Urban Dragon Emerges

Author: Kevin Judith

Chapter 1: Walking Free

Words : 1995 Updated : Nov 27th, 2025

"Miller, I'm leaving." The woman slipped back into her clothes, hiding a figure that could drive any man crazy, then rose to her feet. Miller Cutmore grabbed her hand and, unwilling to let her go, said, "Julie, wait for me. I'll be out in three days. When I'm out, I'll-" "Miller Cutmore, listen." Her beautiful face was cool, her eyes shimmering with tears, but her voice was ice-cold. "Your brother is gone, and I'm single again, but I came to you only because I promised your brother I would carry on the Cutmore family line. I don't intend to marry you." A flush bloomed in her snow-pale cheeks. She bit her lip and went on, "Half a month ago, the night I came and made that request, I got pregnant. I came last night to thank you. From now on, we're even." Miller had already pulled on his prison uniform. He stood, looked at her coolly, then simply wrapped her in his arms and dropped his head, pressing his mouth hard against hers. She stared, wide-eyed, tried to shove him away, and failed. Little by little, she slowly melted and gave in. When breath ran short for them both, Miller let her go. He met her gaze and said, word by word, "Julie Linnit, hear me. You are mine now. I will take care of you for the rest of my life." Julie burst into tears, tears streaming down her face. She gave him a light punch on a chest broader than his brother's, covered her mouth, turned, ran to the door, flung the cell door open, and fled. Miller sat down on the bunk again. He stroked the lingering warmth in the sheet. His thoughts ran wild. Since this prison opened, he's been the only inmate allowed to have a woman in his cell overnight. Because he was the king here. Of Belton Prison's Six Kings who terrorized the place, he personally took out four. Belton held more than three thousand inmates-almost all the country's underground bosses and every kind of violent criminal. They bowed to him. For them, being part of his crew was a badge of honor. Three days later, a guard stood outside Cell No. 6 and said softly into the bars, "Boss Miller, you can go. One hour early." Inside, Miller changed into a black Mao jacket and traditional black cloth-soled shoes. The mismatched look somehow fit him as if tailored. He took a purple thumb ring from his breast pocket, slid it onto his left thumb, lit three cigarettes, and turned toward a tattered outfit propped against the wall. He bowed three times with grave respect and murmured, "Old blind man, I'm heading out. I'll make good use of the token you gave me. If we're lucky, we'll meet again." He stepped out of the cell. A low rustle went through the tiers. On both floors, behind every barred door, faces crowded in to watch as Miller walked away. He stopped in the middle of the yard, turned a slow circle, and said in a low voice, "Whoever moves into Cell No. 6, tell them to burn incense for the old blind man every day." "Got it, Boss Miller!" the replies rose from different cells, overlapping, then became one voice: "Farewell, Boss Miller!" Outside the main gate of Belton Prison, a red Porsche Cayenne waited at the roadside. Two slim, striking women stood by the car and watched Miller walk out through the iron doors. "Miller, you're out at last!" The woman in a long white dress came toward him, so thrilled she could hardly stand still. She held sprigs of pomelo leaves and brushed them over his arms and chest; it was a cleansing ritual to sweep away prison misfortune, the kind elders insisted on. "Aunt Blake." He looked at Blake Cutmore, his aunt, a beauty only six years older who had spoiled and shielded him since he was small, and his own mood surged. Blake wiped a tear away, tossed the leaves, took his arm, and pointed at the woman in a tailored business suit. "Miller, let me introduce you. This is my best friend, Megan Scurr, a year younger than you. All these years, the Scurr family protected me, so the Juggins family didn't dare make a move. I came to pick you up today. She was worried about me, so she came along." Aunt Blake was known as Xavon's most celebrated beauty, the Cutmore family's jewel. With a face that could stop traffic, she had a trail of eligible young men in Xavon who had fallen head over heels for her, the kind who would have lain down at her feet. The woman beside her, in looks and figure, was her equal and was younger, though her aura held a cool edge. She gave Miller one assessing glance, then refused a second, a faint crease in her brow. Miller said to her, "Ms. Scurr, thank you." "No need." Megan Scurr's tone stayed flat. "I'm here because I'm worried about Blake. I'm not here to pick you up." She turned and got into the car. Blake looked apologetic and said to Miller, "She's like that with people she doesn't know well. Don't take it to heart." Miller waved it off and followed his aunt into the car. In the back seat, Blake took an envelope from her bag and passed it to him. "Julie left this for you. She's gone." "Gone? Where did she go?" Miller's brow tightened. Blake shook her head. "I don't know. I doubt the letter will tell you. Miller, she is your sister-in-law after all. Leaving is the best choice." Miller drew a long breath. "I won't let her slip away. No matter where she's gone, once I settle our family affairs, I will find her." Blake knew his temper and did not argue. She nodded. "For now, her leaving was right. The Juggins family won't let you go. If she stays in Xavon, she won't be safe, and she'll pull your focus." Megan gave a dry snort as she drove. "Still mooning over your own sister-in-law. Are you even human? Why put someone like you back into society? They should have left you in there to die." Miller's face darkened. He turned to her. "What did you say?" The air inside the car seemed to drop to freezing in an instant. Megan did not flinch. She snorted again. "You're a lowlife who lets the lower half call the shots. Even your own sister-in-law isn't off-limits. Does that make you a man? Did you forget why you went in? You're the type who forgets pain when your scars heal. You never should've been released." "Megan, Miller isn't who you think he is," Blake hurried to explain. Megan cut her off. "Blake, what kind of man he is doesn't matter to me. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't even let an ex-con touch my car-it'd feel filthy." This woman is nuts. Miller kept his face blank. "Stop the car." She slammed on the brakes and stopped short. "Miller, what are you doing?" Blake grabbed his arm when he opened the door. Miller smiled a little. "Don't worry, Aunt Blake. Lend me your phone. I'll make a call. Someone will come get me." "No one will." Blake shook her head. "The Cutmore family is down to you and me. All those other relatives, I couldn't find a single one." Miller smiled. "I don't need Cutmore relatives. The minute word got out that I'm free, plenty of people would fight to come pick me up." "Who do you think you are?" Megan had heard enough. She snorted. "You just finished your sentence. You think you're some big shot? Blake, let him wait here if he wants to show off. It's over fifty miles to downtown. I'd like to see how he gets back." Miller looked ahead and said mildly, "No need to call. They're already here." Blake and Megan followed his gaze. The highway, empty a heartbeat ago, now held a long line of cars coming in, a convoy stretching as far as you could see.

Urban Dragon Emerges

Chapter 1: Walking Free

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