SEVEN'S POV
"What was so important that we had to meet in person?" I ask, taking a seat at a private table in the upstairs floor of the restaurant. My hair wet from my quick shower I managed to take after leaving Lilianna's.
Grimmy eyes me, probably not use to my casual attire of a plain white t-shirt and jeans. While he and Curby both wear standard dress shirts and pants, looking like quite a pair of fine gentlemen to the outside world. I would've dressed for business but they weren't giving me much time and a lot of my clothes are dirty or damaged. I need to buy some more but I just haven't gotten around to it yet, either that or I might actually have to do a load of washing that's not just boxers.
"It's safer this way. Away from prying ears." Grimmy points out.
"We didn't disturb you did we?" Curby asks with a smirk and takes a drink from the coffee cup in front of him. The caffeine is strong, I can smell the bitterness from across the table.
"No." I shoot him a glare.
"No? That's weird. I could've sworn you would be busy gardening." Curby's eyes dance in amusement. I know there's a joke somewhere hidden in his words but I'm baffled and bite his line just to hear it.
"Gardening?" I raise a brow at him confused.
"Yeah. Thought you were seeding those Lillies you got-" He begins with a wicked smirk.
"Oh fuck off." I interrupt, flipping him off as I do so.
"Would you two stop fucking about for a second. We have real shit to discuss." Grim rolls his eyes at us both, just as unamused by Curby's joke as me.
"Before you do, there's actually something I want to ask." I interrupt.
"Go ahead." Grim says and folds his arms.
"Did either of you know it was Victor who killed my father? Not Jacob Costello. It was Victor." I ask and I can tell right away from their reactions that they in fact, did not know this.
"Who told you that?" Curby leans forward as Grim seems to be shocked into silence.
"Lilianna found a diary. Jacob's diary. He wrote about how Victor killed my father and he and Evangelina were about to flee knowing Victor would pin it on them because they were planning to leave the firm for a normal life. He had been writing for months worried that Victor would do something for power." I explain and Grim frowns out to the restaurant floor. His gaze far away as the revelation plays on his mind.
"Fucking hell." Curby mutters under his breath. I'm glad they both believe me and believe Lilianna. But it's probably Victor's own actions that make this so believable. He is power hungry. Killing my mother, possibly one of my sisters, Lilianna's parents and countless other victims have fallen in the way of his strive for control.
The three of us are quiet for a moment and I signal the small Asian women to bring over a glass of water for me. She places it in front of me and when she leaves I ask.
"So what's your news." And take a sip of the water. Grim looks to Curby before he speaks.
"There are whispers, rumours going around." Grim reveals.
"Rumours? What rumours?"
"That that whore from the club is pregnant with the spawn of Satan himself." Curby answers in a hushed voice.
"Who?" I ask even though I think I have a fair idea.
"Destiny?" I answer my own question and they both nod.
What the fuck? If I'm honest I'm more surprised Victor has even kept her around, considering he had me shoot her as a test of my loyalty. The gun wasn't actually loaded but I didn't know that at the time.
"I'm surprised he's even kept her alive." I admit openly and Curby shrugs but agrees.
"Probably for this specific reason. Who else would be desperate enough to procreate with Victor." He points out.
"So why did you make me rush all the way here to tell me that?" I question Grimmy. He made it sound a lot more important over his text.
"It's important because Victor will probably announce this child as his heir. And if he proclaims it what's to stop the others from agreeing to it?" Grimmy says.
"If this kid is announced next in line it's going to complicate any chance of you taking your rightful place." Curby agrees.
"It's just a foetus. How do they even know if it's a boy?" I don't care much for gossip but this news does sound alarming for my case.
"Again, speculation, but apparently she's carrying low which somehow means it's a male." Grimmy scratches at the scar on the side of his face. By the way both him and Curby are acting it seems more serious then they're making it out to be.
"So what do I do then?" I ask them.
"There's a few options you have." Curby answers, glancing at Grimmy.
"You could kill Destiny and the baby before it's born." He says lowly and immediately I start shaking my head.
"No. Fuck no I can't do that." I lean back in refusal.
"I told you he wouldn't go for it." Curby nudges at Grimmy.
"Look you don't even have to kill her. Just, I don't know maybe an accidental fall will do it. Or slip her something in a drink. Easy. It's not even a baby yet, like you said so yourself it's just a foetus." Curby says, attempting to try make me comfortable with the idea.
"If Destiny thinks it's a fucking baby, then it's a fucking baby! Otherwise she would've got rid of the thing herself." The fact we're even speaking of this, that this is even an option makes me sick. I wonder what my father would do? I know Victor would take the easy option of just slaughtering whoever was in his way - like he has so many times before. But I'm not him.
"You could kill the child when it's born." Grimmy gives me a second option even worse to the first.
"Jesus Christ I'm not killing any fucking babies. Got it?!" I hit the table aggressively.
"The whole point of me taking over is so these types of fucking ideas shouldn't even be thought up! I'm not fucking doing it!" I lean forward, my voice harsh and hand smacking down on the table hard so they understand how serious I am. My answer is absolute and they're fucking deranged if they think I could be persuaded.
"Alright, keep it together princess. You're scaring the ladies about." Curby winks at one of the Asian woman workers that was startled by my outburst as she cleans one of the tables close to us.
"Sorry." I apologise to the women who nods sheepishly before retreating the upstairs area.
"Then it leaves you with your only choice. You need to fast track this plan of yours and get rid of Victor before he can announce anything." Grim suggests and as unprepared as I am about this I know this is my only viable option.
"How long do I have?" I ask them both.
"Less then a month." Grim reveals.
"What are you gonna do about Destiny?" Curby asks. I honestly don't know what the fuck I'm going to do with either Victor or Destiny.
"I'll figure it out." I brush off his question. My mind is racing through what to do but then is stuck on a thought. Lilianna. If I'm to make my move against Victor within a month I need to sort out a plan for her safety.
"I need a house." I announce and both Grim and Curby frown back at me in confusion.
"You have a house. Lots of houses. All over the country." Curby points out the obvious and I shake my head.
"Yes but I need a new one. One Victor won't know about. For Lily. Somewhere she can be safe and where no one will find her." I explain.
"Victor will be able to track it down as soon as your name is on any property." Grim argues.
"Put it in her name. As a Kapley not a Costello, Victor would find it too easily if he wanted to. And use cash so it can't be traced back to me." I inform.
"When do you want it?" Grim asks.
"By tomorrow?" I know I'm asking for a lot but money is no object and it helps a lot with urgent situations like this.
"And any requirements for said safe house?" Grim asks somewhat sarcastically. I'm about to say no before I have a thought.
"By the sea. She said she's always wanted a house by the sea." I remember her telling me this when I asked her what her plans were after she graduated. I remember it so vividly, because I had let myself imagine being beside her in that imaginary house by the sea. And how terrified I was catching myself out with such thoughts.
"Aw aren't you romantic." Curby teases.
"Shut the fuck up." I warn him with a glare as Grim stands from his seat.
"Chill out, I only said it was romantic. It's not like we don't know you're going to marry the girl." Curby defends lifting his hands in innocence.
"What?" I can feel the colour draining from my face as I look at Curby, then to Grim who still stands at the table and then back to Curby. How could they possibly know that the thought had crossed my mind. I haven't said a word of it to anyone, simply because of how absurd the idea even is. Lilianna marrying me? Not that I could even ask, she'd turn me down before I would even be able to get the words out with how we are at the moment.
"Who? Who said that?" I demand and Grim shakes his head at Curby as if to say he's talking shit.
"Fucking hell I was just winding you up mate. Relax. You don't have to marry the bird it was just a joke." Curby admits, slightly taken aback by my aggressiveness. It's not that I'm angry, it's that I'm terrified of a notion like marriage and unexplainably humiliated by Lilianna's preconceived rejection.
"Well, I'm going to go find a safe house. You two enjoy kicking the shit out of each other." Grim sighs before taking his leave.
"I don't know why you're even making jokes. That safe house is not only for Lily but Mesha too. You know damn well they'll go after her as soon as they find out your involvement in helping me." I remind him of his own dilemma and the humour is wiped clean off his face, replaced by repentance.
"Thanks man." Curby says quietly, frowning at his coffee.
"Of course. She's Lily's friend." I remind him.
"Tell that to Mesha. She's been crying everyday since Lily found out about her and I."
"Lily knows about you two?" I'm shocked she didn't mention it.
"Yeah she figured it out. And found out Mesha knew you were back. Lily was pissed, like way pissed at her and they haven't talked since." Curby pushes the coffee to the side once he finishes it. I feel guilty that Mesha has got the brunt of Lily's anger when I know that anger was meant for me. But I'm also surprised by Lilianna's behaviour, she seemed to really like Mesha and would speak about her more then any of her other friends from college. Though after meeting string bean and little blondie I can see why she didn't talk much about them to me. She probably knew I'd be jealous of her male friends.
"Are you guys good though?" I ask even though I don't really care to know. I feel obligated for some reason to make sure his relationship is doing better then mine.
"Yeah we're good. I'm meeting her down at Jet Street Tavern in a few. Come, have a drink with me." Curby invites.
"Tells me to get sober then invites me for a drink?" I point out the irony of his invitation.
"Oh come off it. I invited you for a drink not a bloody coke bender." He smiles cheekily at me. I feel like I should say no and call Lilianna to see what she's doing. But I spent all morning with her and feel like I should give her some space for now.
"Fine. Just the one drink. But if you and Mesha get all coupley I'm fucking leaving." I warn and he laughs.
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