AFFLICTION- LRH

Blood Is Thicker Than Water.

Luke's POV:

March 20th, 2012.

"Now, listen to me," Arabella hums, brushing my curls from out of my face as she grabs hold of my cheeks, "I need you to go in there today, and try not to get hurt. You've done jobs before, this won't be any different."

My body had already been trembling, but I had done enough crying the last few days to even let out another tear.

Five days ago, I was told I had to kill a man.

And today, the job was going to be done.

"It will be very different," I swallow harshly, the saliva coating my throat as my voice shakes "I've never killed someone before."

"Lu," her voice was soft, "you can't let him see that. You can't show him that you're scared. If you don't walk in there with confidence, he's going to get you before you get him, and we cannot have that."

"I know but-"

"No buts," She hushed me, placing her finger against my lip, before grabbing hold of me and pulling me close, her arms wrapping tightly around my back, "now, go do what needs to be done. I will be here waiting for you when you come back."

"It's today?" Ashton had asked, following me down the long narrow path to the front gate of Malevolence drive, our own little signature name for the road, "I can't believe it. Your first assignment coming from the man himself."

He seemed jealous of the idea of what I was about to be doing, which I couldn't quite understand.

Why was this such an honor?

"Are you nervous?"

"No," I shake my head quickly, trying my best to play along with the part bella had said, "not at all. That son of a bitch deserves to die, that is what I was told, anyway."

"Who even is it?" Ashton asks, halting our steps as we make it to the end of the gate.

"Some man named Chad," I shrug, "Bella said he has been sneaking into our grounds, looking for the man himself and killing anyone who gets in his way at night. That is why they placed the curfew, after all."

"I was wondering about that," Ashton nods, before lightly tapping the side of my shoulder, "I still don't know why you got chosen to do it, when I was always available to do so myself."

I let out a small laugh, "Trust me, Ash. If we could trade places I would do it in a heartbeat."

"Are you going to tell Michael and Calum?"

"Nah," I shake my head, "you and Bella, and I guess the man himself, are the only people that know. The driver taking me out there tonight doesn't even know. This has to be a secret, you got me?"

Although his facial expressions showed he was a little disappointed in this, Ashton agrees, "Alright, I promise I won't say nothing."

"Cross your heart?"

"Cross my heart." Ashton nods, only saying the words to give me the satisfaction I needed to hear them.

The sound of tires screeching to a hault play into ear, our eyes turning toward the road as we see the black escalade parked right out front, waiting for me.

"Be safe out there, Luke" Ashton mutters, "I'll see you when you come back."

"See you then, Ash."