Phonophobia

|27|

Castillo Bychkov.

His name still echoed my brain even after the conversation was over.

I went to Gabi's office and she teared up a bit when she saw me. I asked what happened when Payne came. She told me that he just told her that I was with him and that I was more than safe. 

She told us to order what ever we wanted and to be careful. Hence, why we were in a booth, eight of us eeriely quiet, only the slurping sounds Alex made with his milkshake interrupted the silence.

"Bychkov was the druglord we wanted and the men we had taken just kept telling us to ask the lady..."

My brows furrowed, that was what Payne told me. I have become deeply involved in whatever is going on between them, that's why Bychkov must be sending men for me. I'm bait.

"Gregory," I blurted out abruptly. Seven heads snapped at my direction. "One minute please." I said, immediately scooting out.

Greg barely nodded and murmured something to Alex before scooting out too.

"What's wrong?" He asked once he was with me.

"The plan is hatching," I gulped rubbing my clammy hands on my hoodie. "Bychkov's men are looking for me, I can't follow Lace, they might be anywhere."

"I know..."

"They're gonna use me as bait." I cut Greg off, clearly starting to panic.

"Calm down––"

"We should leave, yes, we should. I don't want to get us killed. I've read these things in books, they're gonna jump in on us and kill everyone."

"Shut up." He snapped in his own kind of way. He merely raised his voice but the command was solid. "Breathe, then I'll talk."

I tried taking deep breaths but my mind kept wandering around. It was supposed to be a simple plan.

We allow Lace escape, I follow her, see who she's meeting, wait till she's done and then I'll report to Greg.

But how the heck are we going to do that now.

Greg opened his mouth to say something but he was immediately cut off by someone running into me.

"Abby!" A voice squealed.

My mouth hung wide open as I stared at the little boy crushing me.

"Derrick!" I gasped, immediately feeling overwhelmed. "Oh, Derrick."

I found myself laughing, as if I wasn't almost in a panic corner.  I knelt down to his size and hugged him tightly.

"I missed you!" I muffled into his hair.

"You're messing up my hair." He whined before a chuckle escaped him. "I missed you too, even though I'm mad that you missed my birthday party."

I laughed and pulled away, booping his nose with my finger.

"I know, and I'm sorry."

"It's okay, you're invited to the next one though." He said with a shrug. "And the cake was awesome." He added.

Someone cleared his throat and I looked up, giving Greg an apologetic look.

Derrick, however, turned around and stomped his foot on Greg's really shiny shoe. Leaving an imprint of his small one.

I gasped.

"Don't make sounds like that." Derrick scowled at Greg. "She doesn't like them."

Greg, for the first time ever, looked surprised. His eyebrows shot to his hairline. His emerald green eyes twinkled. It was odd to see another look on his face other than the usual bored, blank one.