The devil and his son

Listen to my heartbeat

Alaric POV

After five hours of horse riding, me and Brinley decided to leave since she was getting hungry and tired. We raced back to the stables where I of course won.

"I won. Beat that Brinley." I rubbed it in her face like she did to me.

"Stop. Ok I get it. You won." She giggled and pushed my shoulder.

We both put our horses in their stables after we took the saddles off. Once we put everything away, we went into the changing rooms.

When I was changed into my jeans and T-shirt, I went out to see Brinley dressed before me. I chuckled as she stood there with her arms crossed and foot tapping away.

"You took to long." She glared at me.

"Really? I thought that was pretty good timing." I tried not to laugh as she was 'mad.'

"But I'm hungry and tired." She whined.

"Yes abeja so am I. Just be patient, alright? Now we can go." I smiled at her. Brinley's face lit up and ran out of the barn. She left her bag so I picked it up.

Before I got out of the barn, I heard a gunshot go off. I dropped both bags and ran out to see Brinley crying and staring at a dead body. Men in black stood around an old man that I knew as the owner of the yard.

I ran up to her and turned her so her back to was to scene. Tears streamed down her face as I held on to her shoulders.

"Focus on me, brin. Listen to my voice, don't think about it. You're safe, I've got you. No one will hurt you." I cupped her cheeks.

She began to hyperventilate. A panic attack was going to happen and there was nothing I could do to stop it. Instead I just pulled her in to my chest and placed her ear right she could hear my heartbeat.

"Listen to my heartbeat, Brinley. Focus on that, ok?" I told her. Slowly she calmed down and wrapped her arms so her hands linked on my back.

When I looked up at the men, one of them looked at me. His eyes looked familiar but I couldn't place it. Then he took off his mask. Marco stood there with his mouth open as he looked at me and Brinley.

"Go wait in the car for me." I whispered to her, she nodded then ran to my car.

Me and Marco walked up to each other. "What the hell? Why did you kill him?"

"Because he was in debt to my boss. How much did she see?" Marco had worry all over his face.

"I don't know. I was in the stables when she ran out and I heard the gunshot." I sighed.

"Can you stay with her tonight? My boss needs me overnight and Helena has a shift at the hospital." He asked.

"Yeah. No problem. But you knew we were coming here? So why did you do it?"

"Marco! I don't pay you to talk to people around here." A deep voice boomed. Just then the man I never wanted to see walked next to Marco.

"Do you know him?" Quinn asked Marco.

"Yes boss. He's my best friends son." He replied.

"And you are?" He turned to me.

This will be fun. "Tony stark at your service."

Both Marco and Quinn looked very confused. "You look familiar." Quinn furrowed his eyebrows.

"Ah yes you may have seen me out and about. I like to make myself known to many people. I'm just loud and bubbly like that." I replied sarcastically.

"Are you being sarcastic with me?" He scoffed.

"Oh yes, boss. I'm being very sarcastic with you." I told him. And just like that he pulled his gun to my head.

Before he could do anything, I grabbed his wrist and threw him over my shoulder and on to the ground with a thud. All the other people held their guns up to me. As is still had Quinn's, I shot one of them.

"Put your guns down. I took down your boss and one of your fellow guards. And I'm just a mere teenager." I chuckled darkly.

"What the fuck are you doing?" Marco asked me.

"Showing them I'm not weak. Next time be careful of who you pull your gun on." I threw Quinn his gun.

When I walked away I heard him get up. "You should join my mafia. You'd be good at getting my money."

"No thanks. I'm happy where I am." I chuckled.

"And where are you?" He asked.

"The Di'Angelo gang." I smirked.

"Wait." He called after me. I stopped and turned around. "Is arlo still there?"

"Yeah she is."

"How is she?" I could see the love for my mother in his eyes.

"She's good. Married with a nice man. Her son Alaric sadly passed away a few years back." I lied.

Tears formed in his eyes as he looked at me. "Tell her I'm sorry for her loss. Have a good day Tony."

I turned on my heels and went back to my car. Brinley was curled up along the back seats out cold. She must have fallen asleep while I was talking.

"Mum." I called her.

"What's wrong honey?" She answered.

"If Quinn calls you. Tell him I died a few years ago." I told her.

"What? Why?" She asked.

"I saw him at the yard." Tears fell down my cheeks. "I told him that I was in the gang and he asked about you. Said you were happily married but you lost me a couple years ago. So if he calls, tell him I got caught by another gang and killed. It's better if he doesn't know about me at all."

"If that's what you want, bebito." I could hear her crying as well.

"Yeah ma. That's what I want." I sighed.

"Ok. I'll see you later." She said then hung up. I put my phone down and closed my eyes as the tears fell down my cheeks.

After a few minutes, I felt someone straddle me and wipe my eyes. I looked and saw a sleepy looking Brinley on my lap.

"Hey, did I wake you?" I asked her.

"No." She shook her head. Brinley leaned up and wrapped her arms around my neck, laying her cheek on my shoulder. I put my arms around her back and quietly cried so she wouldn't worry.

After a while, Brinley fell asleep on me. I put the seatbelt over us and went back to my house.