Never Judge

"That was easy." Cedric said with a grin as he watched his men take Anton, Kenneth, and Lorisa to the security building at the front of the property.

"I found it odd that they didn't even question why you were inviting them." Benedict said as he joined Cedric.

"Lorisa was just desperate I guess, and probably the allure of rubbing elbows with the truly rich and famous." Cedric said with a shrug.

"Kenneth Cruz would not have come so easily if it were not for that son of his." Benedict said with a nod, acknowledging Cedric's statement.

"I'm just glad to have finally caught a break in this." Cedric sighed. "I've been meaning to ask you, how did you get a gun back at Katerina's house? I'm sure Eric didn't hand it to you."

"It wasn't Eric." Benedict said with a laugh. "Don't you think Katerina would have more firearms hidden in different places?"

Cedric laughed at his own stupidity, of course Katerina Sebastian would be ready with firearms in her house.

"I'm pretty sure she's an even better shot than me." Benedict said with a shrug.

"The Sebastians and the Laurences were brought up with deadlier skills." Cedric said, acknowledging Benedict's assumptions.

"They almost spotted you by the way." Cedric said as his tone got more serious. 

"I knew not to step out of my car." Benedict said with a grin, he had decided to add a little flair to the event by arriving in his newly purchased car. He was sure it would convince the Cruz family that the people at the dinner party were truly important. 

"Does Kenneth Cruz know you?" Cedric asked, he wanted to know everything before beginning Kenneth's interrogation.

"He might recognize me." Benedict said with a shrug. "But he always looked down at me. He didn't know I was Aidnen's brother, Aiden wanted me hidden." 

"Sir." Merrick said as he knocked on the door to Cedric's office.

"Yes, Merrick?" Cedric asked.

"Mr. Sebastian said to call for you." Merrick informed him. "They are about to begin."

"Alright. Tell Alexi and Ray we will be there in a bit." Cedric said with a nod.

"Is there anything else Merrick?" Cedric asked as he noticed that the man had not left.

"Sir, some of the security team are not comfortable with the mafia being around." Merrick confessed. As the temporary head of Cedric's security team, he had tried his best to explain why those from the underworld were helping them out.

"These men must be new." Cedric said with a sigh. "We have worked with Ray's people before. Tell them that these men are trustworthy, even Leon didn't mind them in the past."

"Sir, they are criminals." Merrick suddenly said.

"And we are not?" Cedric asked with a laugh. "Our actions have not been on the right side of the law either Merrick, don't forget that. You may go."

"Yes sir." Merrick said as he turned and left.

"Will you join us for the interrogation?" Cedric asked Benedict.

"Of course, even my sister is there." Benedict said with a nod.

Cedric nodded in reply and called for Dave to come to his home office.

"Sir?" Dave said as he arrived. 

"Take these documents and have someone analyze them further." Cedric instructed. "They are records of all of the Cruz family's activities. Find out every dirty secret you can from them. Katerina said she still needed real evidence since we are going up against someone with influence."

"Yes sir." Dave said as he took the  documents from Cedric's desk and left with them.

"Let's go." Cedric told Benedict as he got up and left the room.

Outside his office, Cedric found a smiling Adrianna, holding up two cups of coffee for him and Benedict.

"You should be resting." Cedric said as he gave his wife a worried smile. He didn't want her to see what was going to happen.

"You both have a long night ahead." Adrianna told him as she placed the cup into his hands and another to Benedict.

"Do you two need a moment?" Benedict asked with a sly grin.

Adrianna blushed as soon as she understood what the man had said.

"We just met you, don't assume that you can make comments like that." Cedric scoffed as Adrianna and Benedict simply laughed at him

Despite the rough start, Cedric and Benedict had become fast friends. Camilla's second brother reminded Cedric very much of Jam.

Benedict had no crazy ambitions like Aiden, he simply wanted to move on with his life. To finally live an ordinary life filled with family and friends.

"Go easy on Lorisa." Adrianna suddenly said, shocking Cedric.

"Adri, Lorisa did everything possible to hurt you, why would you want to take it easy on her?" Cedric asked as he gave his wife a confused look.

"She was just jealous, Cedric." Adrianna said with a sigh as she placed a hand on her husband's chest.

"We will talk about this later." Cedric told her, refusing to do as she asked.

"Sometimes Cedric, you have to be the bigger man." Adrianna told him.

"Adri -" Cedric started to say before his wife cut him off.

"Just think about it." Adrianna said in a sad tone. "Now go, you boys still have some work to do."

Adrianna quickly took their mugs from them and left.

"You are one lucky man." Benedict said with a chuckle. "I can only hope to find someone who loves me as much as she loves you."

"It hasn't been all rainbows and butterflies, Benedict." Cedric said, shaking his head. "Let's go, we still have an older brother to catch." 

When they arrived at the interrogation room Cedric saw that only Kenneth was in the other room. He was still unconscious, but the hood and blindfold over his face was now gone.

"Do you think it's safe for him to see your faces?" Cedric asked Ray and Alexi, who were going to do the questioning.

"It's not like he doesn't already know who got him." Ray said with a shrug.

"Relax Cedric, it's not like this is our first interrogation." Alexi said with a laugh as he nodded at Ray.

Both men had entered the mafia as ordinary goons, they didn't get any help from the Laurence family and they had to climb their way up.

Alexi had to leave the illegal world when his father ran for a higher office. He knew that he still had responsibilities to his family, and that someday he too would run for a government position. 

Of course this forced clear record didn't stop him from helping Ray once in a while. 

Cedric simply nodded at his friends, acknowledging that this was their specialization and not his.

"I hope you were never friendly to him, Benedict." Ray suddenly says. "Cause we won't be nice."

"I never was fond of him, so knock yourselves out." Benedict said with a shrug.

Ray and Alexi laughed at Benedict's words before closing the door behind them and walking into the next room.

They didn't enter alone, there were four other men with them, whom Cedric guessed were part of Ray's underground army.

"Wake him up." Ray said in a dangerous tone.

One of the men nodded at him and poured a bucket of iced water on Kenneth.