"Aren't you a sight for sore eyes?"
Selene stopped before Brent with her arms crossed at him. She cocked her head sideways and looked at him squarely.
"And aren't you a pain in the ass?" Selene retorted.
He smirked, "You are early today." He commented.
Selene looked away bored and sighed in exhaustion.
Brent snapped his fingers, "Haden called you here didn't he? I wonder why.." He trailed off, pretending to think about it.
Selene pulled her lips into a thin line and smiled sarcastically through them. "Why indeed!"
When Haden called her this morning to meet him up urgently, she knew it was something to do with her dead clients. With Brent being cocky and all happy about it, only confirmed her suspicion that he was the one to slip this information to Haden.
Selene walked past him, towards the stairs for Haden's room.
"See you later, if you are alive." He remarked behind her.
She gritted her teeth and continued walking towards the Devil's room.
She knocked on the door twice before entering in. Haden was speaking on the phone with his back towards her.
She glanced around his room as she waited silently. His bed was unmade and dirty with clothes scattered all around and over it. She was sure there were women's undies among them.
His room was very familiar to her. It had to be, this used to be her escapade for many years.
"You're late." Haden's voice brought her back to the present.
"Yeah I know, I woke up late." She answered as he continued to walk towards her.
"Something to do with your late night rendezvous?" He half stated and half questioned.
Selene stopped the urge to gulp in fear as he closed the gap between them and cornered her to a wall.
"Have you heard back from your clients?" He asked, towering over her.
"No, the deals were closed, I didn't-"
Selene's words caught in her throat. Literally.
Haden gripped her lean neck into his big rough hands in a death hold.
"Don't fucking lie to me." He warned, squeezing it further.
"Hade-Haden!" Selene croaked out, feeling her chest constrict.
She hit his hands, trying to make him release his grip on her neck. Her lungs started to burn and black dots started to appear as if she's looking through a noise filter in her phone.
Haden looked at her reddened eyes and congested face. He released a sharp exhale through his nose before loosening her grip in her.
Selene gasped soundly through her dry throat and wheezed in and out through her mouth.
She held her neck where it hurt and sent a shocked yet angry glare towards Haden.
"I killed Jace!" She announced through her croaky voice, "He was fucking high and was gonna kill me for the drugs without even paying!" She huffed and continued, "He got out of control so I had to off him."
Haden crossed his arms over his chest, staring down at her, his eyes swiftly contemplating what he heard.
"And Will?"
"Will was healthy and alive the last time I left him. We closed our deal and went separate ways. I don't know what happened to him."
She coughed out her lie with the best poker face she could put on. A long pregnant silence followed after that as if Haden was waiting for her to elaborate. But she didn't he would expect her to explain if she was lying, so she didn't and continued to stare back at him as if she was done.
After a few silent minutes Haden nodded giving up and took a few steps back. Selene stood glued to the wall with her hand still wrapped around her marked red neck.
He walked to the table and came back holding a jug of water and a glass. He poured her a glass of water and placed beside her on the nightstand.
Selene glared at him icily. He was mistaken if she would succumb to this momentary weakness after he nearly choked her to death.
She walked past him and took a seat in the chair near the teapoy. Haden joined her and took a seat opposite to her.
"There's another reason I called you here," He said.
"Can't get worse than choking." She remarked and poured a glass of water for herself.
"It's actually good news."
"Oh?" She sipped the water and looked at him through the rim, waiting for him to continue.
He leaned front before speaking, "I got a call from Ormanno today, he is asking me to collaborate with him. To merge our businesses."
Selene's face lit up, she set aside the glass and smiled slightly, "That's great. Italy is our biggest marketeer and Ormanno's family has been our ally since years. What are you waiting for?"
He shrugged and intertwined her hands. "We need to branch out in Italy and look after the fetus company."
Selene nodded in understanding. It only makes sense that Haden would want to go there. They have been wanting to expand their business for years, and Haden should personally look after it. Anyway things are already organised in Downtown, his associates can look after here in his absence.
He placed a hand on her shoulder, bringing her out of her musings.
"I want you to be in charge there."
"Me?" She asked in surprise.
"Who better?"
Selene wants nothing more than to leave this shit hole of a town and live a little but she can't. Even if she wants to, she can't. She has her reasons. So she came up with a new plan.
"I'm honoured. Really. But I can't." She shook her head in disappointment.
She noticed his confused look.
"I was the last one to see Jace and Will alive, police will suspect me and it's only a matter of time before they come searching down for me. I can't let them sniff till Italy. It's too risky and too precious. I've made a mistake so let me clean it up."
Haden released a sigh and nodded understanding her situation.
"Brent should go." She proposed.
"Him?" Haden scoffed.
Selene stretched her stiff neck and took a deep breath.
"Why not? His loyalties lie to you. He has known Ormanno for years and he has friends there." She reasoned, "I admit Brent might come out a bit immature when it comes to women and vodka but his concerns lie with the business."
Haden contemplated for a few seconds before nodding. He gave her a grateful smile and she smiled back but deep down her heart was jumping with this small triumph to kick Brent out of the picture for a while.
***
Brent was waiting downstairs excited to see what Haden is going to do with Selene after he informed him about her missing and dead clients.
His all hopes to see Haden choking her to death vanished when they walked down the stairs hand in hand like some love birds.
Brent released a bull exhale through his nose and walked towards them with an unamused, bored frown etched on his face.
"Brother, I have news-" Haden's words were cut off when his phone rang.
He excused himself and disappeared into one of the hallways.
"What voodoo magic did you do on my brother?" Brent leaned on her side, gritting his teeth in anger.
Selene smirked and turned to face him straight.
"He turns blind and deaf to everything you do and say. What did you do?" He asked her again. Irritation was etched in his face and Selene was enjoying every bit of it.
"It's called love and trust, something Haden and I have and you don't." Her smirk only widened when she spoke out those words.
Brent scoffed, "My stupid brother might be fooled by your tricks but I'm not buying them." He leaned closer to her, "Whatever it is, I will find out and I will ruin ya. I promise you that." He had a warning and determined tone in his voice.
Selene continued to smile but deep inside she wondered what she had done to deserve this loathe and rage from him.
With a smile still plastered on her face, her lips tugged into a smirk, "And how are you gonna do that Brent?"
His challenging look was replaced by a confused frown. The triumph look of her face seemed off to him. Before he could ask what she meant, she took a few steps back and Haden soon walked with a rare smile on his face as well.
Haden stood between Selene and him, facing Brent. He held his shoulders and looked proudly at him.
"Your going Italy, brother. This is gonna be amazing." He announced.
Selene leaned her weight to her one side and smirked at him.
Brent's confused look became clear when he understood what was happening.
He gritted her teeth as she blew a kiss from Haden's behind, with a triumphant annoying smirk playing on her lips.
Selene felt like she could breathe now. Now she doesn't have to worry about Haden finding out about her clients or Keir. There's still Keir that she needs to deal with but one step at a time, Selene told herself.
*****
Brent is out of the picture! For now or forever? Who knows?
Oh and why didn't Selene leave? What are her reasons?
One step at a time. One problem at a time.
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~Aurora.