☘︎ Lʏᴋᴀs Vɪᴛᴀʟʟɪs ☘︎

David Vitallis' gaze betrays him ever so often, straying to the single deadly-looking gun placed atop his expensive mahogany desk.

A whisky glass in hand, seated on a leather chair behind the desk in the woodsy confines of his study, my father is a picture of repulsed. Clearly pretending to be not bothered by the threat hanging around his neck.

Across Dad on the other side of the desk in a similar armchair, Romeo smiles into his glass of scotch with nary an emotion. Five of his Mafia men tower behind him, yet somehow he looks far more predatory than all of them together do.

"We don't have the whole day, David." Romeo sets his glass down on the desk, fixes his black leather gloves before those unflinching cold eyes connect with my father's.

"You have no right threatening me in my own house. In New York, that's against the law if you don't know." Dad refutes, venom lacing his tone.

"Fascinating you think I abide by the law." Romeo merely slides a finger along the desk, frowns at the littlest speck of dust coating his gloves, "I am the law wherever I go."

If it was anyone else, it would've sounded narcissistic. But coming from Romeo, it sounded like he was stating nothing other than a universal fact.

Leaning against the doorframe of the study observing both of them, I roll my eyes. We've been going at this for more than an hour now. I left Jenna sleeping peacefully to come here in the middle of the night, even when it pegged me to leave her behind. Atleast I managed to ask someone trustworthy to keep Jenna company. Although to say I'm restless is an understatement. But this is important as hell and these two stubborn men are not willing to back down. If I hadn't told Romeo specifically that he can not shoot my Dad, I'm certain he would've done it by now.

I straighten off the door, approaching them. Setting my hands on the plain surface of the desk, I bring my eyes to my father, "Tell the elite team to find what I want them to. They're afraid to do what I say unless you give them the approval."

I try to remain unaffected by his hatred-filled expression, "So you're an ungrateful brat now, ordering me? Is this what she told you to do? Did that bitch-"

"Don't." Whatever restrain I had, it tatters at the last word coming out of his mouth. He can't not get away with calling Jennifer anything.

I exchange a glance with Romeo and he shrugs, as if telling me I told you we should've begun with this.

Sighing, I set my attention back on my Dad, but this time my tone is threatening, "I have evidence against what you did to Fioren Havard's son."

Dad is undeterred. That is, until he recollects from the thousands of lives he'd ruined, who Fioren Havard is. Mom's lover. The man David Vitallis destroyed to the extent he commited suicide.

The first makings of a smile starts forming on my lips at the visible drain of his colour from his face, "Before you think you can have the elite team burry the evidence down, let me enlighten you that it is not in digital format. And the paper format of the document stating who you sold off the son to, it's already in police custody-VIP and high-level police custody. You refuse one more time, it gets leaked."

I settle on the chair next to Romeo. My best friend is suddenly interested in the conversation, his twenty-four-seven boredom evaporating. The bastard always loved a good threat.

I'd held onto the papers since I was a teenager after I found them in Dad's office. I didn't know back then what to do with them, but I know now. I had no way to find out the whereabouts of the son without my father realizing and I didn't want to risk him doing something rash to Fioren's son if he found out I was looking for the son.

But now that I think I know the whereabouts of the said son. . . maybe I'd always been waiting for the moment I'd need the documents. Currently, they are safe with Ethan in his police department. Knowing the guy, he's going to expose it anyways but I needed my leverage over my father first and Ethan had agreed to wait. What happens after. . .I was way past caring for my father's misdeeds at this point.

I pretend to muse, "I'm pretty sure child trafficking is illegal. You might end up in jail for a day or two before you order the elite team to bribe you out. But the damage will be done. After losing the billions dollar deal you could've benefited by Mia and my engagement, I suppose you don't want another hit on your company."

To add fuel to the fire, Romeo leans back in his chair, "And unlike me, you are not the law." His eyes keenly access the study, "Not that I deal with child trafficking, mafia or no."

David Vitallis is fuming. His fists bang down on the desk as he stands, smoke pouring out of his ears. His anger lashes at me, "Fucking ungrateful-"

Before Dad can grab me by my neck, Romeo is up on his feet with his gun in hand. His men hold back Dad while Romeo points the gun to Dad's head with a lethal smile on his face, "I should just kill you. Problem solved then." He states, deadly calm.

I stand up, rubbing my temples from an oncoming headache. Jeez my fiancé and my best friend are the last people I should take along for threatening my father. One would end up putting Dad behind the bars, the other would end Dad's life. Possessive cavewoman and caveman. I love them both.

My father relents at the sight of the gun aimed right at his forehead. He knows how good Romeo is with his aim, he'd seen a live demonstration in Italy few months ago when Dad tailed me along while I went to meet Romeo.

"Fine." David Vitallis grits out, "Fucking fine! I'll tell them to do what you say! I'll be there at the team's base house! Just get out of my house right now!"

I let out a breath of relief, before walking over to Romeo and forcing his arm down from shooting my father. I loop my arm with Romeo's so that he doesn't go raising the gun again, "Let's go, dude."

Romeo passes me a cursory glance, detonates his arm from mine and storms out the study, his five men trailing behind him.

Lingering at the doorstep, I pass my Dad a mock-salute, "See you at the base."

***

☘︎ Jᴇɴɴɪғᴇʀ Rʏsᴏɴ ☘︎

I awaken to find the spot beside me on the bed empty. A takeway bag occupies the space along with a bouquet of Gladiolus made out of rainbow color shades and a single note that reads,

✍︎✍︎✍︎

I didn't want to wake you up and something very important needed to be handled. It's about the clown. I'll tell you once I'm back. I hope you slept well, Ryson, and dreamed about me ;)

Love,
Lykas

(P.S. I'm leaving you something and there'll be someone who'll keep you company while I'm out. Stay safe, sweetheart!)

✍︎✍︎✍︎

Slurping the godforsaken rainbow smoothie Lykas left me in the takeaway bag, I frown at the oddly good taste as my mind spins with Lykas words from earlier when I was cocooned in his arms.

Maybe this is all his game plan, to make you think you're losing your mind.

Even after I had a shower, changed into fresh pair of wide-leg black jeans and a white crop top, I cannot shake those words out of my head. Somewhere along maybe I knew. But I'd believed myself to be so far gone, I wasn't confident enough to trust my instincts. I thought I was insane.

Trust me, you're not.

Lykas words again. I frown harder, glancing at the smoothie in my hand and the Gladiolus bouquet I held onto with my other hand as though it's a prized possession. I don't want to admit I miss him. His rough and exotic touches, addictive kisses, encouraging words, the disturbingly cute smiling face and that personality which just makes you feel comfortable and content around him.

But the thought that had been bugging me starts slithering into my head again, robbing me off the pleasant memories. If the clown's been doing this purposely, earlier I'd been too consumed by thinking I'm crazy to pay actual focus but now. . .things I'd missed the past few days start registering in my mind.

The clown was never there when someone else was around me. Nathan had been acting strange for a few days now. There had been loops in the camera footage near my house-

My eyes widen as something suddenly clicks. My house isn't the only place with cameras. The last place I'd seen the clown. . .fucking hell how could I almost miss this?!

Springing up from the bed, my conscience thrills with the prospect of a possible clue. Just as I grab my phone from the nightstand stuffing it into my pocket and shrug on my stilletoes, like a woman on a mission, the doorbell rings. Carefully placing the empty smoothie glass next to the flower bouquet, I stalk out of the room to receive the door. It must be the person Lykas called to keep me company.

When I open the main door, Mia's beaming face greets me. She looks fresh and lively even way past midnight, clad in a hot pink dress and matching stilletoes.

"Jenna Jen Jen-" She starts to chirp in that melodic voice of hers.

Before she can continue, I grab her arm and tug her outside the house towards the porch. "We need to go somewhere. You drive."

"Where to?" Mia's brows knit together in confusion even though she starts following me along as I lead her towards her pink Ferrari parked in my driveway.

"Paradise Club." I should call up my bodyguards but I'm in a hurry. Besides, I don't completely trust them anymore.

Mia still seems to be in a state of utter confuzzlement at the way I'm rushing her as we get into the car, her in the driver's seat and me on the passenger seat.

"You want to go to the club right now?" Mia turns to me with excitement, "It'll be fun-"

"I want to check their security cameras." I state strapping my seatbelt on, giving her an answer so she doesn't get her hopes high thinking this is a bonding time. I want to go on a bonding time with her some other day though.

"What? Why-" Before she can further question, there's a rapping of fingers against the window.

I peek past the glass of Mia's seat to find Viviane standing outside, still in the velvet blood-red evening dress she wore to the club. My eyes narrow in confusion as Mia lowers the window down.

"Hey, if you both are going somewhere, can I get a lift? My car sorta ran out of fuel." Viviane eyes skid to me and she smiles. Her gaze shifts to Mia next and there's that feeling of the girl being a wolf in sheep's clothing again, the way there's that dangerous depth in those irises.

Mia looks at Viviane with a gentle frown, probably conflicted whether to let Viviane in. She seems hesitant, just staring at Viviane.

I sigh, sparing my sister from the fussing, "Get in. We're heading to Paradise Club though."

Viviane gets in the back seat in a cheery flounder, "Amazing, I'm going back there too!"

There's silence as Mia's drives out of the subarban area of my house to the main road. I'm too occupied in my thoughts to notice something vital.

But someone else does.

"You're going the wrong way." Viviane says, something chilly in her voice, a realization.

Blinking in confusion, I look out the window and see we've indeed taken a different path than the one leading to Paradise Club, a more isolated and darker street.

I turn to Mia, "Is this some shortcut?"

Mia doesn't retort. She grabs a mask from the dashboard, puts it on and presses a button on the car's console. A smokey fume starts enveloping the confines of the car.

I hear Viviane curse up a storm in the back seat. My nose burn from the chemical, my mind growing foggy and my consciousness slipping away. Chloroform in gaseous state. I'm so so overcome by a sense of raw confusion, a touch of anger and above everything else. . .betrayal.

While all Mia does is stare straight ahead, seeming far-off in her own mind and her voice detached when she speaks, "We're exactly on the right path."

--------᪥♔︎᪥-------

GASPS. HAWWW MIA HOW COULD YOU DO THIS?!?! I TRUSTED YOU!!

I think a few of you actually doubted Mia and I've also been dropping VERY subtle hints from the very start of the book. So bravo to whose doubts got confirmed while lemme share a crying session of shock with the ones who didn't expect it🫂😭

But why do you think Mia's doing this?

Who do you think is the son David Vitallis sold to someone?

Any theories, my loves?👀