*Bruno*
Although days have passed since the last time I saw Jason, Lucia’s ex, holding her in the restroom, I still boiled each time I thought about it. I wanted to rip him apart. The last thing I wanted right now was to see him. I puffed smoke out of my mouth and nose as I pushed the document in front of me away. No matter what I did, I just couldn’t concentrate. My heart has been full of so much hate. I had men watching Lucia’s every move. Not because I don’t trust her. I trusted her with my life; I had men there, so I would know whenever the fool thought of going back to her. And as luck would have it, he hadn’t approached her after that day.
I moved my eyes to the documents, raising one. I pushed the thought behind me. I had a package that was coming and I needed to get it sorted out. Also, I had to sort out whatever rumors I heard that morning. It wasn’t the first time I heard it, but it was the first time I had decided to talk about it and take it seriously.
Some men were trying to take over my position as the underworld leader. I knew many of them hated me and would do anything to get in the position I was in today, but I never thought they would be so bold to ever start spreading it around their plan, and it has gotten to my ears. I would not sit still. I had men investigating it already. All I needed was the root. It seems like I had underestimated them, and maybe they had forgotten the reason I was king. I would teach them again using whoever I could find as Scapegoat.
There was a knock on the door. My eyes moved to the door. I allowed a few seconds to pass before asking whoever it was to come in. I inhaled the smoke for some time before blowing it out again. After a few seconds second, I squashed the bottom, quenching the fire. Rave walked in.
“What have you found?” I had asked Rave to personally find out all he could about Jason. He walked to me and bowed. He was wearing black trousers and surprisingly a white shirt. So unlike him. His hair was also neatly combed to the back.
“I found out little to nothing about him. All should I say there isn’t much to find out about him.” He said in his usual hoarse voice. I moved my eyes to the document which I had kept and then back to him. “Well, I found something which may interest you,” he said and my interest was piqued.
“What did you find?” I asked him.
“Jason’s uncle, who he took over from, was once our client,” he said. I wasn’t surprised. “He had killed him before coming here.” He continues.
Well, it was good the bastard was dead. After finding out what he did to Lucia, my hatred for him soars. I wanted to kill him myself after much torture, of course.
“Has Jason left his hotel?” I asked to see Rave shake his head. “No. He spends all day there. I don’t think he has the nerve to show up in front of Lucia or you,” he said.
After the incident that night, Rave inquired about Jason and I told him about him and that was when I asked him to start finding information about Jason. And Rave hated him too and sometimes I thought he hated him more than I did . He thought Jason would take Lucia away from me, away from us.
Lucia was now like a family to him and I could see he was so much attached to her. I loved their close friendship though I couldn’t stop myself from being jealous of him sometimes. Rave reported about other things. The rumors were growing and we were to prepare for the worst.
I understood him. This wasn’t the first time something like this had happened; once, they had infiltrated my guards, but this was their coldest move. And maybe it was because they thought they now had a weapon against me-a weak point of mine.
Lucia.
I knew Lucia could protect herself, but that has never stopped me from worrying about her. “Where is Lucia?” I asked him, though I knew she should be at home. “She is at home, and even if she leaves, she is safe. Over five guards have been assigned to follow her in the shadows.” Rave said, easing my worry.
I was about to speak when another knock sounded on the door. The door opened to reveal a bulky man who almost didn’t fit into the jacket he wore. I raised my eyes as I saw him enter, “I don’t remember calling for you,” I said to him.
“A man is outside causing a nuisance. He says he won’t leave until he sees you,” he said. I scoffed. If he does know what to do about this then I see no reason why he should keep working for me. I was about to tell him off when he said, “he says he is…” he slowed down looking between Rave and me. “… He claims to be the madame bo…boyfr…end” he said.
My eyes widened, and I got on my feet immediately. So much for Rave saying he won’t show up in front of me or Lucia for some time. I walked out of the office with both Rave and the man behind me. When I got out, Jason was there.
True to the man’s word, he was giving the guards a hard time.
“What do you think you are doing here?” I asked him.
“You finally show up.” He turned to glare at the guards. “I thought you said he wasn’t in?” He said.
I looked at the guards and they all walked away, moving to give us space. All but Rave who stood behind me with hands in his waist where he kept his gun. “The nerve of you to show up here,” I said, my voice cold. Jason. Smiled as if he was standing in front of a friend he hadn’t seen in a long time. He must be out of his senses.
“I wanted to speak to you. Let’s go inside and speak,” he said.
I didn’t move and just kept looking at him thinking of what would happen if I was to pin my dagger in his gut. “Why are you looking at me like that? I know Lucia isn’t in. I’m here to speak with you, not her,” he said and I squinted my eyes further.
“Have you been following her around?” I asked. That was the only reason why I could think that he knew Lucia wasn’t here.
“That’s none of your business,” he said. I held him by the collar before he could say any other word. “You will answer when I ask,” I said.
He grinned.
I released him, seeing how people were looking at us. “If you don’t want to talk here, we can go somewhere else,” he said. Was he stupid? Did I look like I wanted to speak to him? “I have nothing to say to you,” I said, trying to contain my anger.
“Oh yes, you do.” He said, “We have a lot to talk about,” I gritted my teeth. Fine. If he wanted to speak with me, so be it. I started walking to my car, and he understood immediately. Rave walked behind me, but I stopped him. I was no kid, and Jason wasn’t up to my standards. I could take him down in seconds.
“Stay here and look over things while I am away,” I told Rave. “But?” He wanted to protest but one glare from me and his words were stuck in his throat. He turned to look at Jason who was heading to his car. “Fine,” he said. He bowed before turning and walking back into the club.
I saw Jason’s car from the rear mirror as I drove to a bar across the road. He was right behind me as if he feared that I might lose him. I had no plan of doing that. Since he wanted to talk, I’ll listen. I called Rave, asking him to bulk the entire bar. The last thing I wanted was to see anyone while we spoke.
Whatever he wanted to say wouldn’t waste time.
We finally arrived, and I pulled my red car to the side. He did too. Without waiting for him, I started walking into the bar which had been cleared of any single soul. “Wow, you drove everyone out, this must cost a fortune,” he said, his voice playful but mixed with malice.
I walked to a table which had four chairs around it. I pulled one out and sat down waiting for him to do the same but he kept looking around.
Stupid fool.
I made a mental note to punish Lucia for falling for someone like him. “If you are done gawking like a peasant, take a seat. I don’t have all day with you,” I said, and he immediately sat down.
“No drink?” He asked.
“I won’t waste another moment with you here if you don’t shut the fuck up and get to the point,” I said coldly. “Impatient, I thought as much,” he said, trailing the vase of flowers with his index finger. “I think you have a fair idea why I wanted to speak with you, so I’ll go straight to the point,” he said.
Better.
“Let Lucia go; I’ll give you whatever you want. No matter how much money, or gold, or guns or drugs . I have everything. Name your dream car, or contract, I’ll make it work in a moment, just let Lucia go. That’s all you have to do,” he said.
I let out a long, loud laugh. What the hell does he take me for?
“How about your head?” I asked. He should know that I wanted nothing more than for him to die.
“Well, that’s out of the question. Lucia won’t be pleased if I offer you my head,” hearing him speak her name with that stupid mouth of his sent a wave of anger through me.
“I am not having this discussion with you,” I said.
“Oh yes, you are,” he said, his voice devoid of any soft tone. “Lucia is mine. She has always been mine. I can’t let her go, especially not to a bastard like you. Does she know how dangerous you are? Does she know the things you are capable of doing?” He asked.
“I don’t see how that’s any of your business,” I told him.
“Oh yes it is. Lucia is mine. I can’t let you have her. I called you here to have a man-to-man discussion with you thinking you have sense, who knew your brain was as empty as the bottle of wine I drank before I came? I can’t leave without Lucia. So she would be going back with me.” He said.
I slammed my hands on the table. He spoke her name again, “if you can’t leave without her, then die,” I said in a low, menacing voice. Who cares what he does with his life?
“I will give you another choice. Let Lucia come with me or else?”
“Or else what? What can you possibly do? Where were you all when she needed someone? She almost died because of you, and you want her?” I gritted my teeth as I recounted what she had gone through on the night she had run away and was kidnapped.
Why was I having this conversation with him, “Then you leave me with no choice.” Jason said, and before I could blink, he stood up roughly, pushing his chair back, and pointed a gun at me.
I stood up, too. I had also come prepared. I pointed my gun at him, too. We were both glaring daggers at each other. I was about to pull the trigger when both our phones beeped. He lowered his gun, and I lowered mine.
I reached for my phone. It was a message from one of the men who was keeping an eye on Lucia.
Lucia was in danger.
I didn’t think twice after seeing the message before I rushed out.