Killer Queen

15.

Marquez's POV

Once Thelma was out of sight, I returned to the others. "Alright, let's get down to business," I said, leading them into the study. Derek, Peter, and Valerie followed, all of them looking tense.

I poured myself a drink and gestured for them to sit. "We've got a lot of work ahead. Last night's shooting was great teamwork from you three, but we must lay low for a while. The cops are sniffing around."

Derek nodded. "We'll keep things quiet. No unnecessary movements."

"Good," I said, taking a sip of my drink. "And Valerie, I don't want any more of your shit-stirring. We need to be a united front."

Valerie scowled but didn't argue. "Fine," she muttered.

I leaned back, satisfied for now. "Alright, that's all for tonight. Get some rest. Tomorrow, we regroup and plan our next steps."

They left the study, and I stayed behind, thinking about Thelma. She had been through a lot today, and I needed to ensure she was okay. Despite my tough exterior, I cared about her deeply.

Eugene's POV

After leaving Thelma in her room, I wandered the estate, feeling restless. I found myself in the kitchen, where I grabbed a bottle of water and leaned against the counter. My mind was racing with everything that had happened that day.

Valerie walked in, still looking pissed. She shot me a glare, and I sighed. "Valerie, look, I'm sorry about earlier," I began, hoping to smooth things over.

She huffed, crossing her arms. "You don't need to apologize, Eugene. It's Thelma who should be sorry."

"She's grieving," I said gently. "Kevin meant a lot to her."

"Yeah, well, he meant a lot to me too," she snapped. "But you don't see me acting out."

I didn't know what to say to that, so I stayed silent. Valerie seemed to realize she had said enough and turned to leave. "Just... keep her out of my way," she muttered before walking out.

I sighed again, taking a long drink of water. This family was complicated, and I was in the middle of it all. But I cared about Thelma, and I would do whatever it took to support her.

Thelma's POV

I woke up to the sound of someone knocking on my door. Groggily, I got up and opened it to find Marquez standing there. His expression was softer than usual, and it took me by surprise.

"Hey," he said quietly. "Can I come in?"

I nodded, stepping aside to let him in. He closed the door behind him and turned to face me. "I'm sorry about today," he began. "I know it was hard for you."

"It's okay," I replied, my voice barely above a whisper. "I just miss him."

"I know," Marquez said, his voice gentle. "But you have to stay strong. For Kevin, and yourself."

"I'm trying," I said, tears welling up in my eyes.

He pulled me into a hug, and for a moment, I let myself lean into him. It was rare for Marquez to show this kind of affection, and I needed it more than ever.

"Get some rest," he said softly, pulling away. "Tonight we're going out."

I nodded, wiping my tears. "Thanks, Marquez." He gave me a small smile before leaving the room.

I wondered where we were going and looked at the time seeing that it's 4:56 pm right now. Maybe I really should sleep for later.

Tossing and turning, I couldn't sleep at all and I didn't know why but listening to that CD won't help or maybe it will. Fuck it. I'm doing it. I put it in my mp3 player and the first 3 songs were relaxing then the rest had me in tears.