Return of the Youngest Auclair

Ch. 23

"You have to stay home, you know you aren't in a position to fight. Why are you arguing?!" Alexandre screams at Lucien as we all stand in the living room. Tonight each of us was wearing a suit tailored for combat. The suits were designed to hold numerous types of weapons, including guns and knives. I carefully scanned the room and saw that each person had their own unique selection of weapons on their person, ready to be used at a moment's notice.

"I can't let them see that they have won. I need to show them that I am fine." Lucien argues back. I watch as Alexandre processes the information Lucien just said and opens his mouth to say something back, but Lucien raises his hand to silence him. Lucien's murky green eyes glare into Alexandre's. "You may be my brother, but now we are at work and I am your boss, respect that. I am going with you all." Lucien casts a sweeping gaze around the room, taking in our reactions, before pivoting on his heel and striding resolutely towards the parked vehicles outside.

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As the car gradually approached the forbidding warehouse complex, I couldn't help but feel a sense of trepidation. My heart palpitated with apprehension, as I counted each passing building, attempting to distract myself from the impending convention.

As my anxiety peaked, I felt a warm, comforting hand slide into mine, giving it a reassuring squeeze. Turning my face to the side, I was greeted with the sight of Aiden's handsome face, adorned with a small, yet resolute smile that exuded bravery. Though I attempted to reciprocate his expression, my attempt proved futile, and I struggled to regain my composure. With the remaining seconds, I decided to bask in the radiance of Aiden's alluring eyes and admire his impeccably tailored black suit, which exuded confidence and sophistication.

Aiden's hand slowly retraces from mine, and I notice that it's because the car had stopped in front of our destination. "Everyone get their weapons out, I can already tell that this isn't going to be all smiles and laughter," Lucien says in a stern voice before slowly walking towards the door. Lucien's men were coming in behind us, but my adrenaline wouldn't calm down until I was out of here.

The door slowly creaked open as Lucien pushed it open with the front barrel of his gun. The rest of us followed quickly behind him with our guns raised out in front of us.

You know what they say, people are always blinded by love.

There was at least one person that we can see placed right in front of us tied to a chair with ropes, binding their hands and feet. We could see that they were struggling against their restraints, their body jerking as they tried to break free. The room was dimly lit, with only flickering bulbs in the corners casting deep shadows across the scene. There was a musty smell in the air, and the sound of dripping water echoed in the background, adding to the eerie atmosphere. Just from where we were standing, we could hear the muffled cries and the rustling of the paper bag as the person underneath tried to breathe.

I take a glance over at Lucien's face to determine our next move, but a flash of recognition floods his face. He immediately runs over to the person in the chair and slowly raises the bag from their face. Alessia's face was stained red and her eyes were watery with tears. The girl trembled with terror and Lucien gently untied the ropes binding her hands and feet together.

Once she's released from the chair he pulls her into a tight hug as she shakes against him. While I understand Lucien's desire to comfort his girlfriend I know the situation will only worsen the more time we spend here.

"We need to leave." In a state of panic, I raise my voice to alert the others, but it's already too late. The sound of the door locking behind us reverberates around the room, sending chills down our spines. The sudden realization hits us that we're trapped, and the air grows thick with tension as my brothers and Aiden search frantically for a way out. Only I know the results of that search though. I instead look around to see when the other person in the building is going to reveal themselves.