A Gangster Paradise

Suddenly. the club door swung open with a bang.

Bang!

A group of girls swaggered in, their leather jackets and confident glares making it clear who they were: members of the Blood Roses, the all-female gang that practically ran this part of the city.

They thrived on protection fees and kept the area clean of drugs, unlike their rivals, the Steel Vipers, who were neck-deep in the drug trade.

The leader of the group, a striking woman named Cassie, strutted to the bar. Her long, dark hair was pulled into a high ponytail, and her lips were painted a deep crimson.

"Hey, Mila," Cassie said, her voice smooth but edged with authority. "You got our booth ready?"

Mila nodded, sliding a set of keys across the counter. "As always. Just don't trash the place this time."

Cassie smirked, snatching up the keys. "No promises."

Her gaze slid over to Rowan, lingering for a moment. "New guy?"

"Not that new," Rowan replied, keeping his voice neutral.

The Blood Roses were a force to be reckoned with, but he knew better than to show fear.

Cassie's smirk widened. "Good to know."

She led her girls to the VIP booth, and Rowan chuckled lightly.

"Careful with that one," Mila warned. "Cassie's not someone you want to cross."

"Got it," Rowan said, shrugging his shoulders. "Thanks for the heads-up."

As the night wore on, the club filled up, and Rowan worked nonstop. He served drinks, dodged drunken advances, chatted with some customers, and occasionally had to break up minor scuffles.

The Blood Roses kept to their booth, laughing and drinking, while their rivals, the Steel Vipers, gathered at the far end of the club.

Tension crackled in the air, like a live wire waiting to snap.

Rowan was delivering a round of shots when the shouting started. He turned just in time to see one of the Steel Vipers shove a Blood Rose, spilling her drink. The room fell silent for a split second before chaos erupted.

Tables were overturned, and fists flew as the two gangs clashed.

"Everyone, get down!" Mila yelled, ducking behind the bar as glass shattered around her.

Rowan moved without thinking, grabbing a terrified couple and pulling them to the ground. His heart pounded, adrenaline coursing through his veins.

Memories of the past flashed in front of his eyes... especially of that night.

Slipping into the shadows of the chaos, Rowan scanned the brawling crowd. His hands clenched, and his muscles coiled like a panther ready to strike. He couldn't reveal his abilities outright, but there were ways to intervene without exposing who he truly was.

He spotted one of the Steel Vipers pulling out a knife, eyes locked on Cassie, who was grappling with another opponent.

Rowan moved swiftly, ducking low and circling around until he was behind the armed man. With the skill of a master assassin, he delivered a precise strike to the man's wrist, making him drop the knife.

Before the Viper could react, Rowan melted back into the shadows.

Cassie, unaware of how close she had been to serious harm, landed a brutal punch that sent her opponent sprawling.

Meanwhile, Rowan worked from the periphery, disarming and disabling gang members one by one with a series of swift, efficient moves. He stayed unseen, moving like a ghost through the chaos.

One of the Blood Roses, a girl with a split eyebrow and a fierce grin, caught a glimpse of him as he swept the leg of a charging Viper. Her eyes widened in surprise, but before she could react, Rowan had already slipped away, blending back into the crowd.

The fight ended as quickly as it had started when sirens wailed in the distance. Both gangs scattered, leaving behind a wake of overturned tables and shattered glass.

Cassie locked eyes with Rowan as she backed toward the exit, suspicion flickering across her face.

Rowan straightened, his breathing steady. He wiped his hands on his pants, forcing himself to look nothing more than a concerned bartender who had just witnessed a wild brawl.

Mila emerged from behind the bar, her hands trembling as she lit a cigarette. "Jesus, Rob. That was intense."

"Yeah," He replied, his voice calm. "Just another night in paradise."

Cassie lingered at the door, her gaze narrowing as if she were trying to piece together a puzzle. Rowan gave her a neutral nod, playing the part of the unassuming bartender. But inside, he was ready for anything.

Rowan and Cassie helped the other colleagues clean up the mess and were finally ready to call it a night. But before he could leave, his phone buzzed.

It was a message from Cassie, the leader of the Blood Roses.

Cassie: Trouble. Corner of 4th and Pine. Vipers trying to make a statement.

Rowan clenched his jaw. Even with his strength subdued, he had a responsibility to these streets—a duty he had taken on in secret. He sighed, slinging his bag over his shoulder and heading out. It was time to intervene, subtly as always.

Rowan approached the intersection of 4th and Pine. The streetlights flickered to life, casting pools of golden light over the cracked pavement. He arrived just in time to see the Steel Vipers facing off with the Blood Roses, tension snapping in the air like an electric current.

Cassie stood at the front, her expression fierce. Her girls held their ground, weapons at the ready. Across from them, the Vipers' leader, a towering brute named Jax, sneered as he cracked his knuckles.

"You think you own this block, huh?" Jax spat. "We'll see about that."

Cassie's gaze flicked to Rowan, who had positioned himself inconspicuously in the shadows. She knew he had helped her girls before, but she never pressed him for details. Trust, even in fragments, had formed between them.

Rowan exhaled, focusing on the situation. The Vipers were armed with knives and chains—amateurs compared to what he had once faced. Still, this mortal world demanded caution. He would have to act carefully, using his abilities only when necessary.

The fight broke out in a flash. Jax lunged at Cassie, and the street erupted into chaos. Blood Roses and Steel Vipers clashed, fists and weapons swinging.

Rowan moved swiftly, slipping through the shadows, his every step calculated.

He found himself facing two Vipers, both wielding knives. They lunged at him, and time seemed to slow—not for them, but for Rowan alone. In that fraction of a moment, he analyzed their stances, the angles of their attacks, and their overextended motions.

Time snapped back to normal as Rowan sidestepped, grabbing one of the attackers by the wrist and twisting until the knife clattered to the ground. A well-placed elbow strike sent the man crumpling. The second Viper barely had time to react before Rowan ducked under his wild swing, delivering a precise kick to his knee that brought him down hard.

From the corner of his eye, Rowan saw Jax swing a chain at Cassie. Without thinking, Rowan slowed time again, moving as if he were wading through water. He positioned himself between them, catching the chain mid-air. To Jax, it must have looked like Rowan had appeared out of nowhere.

"Who the hell are you?" Jax snarled, yanking the chain back.

"Just the coach," Rowan replied, smirking as he used the chain to pull Jax off balance. With a swift punch to the gut, he sent the Viper stumbling.

Cassie's eyes widened as she took in Rowan's sudden appearance, but she didn't question it. Instead, she took the opening he had created, landing a solid roundhouse kick that sent Jax sprawling.

The remaining Vipers fled, dragging their wounded with them. The Blood Roses stood victorious, bruised but proud. Cassie turned to Rowan, her chest heaving as she caught her breath.

"You keep showing up when we need you," She said, suspicion and gratitude warring in her eyes.

Rowan shrugged, his expression neutral. "Just looking out for the neighborhood."

Cassie smirked, but there was an edge to it. "One day, you'll have to tell me who you really are."

He held her gaze for a moment, the weight of his true identity pressing on him. But then he just smiled.

"Maybe. One day."

With that, he turned and disappeared back into the night, a god still bound to the shadows, hiding in plain sight among mortals who had no idea that their savior was far more than he seemed.