Their Rivalry

13

One week they love me, next week they hate me. Both weeks I got paid.

Madrid, Spain ~ Leonardo's POV

We were waiting at the lawyer's penthouse for the Shade's arrival. We had been here for thirty minutes and they still hadn't shown up, igniting hope within me. I silently prayed that they'd call to cancel the marriage. Unfortunately for me, the past few weeks had been unmerciful towards me and it had stayed that way since.

"Acabo de hablar por teléfono con Ellie. Ella dice que están en camino, pero que tal vez tarden un poco más en llegar hasta aquí." Camilla informed, entering the sitting room with a tray of iced coffee and a pot of sangría. (I just got off the phone with Ellie. She says they're on their way, but it might take them a little longer to get here)

I was pouring myself a glass of the sangría when the lawyer entered with Federico behind him. I sat upright and wore a blank expression as the Shade strutted in, Ava leading them. I abandoned the drink to join her with the lawyer. He took us through the necessary procedures for our marriage to be legalized.

"¿Ahora qué? ¿Vivirán juntos o...?" Miguel trailed off. (Now what? Will they live together or...)

"Más tarde." Ava answered. (Later)

"Más tarde no, querida. Ahora la luna de miel." My mother beamed. (Not later, dear. Now the honeymoon)

"Nosotras no estamos teniendo una." I stated. (We're not having one)

We weren't in love with each other. This marriage was purely business and nothing more. We needn't go on a honeymoon.

"Hijo, por favor escucha." My mum switched to a soothing tone, "No necesitamos que te vayas de luna de miel de verdad. Sólo te necesitamos lejos por un tiempo para que podamos descubrir quién te quiere muerto." (Son, please listen. We don't need you to go on a real honeymoon. We just need you away for a while so we can find out who wants you dead)

"So, what you're insinuating is, we should go into hiding with our tails between our legs while those lunatics are still breathing. Not going to happen." Ava replied with a cool and collected demeanour, and sipped on a glass of sangría.

The fuck?! Was that my glass of sangría?

"Ava, please don't make this difficult for us. We're just asking that you two disappear for a while. We don't know how dangerous these people are..."

She cut her father short.

"No, we don't, but we do know I'm bloody lethal. They've been hiding behind sniper assassins and fake locations; they're just playing with us." She muttered, and set the empty glass back on the tray.

"Fireball, that's enough reason to send you away, so we can figure out what these people are up to." My father added.

"No."

"Ayana! Stop being stubborn and do as I say. You'll leave tonight with Leonardo for his private island in the Philippines. Everything has been made ready for your departure. You're going, and it's not up for dis..."

"And I said, no!" She snapped at her father.

I was surprised. I had never seen her lose her cool before. She was pissed. Tension had built up between father and daughter, the former searching for the right words to reign the latter in.

"We'll go."

Everyone turned to look at who those words had escaped from.

"You're agreeing to this?" Ava turned to me angrily.