Forbidden Voices

Chapter 12

Killian's voice rumbled, "I was with the girls."

Antonio asked confused, "Girls?"

Completely ignoring Lucca's intense gaze towards me, I answered, "The Ts."

Internally, I wondered for a second if it was my imagination, but I blocked that out and uttered towards Antonio, "Congrats in advance, Tony."

Eyebrows scrunched together as he questioned, "For what?"

Before he could interrogate me further, his phone rang. He wasn't making any attempt of answering from whoever was calling, but I coached coyly, "You should answer, Tony. It might be important."

His features were still of utter confusion, but he did as told. He began, "Antonio Cortez speaking."

Looking over my shoulder, I stole a glimpse at Killian drinking his whiskey in one hand and checking his phone with another. I shifted my gaze at the man who stared at me in an intense sight with a cigarette in one hand.

Antonio uttered with joy, "... Thank you, Sir. Yes, I will come by the office later."

Hanging up his phone rapidly, his arms wrapped around my waist and held me in tight embrace. My feet were lifted up as he swirled me around with joy. While swirling, I noticed that few people had taken their time to watch us thoroughly and their faces countering with curiosity.

Finally, putting me on the ground, I took a breath from all the excitement, while Antonio asked, "How did you do it?"

I said in an enigmatic voice, smirking slightly, "I have my ways."

Killian intervened, curious himself, "What happened?"

Antonio said enlaced with joy, "I am the new District Attorney. I can't still believe it. I was against Milos. I thought he had it in the bag."

I said with confidence, "You are way more qualified than Milos."

The man with the intense gaze repeated with curiosity, "How did you do it?"

I pulled a fake smile and uttered, "A lady doesn't kiss and tell."

Killian ignored those around him and asked instead, "Antonio, how are you celebrating?"

Feeling the phone vibrating in my hands, I looked up and saw the caller, while the men around me continued the conversation. I noticed that man with the green-blue orbs had locked his gaze on mine. Ignoring as nothing, I announced, "Gentlemen, please excuse me."

I left right after without waiting for any other inquisition. My strides led me to a space behind a bar area and I didn't look behind. I reached to a zone where no one was around. I finally answered the call, "Hello, Papá. Everything alright?"

The other caller answered, "Yes, I was checking if you are coming by."

I said, "I will be there."

Paul reminded me, "Make sure you are here before dinner time."

I repeated, smiling a little, "I will be there, Papá. You can stop worrying."

He uttered with frustration, "I worry all the time, especially when you fail to make a call when you in jail."

I rolled my eyes and defended, "I wasn't in jail, merely in questioning, which I might add, they had nothing on me."

Paul took a deep breath and said, "You should have called me."

I reminded him, "I will be there in time."

Paul simply uttered, before hanging up the call, "Good. See you tonight."

I grabbed my bag and put the mobile inside. I took a minute to see where I was, and I found myself on the end of a lake that was peaceful and refreshing. The light-heartedness and the tranquillity of the pure environment made me want to smile.

In peace, a lie.

However, within those heartbeats, I noticed a white smoke littering the filtered momentum. Frowning slightly, I turned to see where it came from, finding a man with the darkest orbs with matching intensity. His whole posture was enigmatic, as he gave the impression that he should not be judged easily. His orbs spoke volumes of the hidden secrets, but I could not hear any.

A foolish man always told tales.

I whispered without thinking, "I didn't see you."

Noticing the brand-new cigarette on his hand, he said with a gruff voice, "You wouldn't."

Trouble, this man was layered in trouble, that much I knew.

I forced a smile and uttered trying to find something about him, "Lucca, correct?" When he disregarded my question entirely, a sense of irritation began to overtake, however, I kept a leveled voice, "How do you know Antonio?"

Gaze avoiding, he decided to utter, after taking a puff from his cigarette, in a few words, "I just met him."

Something about this man seemed off, something that I couldn't understand just yet. However, it was clear that he would not give me answers if I acted as a damsel, so it was time to change the tactics.

Arms crossed, I asked, guarded, "Why are you here?"

Taking a final puff from his small cigarette, he threw it on the ground. I did not have time to see where it landed, because his long strides reached in my personal space. A small smirk, the first emotion that I ever saw from him instead of his blanking expression plastered in his face.

He echoed with a hoarse tone, almost like he uttered with anger, "Why are you here?"

Taking a step back would only show weakness, so I stood proud on the spot and uttered with confidence, "I had business to attend to."

Lucca smirked asked, "And what business would a girl as you have?"

Taking a step ahead, almost closing the space between us, "Men like you wouldn't understand."

His next move was when his face dropped down and our noses almost touched, "Like getting arrested by the cops?"

I said, in a defensive tone, "I wasn't arrested." After realising, I asked, curious now, "Wait, how did you know?"

His tone dropped and his face lifted, but our bodies still were kept the proximity, "For what?"

I uttered, acting confused, "What?"

He looked genuinely curious when he asked me again, "What were the charges?"

I chuckled a little and questioned him instead, "Why would I tell you?"

His eyebrows lifted and echoed, almost telling himself, "Why would you? I will find it in my own."

The individual turned around and began to walk towards the exit, while I was still processing the conversation. But before he left completely, I semi-shouted, "Who are you?"

Instead of uttering where he came from, he glimpsed behind for a second and his smirked grew. I narrowed my eyes and watched the man walking away from me. I let him go and I was not sure why. I should have done something, but something kept me paralysed.

"Ma'am. Ma'am."

A little outraged, I turned towards the voice to find Bernardo with a confused expression. He uttered again, "Ma'am, anything wrong?"

Gazing at Bernardo, I wondered if I should tell him about the man who knew much more than he should. I looked back at where his strides ended and decided to act the opposite of what I should have done.

I said in a monotone tone, "Nothing. Is there any emergency?"

Bernardo continued to look wary, but he complied, "No, Mr. Cortez was asking where you left. I got worried."

I nodded slightly and uttered, "I was just making my way back to Antonio."

***

Vote and leave comments :)