The Easton's

17

Elias POV

"I'm sorry we did everything we could." All I could hear was ringing as I held onto Bradley.

I could feel the sobs raking through his body as I held him, yet everything still felt silent.

Why did death have to come to good people? In the short time I'd gotten to know Carl, he was one of the sweetest men I've ever known, and his love for Bradley was out of this world.

"Please, no." Bradley cried out as he held Carl's ring to his chest. Riley walked over and picked up his brother, taking him out of the hospital. I walked over to Jestion and hugged him, not knowing what to do with myself.

Death was so unkind, and now he had left Bradley to suffer.

Alexi POV

The phone call was sad, so I hung up. It was going to be hard to accept that Carl was gone. He'd helped train me when I first came to the Eastons and been on every single mission I've ever been on with them.

I considered him a great friend, and now I would get his revenge.

The loud engine sounded as I took off on my bike. I landed in Vegas an hour ago on a mission. It would be him if anyone knew about the Phantoms not being gone.

Part of me wanted never to see his face again, but I knew the only way to get Carl's revenge would be to see him.

Stopping outside of the Truman Manor brought back so many unwanted memories. I sat on my bike, waiting for,r them to come out to me. He could never resist me.

"Alexi, welcome home," Joseph said as he stood behind the fence. He looked cleaner than usual, which meant his brother made him stop the drugs again.

"Where's your brother Joseph?" I called out as I put my phone away in my pocket. Hopping off my bike, I parked it and walked up to the gate, hearing the gun click as I did.

"Aww how come you always come for him, I treated you so much better." He said, reaching a disgusting hand out to touch me.

Pulling my knife out from my pocket, I sliced his hand, causing him to hiss and pull his hand back.

"Fiesty, come on, he's waiting for you." Joseph s, id before the gates started to open.

His waiting for me was never a good sign. I continued to follow Joseph, who limped slightly as he walked. Looking over his hands, I could see the red marks going up his arms.

As we neared Hayden's office, I heard the soft music flowing out. I paused for a minute, listening to the song he always played for me when we were younger.

Joseph quickly brought me out of the small trance by pushing the door open harshly with a loud bang.

"Hey, lover boy, your bird is back," Joseph called out to his younger brother.

Hayden sat his guitar down and turned to his brother, glaring harshly.

"Leave." He told the man, causing Joseph to limp away quickly.

After watching him leave, I walked in and closed the office door. I then walked over to the couches and sat down across from him.

"Finally, decide to come home, Alexis," Hayden said as he returned to strumming softly on his guitar.

"Don't call me that, Hendrick," I replied, knowing how much Hayden hated his real name.

He stopped playing and looked at me. It was a lie that Hayden was genuinely handsome. His brother had that drug-crazed look that slowly, over the years, took over his features, but Hayden was indeed his father's son.

He had his father's light brown hair and hazel eyes. When we were younger, he always got so much attention because of his looks and his bright, charming smile.

The only downside was he also got his father's hunger for power and his mother's craziness.

"I know you're working with her," I said b, taking our staring contest to look around the room.

Hayden sat his guitar down again and stood up, going to his liquor cabinet. Pouring two glasses of dark liquor, he walked back over and sat them on the table in front of us.

"I have no idea what you're talking about, Alexi." He said as he picked up his glass and sipped the dark liquor.

"You've always been a bad liar, Hayden," I told H and M as I stood up. I stared at him as he sat the glass back on the table.

"And you've always been one to fall for my tricks, Alexi." He replied casually.

I heard the locks on his office door click. I could feel my panic rising, but keeping a calm face, I turned to him.

"You think I would come here without an escape plan?" I said as I silently activated my panic ring, sending my location to everyone, just in case.

"No, I would never think that, Alexi." He said as he stood up from his seat.

"After all, smarts run through our family Alexis." I heard a woman say as she came out of the bathroom.

Looking over at the girl I used to call my sister, I sighed. I hope Elias can forgive me for this.

----

THIRD POV

The house was sad as everyone continued to pack. Carlos, Bradley, and Heather had already been sent to Italy for the funeral on Friday. Packing was easy with so many people, but it was still slow as they all mourned.

A loud blaring sound started coming from everyone's phones. Riley pulled his phone out and then looked around the room for Jestion.

"Alexi has been compromised." He whispered in his fiance's ear. Elias looked at them from the kitchen sink, wondering what was happening.

"What's going on? Is Alexi okay?" He questioned, seeing the grim look on Jestion's face.

"Elias, you're gonna have to go to Italy without us," Jestion said, ignoring his questions.

Elias felt hot, and tears welled in his eyes. "What's going on? Tell me, please." He begged, needing to know his boyfriend was okay.

"Alexi sounded his panic alarm from Hayden's home," Riley told him, not seeing the point in keeping him in the dark.

Jestion shot him a glare as Elias ran upstairs to his room. "He's not ready for all of this, Riley," Jestion said before going after his brother.

The guards Riley had with him all waited for their boss to give them an order. "Half of you keep packing; you'll be going back to Italy with the kids and Lorenzo. The rest of you fly to Vegas and meet up with Sooyeon and Amersy," he told them before going to clue in his brother-in-law.

Riley refused to be worried for Alexi despite the deep gut feeling he was getting. Alexi was too strong for them to break him.

At least, that's what he tried to convince himself as he tried not to worry about the twenty-one-year-old.