movement from the corner of his eye, for he spun in Daniel’s direction. The two made eye contact for a moment, and Daniel swore he saw recognition in his opponent’s eyes. He wondered for a moment if this occurrence had something to do with his past, but he couldn’t see how. Daniel had made plenty of enemies in his twenty-three years, but none whom would be ballsy enough to storm the Marcini mansion.

  Daniel fired at the assailant first, striking him in the knee. The man fell but still squeezed off a shot, which struck the floor harmlessly. Daniel fired three more rounds and hit the guy twice, in the stomach and shoulder. He dashed over and repeatedly smashed the wounded man with the butt of his rifle to finish him off. That took too long, thought Daniel. He knew he’d have to be more efficient.

  Behind him, the two men he’d seen before approached, alerted by the swell of gunfire. Daniel dove behind a sofa for cover as the men unleashed a volley. The rounds went through the couch, one striking Daniel’s left arm. He grimaced and hugged the floor.

  Daniel knew they were advancing, so he had to act fast. During a pause in the gunfire, he stood quickly, lifted the sofa, and threw it toward the two men while sprinting forward at the same time. His wounded arm burned in protest, but his rage overpowered the sensation.

  The men were forced to react to the incoming projectile, and Daniel used the distraction to barrel into one of them, sending the man tumbling to the floor. He felt a blow land on his lower back, and he spun around to find the other man raising his gun back to strike again, but Daniel punched him right between the eyes, dropping him to the floor. Turning back to the first assailant, Daniel grabbed a handful of the man’s hair as he tried to stand and threw him across the room and onto a glass table. He knelt, retrieved a discarded gun from the floor, this time a pistol, and shot both men.

  Daniel glanced to his left and froze at the sight of Benito, his boss, sprawled on his back in front of his office door. Daniel walked over and knelt, looking at the man’s lifeless eyes. Benito had two bloody holes in the chest of his expensive suit, which was now stained red.

  Although the two had had their issues in the beginning, Marcini had turned out to be a decent man. He’d been born into a crime family, inheriting the business, but had done his part in turning things around for himself. Over the past few years, he’d phased out most of the illegal activity, became a legitimate businessman, and had been a better father to Layla. Benito had always wanted to operate cleanly and make an honest living, but now those dreams were over.

  Benito had respected Daniel for the way he took care of Layla and had made him swear always to look after her if something happened to him. Now Daniel would try to make good on that promise.

  Daniel couldn’t see anything on the floors above him but still heard screams. The smoky haze had risen from ground level and spread throughout the upper stories, causing the once immaculate house to look haunted.

  Daniel climbed the stairs two at a time, trying to make ground, and as he neared the second-floor landing, he saw a man standing in the middle of the hallway with his back to him. Ahead, the rest of the corridor was clear, at least as far as he could see, so he didn’t want to risk using the pistol. He lunged forward, grabbed the oblivious man by the shirt, and threw him backward and over the balcony, watching him land on the first floor with a thud.

  Daniel sprinted ahead; Layla’s room was three-quarters of the way down the hall, a distance he’d covered countless times, but this time the trip seemed to take forever. His heart pounded as he moved down the corridor, his steps guided by unbridled rage. He heard nothing moving in the rooms as he passed, but farther down the hall, where his room was, he could faintly hear men talking. I’ll get to them later, he thought.

  Layla’s door was partially open, and someone had ripped the signed Justin Bieber concert poster that hung upon it. He pushed it open, walked in, and saw a teenage girl lying prone on the sofa.

  It was Samantha, Layla’s friend; Daniel recognized her scarlet dress. The rest of the room was empty, and no sounds came from the hallway inside. Daniel walked over to Samantha but didn’t bother turning her over once he saw the blood-soaked upholstery beneath. He couldn’t bear to see the lifeless eyes of the innocent girl.

  A trail of blood led through the living area, originating from the hallway, and Daniel followed it to its source, which was Layla’s bedroom. The lights were on, and inside, Sofia, Layla’s nanny, was on the bed, lying on her side. Daniel stepped closer and confirmed what he already knew; she was dead, stabbed multiple times throughout her torso. Daniel had saved Sofia before, when she was badly beaten by some of Benito’s men, but he was too late this time.

  Dejected and frantic, Daniel scanned the room for any other signs of Layla. He groaned loudly with frustration when he noticed a separate pool of blood on the bed, and his heart sank when he looked down.

  Layla’s stuffed bunny lay on the floor, bloody and trashed, the stuffing strewn across the room. The bunny had been a gift from Layla’s mother before she died, one of the few tokens the girl had to remember her by. Daniel had retrieved the stuffed animal years ago from the trash when one of the crueler employees had thrown it away, and he’d had it repaired by Sofia. It had been a defining moment in his and Layla’s friendship.

  Daniel looked under the bed, just in case, but the reality of the situation was sinking in. There was no way the intruders had killed everyone else in the house and left Layla alive, and the trail of blood leading from the room was surely hers. Sofia had fought back in an attempt to protect Layla, but it had cost the loving nanny her life.

  I should have been here, thought Daniel. If it was possible, he felt his darkness sink even deeper into him, like it had tendrils enveloping every cell of his body. There would be no Layla to talk him down and no remedy for the rage he would unleash. This time, he feared, he might never return from the abyss his monster dragged him into.

  Daniel left in a sprint and ran down the hall to his room. The door was open, though it hardly would’ve mattered. Two men were talking casually as he entered, both freezing at the sight of him. Neither was ready for the impending onslaught, nor did they have a chance to defend themselves. Daniel covered the distance between them quickly and grabbed both men by their heads, one hand on each, and slammed them into the wall behind. The plaster imploded as two holes formed, t
he men’s heads embedding deep inside. As one man tried to recover, Daniel punched him in the throat, crushing it, and he fell to the floor, choking on his own blood. Daniel ripped the other man from the wall and punched him twice in the face, feeling the bones crunching from the impact. If the intruder wasn’t dead already, he was now.

  Possessed by anger, Daniel walked down the hall to his bedroom and retrieved an aluminum baseball bat with which he’d trained Layla to play softball. He felt a fleeting ache at the thoughts of them smiling and laughing, but his darkness swallowed them up almost as fast as he conjured them. His rage consumed what would’ve been nostalgic thoughts, leaving a void that could only be filled by violence. Now, the only memories he wanted of the bat were the ones he was about to make.

  Daniel made his way back down the corridor, and as he approached the stairs, he saw five men huddled together on the first floor, and they appeared aware of the developing situation.

  Above him, a shot rang out from the third floor and glanced off the railing beside him. Since Daniel had discarded his pistol, he had no choice but to leap from the balcony. He barely felt the sting of a bullet hitting him in the shoulder as he glided through the air, aimed right at the group of men below. The intruders’ faces contorted with confusion and shock as he landed on them, his girth ensuring he made some measure of contact with all.

  The men grunted and moaned as they tried to untangle their bodies. Daniel got to his feet quickly but felt another shot hit him in the back as he straightened. The round exited his stomach and hit one assailant, causing another to scream at the shooter. “Hold your fire!”

  The other four men rose and swarmed. Daniel hit one with the bat, causing him to reel backward, but felt a stabbing pain in his middle back. He threw an elbow to ward off his rear attacker and felt it glance off. Daniel grabbed another man by the throat and squeezed as hard as he could. He thought he could feel his thumb touch his index finger as he heard a pop, and the man’s eyes went blank.