Beautiful But Deadly

NINETEEN

Genesis's POV

Two Years Ago

The profound entrance hall of the Crime Lords Estate was unsettlingly quiet as I stalked my way across the stone floors, a bloodied bag clutched in my fingers. No one greeted me at the old wooden doors save the maid who offered me a small comforting smile and had taken my rain-soaked coat. There were several people who I had lived with for over a decade now and even they averted their eyes as they looked at me as they knew full well what it meant when the Crime Lord's favoured assassin returned.

The doors to Caspian Adler's office sat at the other end of the long over-decorated hall and were currently shut. Painting after painting was nailed to the wall another way in which Caspian liked to display his wealth, with priceless pieces ranging from Picasso to Van Gogh. I didn't doubt for a moment that half of these paintings were stolen and I'd bet on the fact only because I had stolen a few myself.

Caspian's study doors became slightly more intimidating as I neared the end of the hallway. I had walked down it thousands of times yet the 10-foot oak doors that had been carved probably centuries ago always held the luring sense of death whenever I neared them.

Jamie and Jared, Caspian's personal bodyguards, stood outside watching with keen eyes and unreadable expressions as I slowly approached. The brothers were probably in their early-thirties and stood like statues. Not only in the way that they barely moved a muscle but from the look of them as they even appeared to be moulded from stone. With muscles as hard as rock and statures that even intimidated the bravest of warriors were the only ones who had ever been trusted with Caspian safety since I had been taken in when I was a small child. Though neither of them was officially an assassin, I knew that they could both wield the many weapons they had adorning their large bodies with deadly skill.

I couldn't stop the malicious grin that spread across my face as I neared them, swaying my hips as I walked. The only sound in the Estate was the click of my boots and the slight rock of the bag at my side, to which swung with each of my movements. It wasn't news to the brothers that I would be coming, in fact, I had no doubt that the minute I stepped back into town that Caspian had been alerted that I had returned. The Crime Lord had eyes everywhere.

It had been two months since the night Caspian had sent me away with a black eye and commands to go do my damned job and not fuck things up for him. The black eye had been punishment for being too outspoken but if he thought for even a second that a simple punch would shut me up he was delusional. Caspian knew that too and I had suspicions that this meeting would not end well at all.

The bag in my hand was proof too, proof that I would not be broken by him. Not to mention the millions I had obtained from my benefactors who wanted me out of his restraints as much as I did. I had a plan. It was to simply explain that my debt to him was repaid and that I was going to walk away from him and his controlled group of assassins forever. I would tell him how I was now free of him.

When I finally reached the end of the hall the brothers simultaneously took a step forward, their hands dropping to their sides where they could easily reach their weapons. They were both almost a foot taller than me with various scars on their faces and necks that suggested being the Crime Lords bodyguard was definitely not easy. I imagined that there were more brutal ones beneath their clothing too.

Jared and Jamie stared down at me as I smiled innocently up at them. Both men knew just how much of a facade that was though, as in the beginning they had been forced to train and watch over me. Occasionally spying for Caspian to make sure I wasn't being too reckless or making any inappropriate plans behind his back. I had learned at a very early age that I had to hold back my true talents when it came to being around the Crime Lord and his spies. However just because I was holding back didn't mean that I didn't give they brothers a show, there had been plenty of times here both males had watched me butcher men ten times my strength.