I'm spoiled now. We're doing goals for every chapter until this bitch is over. In return you get frequent updates and one very happy author.
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Chapter 79
"Game so deep and the drink's so strong.
I don't trust no one at all."
(Raine's POV)
"She's beautiful, isn't she?"
At the sound of my brother's voice, I find a comfortable weight getting lifted off of my chest. Both he and I stand woefully at the balcony of our villa which looks over the golden city of Madrid, taking in the sight of our father's homeland which is soon to be his unexpected graveyard if everything goes our way.
A strange nostalgia settles over our hearts at the sight of such a gorgeous city, one that reminds us of everything we've lost even though neither of us has ever been graced with the opportunity to ever come here. Both he and I share fifty percent of our descent with lady Spain, but we are victims of absent parents who never taught us what heritage ran through our blood. While both of us look the part, neither one of us feels at home in a place that has claimed such a stake on our lives.
But then again, we haven't known a home in a long time.
"One of the prettiest cities I've ever been to," I swoon alongside my gleaming brother. It's been merely minutes since we arrived at the extravagant house that Ramone has us staying in which just so happens to be his home for when he comes to his motherland. Back when I did business with him, I learned that he often visits Madrid when he needs luck, which happens more than one would think. I've never come before only because he likes to come alone in order to clear his head, but every time he returns, he is ready to take on the world. It must be something in the air.
Kai inhales a deep breath, shutting his eyes as the gracious sun shines over his skin. He looks well rested after our twelve hour flight from New Orleans, finding moments to sleep on the jet when Ramone focused his efforts elsewhere. In fact, both of us caught valuable pockets of leisure until the plane landed and our feet touched the soil, reminding us both that we are here for a war.
"Are you ready for this?" He asks me, able to understand me even with his eyes closed. I would consider it impressive if I hadn't already made my distaste towards Ramone's plan abundantly clear. Despite my best efforts to come up with a master plan last night, my cocaine comedown forced me to knock out on my desk without a single compromise in mind. It was a fool's errand to try to sway the mind of our stubborn boss. He knew what he wanted and nothing could change that, especially not his backstabbing, disloyal prodigy that he's only known for a year.
Hell, he wouldn't even listen to Apollo who he swears is like a son to him.
"I don't have a choice," I frown, propping my chin in my hands as I console myself with the ambience of the sun sinking over the ancient city below me.
"Exactly. You don't."
With narrowed eyes, I turn to glare at him to find him shaking his head at me as if I've done something to upset him. I often forget what home feels like, but every time I'm in the presence of my hot-headed brother, I'm taken back to the immature fights we had in our little red house. Fighting with him has turned out to be one of the best parts of this crazy life.
"Now that we're here, we better learn to get on board." He cocks an eyebrow at me. "And by 'we' I mean you."
My shoulders fall. "At least admit that this is a stupid plan."
"No. We can't say shit like that before we go in there," he scolds me as if he has this entire game wrapped around his finger. "Pretend this plan is brilliant, the best you've ever heard. Rep it like a fucking flag, kid. We have a war to win in twenty-four hours and we can't do it with doubts."
I'm a skeptic in my very nature, so I can't help but doubt every single plan that is presented to me and he knows that, but he's right. The second that plane landed, the game was no longer in my hands. If I want to make it out alive, I not only have to abide by Ramone's rules, but I also have to play it to perfection. I alone will not be able to flip his agenda, that time has long gone. This has become life or death now. May the best man win.
"You're right," I huff out an exasperated breath. "I hate it when you're right."
"I'm always right," he shoves my shoulder, no mercy as he forgets the obvious size advantage he holds over me and I end up getting pushed to the other side of the balcony. He lifts his arms up in surrender when he notices the glare in my eyes, laughing as I charge after him only to stop dead in my tracks when the balcony door opens.
Zayn walks outside, joining us with a cigarette between his lips and his sunglasses propped at the bridge of his nose. As soon as he sees us in the midst of a battle, his mouth spreads into a smile.
"Ah, the Fosco siblings." He steps between Kai and I, grabbing my arm as he pulls me against him. Kai groans with annoyance, shoving Zayn's back now that it's facing him. "What are you two fighting about this time?"
"As a matter of fact, we were debating which one of us loves you more," Kai snips sarcastically. "Raine thinks it's her but she doesn't know about the time I had to carry your drunk ass home after you puked all over her brand new car."
"That was you!" My eyes widen as I push him back, my mouth falling agape. I think back to the time my mom got me my first car at sixteen, a ten-year-old Nissan that drove like a dinosaur, but I fucking loved that car more than anything. I let Kai take it out on a drive the second week I had it and he came back with some shitty story about how he dropped soup. Now I realize that was his way of protecting his lightweight friend.
"I'm sorry," Zayn laughs, smacking Kai on the arm before turning to face me with a grin that screams liar. "It was an accident. I was super wasted, I didn't mean to, I swear!"
"Why were you wasted?" Kai instigates further, shoving Zayn. "You remember?"
With wide eyes, Zayn faces my brother and shakes his head. "You swore me to secrecy, Kai. Don't say it."
"Tell me!" I push, eager to hear why he was puking in my car of all places. Zayn tries to convince Kai to shut up but my brother is nothing if not a tattletale, so he looks over Zayn's shoulder to me and smirks maliciously.
"He had sex with Brittany Holmes in your back seat and did coke off her tits!"
Zayn tosses his head back and slaps a hand over his face, shaking his head at the sound of my gasp. Even though I know none of that matters anymore, I can't help but push him with some anger at the thought of my childhood crush not only doing drugs in my brand new car, but having sex with the girl who bullied me. If this was years ago and we lived a simpler life, I would have definitely cried to this news.
"In my defense, It wasn't her tits," Zayn laughs, dodging every one of my slaps to his arm with a playful ease. "It was her ass."
"Zayn!" I frown, shoving him one last time as the both of them can't stop laughing. I don't find it amusing in the slightest, but when they exchange a brotherly handshake, I can't help the smile that curls at my lips.
I'm about to say something vindictive when we all hear the loud engine of a car roar deeply throughout the air. We peek our heads over the edge of the balcony to see a blood red Maserati come to a halt at the door of our villa. There are two guards posted at our entrance, weapons raised as we await for someone to get out of the car until finally, two heavily armed guards do. We watch in silence as the back door is opened and the devil herself makes an appearance.
I can actually hear Zayn suck in a sharp breath as the guard helps Ana out of the car. She looks expensive, more powerful than ever as she sports a tight black dress with red lipstick that can be seen even from the height of our balcony. She chews on some bubblegum, strutting in her heels as she makes her way to the front door but before she can, she stops and looks up. With an accomplished smirk, she lifts her fingers and waves at us, sliding her sunglasses off so she can pass us a menacing wink.
Rage boils through my blood profusely, so high that I nearly pull out my pistol and finish the job right here, but I know Ramone would just kill me if I sabotaged his plan right now. But, fuck, I have been waiting to kill this bitch since the night I found out she was the leak and it's been far too long of a chase. She's right in front of me. If I just pretend that I accidentally shot a bullet and it landed into her thick sk-
"What the hell is she doing here?" Kai asks, matching my venom as he glares at her arrogant attitude.
I push myself off the railing. "Let me find out."
Zayn tries to grab me to prevent me from confronting the bitch, but nothing is capable to stopping me from reaching her. I slam the door of my bedroom open and race down the stairs with a simmering anger that clouds my judgment, almost making me forget about the entire plan that we have to complete tomorrow. Perhaps if I find a way to kill her before the gala, Ruiz won't miss her enough to retract his invite towards us and we can still go on with our lives. There is no possible way I am going to let her escape my grasp again.
But just as the front door finally gets into my line of sight, I am forced to halt in my tracks when Ramone stands between me and my dreams. I nearly crash into him with the force I'm walking with, but he looks as unfazed as a bullfighter, tilting his head with a proud smirk when he notices the flare in my nostrils.
"As excited as I am to see you so vicious, I don't need to remind you that we have a plan to follow." He crosses his arms over his chest, flashing a tight-lipped smirk that I want to rip off of his smug face. Even though he loves to see the ruthless beast I have become in his absence, he is more patient than am I which is why he is forcing me to stop while I'm ahead. My hand is skimming the gun behind my back as I fight the urge to shoot him in the head and go for the gold anyways. The hatred I have for that woman exceeds my obedience to this man by miles.
But if I didn't catch a glimpse of Apollo shaking his head at me as he stands by the door, waiting for me to collect myself to open it, I would have run with my dark urges and never looked back.
I take my hand off of my gun and huff out a stubborn breath just as I hear the footsteps of Zayn and Kai rushing down the stairs, probably to stop me like their boss. Nobody is aware of the type of clever rat that Ana really is. If I were in Ramone's shoes, I would kill her now and ask questions later. She will escape if we don't take her by surprise, that is just the type of vindictive snake she is.
"Fine," I cross my arms over my chest. "I'll behave."
"Good," Ramone pats my arm and nods at Kai to stand beside me as if I need to be controlled. I would find it insulting if it were any other person but he does have a point. I truly can't control myself around that woman, she makes me want to slit her throat with the foot of my heel.
The doors of our villa open in a grand entrance as the enemy walks into our turn with a confident smile and the attitude of an ally. Everyone does their best to plaster on acquainted smiles but me who cannot hide my sour face no matter how hard I try. Ana walks over to Ramone, not even glancing at her cousin who was nearly killed because of her. She props her sunglasses on her head as the overly abrasive sound of her heel clinks against the marble floor, inching closer and closer to us.
Out of instinct, I take a step towards her but Kai's hand immediately wraps around my arm. I find myself being pulled behind him as if I'm some sort of untamed bull.
"Ramone," she extends her arms, flashing her bright teeth at him as he returns her niceties to his best. "I never thought I'd see you again."
Ramone takes her hand in his casually, as if they haven't been separated after she sold him out to his biggest competitor. If the boss has ever been good at anything, it's his seamless politics. "We were bound to see each other at least one more time, Ana."
She grins, everyone sensing the uncomfortable nature of her visit. Apollo crosses his hands behind his back and makes his way over to the pair, clearing his throat to demand the attention he deserves. Ana places a hand over her heart in a dramatic manner, turning to see him.
"Oh, Apollo, I didn't even see you!" She pats his chest as she sports her signature manipulative smile. Apollo looks down at her hand with a clenched jaw, then back up at her face as I notice his hands flexing and unflexing behind his back. I crack a smirk.
"How is the backstabbing life treating you?" Apollo asks coldly. Ramone doesn't even bother to correct him because it would be unnatural to assume that she would be welcomed here with open arms. This is the least she should be getting from us.
"I don't know, why don't you ask your little plaything?" She cranes her feeble neck that I could crack into two as she turns to look at me. I plant my feet into the ground just as I hear Zayn sigh heavily once the attention is on me. "Raine, how was it when you were selling Ramone out to your father? Fun, right?"
I am about ready to open my mouth to fire a response to her but Zayn speaks up before me. "What are you doing here, Ana?"
As soon as she hears the sound of Zayn's voice, she tilts her head with a malicious glint in her eyes. Even though it's the last thing she should do, she approaches us as her eyes bounce from Zayn to me. She's a fire starter, leaving a violent trail behind every step she takes. This time cannot possibly be any different.
"I suppose Ruiz wanted to send me here so that he can trust you all." She stops when she is standing just one foot away from Zayn. Kai's fingers curl deeper around my arm to hold me back. "If I come back in one peace, that means there is hope in the future."
"Well, it's best that you head back then," Ramone announces when he catches my patience slipping away with every passing moment that this snake doesn't get her head cut off. "Tell Ruiz that we are excited to see what he has to offer us."
"I'll tell you what it is right now," she speaks to Ramone but keeps her eyes on Zayn. She presses her index finger against his chest, sliding it down his coat as she bites her lip. I catch Zayn's eyes begin to soften at the mere sight of her so close to him after so long. I swallow back the bitterness in my throat.
"He wants to offer a truce," she tells everyone. Ramone and Apollo exchange glances because this is exactly what we predicted. "The Carice cartel has become a problem for both of us and he wants to work together to take them down."
"I see," Ramone pretends to act surprised. "So we are supposed to just take his word for it? How do we know we're not walking into a trap?"
"You don't," Ana smirks when she notices Zayn fidget under her stare. "But Ruiz has bigger problems than your cartel, Ramone. You are not the threat you used to be."
Ramone fights the urge to shoot her himself but Apollo shakes his head at him, reminding him wordlessly about everything we have to lose if we kill her now. I narrow my eyes at her, wishing that my stare could shoot daggers and knock her out in an instant.
"Anyways, the other reason I'm here is because I would like to take you all out." Ana wraps her hand around Zayn's tie, tugging him towards her. "Ruiz wants to meet with Ramone and while he's doing that, the rest of us can have some fun. For old time's sake."
Zayn's jaw fixes underneath his beard and I'm forced to look away when even I sense the tension in the air. I shove past Ana and make my way towards Ramone while Kai still has a solid hold of me, but it doesn't faze me.
"What do you think?" I ask quietly when I notice Ana and Zayn have become engrossed in their own conversation. Ramone tries to read the situation, tapping his foot while his mind runs. He knows that if we say no to this invitation, we will only come across suspicious.
"You all should go," Ramone announces clearly so that we can all hear. He turns to Apollo and says, "you can come with me."
Apollo doesn't even question it as he nods once. Kai let's go of my arm once he notices I'm calmer, but this invite only seems to itch at my nerves. Either Moon is trying to scope out the scene before we walk into her turf or she just thoroughly wants to kill us before we even get to the gala. Whatever the reason is, we are trapped from both ends. The only option we have now is to say yes and pretend that we're here with good intentions.
"To make sure everyone is comfortable, we'll meet at Duende," Ana turns around and flashes us her bitchy smile. "We all know that is Ramone's club which means we'll be at a disadvantage. So he can rest assured that we are just trying to bury the hatchet."
I'll bury the hatchet so fucking far up your-
"They will be there," Ramone speaks for us. "And where should I meet Ruiz?"
Ana struts through the living room, passing my brother a wink as she makes her way to Ramone. "Horcher, your favorite restaurant."
She pats Ramone's shoulder as she passes him, understanding that her presence makes everyone in the room squirm which is exactly what she likes. "I'll see you all tonight."
"Count on it," I smile at her, matching her vindictiveness like I've mastered. Her eyes narrow at me just slightly, enough for me to see her uncomfortable for a split second which is all the assurance I could need.
Before she overstays her short welcome, she turns around to leave, planning to enjoy what will be the last night of her life.
***
A perk that is often overlooked once you join this level of life is the astounding amounts of money that seem to fall into your lap. I have become obsessed with the negative that I sometimes forget about the luxury that such a lifestyle commands.
As soon as Ana left our villa, Ramone sent out someone to get the appropriate attire in order to prepare for the night that awaits us. Bags of clothes, shoes, jewelry, and any other thing a girl could dream of was sent to my room just as it was to everyone else. I've gotten so used to such a exquisite lifestyle that I often forget what my life was like one year ago before where I had to buss tables for minimum wage. It's astonishing how much could change in a year.
"I'm gonna steal this one," Valencia says to the fourth dress she has found as she rummages through the bags. I've already slipped on a short black satin dress that fits me like a gem. The thin straps hold the corset beautifully against my waist while the side split of the gown spills right above my knees, displaying the gold gun I have strapped to my thigh. Even though I know we're not in for a war tonight, you can never truly be over prepared.
"Take them all, I don't care," I laugh while slipping on my gold R necklace that Ramone gave to me months ago.
"Oh, how I love you," she kisses my cheek before grabbing as many bags as she can. I open the door for her as she runs into her room to get dressed before we have to leave in just under an hour, but nobody in the house knows exactly what we're dressing for. All I know is that as long as I have a gun attracted to my hip and a switch blade in my shoe, I am perfectly equipped for anything that may come my way.
Just as I am about to shut the door to my bedroom when she leaves, I hear a large hand slam against the wood. Apollo pushes the door open just enough to walk inside before locking it behind him once he is certain that the cost is clear. While I'm ready for a night on the town, he is prepared for a business deal to perfection. He looks exceptionally sexy in his dark grey suit, layered underneath with a white shirt and dark checkered vest tucked with a red tie. He has on another coat above his blazer, his staple gold chain hidden underneath his collar while the matching gold Rolex on his wrist makes a seamless partner to the rings he has coating most of his fingers. If I know him at all, he has a pistol tucked behind him and a blade in his coat, just like he taught me.
"Everything okay?" I ask him once it's just the two of us.
"Yeah," he nods to assure himself, stuffing his hands in his coat pocket. "I just needed to check if you had your gun with you."
I slide my leg out from the slit in my dress, showcasing my golden pistol like a medal. "Always."
His eyes skim over the gun as a smile spreads at his lips, especially when his eyes keep moving farther as he takes in the sight of me so dolled up for the night. With a heavy sigh, he rests both of his hands on my waist and steps against me, snaking both of his arms around me as he holds me against him.
"I wish I could go with you," he says gruffly, disappointed in himself that he's sending me out to something so unexpected alone. I wrap my arms around his neck and tilt my head up to smirk at him.
"I'll be okay," I promise. "It's you I'm worried about. Ramone and Ruiz, that seems risky."
"It will be, but if I know anything about Ruiz, it's that he is patient." His palms graze up my waist as he sighs with a heavy regret. "He won't try anything but I can't say the same for Ana."
Just the sound of her name is enough to make me scoff. "I'll give her this final night of freedom before I kill her tomorrow. Don't worry, I won't sabotage the plan."
"You know I don't care about that," he tells me, spreading his palms over my bare back. My bottom lip gets caught between my teeth as I slide my hands down his chest, inhaling in the scent of him so expensive and confident. "Promise me you'll come back in one piece, Raine."
"I promise," I wrap my hands around his coat and drop my head against the wall behind me. "Promise me you'll do the same."
He nudges his nose against mine, sliding his hand up to my throat before he tips my head backwards as his fingers wrap around it. His breath is hot and heavy, the possession in his eyes rather ritualistic when I see it from him. With a soft growl, he presses a firm kiss on the corner of my mouth and drops his head against mine.
"I don't want you to be here," he reveals to me quietly. His thumb strokes the pulse in my throat, his mouth hovering above mine. "I have done many missions like this where I've had to risk my life and I never felt any doubt but right now? I'm fucking terrified. I can't think knowing you're here and you're risking your life, too."
My shoulders fall. "Apollo..."
"I don't have a choice," he shuts his eyes because he's unable to look me in mine as he reveals to me what he can't even say to himself. "If I had the fucking choice, Raine, then I swear I would keep you as far away from this shit as possible. If Ramone wasn't here... if I was in charge of this then you'd be safe."
My fingers graze his jaw tenderly, my frown deepening when I sense the resentment in his words. "I'm okay, Apollo. I'm just... I'm worried about you."
It's a never ending cycle of fear when you care about someone more than you care about yourself. I've forgotten about every single shred of doubt I've ever had before I met him because knowing he's out there, risking his life for a cause that none of us even remotely believe in trumps every fear I've ever had. It scares me to know that he's in his mess, that Zayn's in this mess, that Kai's in this mess, that every single person in this house is in this mess. I wish I could trade myself for their freedom because if I could, I'd do it in a heartbeat.
He slams his hand against the wall behind me, angry with himself because he can't believe he ever let me get this far. My heart sinks in the pit of my stomach when I find myself recognizing the agonizing uncertainty that's eating him alive, the same one that has been gnawing at me since the moment I came into this game. It is so simple to care about someone when you don't have to worry about their safety, but unfortunately for us, we will never truly know peace. If I had any say in it, then he wouldn't be here either.
"Hey," I whisper, gripping his jaw as I force him to look at me. He tries to tear his eyes away, to look up at the ceiling to avoid my gaze but I don't let him. Instead I just meet his aching eyes with my own and press my forehead against his.
"We're going to be fine," I assure him even if I'm not certain of it myself. "This is not your fault."
"It is," he rebuttals, shaking his head over and over again. "I should've told Ramone no the day he forced me to watch you. I should've fucking warned you or something. I should've-"
"He would've killed you," I interrupt him. His shoulders sink because he knows this is true. Even if he knew me as much as he did now, or he loved me like he does now, then he still wouldn't be able to save me. Nobody could've. I was destined for this life the second my mother and father met.
"I'm sorry," he sighs, the guilt eating him alive now that we're facing the barrel of the gun. He brings both of his hands up to cup my face as he inhaled my scent to keep himself grounded, the air around us drifting away with the time. "I am sorry, Raine. I shouldn't have ever let it get this far."
"You and I both know it wasn't up to you," I tell him as my fingers brush over his jaw. It hurts me to see him feeling so responsible for this, for everything that happened to me but he should know I let go of all of that long ago. At the end of the day, we are all just a bunch of fucked up kids who got handed a gun and a death sentence in exchange for short lives of empty purpose and worthless luxuries. We're just a product of our elders' mistakes. That's how it has been since the beginning of time.
"Now stop," I smile at him, planting a gentle kiss on his bottom lip. "Stop overworking that brilliant mind of yours, my love. I might need to use it one day."
He's not a man that can be easily swayed, especially when he is determined about something. But still, I try to soothe his tensions by pressing my lips against his and scattering gentle kisses along his skin, granting him the relief he deserves. He has done more than redeem himself to me. He doesn't need to feel more pressure than he already is, not when we're so close to risking it all.
At first, he doesn't return any of my generous touches because he doesn't feel like he deserves it, but when he realizes we might not be graced with an opportunity like this for a long time, he wraps his fingers around the nape of my neck and holds my face against his firmly before leaning in to press his mouth against mine. I find myself growing breathless as he traps me between the wall and his hard chest, curling his free hand around my thigh as he lifts it to wrap around his waist while his fingers skim over the gun he gave to me.
A soft whimper sounds from my lips as he slants his lips over mine, sliding his want tongue inside of my parted mouth to assert his claim over me. I grip his coat tightly, shutting my eyes in submission as he does to me what he loves most. If our time was endless and our lives were blissful, I would spend every day like this with him. He could have been the most epic part of my life, the man I allowed myself to belong to, but we aren't graced with luxuries such as love. Money and power is forced to be enough for us.
He pulls away from my mouth just for a second as he slides his hand around from my neck to my throat, wrapping his fingers around me as my chest rises and falls. While I attempt to catch my breath, he tilts his head to check the time on his watch, narrowing his eyes as he tries to calculate something in his head.
"What are you doing?" I whisper, dropping my face against his shoulder as I press my lips to his neck. He tilts his head to the side, still silent as the gears in his busy brain shift.
"We got time for a round before we gotta leave," he finally says as I smirk against his neck, biting his beard to tease him. "You mind taking off that pretty little dress for me, angel?"
The worst part about Apollo and me? Our timing.
There's a swift knock at my door just as my hand reaches for my zipper, both of us sighing inwardly at the interruption. Shutting my eyes, I drop my head against the wall with a frown while he groans and drops his head against my chest. His hand slams against the wall lightly as he shakes his head, both of us knowing this means our time has been stolen.
Again.
"Raine, it's me!" Valencia's voice says from the other side of the door. "What's your shoe size? None of my shoes match."
Apollo growls at her foolish request but I can't help but laugh, running a reassuring hand over his back as he gets comfortable against the crook of my neck. As his lips trail my skin, I say, "I'm an eight, babe."
"Fuck," she curses to herself. "Well, I'll just wear mine. By the way, the car is ready downstairs. When you're ready just go down."
I hear her footsteps walk away after I affirm her, at which point Apollo pulls his face up to look at me. With a tender smile, I wipe the lipstick off his mouth but he doesn't care too much when he goes in for another kiss. He is well aware of the self control I have towards him which is why he has to pull away quickly, dropping my leg back on the ground with a sigh.
"I'll come by to check on you if I can," he assures me, grazing his finger over my bottom lip. "Be safe, Raine. You hear me?"
"Loud and clear," I smile at him.
It takes a lot of strength to pull himself away from me, more than he currently possesses, but he knows exactly what's best for me and he will never be selfish enough to keep that from me. I watch as he walks backwards towards the door, worry in his eyes but certainty in his step. My own heart aches with every step he takes away from me but we have never been the type to hold each other back from anything, no matter how badly we may want to.
And as difficult as this may be for the both of us, when it's game time, we are like lions in the hunt. I can count on his survival instinct to keep him alive, and while I may play victim at times, I know a thing or two about fighting battles myself. We are just as strong separate as we are together. When we are standing in the face of it all, that is the thought that keeps my doubts at bay.
We have a war to win, and we refuse to stop until we claim our victories side by side.
I wait a few minutes until after he's left my room so that I'm able to leave without attracting any suspicion. When I make my way downstairs, I see Vex and Ade speaking with Apollo who is audibly giving them clear instructions on how to watch over us for the night. As far as the enemy knows, we came here without anyone else by our side and we plan to keep it that way. Since Spain is a home base for many of our colleagues, it won't be particularly strange for them to show up to the club. What Ana and Moon won't know is that they're there for our protection, so in case anything goes wrong, we come equipped with backup.
Dario and Ramone are speaking in the office as I pass by as they prepare to engulf on a mission of their own. While I'm not certain that this night will go smoothly, I do find solace in knowing that we have people by our side that we can trust. It makes our job a little easier.
When I step outside to see an arrangement of black, tinted Escalades lined up with matching guards and drivers, I smile to myself. A guard even goes as far as to take my hand and help me down the stairs, to which I just nod politely even though I'm starting to let the minor ounce of power to seep through me. I feel like I'm on top of the world until my eyes land on the first car in the row and I see Zayn speaking with the driver.
Confusion settles over me when the driver opens the door for him and he gets ready to sit inside the car without having any one of us by his side. With furrowed brows, I approach him and the sound of my heels against the ground is enough for him to stop before he even takes a seat.
"Where are you going?" I ask him politely, just enough to give him the benefit of the doubt, even though I should recognize this okay by now. As soon as he is within a hundred mile radius of that horrid woman, he becomes less honest and more manipulative. Every time I come close to forgetting the type of man he is, all she has to do is make an appearance and I am suddenly reminded.
"I wanted to go check the club out before we went in," he attempts, rubbing his beard which is a clear tell sign of his impatience. The sun has sunken over the golden city and when the night rolls around, none of us are the same people. He's wearing a black button down shirt, the topmost buttons left undone to display his inked chest, hidden slightly with a black coat and pants. He has a cigarette tucked behind his ear, his beard scruffy like he likes it, his hair blonde like I like it. I nearly forget about his blatant secrecy but I'm brought back into reality when I catch him looking over my shoulder, almost nervously.
"Let me come with," I propose.
Just like I expected, he squirms. His eyes widen and he shakes his head. "No, no. I want to make sure it's safe, you know? I don't want to risk it."
I rest a hand on his door. "I'll come with, Zayn."
"Raine-"
"Zayn," I interrupt with a cocked brow. "What's going on?"
He takes a deep breath to calm himself down, if only to convince me that he's fine but it's too late, I've seen through his act. He can't fool me, not this time.
"I'm nervous," he begins. "And... I wanted to see her."
I've become a master at concealing my feelings, even the ones that make me feel as if my heart is shattered into a million pieces. Either way, I know enough to understand when my speaking up would be hypocritical. I am juggling both of these men myself.
"That's fair," I lie through my teeth. I remind myself that this is going to be Ana's last night on this fucking planet, so if Zayn wants to speak with her, then he can be my guest. Unfortunately for him, the trust I once bestowed upon him so blindly no longer exists. "But I have to come with you."
"Why?"
"Why?" I tilt my head. "Because I don't trust you around her, that's why."
He sighs, ready to fight me until I cut him off.
"If you decide you love her too much to watch her die then you might give up our entire mission." I shrug carelessly but hope my words aren't true. "I'm not going to let that happen."
"I won't do that," he insists.
"I wish I could believe you." I push open the door to the car and nod towards it. "We should probably get going then."
He sighs but realizes that I've won. I'm not naive enough to believe that he's telling me the whole truth, that he is really just sneaking away to see her minutes before we're supposed to because he missed her that much. Zayn is an intelligent man which leads me to believe that he has more up his sleeve than I can possibly understand. If he is keeping secrets from me now, so late in the fucking game when we have a war to win tomorrow, then we are in deep trouble.
"After you," I smile at him.
With an aggregated huff, he takes a seat in the car and I follow right behind him. He sits beside me with anxious nerves as his foot taps impatiently against the floor, his leg bouncing. The car begins moving and he exhales a deep breath, his eyes fluttering shut as he lets his mind wander to the depths of what awaits us. I know having me with him is the last thing he could possibly want, even if his intentions are just to meet up with that vile snake. But I'd be a fool to let him anywhere near my most prized asset. Knowing that he loves her enough to protect her from everything is a bone-chilling feeling, one that leads me to believe I'm falling into a much deeper hole than I initially believed.
But he should know that I'm not going to leave this country until she is dead, no matter what I have to do for that to happen.
Even if that means going through him first.
___________
WHOOOOOSH, y'all are in for a ride.
I have just made all of your theories on how this book ends a little..... confusing, haven't I? Go ahead, tell me what you think he's acting weird for.
DONT FORGET TO ADD DESOLATION TO UOUR LIBRARIES. Comment your favorite Dalliance moment in the prologue if you're bored. ;)
Also, thank u all so much for reaching the goal so fast last time. I honestly didn't know so many of you were reading. Please interact with me more! I just love my little community of readers, no matter who your ship is. I love it.
Hit the goal and you'll get another update. This book is almost over and I'm on fire.
I love you all soooooo much. (Sorry for being a day late, btw)
Xoxo, N