After You Left

Chapter 30

I woke up just after sunrise, tangled with Damien, I didn't want to get out, I dididn't want this moment between us to end, this moment where everything just feels perfect, Damien slept soundly, his arm around me keeping me to his chest just over his heart, his heartbeat keeping me in a sense of utmost peace. I trace my fingers lightly over the scars across his chest, each one holds a different story, my fingers linger on one just below his ribcage.

"That was a hot knife across because I punched one of the guards." Damien mumbles as he stirs awake, I tilt my face up to look at him and brush his hair out of his face. "I remember all of it, like it happened yesterday."

"You'll get through this pumpkin, I will make sure you do, I will stay besides you for the entire journey just as you have always done for me." I promise him. Damien closes his eyes and leans his cheek against my hand.

"I want it gone, the pain, the memories, they hurt." He breathes out, I move further up and drop a feather light kiss on his lips.

"He will pay, for everything." I declare before I sit up, dreading the day ahead of us, Damien sits up behind me and I feel his lips on the back of my neck, his arms go around my waist and I lean back slightly. "We have so much to do." I mumble closing my eyes.

Damien chuckles as he wraps his arms around me and than I'm being lifted out of bed. "Than we shower." I nod.

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Dylan's POV

I barely slept, i spend majority of the night tossing and tumbling in bed, Davina woke up a few times frightened and every time it happened I felt the rage burn, I felt it eat my insides, when dawn broke I was heading to the gym.
I let it all out on the punching bag, I couldn't bring myself to care about how bruised my knuckles were getting or how exhausted my body felt.

"You don't look well." I pause and turn to find Lea on the bench, a sad smile on her face, there's a glow to her face, something sparkling, despite the tension she looks relieved and relaxed and something inside me shatters even more, but I offer her the smile she wants to see.

"Couldn't sleep." I reply.

She tilts her head. "Breakfast is served, are you coming, you can bring Davina with, Drew makes delicious pancakes?"

I nod. "I'll be down in a bit definitely." The tension in the air gets me to turn around.

"Can I please talk to you Dyl?" Lea calls and I turn back to her with a nod.

"If this is about you being with Damien, it's fine Lea." I bring back the smile she wants. "As long as you're happy."

She smiles back. "And I'm grateful for that, really. But I wanted to suggest-" Hesitation crosses her features, she fidgets with the hem of her shirt. "I want you to get away from this, I want you and Davina to stay safe and away from this, I've already dragged you into many things, i can't take you further." She blurts.

I frown. "You want me to get out of town?"

She nods. "We have safe houses, Italy, France, Spain, you can go anywhere Dylan, you and Davina will be safe and away from everything here."

A muscle in my jaw tightens. "I can take care of myself Lea."

She sighs. "I know you can, but if you could get to safety than perhaps it would he easier for you and Davina to start your lives again, away."

I shake my head. "I'm not leaving until he's dead."

She blows out a breath. "Do it for Davina."

And I feel the rope snap. "I am doing it for her, everything I have been doing ever since my parents died have been for her and killing that son of a bitch will also be for her!"

"I understand you're mad Dyl-" she starts.

"No you don't Lea, you're not the one who just lost everything in a blink!" I was taking a step closer with every word I spoke until I was right in front of her with barely a foot of distance between us. "Stop pretending you care."

She frowns. "I do care Dylan-"

"I make my choices Lea and right now I choose to stay here and end this war." I grit out.

She nods. "See you downstairs." And she turns around and leaves without saying anything else.
I just have to kill him and than I'm leaving this city.

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Lea's POV

"So what's new?" I ask James.

He smirks. "This might be a good thing." He slides an envelope over to me, I open it and gasp. "The gang gala, in 2 weeks."

"But it's not time yet, is it?" Damien asks reading the invitation over my shoulder.

James shakes his head. "But we can use this to our advantage, we can come up with something, we can plan something big enough to take him down."

I look back up to James. "Last time we planned something on the gang gala, it didn't exactly go well."

"What's to say this isn't part of his plan as well?" Damien says.

"Than we go to this gala like normal, our attack comes after." James says.

"That's not a solid plan." Alex, from the corner of the room, states. "That's not even a plan."

"It's a bit rough but I'm sure we'll get a solid idea soon enough." James eases.

"Call in our checkpoints, we need a meeting, we'll need more men, I want higher security here and patrolling the borders and I think it's time we call in an old friend." Damien orders.

"An old friend?" I ask looking up at Damien.

He nods. "You'll meet him when he comes."

"What about our plans and strategies until than?" I ask James.

James starts before Alexa rushes into the room breathless, she hands me an envelope. "It came in with a maid, she said it was urgent."

I quickly open it and I feel Damien bending down to read over my shoulder and James stands on the other side of me to read as well.

Dear Lea Hammet
We are pleased to inform you that you have been invited to attend a formal event this evening.
Yours and your partner's presences would be very much appreciated.
Yests.

I flip the envelope over to find the address of the event. "Who on earth are the Yests?" I ask confused.

"Only one of the biggest gun smugglers in the country." Damien replies astonished.

"This could change the war, we could get him with us, we could convince him to help us and Henry wouldn't stand a chance." James adds.

"It mentioned a plus one as well." Alexa steps in.
Silence stretches for a few seconds.

I look up at Damien and he's already staring at me but James seems to have read our minds already. "We need to keep you a secret Damien and use it to our advantage."

Damien sighs. "You're right." He hangs his arm around my shoulder. "But she still needs someone."

"Liam?" I ask.

"He had something to go check on." James replies.

"I'll go." Dylan volunteers, our eyes meet and I give him a nod.

"So it's settled, you and Dylan will go." Damien says.