Illicit

Twenty-Two, Gabriella

I don't know what I am struggling to process more, the fact Mum and Elias are canoodling outside or the fact that the distinct smell of smoke is sliding under the double doors that we came through not even thirty minutes ago.

My knees are still shaking from the way he had be bent over the bathroom counter, if anything, a place this fancy deserved to be messed up a little. Though I perhaps that won't matter now, if the place is really on fire right now, having sex in a bathroom is the least of all of our worries.

The gala didn't excite me, maybe a year ago I would have been less reluctant to go because it meant spending the night in a fancy gown I didn't pay for and getting shit-faced with Jacob, while he took on Ashton's name. A fact that only made us want to drink more and fall into fits of giggles about all the pretentious things we heard around the ballroom when Ashton came to pick us up.

All of the parties and charity events that have come before this one have been extravagant but having a mansion of this size looming around us should have been the first red flag. Money has been no issue for our family since the company took off, even if counting only the legitimate sales that are brought in, we would be well off.

It bothered me so much growing up, I was being shot at and forced to kill, when Dad could still be indulging in all his luxury while assessing and buying out so many companies. Drugs and weapons were never a necessity, they were a hobby that turned lucrative and when they realised, they could gain power through it?

Well, there was no one on earth that could have stopped them from progressing towards it, saying they aren't flashy and obvious with their money would be a lie. The dickhead-trio has never seen a reason to be modest with all the things they have achieved, which I am sure the police reports love.

But the one thing you could count on, was them not displaying all of their greed and sketchy wealth to the people they are trying to sign on, and yet here we are.

The white tiled stairs that flow from the main foyer are cornered off with thick red rope, no one steps further than the main ballroom and the hallway we are stood in right now. A string of fancy bathrooms cover the first five doors after you push through the double doors, the many levels and rooms of this place are entirely restricted.

Which means, if there's a fire spreading from somewhere in the house and none of the guests know the proper exists, H. Gold Enterprises, are about to attract a lot of attention towards themselves that they would do well in avoiding.

"Levi, where are the others?" I ask, warm wood against the palm of my hand as I lean it against the door. Sweat beads along my neck, but the fire has yet to press against the doors, meaning wherever my friends and family are... they could still be alive.

He pulls me behind his back, leading us away from the door and back towards the window we were so caught up in looking through only moments ago. "They're smart Gab, they'll either find us or get out of here, which is what we need to do"

Right, right. Of course, escaping before we are burnt to a crisp is the valid thing to do, after all we were paranoid that they would do something in an attempt to kill us.

Although, I never expected them to take out so many other's as well. "Perhaps the deals aren't going as well as they expected" I murmur, hands fisted at the sides of Levi's suit jacket.

"Likely" He nods, the doorhandle rattling. "There's a different clientele they are aiming for now that the Mafia is involved, which wouldn't be a secret in these circles but that doesn't mean old investors will want to renew their contracts"

"Wish Dad had the same moral compass" I grumble. For so long the fight between disliking the world they were sucked into and hating them for who they are, battled in my chest.