64 | One Step Guide To Losing The Throne
I had forgotten how I was used to this feeling— to see her struggle against me, desperately trying to gain the upper hand.
"Let go." She sneered despite of the clamp of my hand over her mouth.
Her soft lips smashed against my palm made me want to feel them all over my body. She struggled. She was probably doing it on purpose. She knew what it did to me.
She fucking knew what that angry stare of those hypnotizing brown eyes did to me.
"What would your lover boy do if it was someone else? That's how he'll save you?"
Why the fuck won't she listen to anyone?
She thought this incapable excuse of her secret boyfriend would keep her safe. What a joke.
"I didn't know you were dumb enough to not know a simple fact that we are surrounded by enemies. Who the fuck allowed you to go out and look for whatever the hell that person is."
I was losing my shit. I swear I suddenly felt like handcuffing her to the bed again. What if something happened to her? I could fool myself all that I liked but entire Esztar knew she was my weakness. Everyone was in a cutthroat competition to get her to blackmail me. But she never learns from her mistakes, does she?
Now she was giving me the silent treatment. Amazing.
"When I ask you something, I fucking expect an answer, Vittoria." I slammed my palm over the craggy wall, her brave stance slowly begin to crumble now.
"Rafael." She whispered with her head low, trying to push me away. That only made me push her further into the wall, closing the little distance between us.
I cocked my head to the side with a victorious smirk, watching Harrison stand there and helplessly watch me so close to her.
See that, you asshole. Look how I still afffect her. You could never do that.
"Rafael, please." She cast an anxious look at her Harri with an 'i'.
"Say you're sorry and that you'll quit being reckless." I demanded.
I felt like a fool. What made me think she'd change now?
"Camila is one minute close to being devoid of your dick so move." She struggled again.
Silly girl.
"About her." I pressed myself more into her, feeling the slightest friction of her skin against mine. "I've left my interview halfway for your nonsense so let me tell you you're gonna be in a hell lot of trouble once we go home."
Two seconds later I regretted saying that.
Her fist crashed over my jaw and her elbow jabbed into my ribs and before I could even process any of it, I had my ass on the floor, groaning at the pain.
Why did Oliver have to teach her all that!
I swear I heard Harrison stifle a laugh.
"I didn't ask you to leave it halfway. So please go. Don't keep your priceless Camila waiting for my worthless nonsense." She spat, her tiny frame looming over my fallen self.
"And to satisfy your alarming concerns about my safety," She crouched down, fisting my shirt. "I don't need to be saved. I can do that for myself. Let's go, Harri. We don't have time to waste." She scoffed, got up and began walking away like a freaking queen that she was.
But Harrison didn't move.
"Are you coming or not, Harri." She commanded in a threatening tone, not stopping nonetheless.
He stood there like a dutiful servant, waiting for my orders... As if I was the boss.
"Do we have any choice?" I huffed, feeling defeated as I followed her like a lost puppy.
A rarely seen amusement danced in his eyes as he joined me behind her but at the same time going back to being the vigilant guard.
I wonder what was so difficult to decrypt about this guy. He surely was hiding something and no one had a hint of it. Not even Oliver, Mason or Vittoria herself.
Actors are dangerous. Especially if they are as good as him. It was all acting. I was sure about it. What I was dying to know was his truth. After all he's always around Vittoria. I couldn't risk it.
"I have my eyes on you, Harrison." I threw him a pointed stare, daring him to even think about hurting any of my people.
"Get lost, Rafael. He's just mine." She tried shoving me away.
Yeah whatever. I don't care about her relationship status with him.
I don't.
I really don't.
Trust me. I do. I mean I don't.
The sound of the crowd cheering and screaming slowly became louder as we reached the other end of the tunnel and a huge dimly lit space mostly filled with gangsters and crooks became visible.
So this was where she used to fight.
"Do you miss this place, Harri?" Vittoria tapped his chest, looking up at him with a sweet smile.
She just cringed at me these days.
"I don't think I'll ever miss this place." He shook his head.
"Leia Skywalker!" Some creepy looking stranger walked our way with a toothless smile, his eyes fixated on Vittoria.
"Hey Mikey." They did a high five.
"Where have you been? Your fans were missing you." He said, nodding at Harrison to acknowledge him. "Is he Captain Solo already?" He asked with a mirthful laugh.
"Uh huh, that's right." She grinned and hooked her arm around Harrison's torso.
I need to kill someone. Now!
Did she just make it official?
"Now can we get back to the job at hand?" I scowled, not wanting to see their cute couple bullshit.
Mikey creased his brows and eyed me curiously. "Who's that?"
"Oh I'm sorry, I didn't introduce you." She skipped towards me, curling her hand around my arm.
See? Now that felt right.
Stop it, Rafael!
"Mikey, meet Mr Shawty Littleman. He's my student. I teach him how to fight." She pinched my cheeks. "And this is Mikey,-"
"Shut the fuck up, princess Leia."
Shawty Littleman! How dare she!
"I'm looking for a man named Ronan. Where is he?" I demanded, getting to the point.
Whoever this Mikey was, he was smart enough to know I wasn't her student. My stare got him shuffling backwards in fear. I cast an arrogant smirk at my teacher.
Harrison tried not to laugh.
She heaved him a glare.
Mikey exchanged a horrified look with Vittoria who was now daring him to not help us.
Yes
"I don't have time, Mikey." She threatened, taking a step ahead. Mikey stepped back.
Impressive.
"H-he stopped visiting here a few days ago. About a..a week or so. I'm sorry I really don't know more than that."
"Fuck!" She stomped. Her mood went downhill. She wasn't very good with defeats, you see.
"Boss." Harrison nudged me discreetly. He nodded in the direction of a man who was casting us brief glances. My eyes narrowed at the Asian. He seemed suspicious.
He noticed our attention on him. Taking a stealthy step forward, he began moving out in the direction of a metal door on the opposite side of the entry through the tunnel.
"Vittoria." I pulled her securely next to me as we followed the man outside into an alleyway.
He stopped. Then he turned back. I got the gesture. He guided us out. He wanted to talk to us.
"I'm Junsu. I overheard your conversation with Mikey." He said, slightly bowing down before Vittoria in respect.
Wow! What was that.
"Mikey meant it literally when he said she had fans here." Harrison whispered into my ears.
"I don't know where Ronan is right now but I know a person who might know his whereabouts." He looked around cautiously.
"Why are you helping us?" Vittoria narrowed her gaze at him.
"I'm not helping. I'm offering a deal."
Knew there was a catch in it.
"What's it." She quizzed.
"If you find him, promise me you'll kill him."
"Why do you want him dead?" She interrogated, taking over the control while the two of us stood there like obedient kids.
"That bastard trades girls. People like them have no right to live." Junsu shrugged nonchalantly.
So Harrison's information was right.
"Let's be best friends, Junsu." She let go of her scary stance. Her lips twiched up in an abrupt friendly smile. "Where can we find that person?"
"You're lucky, ma'am. He's in there right now." He stuck his thumb out at the place. "I'll get him here."
"Sure." Her smile remained intact but she drew out her gun, pointing it at Junsu. "After you. I insist."
He raised his arms up instinctively, fear glazing his dark eyes.
"Just a standard protocol, don't worry." She assured and began walking inside with him. "You two stay right here." She snapped her fingers at us without looking back.
How in the world could she be such a badass!
"Yes ma'am." We both said in a singsong voice and them exchanged awkward glances.
Now I was alone with him. Great.
But hey, this is the perfect moment to kill him.
Then I'll hide his body.
Because no body, no crime.
Taylor rocks!
It was official. I was going crazy.
I studied him closely. They say eyes were the windows to ones soul. But those of his were locked. I wonder what was it in him that took Vittoria away from me.
Now that I rewinded all the events, I found that he was the root of all the problem. We had fights before but we solved them one way or the other. But him! Vittoria and I broke because of him.
No.
Vittoria and I broke because of me.
When they broke up, Harrison tried to save her reputation despite of the hurt. And when we broke up, I reduced her to a whore.
Who cared if I meant it or not. It did appear that way— I treated her like a queen when she was mine and the the moment she decided to leave me, I made her worthless.
She didn't deserve me.
"She must hate me." I mumbled absentmindedly.
"She doesn't hate you, boss." Harrison's spoke softly, passing me an encouraging smile.
Oh no! He heard that.
"Is she really that famous here?" I changed the topic.
"Yes." He nodded, they corner of his lips tugging upwards. "She has never lost a fight." He stated proudly.
"Bullshit, captain Solo." She returned back with Junsu grabbing some man by his collar. "You defeated me, remember?"
"I don't count that that as my victory. I won because you let me win." He stated, his British accent and polite tone now starting to get on my nerves. Was that how he attracted her?
She lost a fight for him. That said a lot.
"Shh, honey." She pressed a finger over her lips. "Don't spill all our secrets."
Honey, huh.
"Alright now." She turned to the man. Harrison held him on place, twisting his arms behind his back. "Where's Ronan?"
The guys terrified eyes switched to the four of us but he didn't speak.
The queen got pissed.
"Speak up." Her fist landed a punch in his gut and soon after, her hand grabbed his jaw, those long nails starting to draw blood from his face.
Little but fierce.
"Ronan..he..he's dead." The man quivered.
"What!" She snapped her now worried eyes at me.
"It happened a week ago or so. He was leaving through this very door when four men shot him dead right here."
"Dammit!" She clutched her hair and began pacing around. "You may leave, Junsu. Thank you for your help. I really appreciate it." She commanded but in a polite tone.
He gave her a curt nod and assured us of keeping his mouth shut about this incident before leaving the alleyway.
Her eyes, enraged because of yet another defeat looked at him like a furious tigress. "What do you know about Sebastian Voss?"
A faint but genuine recognition flashed in his eyes at that name but he didn't speak a word.
"Look here, mate." I sighed, starting to lose my patience. "I really don't have the time to chop your fingers one by one until you spill everything."
"Yes, he's left an interview halfway." Whiskey brown eyes stared into mine with a burning rage. "His fiancée is going to be pissed. Now here's a real threat. Answer our questions or else I'll lock you alone with his fiancée. Trust me you'd want to kill yourself."
"Is he your ex?" The man smirked.
"Unfortunately, yes." She did a major eye roll.
"What exactly was the unfortunate part? Me being your boyfriend or me being your ex?"
Harrison switched his eyes between us, the to and fro of his orbs almost making me laugh.
"Of course the former." She scoffed. "I don't know how someone as smart as me can fall for an arrogant jerk like you." She jabbed the gun into my chest.
"Vi- princess Leia!" Harrison let out a horrified gasp. "Put the gun aside."
"Choose your side, Harri"
"Your aforesaid statement didn't make you sound arrogant at all." I poked a finger in her shoulder.
"That is a fact." She retorted, swatting my hand away.
"The fact is that you're a sore loser."
"Mon chéri!" She let out a dark chuckle. "You're marrying someone whose birth certificate is an apology letter from the condom makers. Who's the loser now?"
"And what are you? Sugar and spice and everything nice?"
"No. I'm salt and pepper and everything better."
"In my opinion, we're getting distracted." Harrison tried to intervene. "We should-"
"You think you can go to Paris and mock me about being all alone? What did you expect? For me to sit and cry for you? No Mr Grayson, not happening." She crossed her arms.
"Oh please! Weren't you busy fangirling some struggling actor while I was gone?"
"Don't get him between us." She gritted.
"So you can get Mila between us but I can't get your Harri with an 'i'. Such a hypocrite."
"With all due respect, shut your mouth, you two." Harrison scolded and we went dead silent. "Can we please focus?"
"Yes daddy." She winked.
Wait until I spank the life out of you, señorita.
"Do you know Sebastian Voss?" I asked, getting back to work.
"Are you sure you two are done?" He asked back.
The next moment, his face went flying to the side as Vittoria knocked him with her gun. A stream of blood trickled from his forehead, causing him to wince. "Chill, Skywalker. I'm not that Mila."
"You aren't? She looks a lot like you."
"Not again." Harrison warned.
"Ronan used to deal with Sebastian Voss." The man began explaining in a serious tone. "I don't know who he was but I knew there were about three men with Ronan who worked for him and they're all dead now. That's all I know."
It took me a few seconds to sink that in.
"All of it for nothing!" Vittoria huffed, leaning against there wall. "We were so close."
I gestured Harrison to let go if his grip on him. He was saying the truth. There was nothing more we could extract out of him.
A stretching silence filled up the space. All we did was look at each other, as if trying to figure out what goes wrong everytime. Why can't we win again the Visitant?
All of a sudden three gunshots boomed. The man fell down with a thud. My heart trembled. I lunged over Vittoria to protect her from the firing. She mumbled a quick thank you but the next minute I found her heaving me off her, her eyes going wide in horror.
"Harri!"
In one swift motion, she jumped over him, causing both of them to topple down. The dagger stuck into the wooden doorframe. I pitched my eyes in the darkness of the alleyway and detected a slight movement of the attacker running away from there.
"What the hell, Vittoria!" Harrison's face reddened with anger. I didn't get that reaction until I registered the cut on her arm.
"It's just a small cut, Harri. It's okay."
"I don't think so." He gritted, staring at her with brooding eyes. "That could have been you holding the dagger in your chest. Don't you dare even think about arguing with me over this."
I simply watched the scene, all my doubts about him slowly starting to fade away. He genuinely cares about her. This wasn't his anger. It was his fear. It scared me. He reminded me of someone.
That someone was me.
The thought of someone loving her more than me wrenched my soul.
"Calm down, Harrison. It's really nothing." She rubbed his arm.
"I'm quite sure I'm not being paid to get protected by you." He said grumpily.
"You have a photoshoot, Harri boy. I just didn't want anything to happen to you."
"No, don't Harri boy me, Vittoria. I'm being dead serious here. Don't you ever risk your life like that."
"I'm assuming this is our first fight?" She grinned cheekily, pulling that innocent face.
... And he fell for it.
She's very wicked, I tell you.
Then they started some sickeningly sweet couples shit and I turned my eyes away which fell over the dagger.
Holy shit.
It had a black paper curled around it. There was a message.
"Woah!" Vittoria gasped. "What does it read?"
Careful with the people around you, Vittoria. I won't save you everytime.
- Your well wisher,
The Covert Visitant.
She blankly stared at it for a few seconds, not even blinking her eyes. My reaction was no different.
"Rafael." She whispered, still a little shaken up. Her hand once again curled around my arm as she pulled me a little away from Harrison so that he doesn't hear what she had to say.
"Who the fuck is this Covert Visitant now?" Wasn't one Visitant enough. Can this get any worse.
"This was the same person, Rafael."
"What do you mean."
"The man who saved us in France. He was the same man who bumped into me today morning in the coffee shop."
I swear my head was going to explode. But first, we need to get home. It wasn't safe being out here in the open.
"Let's just go home as of now." I tugged her with me and for once, she listened.
Or so I thought.
She turned to the door, going back inside. "We've come here after so long. Let's have some fun, boys." She smirked.
"Are you crazy?" We both yelled at the same time.
"She is." We answered our own question.
"Come on, we need to get some frustration out." She pulled us both towards the ring.
"I have better ways to expel my frustration." I stopped.
She stopped. Then she dramatically twirled back on her heels, those eyes carrying a well known madness.
Oh no, this went wrong.
I meant taking it out on you, not Camila.
Why do I even try and act cool when I know it never goes right.
"Fight me, Mr Grayson."
Vittoria: *having the time of her life beating Rafael* The more you comment, the more punches Camila's fiancé will get.
Rafael: *has a panic attack*