More Than Meets The Eye

More Than Meets The Eye -19-

'Why?' was the question that continued to echo through her mind.

“. . . too deeply involved with Jenna’s case,” the fighter finished, eyeing Autumn’s pale form warily.

Autumn shook her head, tears springing to her eyes. “I went to a dinner party with them – no wonder Tristan even paid attention to me!”

Will’s head snapped towards Autumn. “What?”

Opal frowned, confused and sat up on Will’s lap yet Autumn was too horrified to feel the slightest bit of jealousy.

“How can I even be too involved? I mean this was only for Jenna’s best interest,” Autumn babbled on, still shaking violently. “I mean I’m a nice person to majority of people and Jenna was really close to me! Of course I would do this for her – I know she would do it for me too! But . . . but how am I too deep? I only just got the briefs tonight!”

“Nope,” Sage said with a shake of her head. “Gill got in contact with me after he had killed Jenna. It was after they started watching you after you were ‘Famed’, as I recall.” Autumn flinched at the recent happening and the chaos it had caused her. “They found out you were trying to figure out what happened to my sister. Just finding out about the Viper Cult or trying to figure them out is a taboo. You know too much and you’re not a part of underground activities like I am so really it was inevitable.” She smirked. “You’re in for some trouble now Autumn.”

Will reached out and squeezed Autumn’s knee, jolting her out of her racing thoughts. “Autumn remember; Opal, Noelle and I will never let anything happen to you. Those Lucas pricks can find someone else to kidnap.”

“Thank you,” she whispered, her voice trembling. “Sage can’t you do anything to –”

“I’m afraid not.”

Two familiar men in dark clothing walked up casually, Sage getting up to greet them.

“Gill, Tristan,” she said coolly, holding out an arm and beckoned with her fingers. “Pay up, just like you promised.”

Autumn’s heart almost stopped beating at the sight of the two striking young brothers who rolled their eyes at the street fighter and each pulled out a thick wad of cash each.

“Leave,” Gill ordered, capturing Autumn’s frightened attention.

Sage looked over her shoulder and mouthed a word of apology. Anger surged through Autumn yet it was dampened by the evident fear racing through her veins.

“Nice to see you again Autumn,” Tristan greeted her coolly. His green eyes were dark and piercing as Autumn remembered, sending a shiver down her spine. What had happened to the sweet, conversational guy from the dinner party?

It was like meeting a whole new person.

“Likewise,” she rasped out in the smallest voice possible. She shook her head. “Not today. Please not today –”

“Our father has been very impatient,” Gill interjected, leaning down on one knee and came to eye-level with the group, his gaze more specifically for Autumn. “We have been very patient.”

Will’s arm shot out with a tight fist and clipped the side of Gill’s face, sending him stumbling backwards onto his butt. “Don’t. Touch. Her.”

Gill stood up, surprised and holding onto his cheek but let go as he stood beside his brother and smirked with this glinting green eyes. “William Adam Lance, age seventeen and a five-star actor. I didn’t think there’s an ounce of a fighter in you.” He paused, glancing between Autumn and Will. “However, I can see I was wrong.”