Rising from the Ashes (Andrew and Lauren)

Horatio nodded enthusiastically, his face lighting up with excitement. "Thanks, Boss! Thank you so much! I love meat, and I want to eat lots and lots of it!"

Abel could not stand another second of it. The veins on his forehead were throbbing as he snapped, "Horatio, get a grip already! What did you just call him? Huh? Say it again?"

Horatio tilted his head with a completely innocent expression. "I called him 'Boss'. What's wrong with that? He just beat the crap out of me, and it really hurt. I couldn't even fight back, so if I don't call him Boss, what else should I call him?"

Abel felt like his chest was about to explode from pure rage. This idiot brother of his had a one-track mind and only respected two things in life-brute force and endless delicious food.noveldrama

And now, Andrew had managed to deliver both.

"Horatio, don't listen to him! I'll kill him for you! You want food, right? I'll get it for you right now! I'll buy you whatever you want!" Abel shouted desperately, trying to sweeten the deal.

Horatio's eyes sparkled with delight. "Yay! That's amazing! But even if you buy me food, you're still just my brother. He's my boss, so you'll have to call him 'Boss' too, just like me!"

Abel's hand holding the phone froze completely. His eyes were practically shooting flames as he demanded an answer, "What did you say? Say that again!"

Horatio's massive, mountain-like frame straightened up as he spoke in his deep, rumbling voice. "I said you're my brother, but he's our Boss! He's the Boss, so we have to listen to him."

With that, he dropped to the ground and crawled toward Andrew, groveling pathetically. "Boss, please don't hit me anymore! I will listen to everything you say. I'll do whatever you want me to as long as you give me food!"

Andrew raised his hand and delivered two crisp slaps across the big guy's face. "Perfect! You're a good boy!"

He added with mock disappointment, "Horatio, you saw it yourself that Abel actually wants to get rough with me! You know what to do, right?"

Horatio glanced over at Abel. He hesitated for a second and said, "Boss, he's my brother... so maybe don't kill him? Just mess him up a little?"

Andrew burst out laughing. "Good boy. I'll listen to you. Just rough him up a bit and we're even."

Horatio immediately turned and stomped over to Abel, his massive frame casting a heavy shadow. "Abel, get on your knees and let me cripple you to apologize to Boss! Otherwise, he'll get mad, and won't get any meat to eat. Plus, you won't be able to escape either!

Abel completely lost it, jumping up and down while screaming. "Horatio, is your brain completely fried?! You massive idiot! I'm your brother, I'm your family! This son of a bitch is your enemy! He's the one you should be crippling, got it?"

However, Horatio shook his head stubbornly. "I can't beat him, Abel. He hits really hard, and it hurts so much! So, I have to listen to him, because if I don't, I'll be in big trouble!"

Abel nearly fainted from rage, roaring at the top of his lungs. "Forget about this brain-dead moron! Everyone, kill Andrew right now!"

He never could have imagined that his mentally challenged brother would become so cowardly and disobedient today. In the past, Horatio was like a human bulldozer who would attack whoever he pointed at, never acting so pathetically spineless.

Over 100 men immediately rushed toward Andrew.

Andrew's eyes turned cold as he sneered. "Horatio, I don't need to tell you what to do, right? You can see for yourself that it's not that I don't want to show mercy, but Abel wants to fight me. If I'm not happy, not only wift you not get any meat to eat, but I'll make sure every part of you suffers!"

Horatio's neck shrank in terror as he roared, "If anyone touches Boss, I'll crush them! Abel, you're being completely rebellious! Today I'll teach you a lesson on his behalf!"

He threw himself in front of Andrew like a giant shield, then spun around with a devastating sweep. Agonized screams immediately filled the air as Abel's hundred-plus men were completely useless against Horatio's overwhelming force.

Everyone else stood there completely dumbfounded. They could not believe what they had just witnessed.

Horatio beat his chest like a giant gorilla, his fat jiggling with each thunderous pound.