Tatiana forgot how to use her mouth. She remained frozen, pale, and confused. She gauged his reaction intently.
“If you’re worried about the media, then we’ll just sign the papers. And whenever you’re ready to let the whole world know, I’ll give you the most beautiful wedding you can imagine,” he whispered.
Tatiana swallowed. “How long have you been thinking about it?”
“Every single day. I want you.”
Tatiana’s lips curled up. “I’m pretty offended.”
Cassius blinked once. Right, fuck! No rings, no kneeling, no surprise. He proposed to her while sitting on his lap.
“Fuck, I’m sorry. I should have done the formalities. I still can. I’ll get the rings and-”
Tatiana shut him up with a kiss and looked at him.
“I don’t care about the formalities,” she whispered and trailed her hand to his shirt, her fingers working on his buttons. “I expect Mr. King to shove the ring on my finger without me saying yes. I’m yours, why bother asking?”
Cassius grinned. He held her hair and claimed her lips. His lips felt soft moving against hers. Tatiana felt her heart beat fast and hard.
Tatiana removed his shirt and placed her hands on his firm chest. It felt amazing to her touch. She moaned into his mouth when he thrust his tongue in, entangling it with hers.
“I love you,” he whispered. “Don’t forget that.”
—
“You’re… getting… married… in three days???” Jolene sat in shock as Tatiana and Cassius stared at her. She was waiting for Tatiana to laugh and tell her she was joking, but none of that happened.
Her face remained serious.
“Please don’t scream, Jo…” Tatiana hadn’t finished her sentence when Jolene’s scream rent the whole living room. Tatiana sighed. Such a drama queen.
“You’re getting married!” She exclaimed again. “Since when have you been planning this, huh? Big boss proposed to you?”
“It’s been a while. The preparations have been made,” Tatiana responded.
“I’m about to cry.” Jolene’s eyes teared up. “I’m so happy for you. I really am. Finally, you’re getting the name Wallington out! Our Mrs. King.”
Tatiana chuckled. “It’s a secret though. And I’m glad he understands.”
“Me too,” Jolene smiled.
—
Nathan froze, and his muscles tensed when Tristan walked over to sit with him during lunch hour. He swallowed when their eyes met.
Tristan had been in prison for over a week now. Nathan couldn’t fathom why the man was here in the first place and what he was planning.
Tristan flashed him a creepy smile, and Nathan averted his gaze.
“It’s been a week. Prison feels like shit, and to think you’re going to spend the rest of your life here really sucks. I pity you, Nathan,” he said, and Nathan remained quiet, his gaze fixed on his food.
“Hey,” Tristan leaned forward and whispered. “How about I get you out?”
Nathan looked up at him and scoffed inwardly.
“You’re in our ring, Nathan. We realized we need you,” Tristan mentioned.
‘After you let Mr. King brutally disfigure me? What a nice way to mock me,’ Nathan thought. He clenched his jaw.
“You still ain’t going to say a word?” Tristan sighed and nodded. “I’m serious about taking you out of here. It’s an order from my elder brother. He wants to get you out; that’s why I’m here.”
Nathan’s eyes twitched. Should he trust him? This was a dire situation.
“Meet me here tonight.” Tristan slid a small piece of paper to him, and Nathan frowned slightly. “I fucked one of the military bitches here. Just go get the pen and paper. Trust me, she was screaming so loud. Military women are so loud. You still got your cock to try ’em out.”
Nathan opened the paper and saw the place he wanted him to meet.
“This evening. You want your freedom? Then this is your last chance.”
Nathan’s mind reeled from what Tristan had told him. Escape? Was Mr. Wallington capable of that? Could Tristan be trusted? He had seen Tristan mingling with some prisoners during the yard call. Tristan was unpredictable.
But still… these barricades frustrated him every single day. He should be in his comfortable bed, fucking a bitch, and enjoying his wine. He wanted his life back. He badly wanted it.
He wouldn’t deny he missed his son. He heard his son now stayed with his father. A good thing, though.
He’d give it a try. He needed freedom.
Nathan spun the wheels of his wheelchair, heading toward the corner where Tristan had asked him to meet. Spinning the wheels was hard at first, but he had gotten used to it. As he moved closer to his destination, his heart raced.
Finally, he reached the empty, quiet room. He then spotted Tristan and some guys discussing.
Tristan looked at him and smiled. “Bro! You’re here, we’ve been waiting for you.”
The air felt strange.
‘Bad idea! This is a bad idea!’ Nathan’s mind screamed at him, and he paddled his wheels backward, but it hit someone behind him.
“What are you doing?” Tristan asked.
Nathan’s chest heaved.
“Bring him to me,” Tristan ordered, and a hand grabbed him, pulling him to Tristan. Nathan could only groan.
They dropped him harshly on the floor. He looked up and found Tristan smirking at him.
“Speak,” he ordered.
Nathan’s eyes widened. Not this again!
Tristan crouched before him, his eyes cold as hell.
“Speak, Nathan,” Tristan growled.
‘Please!’ Nathan trembled, his breath uneven.
In the next moment, the sound of his bone shifting pierced the air. Blood spilled out as Tristan drove a knife straight into Nathan’s left hand.
The pain pierced hard to his core and forced a scream out of his throat. He trembled and screamed again.
Tristan laughed out loud, mingling with his screams.
Nathan’s eyes shifted to his hand, and he finally cried out. “Please!!”
“Finally!” Tristan chuckled and removed the knife. Nathan screamed again.
“Fuck!!” Nathan cursed loudly.
“Fuck? You should thank me. I just removed you from your trauma.”
“Just fucking leave me alone. Will you! Just fucking leave me! You never helped in my time of trouble, so why come now! I’m good here!” he yelled.
“You’re good here? And yet you came when I told you I’d help you escape?” Tristan asked. He then signaled the men behind him to leave.
Seriously, how was he able to control these men in such a short amount of time? Nathan couldn’t help but ask himself.
After they all left, Nathan sniffed, trying to endure the pain in his hand.
Tristan crouched before him. “Sorry about that hand. I was just impatient.”
“Fuck you,” Nathan spat, and Tristan punched him. Nathan spat out blood.
“I guess those barricades made you forget who I am,” Tristan glared, his eyes throwing daggers at him.
Tristan Wallington, a cunning bastard he had ever met. He had a sweet mouth to lure his enemies into his trap, just like he did with Issabella. He was a fucker too…
To top it all, he was among the men who raped Issabella that night.
Tristan could kill him and escape, and none of the military here would know it was him because he would frame it on another.
“You told Tatiana and Mr. King about us, didn’t you?”
Right? Nathan still wondered why Mr. King or Tatiana hadn’t gone up against the Wallingtons.
“Yes, I did, and she put two bullets in me,” Nathan replied.
“Tssk… I’d be disappointed if she hadn’t. She’s quite like her father. Stubborn as hell, cunning, ruthless, and, of course, pretty. Oh, she has the blood of Wallington in her. She was smart not to come after us, though… I had plans waiting for her. How lucky.”
“Why did you come to find me?” Nathan asked, and Tristan looked down with an unreadable expression.
“My brother wants to know if you really can’t talk,” Tristan muttered, and before Nathan could get the hint of what he meant, Tristan swung the knife toward his throat.
Blood spilled out and splattered on the floor. Nathan’s eyes widened as he tried to hold his neck with his fingerless hand.
“My brother and I argue about your predicament. My brother gets nonchalant sometimes. He said you would never speak, and yet you did.” Tristan watched Nathan struggling for his life. It was quite an amusing sight for him.
Tristan shifted his gaze to the knife covered in Nathan’s blood. “You got the good life you wanted. Being in these barricades is like an insult to you. A life you wouldn’t want, so you should thank me for ending it… You’ll understand when you get to heav-”
Tristan’s voice trailed off when he realized Nathan had taken his last breath.
“Hmm… How boring, you died fast. See you when I get tired of this life,” he smirked and left the place.