King of the Empire ✓| #2 |

41 - Lost in thought

"Liam," she whispered, looking up at me. I smiled before lifting my head to place a kiss on her forehead. She smiled before dropping her head by the side of my chest.

"Everything alright?" She hummed in response before placing her hand on my chest. "You sure? You seemed freaked out," she chuckled lightly before her hand gently moved down to my abs.

"You're the one that hasn't slept since you left to the bathroom," and maybe slightly before it happened. I had thought that changing my scenery for one second would help me clear my mind but it only drew more thoughts to my head.

"Observant," I pointed out. Her fingertip outlined my abs a few times as we continued taking.

"I should be asking you what's wrong."

"Nothing. Just a lot on my mind," she chuckled.

"Then it's not nothing," I smiled as my hand caressed her arm and then threaded itself in her hair.

"I just can't stop thinking about Francesco," she lifted her head upwards before looking up at me. I met her eyes, which were barely visible from the lack of light in the room.

"I know it's not what's keeping you awake," my brows pinched together. "Liam, Francesco has been your problem ever since you were born. I think you've had enough time to adjust to him," I smiled from how well she actually knew me. "So will you tell me what's actually bothering you or will I have to force it out of you?"

"I'll save you the energy," Cel rolled her eyes, making me gently tug her hair as a warning. "I don't want to trouble you with my worries, my love," she frowned.

"Liam-"

"I love you, Celeste, and it's because of it that I don't want to burden you with my issues. You have many of your own," she was about to say something before my phone started to ring. I frowned as I looked at it on the nightstand and picked it up with the hand that was behind my head. "Alex?"

"Get your ass to the plane. I'm getting ready and so is Audrey," Cel picked her head up as I gently sat up, rubbing my eye.

"Hold on-"

"Your father. He's... fuck." I got out of bed before I looked around the room for my boxers. Once I spotted them beside the small dresser, I picked them up and as I put them on, Alex spoke again. "He killed her," my entire body went numb. The phone slipped out of my hand before it dropped to the ground, Alex's voice came through the phone.

I stared ahead, completely unaware that Celeste's hands cupped my face and pulled it to her. Tears started to rush into my ears as everything came into the realisation.

My mother was dead.

Because my father killed her.

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I sipped on rum as I stared through the private plane's window. Audrey sat behind me, sleeping peacefully which honestly surprised me. She looked even worse than I did once I came down the stairs and met them in the foyer.

I left Cel with just a damn kiss on her forehead because there was nothing but the rage inside of me. And I was glad I had enough willpower to suppress that anger and hide it from her. The last damn thing she needed from me was for me to lash every emotion onto her and be left with bruises. Even if I could never put a wrong hand on her, I was an atom away from smashing my fist into the wall.

Alex sat in front of me, his eyes closed as he held a tumbler in his left hand. He wasn't sleeping but rather thinking everything out. He specifically didn't tell anyone else other than Audrey and I because it would attract more attention.