~8~
I woke up to someone nudging my shoulder, causing my eyes to flutter open. They felt heavy, probably from all the crying yesterday.
Yesterday.
A night's sleep wouldn't erase the events that took place the previous morning. My heart still hurt, my throat sore from the lump in my throat. I ignored every pained sensation though, not wanting to cry anymore.
"C'mon, Colby wants to leave before the hotel gets crowded for breakfast." Sam whispered to me, setting a bag next to me on the bed, "He got these for you, get ready and we'll be outside the room."
I didn't respond, simply hummed and watched as he walked out of the room, shutting the door behind him.
I forced my body off the bed, not wanting to leave the comfort of the clean white sheets. It was hard, but eventually, I made it to the restroom where I freshened myself up quickly and changed into the outfit given to me. Thankfully, it was black leggings along with a simple T. It was comfy, which I loved. A lot better than the one from yesterday.
I braided my hair to the side and added a bit of water to contain the fly away around my forehead.
When I was pleased with my appearance, I left the restroom and folded the sheets of my bed neatly, saving the service ladies or men from having to deal with taking them off. Being tidy was something I strived for, and even though it was a weird thing to do at the time, I still felt it was right.
I took a moment to collect myself before leaving the room. I stared at my appearance in the mirror, the semi-noticeable bags under my eyes, and the frown that was my expression. I tried smiling, but it didn't work. Of course, it didn't. I wasn't that good at hiding these kinds of feelings, the sadness I mean. Didn't surprise me when even I didn't believe my false happiness.
There was no point in even trying to act happy.
It would get me nowhere.
I took a deep breath, finally finding it in myself to leave the room.
Walking into the hallway, I see the guys already outside and waiting for me. When they saw me, Sam, Jake, and Corey held back a sad expression. Colby kinda just stared. He was always so hard to read and it frustrated me deeply.
I got tired of the silence.
"So.. are we going to go or.." I trail off, clamping my hands together behind my back.
Colby, gaze hard, nodded, beginning to walk down the hall as we followed. We made it to the lobby and out the door without causing any suspicion. I mean, what was there to be suspicious of? Not the 4 guys and girl who look like they've been to hell and back.
"Shit." Colby cursed under his breath upon exiting the building.
I furrowed my eyebrows and looked past him, seeing a cop car parked right by ours. Well.. our stolen one.
"What do we do?" Corey asked, not worried about the situation at all. None of them did. Colby's 'shit' was more of an annoyed one than a pissed one.
"Am I gonna have to hijack another car," Corey complained, leaning his head back in annoyance.
Colby shook his head, "Nope. I'll handle this." He said, turning around and entering back in the building, whispering something to Sam while doing so while also dropping something in his hand.
Well, this should be good..
Colby
Walking back into the hotel, I scanned my eyes around the large a poise looking area. I spotted a closet behind the service desk where a man sat.
Staff Wardrobe and Applications.
Perfect.
I walk over to the eating area and popped off the cap of the coffee machine, breaking the handle and causing the black liquid to rapidly pour from the small tube and onto the beige carpet. Satisfied, I put on a worried expression and jogged over to the front desk, meeting the concerned face of an older man.
"Can I help you?" He asked, noticing my hectic state.
"Yeah, uh, the coffee machine is broken. Liquids pouring all over the ground and I don't know, can you, uh, I-" He cut me off.
"Sir calm down, it's okay. I'll take care of it." He said calmly, standing up and walking around the desk and right past me. As his body brushed past mine, I swiftly unhooked the keys from his belt and hid them in the palms of my hand.
With a toothy grin, I turned around and walked back over to the closet, slipping a key in and turning it. I entered the small room and locked the door behind me, turning around to face the clothing rack and shelves full of cleaning supplies and other hotel necessities.
I stared at all the uniforms, their grey and white color boring my eyes to death, finding one my size and slipping off my shirt and replacing it with that one. I fixed my hair up a bit with my hands, taking off my rings and stuffing them in my pockets. I practice a calm and tranquil expression as I left the closet and walked back out through the shiny sliding doors.
As I expected, The guys and Livia were no longer standing where they were previously. I had instructed sam to meet me in the back once the cop and I were gone. He wasn't completely aware of my plan but trusted me anyway. He knew I did well in these types of situations.
I've been in this game for a while now. I've seen it all. From dead bodies to the people who caused the dead bodies, me sometimes being one of them. It wasn't something I felt bad about either, I embraced it. I defiantly wouldn't say I was a murder or even a killer. I was simply a businessman who knows the price to pay for things to go correctly.
Because of this, I had a plan for everything. Okay, maybe not everything. But, if I could muster up a scheme within only a few seconds, and performed it sure of oneself, then all would turn out as it should.
This moment was no different.
I walked over to the police, my hands in my pockets and a concerned but blank look in my eyes.
"Excuse me, may I ask what's happening here?" I give a fake dumb expression.
The officer nodded, looking at the hotel's name on my collard shirt, "Yes, Were for a report from a nearby resident that a car with bullet holes was seen parked here. Would you happen to know anything about the owners of this vehicle?" He asked. His voice was very deep, but not very intimidating.
I pretended to think for a moment, "Uh, yes actually. A group of people came here late last night and I believe this thing belonged to them. Would you like me to show you to their room?" I ask.
The officer nodded his head, "That would be appreciated."
I smiled, nodded, and began to walk back towards the hotel. The office stayed close by my side, hands gripping his belt as we walked.
Walking past the cafe, I held back a laugh seeing the guy still struggling to control the flow of coffee. He was using napkins to absorb the dark liquid, on the phone with someone complaining about how everything was broken.
Poor guy...
But I regret nothing.
After a short but long elevator ride, we arrived on the 2nd floor.
"Here it is." I point to a random door that I'm pretty sure was a closet.
The officer nodded his head, eyes on the lock on the handle, and I used the key I had taken to unlock it. I then backed away to allow the officer to open it.
With his hand on his gun, he reached for the handle and prepared for the worst. He swung the door open, and just as quickly, I pushed him and slammed the door shut, locking it and throwing the key across the hallway before sprinting away from the scene and down the stairs well as the officer banged on the locked closet door from behind me.
I went out the back door of the hotel, looking around for the familiar dark red car. I finally spotted it parked near the front with Sam sitting in the driver's seat with his window down, motioning for me to hurry up. I sprinted toward it but stopped near the cop's car momentarily. I pulled out the switchblade hidden in a compartment on my pants and stabbed the tires.
He would have to call for backup, probably already has, but we'd be gone before they'd catch us.
Pleased with my action, I jogged back to our car and got in the passenger seat, sighing and Sam started up the engine again and we took off.
"Nice shirt." Corey teased me.
I chuckled and shrugged one shoulder, "I think it may be a new look for me." I say, slipping it off my body and tossing it to the ground. I grabbed the one Sam and gotten me from one of my bags, per my order, and put that one on instead. I took the rings out from my pocket and slipped them on my fingers again, ruffling my fair up a little once doing so.
"So what'd you do with the cop?" Sam asked.
I look at him with a supercilious expression, "If you must know" I hum, "I locked him in a supply closet on the 2nd floor."
He laughed with a toothy smile and shook his head, looking down, "Of course."
"Sick," Jake said impressed.
"I could've come up with something better." Corey scoffed.
I nod, give him a false supportive pouty face "Oh yeah, I bet."
"Okay maybe not as quick as you did, but, given me, a few minutes, and I could've made up something totally die-hard worthy." He stated, confidence clear in his tone.
"Unlikely," Livia muttered. I forget she was even in here for a second, she's been mute since yesterday.
I turned my head to see her sitting in the seat behind me, her chin sitting in the palm of her hand as her gaze was locked on the moving cars and by-passing building that flew by as we drove. Her eyes few small, tired, with a hint of red under them, probably from crying.
A small flicker of remorse flew through me but disappeared just as quickly.
She caught me looking, and let her eyes meet mine.
Sorry.
That word has been stuck in my head since yesterday's fight. Something in me wanted to say it, influenced by her glossy eyes and melancholy manner.
I didn't let the word slip though, it was totally against everything about me and my ways.
Instead, I give her a hard and emotionless stare before turning away. She didn't deserve anything more than that. Statements like that are strictly and even rarely used on the people closest to me. And even then, the 3 guys sitting in this car are probably the only people I'd say it to.
But it was unlikely.
I've never done it before, and probably won't, but if I'd say it to anyone it'd be them.
"When are we getting home?" Jake asked.
I sigh and look at the time on the dashboard, "Late tonight." I respond.
"And where are we going? The House or the lab?" He asked another.
"The lab first, we've got a duffel bag full of shit we need to drop off to Reg." I say, "Plus Livia here needs to be given a slight tour." I could practically feel her attention fall onto me.
"The lab?" Her soft and delicate voice spoke up, "what are y'all, evil scientists as well?" She questioned, making me laugh at the way it was an honest question.
I purse my lips, "Not at all, it's what we call our base. The lab."
"Base?" She repeats.
"Yes, Liv, base. Y'know, headquarters? Nerve center? Mission Control?" I elongate my word.
"I was implying I didn't understand why y'all needed a base, not that I was hard of hearing." She sassed back. I semi- liked that about her. She didn't have a filter and let her thoughts roam free many times.
Of course, this was also one of the things I disliked about her. Sometimes, she doesn't know when to just stop talking and she's already gotten on my nerve more than once. I just about left her on the side of the road yesterday after the stunt she pulled yesterday at the diner and after the car shootout.
She let her thoughts take over her actions, and that right there was the problem.
"Why the hell do 4 guys require a base?" She asks.
"Who said we were only 4 guys?" I ask, implying the obvious.
"I-" She paused, looking for the right words. "So, what, y'all are a gang?" Her words lingered with a bit of humor. Even she didn't believe the words that were coming from her mouth.
I shrug, "You could say that I suppose. I prefer a different term for it of course."
"And what would that be exactly?"
"Company."
She paused.
"There are two definitions for that word. A commercial business, or, the fact or condition of being with another or others, especially in a way that provides friendship and enjoyment." He explains, "I don't see how what y'all do fits into those two categories."
Smart-ass.
"And how would you know darling? You don't even know what we do." I counter.
"I've seen enough." She said in return.
"Well, you're going to see a lot more." I retort.
She didn't respond, disappearing into that bright mind of hers.
She's smart. Smarter than anyone I've ever met. She's quick with her words, confident in everything she says, and her common knowledge of the most random things could be a great asset to my company. We need someone like her, I realized that as soon as we caught her spying on us in the woods and told us off about the lock. That, and the way she hid the key. I was positive she did drugs, but after reassuring us she didn't, I believed her and realized she was just a clever girl.
Females aren't typically apart of the company, only men. Not that a girl couldn't shoot a gun, or participate in combat, cause I'm sure they could and I'm productive they'd kill at it. No pun intended. But, the only girls who even really know about our business don't want any part of it. They're on the sidelines, aware of what's going on but not there in person to witness it themselves. They usually stay at the house, chatting amongst themselves and going out to clubs and parties. They never come to the lab, not seeing the point of being apart of something they want to part of.
But, I didn't know whether or not she would get along with them. They're a very rowdy group. They love to gossip and drama, and of course, they love to party. They go out most nights and get wasted, if not, blacked out. Dressed in their most revealing and attractive outfits, they venture out onto the streets of LA and find the craziest and brightest party to attend. Livia does not seem like that kind of person. She doesn't like to bring attention to her body, she wears no makeup from what I've seen, and she is always in her head. She rarely talks to us first. We have to address her before her smart-ass personality comes out.
Now let's say she doesn't go out with them. She doesn't click.
What would she do?
I haven't thought this entirely through.
My initial plan was to have her be our house cleaner, caring for our place while we're away.
But, after knowing her for only two days, I believe she could be valuable to what we do. Not just everyone knows the things she knows. Thinks the way she does. But, I still needed to test her and her reaction to different scenarios and questions. I need to know her strengths, her limits. Fears and weaknesses. Those elements are very important to her performance.
If I end up deciding to want her, then the next step would be convincing her that she wants to be here too.
It may not be any time soon, or even shortly.
And hell, I've got almost zero patience. But for her, I'm willing to try.
Lord help me.
***
Small A/N:
New Cover-
You like???
Also, thoughts on the book? Any
predictions? I know the chapters are long, do you enjoy that?
P.s. got a new Pov today heehee.