A scandal with Mr CEO

Chapter 19

Kiara

It's either one of two things, he came for me or Antonio, and from the looks of it, the latter sounds more logical. I'm a darling, no one would want to do that to me. Only if my dad's involved or those frat boys from college days, or my boss from the coffee shop, and maybe one or two people but none of them would be willing to pay off a man like this. My dad, being the only one with the resources to do so, would have greater priorities, as he would say. He would care more about making a few bucks than spending them on me, those frat boys were the most broke beings on the planet and my boss from the coffee shop would rather throw me a slipper.

This means Kevin here had bad intentions for Antonio. While Antonio wasn't the nicest man, I still wouldn't want him dead. Come to think of it, we still have a case to win.

Just kidding, that's not all I see him for.

Maybe most but not all.

"Miss Sky?"

"Sorry?"

"You zoned out for a minute," Kevin said, drawing my attention back to reality.

I didn't notice I'd zoned out or the sound of my foot hitting the ground repeatedly until I felt a hand on my knee. It was warm against my cold skin and the surface was rough, like the feeling of beach sand on his palm. A mix of unease and comfort, all in one person, all in one action.

It was probably the first time we had physical touch and in a situation like this, I had too much to deal with already. This, although is a very small action, made me even more uncomfortable. Which makes me wonder why I'm pondering so much on the matter. I wouldn't have cared if the same thing came from Luke.

"Um" I started, trying to think of the last question he asked "I'm sorry, I didn't get the question"

"No need to be sorry, it's understandable. It's needed you understand the process, you paid for the services after all"

"And I'm sure someone else paid even more" Antonio chipped in "You have about fifteen seconds till my men take you out of here and before you think of doing anything stupid, they're built-in machines in here. You wouldn't make it past that couch. Only that if you do, how's your boss going to know the whole story?"

Kevin gave a small laugh in an attempt to cover up the obvious look of fear and distraught but anyone would be able to see through that. He was so much in a mess anything he did would determine if he would get out of there alive, and even if he did, maybe he wouldn't be so normal anymore.

While I just sat there surprised, I wondered how I sat in a room all this time without knowing there were built-in machines in it. I didn't understand what the machines were precise but from the looks of it, probably hidden ammunition or something.

The same way I didn't watch him murdered Cairo is the same way I wouldn't watch this man die and it didn't matter what it would take. Whether or not I was scared, this would get a million times worse if blood got splattered on these beautiful walls.

Even when I grew up with a not-so-tolerant dad, I never watched him kill anyone or anything close to this. I was sure of one thing, if I witnessed Antonio kill anyone, I would never be able to live well with it and the journey of five years wouldn't start like this.

"You're a wise man, Russel, you wouldn't have me in here if you don't know why"

"There's nothing sweeter than hearing it from the horse's mouth"

"I'm sure we can come up with some kind of agreement"

"I don't do agreements. You know that, don't you?"

"And you won't do any killing either" I whispered after moving closer to him so only he would hear "I wouldn't take it if you kill this man"

Suddenly, I felt a grip on my upper arm and a slight push towards him. The feeling of warmth and the scent of his very familiar Cologne filled my nostrils while a puff of air I didn't know I was holding in escaped my lips. My mind was racing in different directions. First, he had never been so close and touchy before and all of that in a situation like this?

"It's time you learn how the business goes" He whispered, the warmth of his breath fanning against my ear. "Don't you think Kiara?"

"Please"

He slipped his hand into his pocket and brought out what looked like a knife. It was small and its blade wasn't more than my index finger while the handle was wrapped in thick leather. It wasn't any ordinary kitchen knife and I could think of a million and one reasons he had that in his pocket.

"Here," He said and placed the object gently on my thigh. I looked up at him like he grew a second head. He couldn't possibly mean I, a young woman who knew nothing about his kind of life, would take the knife to inflict injury on Kevin. Even if he was a fly, I wouldn't raise a finger and to think I would take a blade to hit anyone was crazy.

Can this day get any worse?

"What's this for?"

"You noticed first he had a weapon, didn't you? It's only right you get to execute the punishment" He said, plopping back onto the couch. Why did everything suddenly look like it revolved around me? There's a man here with a knife, two men with knives, anything could happen and the next thing is to test me. This has to be a joke.

"Are you crazy?"

"Oh come on. It's time you proved your loyalty" He paused, pushing the knife further so it was close to my hand "Dear wife"

I didn't want to have to mention that a contract was involved. The man before us was a lawyer and not just that, I didn't want anyone knowing about how contracted the marriage was. Especially because of how much influence Antonio had and there he was, pushing me to the limit.

"I won't do it"

"Why? Don't you understand what you're into?"

"What I'm into is a marriage, not an assassination. You didn't say anything about this. No one said anything about this"

"Well you didn't ask about this, did you?"

"Which means I'm not involved. Daniel Antonio Russel, I want out of this, this instant."

"No Mommy"

One chuckle then another and both men burst out laughing. I was left in utter confusion, I didn't understand what was happening but it sure made me feel like an idiot. I was looking back and forth between Kevin and Antonio, trying to make out an explanation for why a man who was about to die was laughing or why Antonio, whom I'd never seen have such a good laugh, had his thirty-two out.

He had dimples and the way his eyes were almost squeezed shut while he laughed. I didn't think it possible to ever see him in any other expression besides his stone-hard look.

"Sorry?"

"Very observant of you Miss Sky, I must commend," Kevin said, pulling out a bunch of keys and showing them to me.

Keys you guys, they were freaking keys in there. What initiated the whole thing wasn't even a blade, they were his keys.

The way they both played along, it's almost as though it was planned. It looked too real to be a joke. From the look on Kevin's face and the tone in Antonio's voice, no one would have believed it to be something made up.

"You scared me" I exclaimed, returning his knife "What if I took it?"

"I know you wouldn't have"

"But what if I did? I could've done something to him"

"What could you have done? You barely have the skills to hold a knife properly"

"Well now I feel like an idiot"

"That's the point"

A few more waves of laughter with me sitting in the midst of them both and we were down to the actual business. We weren't even here for Scarlett, it was actually to go through the contract that involved us both. He was involved in Scarlett's case but as he assured, it's as good as done.

Then we were back in the car on our way home and it was just me and Antonio again, only that this time the atmosphere was lighter because I'd seen him laugh earlier.

"Scarlett isn't staying in the same house as us. That's what you want, isn't it?"

"I wouldn't have her know I'm a fake wife"

"Even when you did it for her?"

"Doesn't matter"

"If she can't bear seeing the sacrifice you've made for her, she's better off staying with your father"

"She's not staying with us, neither is she staying with my dad and that's my decision"

"I'm not going against it, simply stating the truth"

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