The Forgotten

VII - Reality

"I was taking a shower and since I didn't want to stay naked in there, I had to come out to take my clothes," Kane walked past us to put his clothes on being oblivious to us.

I could see that my brother was eyeing the daggers with interest. He looked like a child wanting a toy in a store.

"Let me introduce myself, Shelby King," he held out his hand waiting for Kane to shake it.

He looked at my brother's hand before shaking it, "Kane."

"So this is why you refuse to come home?" my brother asked while looking him up and down. "Well if you come home with him, it wouldn't be hard to resolve the mystery of this case. But I still don't understand why you still want to do all this legally?"

I sighed, "Did you really came all the way here to ask me that?"

"Of course not. I don't have time to waste. Presently some of my men are taking care of some business here."

"What is it?" I glanced at Kane, but he was busy reading his book.

"Just some rats that put their nose where it doesn't belong," Shelby smiled innocently as he shrugged. "Now that everything's done here, I'm sorry, but I'll have to kill you," he took out his gun and pointed it toward Kane who was still reading his damn book.

"Don't you dare," I warned my stupid brother as I slipped my hand under the table to grasp my gun.

"Nothing personal brother," he smiled, "I just can't let a witness know about me, about us," he loaded his arm, so I pulled out and did the same.

"Try and I'll put a hole in the middle of your head. Like you said, I'm the heir, and you don't want to mess with me," I threatened my brother, but in fact, I couldn't pull the trigger and he knew that.

"Shoot and let me see how men like you think," said Kane as he was already so close to Shelby that his gun was straight on Kane's heart.

My brother's smile and eyes went wild. He always liked to be challenged, so now he was as excited as a child on Christmas.

"Kane! What the fu-"

"Don't blame me afterward," Shelby slowly pulled the trigger making me warn him again, but he didn't listen. Anger clouded my mind, my Father's death and soon Kane's death too were enough to suck out every ounce of logic in me. I was about to pull the trigger too when Kane threw his dagger at my weapon making me let go of it before it stabbed the opposite wall.

Fucking hell, if I lose Kane today, how would I explain this to the government? I clenched my teeth, I would have no choice, but to return. My normal life would have been this short. As my brother pulled the trigger I closed my eyes not wanting to see.

When I opened my eyes again, I let out a sigh. A trail of smoke came out from my brother's gun and he still had that annoying smile plastered on his face. When I get back home, I would make sure to make him remember who was the boss.

"You better clean up your mess," I scolded as I let myself fall in my chair. "Did you know?"

"Yes," answered Kane as he stood back and Shelby answered his phone. "Fucking brat, playing with me like that..." I ran my fingers through my hair.

"It was fun and I wish I could stay longer, but I need to go," explained my brother as he put his phone back into his pant's pocket.

"What happened?" I asked.

"If you want to know, you should come back to the family business. And I don't talk about our facade. You'll have to face reality sooner or later. I'll call you in the following days to fill you in about Father's death," said Shelby as he disappeared behind the door.

Seconds later, Heather and Ashley came in as I sat in the same chair and Kane was reading his stupid book.

"Why didn't you tell me?" I growled as I felt the anger coming back at full speed.

Heather gulped, "I-I have no excuse. Please forgive me!" She went on her knees making me glare at her.

"Please Boss, it wasn't her fault. We thought good to not tell you about your fa-..." Ashley explained desperately trying to save her friend's life.

"Silence," I snapped as I stood up and went to the dagger still stuck in the wall. "The retirement was one thing, but his death," I pulled the dagger out of the wall, "maybe I should kill you slowly and make you feel how it is to not be able to see the one precious to you one last time." I went in front of the kneeling woman. "And you," I turned my gaze to Ashley, "after everything I did for you, that's how you thank me?"

Tears appeared and she went on her knees too. "I-I only wanted your dreams to come true. I-if you went to your Father's funeral, you wouldn't be here now! You would have stayed there..." she explained trembling. "Please forgive us!"

"Out," I ordered as they both walked out, but not before pleading for forgiveness one last time.

It was impossible for my Father to have died because of old age. In a world like ours... He could only have been assassinated! I would find the guys responsible for this and make them pay. I knew the task wouldn't be easy since we had plenty of enemies and people from our group died almost every day, but... It was my fault. If I was there when Father retired, he wouldn't have been the target.

If... If...

The reality hit me hard and I stopped imagining what could have happened if I didn't go away.

I let go of the dagger and fell on the floor. Tears filled my eyes as I silently cried my father's death. It wasn't fair, he shouldn't have died this soon. I should not have gone away! I shouldn't have wished for a normal life. If I didn't, Father may still be alive.

I knew what Ashley said was true, if I returned at home, I would not be here. I would have taken my Father's place as the heir of our Family. I couldn't, we couldn't escape the world we were born into. A world of lies, violence, blood, and death. A world where happiness and being normal were a luxury.

My world until the end...

I lifted my head surprised when I felt someone touch my shoulder. My gaze met his. I forgot he was still here and that he saw me crying, but for now, I didn't care. I needed a chest to cry into and that was what I did. I cried into his chest as he sat on the floor with me between his legs. He stayed silent, never saying a word nor touching me, but even in his silence, I could feel something I never did before.

Kane's silent emotions.

Even though his face showed nothing, the atmosphere surrounding him were slightly different. I could feel him trying to comfort me, to tell me that I could cry as much as I wanted. Even if those feelings never went past his lips.

Why didn't I notice it before? Maybe because I was too preoccupied with my own feeling? Maybe because I was used to be able to read people, but suddenly not being able to read the only man I wanted to understand? I could not answer, but strangely, his silence comforted me. His presence was enough to calm me. His words...

"Sleep and I'll take care of your demons."

His words made me sleep without a worry in the world.