Shattered ✓ (BxB)

Twenty-Five: Irina

     I’m sitting in the lobby area of Daskanalasć capital building. I’m blinking several times.

I’m busy trying to figure what my uncle meant.

Of course he’d never kill all of those people or to mind control his own people for that matter.

“Or maybe he would,” I murmur quietly.

“Hey!” a voice calls.

That practically makes me jump out my skin, since I’m caught so off guard by that.

I turn to face the voice.

It’s Hayden.

He says, “Sorry to scare you like that, Iri.”

Iri is a nickname Hayden gives me.

It’s not that I don’t like it, it’s just I don’t like when he does it, because it makes it seem like we’re a couple.

No offense to Hayden, but I’d much rather date Ana, even though she’s extremely awkward.

Awkward in a cute way.

Politely, I ask him, “Is there something you wanted me for, Hayden?”

Hayden nods. “Yeah there is.”

I cock my head to the side with curiosity. “What is it then?”

“Your uncle wants to see you,” He says.

“Did he tell you why?” I ask.

Hayden shakes his head. “He just simply told me to tell you to meet him in his office.”

I stand up from the chair I was sitting in. “It can’t really be anything bad, right?”

Hayden shrugs. “Well, technically it could be. But, I’d be with you on that. I’d hope it’s nothing. Maybe, since it’s your birthday, he has a present for you.”

I sigh. “Maybe.” I wish I was as hopeful as Hayden. It’s probably not a birthday present or a card saying ‘Happy 17th birthday to my favorite niece’. With my horrible, painful luck, it’s that he wants to kill me for eavesdropping in on his extremely private phone call.

I stand up and walk toward the closed door.

I glance behind me.

Hayden is smiling and giving me a thumbs-up.

I turn back toward the door. “Here it goes.” I take a breath and push to door open. I step inside the room.

My uncle is staring out the window into the night.

My stomach is in knots.

By this room’s atmosphere, I can tell he’s not going to be wishing me a happy birthday.

“Close the door,” Maximoff calls over his shoulder.

I head to the door. And as I close the door I mouth to Hayden, “I’m going to die!”

Click!

The door is shut.

Maximoff closes the curtains and flips on a lamp. He sits behind the desk. “Take a seat, Irina.”

I nervously comply.

Maximoff takes a deep breath. “I’ve noticed a change in you.”

I nervously laugh, “Well I did just have a birthday. Case closed.” I go stand.

“Sit,” my uncle says loudly.

I sit back down. I gulp.

“You’ve been awkward around me as if you have something to hide from me or lying to me.” He stands and pours himself a glass of whiskey. “You wouldn’t lie from me, right, Irina?”

“No,” I begin nervously. “I wouldn't lie to you.”

He throws the glass and it smashes against the wall.

I only had a few split seconds to duck or that would have hit me.

Maximoff turns back around. “You’re hiding something from me.”

I start to gain back my courage. “So what if I am? I’ll never tell you.”

Fatal mistake.

Maximoff laughs. He pulls out a syringe. He flicks it. Maximoff then says, ominously, “I have ways to make you talk.”