𝘼𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙡 | ✓

40 - She's Dead

VALENTINA'S POV

It's him.

As I looked him in the eyes, I could see he was desperate for time, but I did not want to give him any of it, he's probably already contacted his boss.

"That's not on the menu, Xavier." I snarl and snap my notepad shut. Starting to walk away but he grabs my wrist, stood from the booth and stopped me.

"Please Valentina-"

"Valery." I say stopping him "My name is Valery." He nods slowly and sits back down, guilt filled in his eyes.

"Please Val, I just want five minutes. That's nothing compared to what has happened in two years," he begs, and I could see in the corner of my eyes that people starting to look over at us.

"Fine. The clock's ticking." I say and sit opposite him. He smiles weakly, but I scowl at him, my hands already gripping the table harshly, turning my knuckles white.

"Fra-" he starts by saying his name, but I twitch and glare up at him, and he stops.

"He doesn't know you're here, so you don't need to worry," Xavier says and I could feel my shoulders slump. "I was the car that followed you this morning... sorry."

"Then why are you here?" I ask and he smiles genuinely.

"Because I missed you, so does Quinn- and everyone else!" he explains and I could feel some of my defence chip away, but I force myself to stay quiet.

"Also, I wanted to update you on what happened while you were gone," he says and I nod carefully.

"For one, my nose was broken by someone who hit me in the face with a gun." He laughs lightly when I groan under my breath at the memory- now fiddling with my fingers- but his smile drops quickly

"After you left him.. he went through many emotions of grief, thinking you would come back. Sadness, he wouldn't come out of his office for days and when he did, he was anything but sober. In anger, he would punch or torture anyone that mentioned anything about you, even saying your name set him off. And it resulted in a war with the second gang."

I stiffened at the information. He had made a war out of his anger?

"We won and gained more land and workers. But he was never satisfied- not without you," he said, and I instantly froze in my spot.

"Did- Did you just come here to guilt-trip me?" I ask through gritted teeth and he looks at me with pained eyes.

"Please come back, Valentina. Quinn misses you; Tara misses you; I miss you. Francis made a mistake, but it wasn't his fault!" at that point I snapped.

"Don't say his name!" I yell, catching everyone's attention. Including Ollie's.

"We're done here," I scowl and Ollie comes up to us looking nervous as his gaze switches from me to Xavier.

"I'm going to have to ask you to leave, sir."
My tone was strict, and I felt as if my wings would burst out at any moment in anger.

Xavier stares at me and then at Ollie before getting out and walking out of the store, without saying another word.

I huff and stomp to the back room, my friend following closely behind me.

"Val, who was that?" he asks quietly, and I had to control the urge not to lose it there.