Villain Origin : Every Crime I Commit Helps Me Level Up-Chapter 19: Stray Dogs Den

Andre sat at the back of the classroom, elbow resting on the desk, eyes locked on the window. The morning sunlight spilled across campus, but he wasn't paying attention to the view. His mind was elsewhere—on last night, on the fight, on the fact that he was no longer just a man with a plan.

He was a boss now.

Hawk answered to him. The Red Hawks were his gang.

And this was just the beginning.

His phone buzzed in his pocket, but he ignored it for now. He let his fingers drum lightly against the desk, thoughts churning. Power wasn't just about taking—it was about holding on to what you had, making sure no one could take it from you. That meant expansion.

'One down. Many more to go.'

It wasn't enough to control a single gang. He needed a network, people who would follow his lead without question. The 500-member task loomed in his mind like a silent challenge from the system. He'd have to be smart about this—build strategically, not just with numbers, but with people who actually brought something to the table.

That's what made the next step so crucial.

His thoughts were cut short.

"André."

He blinked, pulled from his thoughts.

Sabrina was already staring at him, chin resting on her hand, red eyes steady. She'd been sitting beside him for weeks now, always silent, always distant. But unlike the others in class, she wasn't afraid of him.

"You're distracted," she said, voice calm.

Andre smirked slightly. "And you're observant."

She didn't react, just kept watching him. "That's the second time in a week you've been completely lost in thought."

He leaned back in his chair. "You keeping track of me?"

A pause. Then—"Maybe."

Julian and Gia, who had been whispering behind them, immediately fell silent. Even they knew Sabrina wasn't the type to engage in small talk, let alone flirt.

Andre didn't break eye contact. "You don't seem like the curious type."

"I'm not."

"Then why the sudden interest?"

Sabrina tapped her fingers lightly against her notebook. "Because I don't like unanswered questions."

"And I'm a question now?"

"More like an anomaly."

The way she said it made something stir in his chest. Not suspicion—curiosity. She wasn't just throwing words around. She had noticed something about him.

Andre smirked. "Careful. Keep looking at me like that, and people might think you're interested."

Sabrina tilted her head slightly. "Would that be a bad thing?"

That caught him off guard.

Gia coughed from behind them, clearly eavesdropping. Julian just muttered something under his breath about crazy tension.

Andre chuckled, shaking his head. "I didn't think you were the type for small talk."

Sabrina finally looked away, turning a page in her notebook. "I'm not. But you intrigue me."

Andre studied her for a second longer before looking back toward the window, a smirk still on his lips.

'Interesting.'

Then, casually, as if it had just occurred to him, he glanced back at her. "I don't think we've formally introduced ourselves."

Sabrina met his gaze again. "Sabrina Voss."

"André Atlas."

There was something about the way she said her name—like it carried weight, like she expected him to remember it.

"I know," she said simply.

The class started, but the air between them felt different. For the first time in a long time, someone had managed to catch his attention without even trying.

The moment class ended, Julian leaned in with a shit-eating grin.

"Okay, what the hell was that?"

Andre raised an eyebrow. "What was what?"

Julian scoffed, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Don't play dumb. Sabrina—the girl who doesn't even look at people—was practically checking you out. Hell, she was flirting with you."

Andre smirked but didn't respond.

"Even I tried talking to her once," Julian continued. "Thought I'd at least get a word out of her, but nope—she shut me down instantly. Didn't even let me finish my sentence." He shook his head. "And now, here she is, just... casually having a full-on conversation with you? What did you do?"

Andre shrugged. "Guess I'm just more interesting than you."

Gia, who had been quiet, crossed her arms. "Tch. That's so annoying."

Julian turned to her. "What is?"

"The fact that guys lose their minds the moment some cold, mysterious girl gives them attention," she muttered. "Like, wow, she ignores everyone but him? So special."

Andre barely glanced at her. "Jealous?"

Gia's nose scrunched up. "Pfft. As if. I just think it's stupid."

Andre didn't respond, but the small smirk on his lips made it clear he wasn't taking her seriously.

Julian, meanwhile, just laughed. "Damn, dude. You really have that effect on people, huh?"

Andre only shook his head. 'Not like it matters.'

His phone buzzed again.

Pulling it out, he saw Hawk's name flashing on the screen. He answered immediately.

"Talk to me."

Hawk's voice came through, low and direct. "Got something for you. Might be worth your time."

Andre's eyes narrowed slightly. "I'm listening."

"There's a crew I think you'll be interested in. Small, but they've been rivals of ours for a while. Ran into one of my guys last night, asking about a new boss."

Andre's fingers tapped against his phone. "And you think they're worth adding?"

"They fit the profile of what you were looking for," Hawk said. "And trust me, with them in the roster, we're leveling up."

Andre's smirk returned.

"Send me the details."

"Already did."

Andre hung up, his gaze sharpening.

'The next piece of the puzzle just fell into place.'

And just like that, his empire was about to grow.

The address Hawk sent wasn't in the usual gang hotspots. It was deeper into the city, tucked between old warehouses and forgotten streets. The kind of place where deals happened in the dark, where the wrong step could mean disappearing.

Andre stepped out of his car, hands in his pockets, scanning the area. The sun was starting to set, throwing long shadows across the cracked pavement. Hawk leaned against a streetlight, arms crossed, waiting.

"They inside?" Andre asked.

Hawk nodded toward a metal door in one of the buildings. "Yeah. Call themselves The Stray Dogs. Small crew, but tight. They don't just fight—they track. Information, people, shipments. If something moves in this city, they can find it."

Andre raised a brow. Now that was interesting.

Most gangs fought for territory, money, power—but intelligence? That was a different game.

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"You sure they're worth it?"

Hawk smirked. "Let's just say they know a little too much about us already."

That was all the confirmation Andre needed.

He pushed open the door.

Inside, the air smelled of cigarette smoke and old leather. The room wasn't big, just a few worn-out couches and a map-covered table in the center. Four people sat inside, all watching him the moment he stepped in.

Andre barely had time to take in the room before his focus snapped to her.

The leader of the Stray Dogs wasn't just commanding—she was captivating.

She leaned against the table, one leg crossed over the other, the dim light catching on the smooth leather of her fitted jacket. Dark braids cascaded down her back, framing a face that was equal parts sharp and seductive. Her lips curled in a smirk, red eyeshadow matching the confident gleam in her gaze.

She twirled a butterfly knife between her fingers, watching Andre like a hunter sizing up prey.

"So, you're the new boss of the Red Hawks," she mused, her voice smooth but edged with amusement. "Andre Atlas. The name's Zaria."

Andre held her gaze. "I take it you already know why I'm here."

Zaria chuckled. "Please. I knew you'd be here before you did." She flicked her wrist, snapping the knife shut. "You don't take over a gang like the Red Hawks without making some noise. Word travels. And we are the ones who make sure it gets where it needs to go."

Her crew—who were lounging around the room in varying degrees of chaos—chimed in with a mix of agreement, cackling, and muttered "Damn right"s.

One of them, a girl with short blue hair and mismatched socks, giggled. "We even had bets on how long it'd take you to show up~"

"Three days," another added from the couch, stretching lazily.

Andre raised an eyebrow. "And who won?"

Zaria grinned. "I did, obviously. I always win."

Hawk scoffed. "Yeah? You didn't win last time."

The playful air snapped as Zaria's attention flicked to him, her smirk twisting into something more sinister.

"Oh. You're still breathing?" she sneered, flicking her knife back open. "That's unfortunate."

Hawk crossed his arms. "What's unfortunate is me having to see your annoying face again."

Zaria gasped, hand over her chest in mock offense. "Annoying? Oh no, boys, I think he still has a crush on me."

Her subordinates erupted into laughter, while Hawk visibly clenched his jaw.

"You wish—"

"I know—"

"—Delusional—"

"—Jealous—"

The two of them went back and forth like bickering exes, their insults getting more ridiculous by the second.

Hawk: "I'd rather be locked in a cage with rabid dogs than work with you."

Zaria: "Good! The dogs deserve better company anyway."

Hawk: "Oh, you wanna talk about company? Your crew looks like a circus act gone wrong—"

Zaria: "And yet, we still make more money than you."

Andre stood between them, watching this unfold with increasing confusion.

His gaze flicked from Zaria's smug expression to Hawk's irritated glare, then back again.

"...Do you two need a room, or—?"

Both turned on him at once.

"NO."

Andre sighed, rubbing his temples. "Alright, glad we settled that."

Zaria exhaled dramatically before turning back to him, all traces of irritation wiped away. It was almost unsettling how fast she could flip the mood.

"Now, where were we?" she mused. "Ah, yes. You. Here. Wanting us."

Andre smirked. "That depends. You already know what I want, but what do you want?"

Zaria studied him, tapping the knife against her chin.

Then, she leaned in slightly, voice dropping just enough to feel intimate.

"Convince me."

Her red lips curled into a smirk.

"Why should I join you?"