Rivals

CHAPTER 41:

Killian

I ran into the guest room and slammed the door shut because of how mad Dante made me.

I swaggered into the bathroom and splashed my face with ice cold water before I looked at myself in the mirror.

As I saw the man in the mirror, I didn't recognize him.

Killian Black.

That was supposed to be the man that gangsters feared to say and the man that had women kiss the ground he walked on to just get a one night with.

A loaded douchebag didn't even begin to describe the character I tried to portray during the day to ward off police, but I guess I got so good at playing the role that I didn't want to give it up.

I don't know what was real and what was an act anymore. Especially when it comes to Rebecca.

I looked away from the mirror and went out of the bathroom and crashed onto the guest bed.

"Everything okay?" Reese asked as walked into the guest room.

"Everything's not okay," I admitted truthfully. "We should have taken out The Lions a long time ago and then Rebecca and I could have gone our separate ways, never to think about each other again," I fumed as I sat up and ran my hands through my hair.

Reese opened his mouth to say something, but I kept going.

"Dante is keeping vital information about The Lions to himself and Ruslan is making us leave New York in two months!"

"Maybe he doesn't actually know where they are," Reese contemplated as I stood up.

"No he knows alright. And he's willing to let Rebecca and his entire family fend for themselves because he doesn't want his past to catch up to him! And I went along with this damn agreement thinking no one could know about it when it was all a hoax! A fucking act! God it wasn't supposed to be like this! None of this was supposed to happen!" I spat as I paced back and forth, words just pouring out of my mouth in frustration.

"Do you mean you weren't supposed to fall in love with her," Reese announced flatly as I stopped pacing to look at him.

He had his hands in his pockets and he was leaning against the door.

"I only had Damian a few months ago. He's been all I've had for a long time and then Rebecca was forced into my life. It was torturous at first but she made me feel not so alone, and I don't know if I can give that up—I don't know if I want to give that up. But I know I can't stay in her life, that would be selfish of me," I sighed as Reese shook his head.

There was a knock on the door followed by Morgan zooming in, practically tripping over his feet in the process.

"You guys better come downstairs," he advised breathlessly as Reese and I followed him downstairs.

Dante had Vincent posted beside him in the living room while Damian sat nervously at a couch.

"Take a seat," Dante instructed as we all walked in and sat.

"What's this about?" I asked my brother who looked as clueless as us.

"Beats me. I was grabbing a glass of water so I could take my medicine and Dante over here grabbed me," he explained as he rubbed his shoulder.

"What's going on Dad?" Reese asked as Dante sighed.

"It's time I told you about an old friend of mine—to do that, I need to start from the beginning. You all better take one of these," he spoke cautiously as Vincent handed us all a glass and placed a few bottles of alcohol on the table.

"Why now? Why not tell us before?" I asked as Dante sat down across from us.

"I was a fool thinking that I could keep this from everyone. It only seemed to make everything worse. And Rebecca is going to be away for a few hours with my wife—I don't want Rebecca to know about this, any of it," he finishes as we all looked at each other.

"Not telling Rebecca is what got us in this mess in the first place," Morgan sighed.

"I know, but if she finds out, she'll never forgive me," Dante sighed as he poured himself a drink. "Let's begin then."