The Darkest Deception

3 | The Counterattack

God, I could fucking strangle her.

I stand silently in the middle of the room, jaw clenched and my gaze locked on the six dead security guards. Blood splattered across my face and along the walls. The metallic tang heavy in the air. It's a fucking blood bath.

I pull my phone out from my inside pocket and send a text to Lucian, needing the surveillance wiped clean. I predicted a mess, but not a small slaughter. This disaster is going to make me an enemy out of Royce if he finds out I was smack down in the middle of tonights carnage.

Smoke continues to billow from my silencer, fuelling my rage.

I knew something wasn't right the moment I noticed the door was unlocked. I doubted Arabella would be so careless, given how calculated she is. And calculated is exactly what she is. She set up a trap specially for me, still knowing that I would kill her target. Makes me the fool, I should never had ignored that niggling feeling.

Twisting the silencer off and placing it in the inside pocket of my suit jacket, I tuck the gun in the back of my trousers before wiping the blood from my face with my pocket square. Without so much as a glance down at the bodies, I turn and stalk down the hall, ignoring the curious stares and the sounds of moans filling the heavy air scented with sex and sin.

Entering the elevator, I press the button for ground floor.

My two senior guards, Elijah and Adriano, stand close to the entrance doors. They're in my inner circle, earning their place with their skill and loyalty. Though I have known them since I was a young boy, they still needed to earn their places before taking omertà—the oath of silence. That's not handed out freely, even with history.

My guards follow as I leave the building, leaving tonights fuck-up behind. Adriano walks ahead to the black Escalade, opening the back door before shutting it after me. I glance out the window, tapping my fingers along my thigh. As soon as they take up the front seats, Elijah starts the car and heads in the direction out of the city. Adriano keeps an eye on the road, his gun visible on his shoulder holster.

The city lights and buildings flash by in a blur. The silence in the car being the cause of my mind reminding me how Arabella seduced every man and woman in the crowd with her tight body, bewitching them as she danced the night away. I wanted to erase the performance from the patrons minds. I didn't like the way their hungry stares wanted a taste of her.

I shouldn't have cared, but I did—still do.

I pull my phone out as a text comes through from Lucian, notifying me that surveillance has been cleared. Tucking my phone away, I fist my hand on my thigh as I remember how Arabella radiated confidence and dominance. She was more than aware of the effect and power she held on her audience, each curve of her lips gave that away. Every movement and expression on her face was perfectly calculated. Even I couldn't take my eyes off her. I felt trapped under the spell she casted.