𝐓𝐄𝐌𝐏𝐓𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐒 |𝟏𝟖+ (#𝟏)

𝚃𝙷𝙸𝚁𝚃𝚈-𝙵𝙾𝚄𝚁 |

34
AMBER JACKSON
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"Why am I here?"

My voice interrupts the soft conversation of mumbled whispers somewhere in the room. My eyes were focused on hazy images of heavy boot cladded feet standing in front of me tapping the tune to the hum escapinging their lips. God, it fucking stinks. At first, my eyes focused on the fact that there were three pairs of feet in front of me, one cladded in construction work boots, the other shiny oxfords and one in simple white Gucci sneakers. Then the overwhelming fact that I was literally boxed into a corner caused my body to tense up immensely.

"How long has it been since we've seen each other Amber, six, eight years?"

Fuck me.

What goes around comes around though I would have thought that the circle had been completed after my wrongs righted my conscience. Tyler Whitcomb was always a nightmare. One that creeped into my dreams at the most unusual hours haunting me for the  night and ruining all prospects of a healthy dose of sleep for the week. The laugh bursts out of me before I can attempt to retract it between my lips. "Eight years. Now I'm wishing you died with your brother."

I was always one to antagonize - even when I was kidnapped and seated on a piss stained mattress. The heavy kick to my chest knocks the breath out of me before he's pulled back by someone. "You killed him." he sneers.

"I wish I did. Truly." My eyes now focus on the men huddled in the corner - one's eyes wishing I was six feet under and the other trying to calm him. Agent Callahan - of course. "Still acting like you have the upper hand." the shrill voice resounds to my small figure. Ghosts of my past and present lined up ready to rain loose the barrage of bullets they wish to harm me. "I don't know, maybe I do Gabriella. I live or die he's still with me." I see the shift of her eyes away from me finally realizing her issue.

I dont wait for her to retort a comeback - one I'm sure wouldnt even graze my armor with the likeness of a bullet. "Why am I here?" I had only seen Agent Callahan once and that specific time was cut short due to men solving men's issues - aka shit that had zero to do with me. I did however hear enough from Jade to know that he is unhinged and calculated. "Because you're the problem and key to all our issues."

The problem to your issues - sure. The key to fixing it - never.

"No I'm not. Though I can see why these two would love me out of the way - you, I can't quite crack." I tell him, my head flitting between the two other individuals in this room to help my point. I ignore the wince of pain in my chest as well as the thoughts of diseases crawling in the fabric below me to focus on asking the shitshow questions that might give me a shot at dragging this captor-captive situation longer than what might have been planned by the three psychos. "Taking him down." The word "him" was tainted in a disdain I didn't appreciate however there wasn't much I could do against a man whose work and personal life had become so consumed by Alessandro Vitale and what the fuck he was doing.

I force out a laugh, coughs rushing up my throat. "I dont know if you know but he doesn't give a fuck about me anymore. You should try again." It's a lie none of them believe because I see the smile on their lips except for Gabriella who cringes in annoyance. "Really, you think the plan was to use your best friend to get information." I don't respond and that's enough of a reason to get him to laugh. "I just needed him to fuck up, and he has."

Now I'm completely confused and he reads it clearly as day on my expression.

"I contacted Jade because I knew she'd tell you about it. I also knew that you'd do just about anything to protect her and yourself even if that meant making the choice of telling one of Alessandro's closest men. It's the reason you killed Elijah. For the both of you."