Into My Heart

LIX

KRISITIE

Out of rage, I just punched the wall in front of me.

I felt like everything was just slipping from my fingers: the Dragons were grieving and vulnerable,  Sam and I weren't on the same page anymore, and Abby fell high over heels with the woman who owns the company that can be defined as our worse enemy. Nothing seems to make sense anymore.

Alex, rolling her eyes, throws some ice at me.

"Here you go, Rocky" she openly mocks me, smirking.

She knows very well that it would make me even more angry.

Throwing her a dark look, I try my best not to prove her right: rather, I just take the ice and put it on my hand for a moment. We were currently standing in the middle of the Dragons' secret warehouse, that we found only days ago in order to protect our gang until we find out who is killing us on behalf of the dead Tyler Press, and why. 

Once I am a little bit calmed down and feel the pain going through my hand - that is turning a little bit blue - Alex sits down next to me, focused on her phone.

"Uh, excuse me" I sassily let out, annoyed, "what is more important than everything around us falling apart right now?" 

Alex throws me a surprising look - indeed, it is highly unlike me to ask personnel questions and get mad for nothing (all right, maybe the second part is more usual). Frowning, she just stares at me and remains without any facial expression.

After a moment, she hands me her phone, and I read the short yet intense conversation:

Servando: You are always spending time with her - I don't trust her. Why can't you just come home and we figure things out?

Alex: I am sick of apologising for trying to keep remaining Dragons - including you - from dying. Kristie has been nothing but a good friend, and she has been there for me through the worse, and I need to be there for her when she has just lost someone she loved.

Servando: For the life of me you will never be able to make me think that she isn't interested in you more than in a friendly way: it's just too obvious, Lex. It's me or her.

Alex: If you insist on being a fragile-masculinity kind of guy, then that's it: we're done, I can't take it anymore. We will remain friends and I will always have respect for you, but your lack of understanding and trust just proves that we shouldn't be together anymore.

Servando: I knew it. Fuck you.

My eyes are wide open. 

Alex smirks, as she takes her phone back and turns it off. She then sighs, before saying:

"Alright, now back to business: what do we do with the twenty remaining members out of one hundred and three we had in the beginning? And what do we do to avenge those one hundred and three who died because of us?"

Her tone was cold and cutting. 

Nodding my head, I just sigh: why can't you just shut your mouth sometimes? I think to myself, imagining what the brunette is going through - I mean, losing 100+ people you care about and breaking up with your boyfriend within two weeks must be hard to accept.

And to be honest: I have no idea what to do next, and how to fix everything that is going wrong right now. And on top of that, I just couldn't wrap my head around the fact that Rachel really was gone that way. 

Shaking my head slowly, I just say in a rather trembling voice:

"I'm sorry about you and Serv" I honestly let out, carefully thinking about my next words. As Alex nods, I continue: "As for everything else... I am sorry but I don't have answers."

"It's okay, Kris" the brunette concedes. She then smirks and says: "I may have a solution, but I am not sure you are going to like it."

I raise my eyebrow.

"Do tell" I say, curious.

"I really think we could use Kelley O'Hara's help - and possibly Shelina's." 

I roll my eyes, which makes my associate burst into laughter.

Her 'told you so' look makes me crack a smile.

"And why do you think O'Hara can help you?"

"I mean" Alex defends herself, shrugging, "she took Mallory in when she was in danger, and she has proven to be a formidable ally when she really wants it. Maybe we should take advantage of that and make a deal with her in order to secure the Dragons."

"And what would she use our services for you think?" I let out, doubtful. 

"No idea, but something tells me that, if she really was a villain, she would've done something against Mallory when she took her in: she needs new allies now that Press Corporation has a bad reputation."

"Poor Christen" I concedes, nodding my head.

Alex frowns, surprised.

"Since when do you care about her?" she asks, truly curious.

I smirk.

"Since my sister is in love with her and that she has proven to be worthy" I confidentially say, which seems to truly surprise Alex. 

She nevertheless nods.

"She indeed came around, in my opinion" the brunette agrees, before adding: "We really should do something to protect Shelina, though."

"Why?" I ask, frowning.

"Because your other sister seems high over heels about her" Alex calmly explains, and somehow what she says makes sense. As I nod my head in agreement, she goes on: "And, although she is not ready to have fallen for her yet, Sam is going to get really hurt if she loses her."

"You're right" I say, "what do you propose?"

"We should talk to Christen first, because I believe she needs to do something new out of Press Corporation."

"Speaking of the devil..."

My phone just lit up, and when I open the text message, I just got my breath stolen away from me. Alex, who reads over my shoulder, reacts the exact same way.

This changes everything:

Christen: I think I know who the Patriarch is, and they sent someone after Abby and me.