If It Doesn't Challenge You, It Won't Change You
"I have to say, you're much better looking than your brother." Commented Ezra as he slowly took a step towards Isabella.
He was distracting her, trying to get her to lower her guard by making her listen to his words and not watching his movements.
"And I have to say your older brother is better looking than you." Isabella's tone was blank as she spoke and she watched Ezra's feet as he took another step towards her.
She was too smart for Ezra's normal tricks and Ezra paused seeming to notice the same thing I had.
"Older?" Questioned Ezra as he looked behind him at River before turning back to Isabella with a raised eyebrow. "Don't know where you got the information from, but I'm older than River."
"I wasn't talking about that brother."
There was only one brother older than Ezra and that was Elijah. He was with my dad and Reagan in Italy. It wasn't just me that her words had gotten to, the two brothers had paused as well but Ezra was quicker at recovering than me and River.
"Then I feel sorry for you." Waved of Ezra, with this lips turned up at the corners. "He's far less interesting than me."
Isabella tilted her head like she was studying something that she couldn't quiet work out.
"I'm not so sure about that."
Before I could even ask what she meant by that shouts could be heard from down at the dock.
Looking over the edge I could see that they had someone on their knees tied in front of Enzo. My eyebrows knitted together as I tried to get a better view of what was going on. Soon I was able to put a face to the man.
It was Jai, he is one of my dad's most trusted men. He was one of the guards at our home as we grew up. Jai has literally watched each one of us grow up and I couldn't help but feel my heart race a bit more at the sight of him in front of Enzo on his knees.
Jai was around the same age as my own parents and he had kids around our age. My dad had put them through the best schools saying that Jai has protected us with his life, so the least he could do was give Jai's family the best chance in life too.
"River." My voice was barely a whisper but River must have heard me as he took his eyes of Isabella for a second as he turned to look at what I seen.
"Shit." He quickly looked between Isabella and the sight down below again his mind trying to think of something.
My mind had already thought of something though, long before his mind had started turning.
We need Isabella and we needed to get her now.
My attention turned to Isabella with narrowed eyes. I might not know Enzo all that well but there was one thing with family you could always almost count on.
Siblings would almost do anything to protect each other.
Some children didn't care about their parents, with certain upbringings children didn't share any love for their parents. With siblings you could almost guarantee they would do anything to protect each other.
The same way I would do anything to protect mine.
And this bitch is in the way.
At the thought of my sister down there was with these guys made my blood boil once more but it was different this time. This time my mind worked with my body knowing that if I wanted to come out on top, I was going to have to be smarter than everyone around me.
Everything mom had ever taught me came rushing back to me. Through the years she has taught me more than some people could ever imagine. Back then I would roll my eyes and agree with her just so I could move on to the next thing.
Now it was different, she had taught me all those things for a reason and it was about time I started listening. River was right, I am smart just like my parents and it was about time I stopped avoiding it just because of my fears.
Running my hand through my hair I noticed that Isabella's eyes were solely on River and Ezra. She didn't see me as a threat. I was too beaten and blooded to be a threat but she underestimated me. If there was anyone that knew how to fight through pain it was me.
Taking a deep breath, I let my body know that there was work to do.
Ezra had taken another step towards Isabella but she had stood her ground, almost like she was daring him to get closer. Taking out my gun my mind ran with the possibilities of what could happen next.
Everyone would hear the shot but that was what I wanted. I had faith in my calculation that they wouldn't run. Enzo would have them investigate, he would know his sister is out here and that was what I was placing my bet on.
Isabella didn't look at my movements once and that was a mistake on her part.
You should never turn your back on a Kennedy.
You should never turn your back on the daughter of Lyra Anderson.
Taking one step forward, testing the water Isabella still didn't look at me. I was almost offended at the lack of attention she was paying me but it was working in my favor. My lungs and leg screamed out in pain as I moved but I ignored it.
There would be time to rest, after I got my sister back.
Then the unexpected happened and the whole world stopped spinning.
"River." My breath caught in my throat as I grabbed the sleeve of River's hoody in a vice like grip, I could feel the tension coming from him in waves. It was overwhelming but it would never be enough to turn away from the sight in front of me.
Ezra who had been standing a few steps in front of us came to stand by our side once more, completely forgetting about Isabella all together. Keeping one eye on her, I could see that she had tensed at the sight that was coming down the mountain side that hid the port from view of the City.
Before me or the other's could move Isabella jumped down the side of the shipping container and running straight for her brother. We didn't make a move to follow her almost not daring to get involved in what was about to happen next.
"I didn't know your dad was due back, Layla." Commented Ezra who seemed to be the only one who could think straight enough to speak.
That didn't surprise me though, he loved when the world threw a curved ball our way.
"Me either." My voice was barely a whisper as I watched my dad's Bugatti La Voiture Noire creep closer and closer. The roar of engine could be heard like something that you couldn't explain. Even from this distance you can feel the power within and there was no mistaking that it was a powerful car, for a powerful man.
No one could ever mistake the car and who owned it.
It was the one car my mom had refused to ever touch or mess with.
She had always said that it was a masterpiece and you should never mess with perfection.
Shouting could be heard from down below and my eyes snapped back down to Enzo and Isabella. Isabella was looking up at us directly with a curious look on her face as her brother barked out orders, clearly trying to get things moving before my dad got there.
It was too late.
It was too late for all of them.
There was a panic on Enzo's face that I had never seen on anyone before. In fact this was the first time I was going to see my dad in action. Of course I have seen him give orders to his men but something told me what he shown in front of me when I was younger was going to be nothing compared to what was about to go down now.
After all this group had kidnapped his youngest daughter.
They had just pissed off the King of Kings.
A roar of an engine made us all aware that my dad had just pulled up at the Port. The Bugatti came to a stop only a mere few meters away from Enzo. The engine echoing off the containers around us. It took everything in me not to reach up and cover my ears as dad reeved the engine of the car to a dangerous level.
Dad, was more than pissed.
This was his warning that they had crossed a line and they had better prepare for what was to come.
He was livid.
Ezra let out a deep chuckle as he threw a arm over the shoulder of his brother, seeming to get comfortable to watch what was about to go down.
"I think, Riker's pissed." Was his comment and River scoffed as he threw his brother's arm off him.
"You think?"
At the sight of my dad everything seemed to come back to me. My chest tightened up and the pain in my body all came rushing back. The adrenaline was leaving me knowing that dad had this handled.
The door to the Bugatti opened and you could've sworn everyone stopped breathing. Even Enzo's men had taken a step back and that simple action told me that they had never planned to see him here. In fact judging by their reactions they didn't even know he was in the country never mind the City.
As my dad stepped out of the car I couldn't help but feel the relief of seeing him home again. His tattoos were shown proudly on his skin and were clear to see from his rolled up shirt sleeves that stopped short of his elbows and the two open buttons of his shirt. His expensive black shirt making the tattoos stand out even more. My dad's sharp grey eyes seemed to scan over the crowd before him with a promise of chaos that I had never seen before.
No that's a lie, I've seen that look before.
On my mom, and it never promises good things for the other side.
Dad slammed the car door shut and the sound seemed louder than what it actually was in everyone's mind. With one hand on top of the car he drummed his finger on top of it in a steady rhythm. The wedding ring on his left hand seemed to shine under the lights of the Port.
A symbol that these men weren't just dealing with him.
They were dealing with my mom as well.
"Took you long enough." Everyone eyes snapped down to Jai who was still on his knees a few paces away. There was a toothy grin that looked crazed with the blood covering his face.
My dad didn't have to speak a word as he looked at Jai and then at the man who was holding him. The man seemed to visibly flinch before working quickly on the ropes that bound Jai's hands together.
Dad hadn't even said a word and yet he had given them an order loud and clear.
An order to men that weren't even his.
That's not power you could buy, that's power that you earned.
Slowly Jai stood up, rubbing his wrists as he made a big show about being free. Keeping that sinister grin on his face, he patted the man who had been holding him only mere seconds ago on the cheek as he walked past.
Not once did Jai look over his shoulder as he made his way to my dad.
Enzo's men wouldn't dare do anything with my dad here.
Not when their own boss was on the other side of the ocean. Enzo might be in charge but he wasn't the boss and it was times like this when you realised how much of a child he was still was.
How much we were all still children trying to act like adults in a world we were yet to work out.
"I believe you have someone important to me."
My dads voice was deep and low. It was commanding and powerful all at the same time. There was never any need for him to raise his voice, with a voice as powerful as his there was no need too.
Growing up I always rolled my eyes as other kids mums all but drooling over my dad. They would always stand at the gate at school on Fridays waiting for their kids with their perfect makeup and finest clothes.
Friday was the day that dad always picked me and Levi up from school. Fridays were always our day until we went to High School and our family had grown even more powerful. After that dad had always tried to spend as much time with us as possible when he was home but it wasn't anything like when we were kids.
I didn't mind I knew he loved us and that he would always be there for us when we really needed him.
For example like right now.
He knew that we needed us and I was sure that mom was the one to have told him.
"I don't know what you're-"
"Don't lie to me." Dad stopped tapping on the roof of the car and stood up straight, his eyes narrowing dangerously as Enzo. "I don't like it when people lie to me."
Enzo seemed like he didn't know what to do as he looked between his men but there was something off about the action. His eyes lingered a second longer on one of the men behind him. Then I noticed the quick exchange between him and his sister.
My mind was running as I took in his body language and how he was standing.
He was waiting for something, for something that was never going to happen and he knew it.
He wasn't the one in charge here at all.
There's someone working from the shadows.
And I wasn't the only one to notice it.
My dad's cold grey eyes landed on the same man that my own had landed on only mere seconds ago. Dad wasn't stupid, he knew a fake when he seen one.
"I know you're there Matteo." There was something dark and dangerous about the tone in my dad's voice as he spoke. It was almost like he was daring them to go against him. "Stop hiding behind the kid and come out."
"What are-"
"Shut it boy." Snapped the man who had caught my eye earlier as he took a step out from the crowed to stand beside Enzo. "I don't know what your dad told you but you're not dealing with Riker Kennedy's brats now."
My dad had that devils grin that no one else could match. "No, you're dealing with the real thing."
Two more cars had pulled up beside my dad's and I had been watching the scene in front of me with such intensity that I hadn't even heard them approach.
"There's our dad now." Remarked River as he started to causally make his way to the edge of the container. "We better get down there."
Both Zane and Damon had pulled up both of them looking ready for a war.
Damon ran his hand through his hair as he took in the sight of my dad. Clearly he wasn't expecting to see him either.
"Does Lyra know that your here?"
At the sound of my mom's name coming from Damon's lips I knew that was a good question.
Dad let out a scoff under his breath as he closed his eyes for a second before looking over his shoulder at Damon.
"There's your first stupid question of the night."
Damon rolled his eyes but didn't hide his amusement. "God, I hate it when your home."
"And I left you with one job but apparently you can't even manage that."
To anyone else there would've been venom in my dads voice but to Damon there was nothing but a light scolding. A scolding that Damon waved off with a wave of his hand.
"Have you met your children? It's hard enough keeping track of Emilia and Levi never mind the other two."
"True." Trailed off my dad as he seemed to completely ignore the situation in front of him.
Turning his head he looked directly at me, he knew that I had been here this whole time. On top of that he knew where I was.
Those grey eyes of his that had been so full of war had softened as they clashed with my own. I might look like my mom but I had my dads eyes.
There was never a doubt on who my parents are.
"Come on down, Princess." Dad spoke loud and clear. Dad never called me by my real name, it was always Princess. Once when I was eight I had asked him why he called me that but he just said some day I'd understand. Mom had let out a light laugh at my dads answer and muttered something under her breath that had made my dad laugh.
Zane and Damon's eyes had trailed to where dad was looking and they just grinned and shook their heads.
Clearly Zoe had told them on their way here what I had been up too. Ezra had said earlier that they had rung there dad.
Quickly I followed River and Ezra's step down the container. River waited at the bottom, grabbing my waist to lighten the jump. My body still hissed in protest but other than that I didn't make a sound.
River's hands must have lingered for too long on my waist in view of my dad.
"You better remove you're hands boy."
Never before had River moved so quick in his life. His hands moved away from me almost like my body would burn him to the touch.
Looking over at dad I could see that he had that infamous smirk on his face. He was only messing around but a threat from Riker Kennedy was a threat no matter if he was serious or not.
"Do you mind not threatening my son." Zane remarked with a roll of his eyes. "As much as I'd love to kill him myself sometimes, his mother would kill us all."
As I came to stand beside my dad, gun still in hand he looked me up and down asking a silent question that only I understood.
He was asking me if I was ok and I gave him a slight nod in reassurance. With that one action he turned his attention back to the men in front of him.
"I'm only going to tell you once so listen carefully."
My dads voice had once again become dark. If the gates of hell were real then there was no doubt that my dad was the devil standing there waiting for them. Daring them to come to close. With the temptation of power within their grasp my father was daring them to take that one step that there would be no turning away from.
He was giving them one shot to turn around.
"Hand over my daughter and I might let you go."
Enzo and Isabella looked at each other, almost like they were having a private conversation. What they had decided though was quickly forgotten about with the sound of Matteo's voice.
"You don't scare me." The words might have left his mouth but his tone of voice gave away the lie. "There's six of you and about twenty of us, so I think we'll be taking our leave."
Zane let out a low whistle, while Damon let out a chuckle under his breath. Looking over at my shoulder at my dad I seen that he had his eyebrow raised with a grin on his face. Running his hand down his face, the tattoos on the back of his hand dancing with the movement.
"You forget where you are." Dad responded with open arms, welcoming their challenge. "You're in our City now, and me and my family control everything."
Just as the words left my dads mouth multiple sounds hit my ears at once. The sounds of engines could be heard coming from all direction and my head spun around so quickly as I tried to take it all in at once.
Behind us I could hear the roar of car engines approaching, their headlights almost blinding in the now dark sky. That's wasn't all I could hear the speed boats zipping across the water and roaring blast of a helicopter just above our heads.
Dad hasn't just came back, he had brought his army with him.
"Dad!!"
My head snapped around to the sound of my sisters voice. Her face was tear stained, her eyes blood shot from the tears and panic that much have been going through her mind. Never before had I felt such relief of seeing my sister and seeing that she was completely fine with my own eyes.
Emilia threw herself at our dad, burying her head into his shoulder. Dads tattooed hand rested on the back of her head as he pressed her closed and kissed the top of her head. For a mere second I seen the relief on his face as he looked down at her but it was clearly replaced with a look that I knew no one should have pointed towards them.
Behind her I seen I few of dads men nod at my dad telling him that what ever he had asked them to do was completed.
"Angle, go sit in the car for a moment will you."
Dads voice was soft as he spoke to Emilia but his looked directed at the men that stood in front of us was anything but that.
Emilia took a step back and dads hands rested on her shoulders as she turned her head to look back at the men for a moment. Something about knowing her family was now here must have changed something in my sister but she sent a dirty look their way.
"Ok." Emilia didn't protest as she stepped away from the situation knowing fully well what was about to happen.
This wasn't the world that Emilia wanted to be a part of and she was more than welcome to leave it behind.
Emilia quickly took a few steps towards me to give me a hug and the second she was wrapped in my arms I knew she was safe.
"Don't do that to me again." I whispered to her as I took her all in her messy hair getting in my face but I didn't care.
As long as my sister was ok I would put up with any annoying detail.
"Make sure to give them hell." There was something in my sister voice that I had never heard before. She was normally so peaceful but everyone had their limits and this had clearly pushed her over hers.
Before anything else was said she made her way to dads car and got in without a glance over her shoulder.
My eyes landed on Matteo. He was the reason this had happened in the first place. As my mind raced with thoughts.
Dangerous thoughts.
He looked smug but it was all an act, his body language said one thing but his eyes said another.
He didn't know how he was getting out of this and the fact was that he wasn't.
I'd be making sure of that.
"I-"
"No." My dads voice cut off Matteo before he even had a chance to speak. "I know you think your untouchable because Lyra has made a deal with you."
That one sentence had the power to silence the whole world.
"What?" Came from my mouth to no one in particular.
"You think because Lyra let you walk away once and that you're a use to her makes you untouchable but let me tell you something, it doesn't." Dad pulled out his gun as the first warning. "My wife, has already told me that you're no use to her. She's already gotten everything she wants."
"You were fucking telling them shit." Enzo looked betrayed at the revelation.
"And even if she hadn't." Continued on my dad like he had never even heard Enzo, venom was lacing his voice. "No one threatens her children, no one threatens our children. Never mind someone who tries to kidnap them."
"Don't listen to them." Matteo all but panicked as he turned to Enzo but the damage was already done. Enzo took a step away from him a look of discuss on his face.
"How do we know you're not lying." Isabella spoke, for a moment I had forgotten that she was even there.
"My dad doesn't lie." This time I was the one to speak up before my dad could.
Isabella went to pull out her gun but I was quicker.
Without think I fired my own and Matteo dropped to his knees before falling face first. Enzo flinched and took a step back along side his sister.
Dad looked at me from the corner of his eye and I could see a hint of a smile crossing his lips. He blinked slowly before turning to fade the others once more.
During the whole discussion my dads men had surrounded the port and it was clear to see that they were now outnumbered.
"Those two," Dad was pointing at Enzo and Isabella. "Are coming with us. Kill the rest, I've had enough."
And with that dad turned around leaving the others to finish it off.
There was a reason this man was King, and that power that he held was something that I wanted.