Rivals In Love

CHAPTER 12

"If I loved you less, I might have been able to talk about it more"

                                                                                                     - Jane Austen (Emma)

Third person POV

"What are we waiting for again?" Damien asked as he looked up from his phone. They had been sitting in a booth in Mocha Avenue for a long time and Cassian hadn't ordered anything yet. "Yo! Cass! Are you listening to me? We're going to be late for class!"

"I heard you the first time. I haven't chained you up so why are you complaining?" Cassian said in nonchalance as he bit his nails impatiently.

"Come on! You know your mom is going to kill me if I don't make sure you're in class", Damien groaned as he placed his head on the table.

"I'll delete your browser history for you so don't worry and I'll dress up pretty for your funeral as well", Cassian said as he finally looked at Damien with an overly cute smile. Damien couldn't help the look of utter disgust that took over his handsome features.

"Let's just go, hmm? It's not like Rainier is going to come by today. I mean, he found out you're the son of his family's longest rival. What makes you think he's going to indulge in this little game you've got going on?" Damien suddenly felt cold chills run down his spine. He immediately knew why as he slowly raised his eyes to meet Cassian's.

His eyes were like icy glaciers as he stared at him with no particular emotion on his face. He smiled suddenly.

"Let's go" he said as he got up. He walked over to the counter to talk to Zeke while Damien hung out back for a while. Something about the Cassian looked at him made him uncomfortable. He probably should.ve kept his mouth shut. Just as he was about to apologize, Cassian turned to him still smiling and nodded his head towards the door. Ah fuck! Is he taking him to an alley to end him? no witnesses kind of situation and who could get away with treason if he just smiled and acted cute? He wanted to crawl into a hole and die.

"I don't have all day, Damien", Cassian said impatiently from the door. Damien tried to swallow the lump in his throat. He suddenly remembered Shaw and how Cassian had offed him without mercy. Maybe it would be the same for him? He wanted to cry.

He followed Cassian outside and stood a few feet back. Cassian sighed and turned to him.

"Okay, what's with you?" He asked angrily. Damien shook his head. "You're not being a little bitch for nothing. Why are you being so twitchy?" He asked as he walked closer to him. Damien took a hesitant step back and Cassian burst out laughing. Damien also did a double take. Why did he step back? He looked at Cassian who seemed to be radiating a calm and approachable aura. He was almost shining.

"I didn't know you could laugh like that," they heard a familiar voice say as he approached them. Cassian stopped laughing but he maintained the joy his facial features had. Damien looked over at Rainier who was wearing his usual black suit. He was accompanied by the man that had "bought" Cassian at the auction the previous week. Damien walked over to stand next to Cassian.

"We should be heading out," he said softly. Cassian nodded but made no move to actually move.

"We meet again, Mr. Romanoff," Cassian said as he held out his hand to Rainer for a shake.

"It seems so," he said as he took Cassian's hand. Instead of shaking it, he held it and pulled him close and gave him a peck on the cheek. Cassian's eyes went wide. As he looked up at Rainier, it seemed as though his eyes were made of melted silver.

"W-What was that for?" Cassian stuttered. He tried to pull his hand out of Rainier's grip but he felt somewhat weaker than usual. He looked down at their hands when he felt Rainier brush his thumb over the back of his hand.

He had never felt pale but compared to Rainier, he almost looked sick. People would always tell him he was too pale to be of Italian decent but what was he supposed to do? He couldn't change his genetics. But he also didn't give a flying fuck about their opinions. Not like the way he used to when he was a kid and an easy target for bullies. He was constantly ridiculed but when he finally joined middle-school and punched one senior's junk to oblivion, no one has ever dared to talk down to him. But that didn't exempt family. They were always on his case even saying he was not of their blood.

"Are you okay?" Rainier asked as he held Cassian's chin with his free hand to force him to look up at him but Damien pulled Cassian back and turned him around so his face was buried in his shoulder. He pat Cassian's back thrice then turned to Rainier who looked taken aback. His eyes were still stuck on the back of Cassian's head.

"I'm sorry but we have to leave, Mr. Romanoff," Damien said rather coldly. "Hopefully next time, we will meet under better circumstances." Damien nodded his head slightly and flagged down a cab. It stopped right in front of them and Cassian scurried into the back like a mouse surrounded by cats. Rainier watched as Damien got in the cab with clenched jaws and fists.

"Boss, you okay?" Markov asked as he placed his hand on Rainier's shoulder. Rainier seemed to come out of his trance with that question. He shook his head to clear it a bit.

"I'm fine," he said as he turned towards the café. He still couldn't shake the anger he felt when he saw Cassian in the arms of his friend? Or was he just a subordinate from work? Or perhaps a bodyguard? He sighed. He would figure it out later.

Damien turned to look at Cassian as the cab pulled away from the curb. "You good?" He asked softly. Cassian nodded but otherwise said nothing as he continued to look out the window.

To Be Continued.........