Seven

Chapter 91

There is the possibility that she will reject me, which I fear but I will cross that painful bridge when we get to it. I can't avoid this any longer for fear of rejection. I am going to become Don, and I can no longer harbour such pathetic insecurities and one thing my vicious uncle has taught me is how to be brave.

I close the lock box lid, tuck it under my arm and leave the miserable house for the last time.

I had intended on returning to Lilianna, hoping to be back before she could wake but when my phone rings my plans shift momentously.

"What?" I answer dryly through my phone.

"Seven, he's here." Pugs hushed voice whispers through the phone. My ears prick at his odd urgency, a colour not usually painted in his voice.

"What?" I ask, though I'm certain I understand exactly what he means. It's his indeterminate information that I want clarification on.

"Victor. He's here." Pugs answers and my patience wears at his repeating of the vague location.

"Where the fuck is here Pug?!" I almost scream into the phone receiver while my foot heavies on the accelerator to the unknown destination. A white knuckled hand grips the steering wheel, Victor's very presence in this city enough to provoke me.

"Club Venus. He's looking for Koda and Destiny, what should I do?" His muffled voice asks.

"Make sure he doesn't leave. I'll be there soon." I instruct.

"Yes boss." He accepts my order before hanging up. I speed through the back streets of the city in the direction of the club, doing my best to avoid any lights so my mission isn't disrupted. When I'm not far from the club I grab my phone and call Curby.

"I'm still with Mesha." Curby answers before I can even say anything, an attempt to dismiss me.

"He's back in town." I say and I hear a light scuffle on the other end of the phone as Curby gets up.

"You've found him? Where?" He asks.

"He's at the club right now. Pugs is there with him. He's looking for Koda and Destiny. I'm going there now."

"Okay, I'll meet you there." Curby's tone now serious.

"No. No I need you to go get Lilianna. You need to take her and Mesha to the safe house and stay with them." I instruct.

"What? No, I'm coming with you Seven. You can't go against him on your own." Curby argues.

"No! I need you with her okay?! I need to know she's protected and I trust you with her."

"Seven." I can tell Curby doesn't like the idea of me going alone. But I need to, I won't have Lilianna left on her own and vulnerable again, especially if this doesn't end well.

"Ethan, please. I love her." I take a leaf out of Lilianna's book, using Curby's real name hoping it will work in my favour the same way she manages it to always do for me. There's a pause on the other end of the phone, Curby probably shocked at hearing his birth name for the first time in many, many years.

"Okay." He finally agrees.

"Thank you."

"You better fucking meet us there when you're done asshole." Curby says, I know his language is to hide the nervous emotions that ever so slightly waver his voice.

"I plan on it. Look after her for me okay."

"Of course." Curby promises before I hang up the line.

I pull my car in round the back of the old club. I remember the days pulling in here, my stomach tight with nerves and anticipation of seeing Lilianna while she worked here. I'd wonder what she'd be wearing, hoping it would be something sexy and instantly regretting it when my prayers would be answered and I'd have to watch every other man in the place ogle at her. Not that I blame them, but it would wind me up the way some of them would look at her. Now I pull into the almost empty parking lot, my stomach tight for a completely different reason. I'm glad for the timing, the club is still closed so none of the girls are here and no patrons will bare witness to the violence that will ensue.

I think about what Lily said last night, about how she was worried if I could succeed in taking over from my uncle. She was right about one thing, it did destroy apart of me when I killed that guy on the job a few months ago. But she was wrong to question me on my uncle. He was not my uncle in any sense other than blood. This man had killed my mother, had killed my father, had killed so many innocent people and now had his murderous sights set on the girl I plan to spend my life with. There was no way I was not going to succeed with this, there was far too much a stake if I failed.

And I will not fail.

I can feel the heaviness of my gun slipped into the waistband of my trousers as I swing open the club doors and walk down the bleak corridors in search of Victor.

———————————————————————

AN:

Only two more chapters :'(