Dedicated to: Red_Leasia
"Fear is a liar."
~ ssweetly.com
Carlton's POV
The final day ultimately dawned on us, and I gawked at the sunrise from the Price Villa.
Fuck everything.
Out in the massive cobblestone driveway of the Villa stood three sleek, black SUVs and around it stood my whole world and everything I ever gave a damn about.
Damien adjusted the pistol, in Dylan's hands, to perfection, teaching him how to take someone's life. I had never imagined in the wildest of my dreams that I'd live to see a day where my naìve best friend would be doing that. And yet here I was. Perhaps this is just what happens to people that get close to me -- they become monsters.
Breanna was standing beside them, giggling everytime the pistol slipped from Dylan's hands and occasionally rambling a suggestion or two.
It always caught my eye, the way Dylan swayed left to right when he was excited or scared, how Damien's black curls bounced everytime he threw his head back and laughed and how Breanna always tucked her bangs behind her ears only to purposely pull them back out so she could tuck them again.
The corner of my mouth twitched into a small smile looking at them -- my whole world in one spot.
If things go wrong, I wouldn't be seeing some of them tomorrow.
I gulped.
All our lives were going to change from that point onward. Either good or bad, I didn't know yet.
Before I realised it, I grabbed Bree's hand and pulled her into a corner. The skin on her hands felt smooth and soft, I kissed it gently then placed my lips on her fingers, memorizing the texture of her skin.
She touched her forehead with mine, gazing into my eyes. Maybe she wanted to tell me not to be scared and that everything was going to be okay. However, the heftiness of reality suppressed it.
Maybe she was scared too. Her hands were warm, I felt her blood rushing through her, I felt her breathe, I felt her alive and that made me feel alive. And wondering that today, all of this could stop, made me feel all types of crazy.
"I'm not gonna let anything happen to you," I promised.
*****
After an exhausting plane ride, we got into cars that took us to the event's premises. The closer we got, the faster my heart thumped.
The commencement hall's backside gates opened for our three cars, carrying us and our security guards. Damien did the talking with the security as I kicked an unloaded AKM rifle under my seat.
As VVIPs, we were allowed to go through a more secured entryway, avoiding reporters and long lines.
Once inside, my eyes landed on the car in front of us. A suited man climbed out followed by five security guards, caging him and protecting him like an ancient relic, too valuable to lose.
My heart soared. This man was Adel Khan, founder of one of the biggest petroluem industries in the world. I had always wanted to have a few glasses of scotch with him and make him my mentor. But now was not the time!
It was a huge deal being at that event. We wouldn't have got in if it wasn't for my brother. Was my brother such a big deal that he was being treated equal to Adel Khan?
A surge of jealously rushed through my body. I didn't like it.
We were making our way through the isolated parking lot, towards the colossal double doors of the main hall.
Just outside the doors, we saw Caden and his guards. They respectfully nodded at Mr. Khan who was walking ahead of us.
Caden was in a neatly ironed suit, standing tall and arrogant, his attitude clearly warning not to fuck with him. Oh how badly I wanted to be him... the realisation burned wounds into my heart.
Mr. Khan lifted his hands up with pride, speaking in a thick arabian accent. "Caden! It is truly a pleasure to see you, son."
Son?!
"As is for me," Caden replied, bowing his head slightly.
"I will meet you inside, eh?" Patting his shoulder proudly, Mr. Khan entered the halls.
Caden's eyes landed on us, his grin never leaving his face, as if screaming at me -- look how far I've come.
"So we're ready?" He looked at the group.
Turning my head, I scanned everyone's faces. Some were tense like Dylan, while others, like Ace, looked excited as fuck.
Actually no, only Ace was excited as fuck.
However, Raymond wouldn't meet my eyes. His stare washed over the cars in the parking lot. It was too sketchy to say the least and my head was racing with fear. Something was really wrong about the way his eyes were so restless. But so many things were coarsing through my head that focusing on one sketchy thing seemed impossible.
Ace and Dylan joined Raymond; they were supposed to go to the projection room. While Damien joined me. We were going to attend the main event.
Would it be safe to leave Dylan along with Ace and Raymond? Fuck. Stop. You're just being delusional now, Carlton!
I had no idea what the fuck was going to happen now. Our plan was messy, our minds focused on different ways to hate eachother more. The chances of the plan not working out seemed way more than a lot.
Moreover there was a love war going on between Damien and Ace. More drama.
A warm sensation travelled up my palm. Breanna gripped my hands, her gaze fixated on my face. "It's time for me to go now."
Oh right.
I touched my forehead to hers, placing a long and lingering kiss on her auburn bangs. Then I leaned down, grazing my lips gently across the skin on her ear. "Don't leave the car under any circumstances. That's a part of our plan. Do you understand?"
She nodded unwillingly.
Bending enough so my eyes could meet hers, I pleaded. "Please Breanna. The motive of this entire operation is to keep you safe."
"Yeah, yeah, I get it," she smiled.
You don't.
The glint in her eyes screamed mischief as she turned around, trudging out of the building.
"If you're done, can we discuss more important matters?"
My head snapped towards Caden's direction, shooting bloodthirsty glares. He wouldn't even budge.
Damien had already began to walk into the conference; he stopped however, probably noticing uneasy tension in the atmosphere.
"Something really seems to bother me, Caden," I said, taking slow steps towards him, "What're you gonna do? While Augustus Bancroft, son of the most influential businessman, an industrial tycoon, known only by a few as a sly foul-player, finally falls to his knees. What're you gonna do?"
I caught something in Caden's gaze - a slip in character. I was quick to notice it before it disappeared.
He was grinning now. "I'm gonna be heading back. Gonna have a nice glass or two of fine Irish scotch. And watch the drama unfold."
Did he even care about me?
Not convinced. There was more. "Why do you care so much about exposing Augustus? What does he have to do with you?"
"He is a despicable human being." A very quick response, not well thought-out. "I can't say I haven't had a few disputes with him myself."
"He's your business partner's son."
"True. Therefore, my efforts concern only Albrecht Bancroft, not his son."
I pushed him furthur. "No. Why do u really care?"
A few seconds ticked by without an echo of a single word.
Ultimately, Caden looked away. Huffing, a soft, airy chuckly left his throat. "I must admit little brother. You're getting better. I suppose there's no other option but to let you in on this."
Damien too, was listening meticulously now. Just how much shit has Caden Hargrave been hiding from us?
"Augustus is planning to assasinate Alexandra."
A cold chill shot down my spine, a trail of sweat dripping from the side of my face. "H-His own sister?"
"Augustus was adopted by Albretch. The blood-bond that Alexandra and Augustus shared, might've only been one-sided."
"You're telling me that Alexandra..."
"-doesnt know." Caden finished the statement for me.
"She needs to know." Augustus and Alexandra were known to be feared by even oldest and wisest industrialists, their tactical siblinghood was always the gamechanger.
Funny how I never guessed I'd hear this.
Also, Caden still seemed to care about Alexandra. Even though they had a rough breakup. "You haven't gotten over her have you? I promise you, he won't walk out of here without his hands cuffed."
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Before y'all whoop my ass, ya I know I know! I'm freakin horrible author and I'm absolutely not proud of it!
I wrote this very small chapter in order to keep my progress going.
Hopefully, you guys understood what was going on since there was a fuckin huge gap! Any questions about the story, I'll answer all of em. I just don't want everyone to get confused again ^^
Hope you enjoyed! Love, K!