Dark.

VII. - Bella -

Song of the chapter

1.  Kingdom Come - The Civil Wars

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"Who?" Richard asked, feeling his insides quiver. He's still showing a calm front but thoughts already invaded and spread chaos in his sickly mind. A part of him already wanted to strangle her. There's no doubt in his mind that he can do that. He's big and strong while Nicomaine's body is just small and a bit fragile. Richard can strangle her or knock her out with just one punch. He can execute that move properly, but he didn't. Instead, his eyes got glued on hers. Her needing and questioning eyes that bore deep into his soul made him feel bare. Richard can't hide anything from her because Nicomaine has the key, she can open his mind and read the thoughts that are in it. She is his weakness. Richard, the Superman. Nicomaine, the freaking kryptonite.

"Just a girl I slept with before." he managed to say after a long moment of silence. Cold sweat already poured down the side of his face and his heart started beating like drums against his chest. He doesn't wanna kill her, at least not yet.

"Oh, okay. For a second I thought you slept with my best friend. I haven't seen her in a long time though, we had a fall out." she said and his heart ached. The sadness in her voice reawakened the sleeping guilt he kept so dearly at the back of his equally messed up heart.

"Wherever she is, I'm sure she's alright and at piece." he answered, telling the truth because now Bella resides six feet under the cold sheet of earth.

"Yeah." she replied and pulled him close once again. Richard felt her hands on his cock. It quickly hardened on her touch.

"Round 2?" she whispered and a sly grin erupted on his face.

"Yes Ma'am."

--

Harry spent the past couple of hours trying to connect the dots between Richard and Bella's death. However, he's still unable to unlock all the details of the case. All he's sure of at the moment is that he had something to do with it.

The door then suddenly flew open and Nicomaine walked in. Harry's heart started pumping, the black dress on her made her hotness soar through the roof.

"Where have you been?" he asked, trying to contain the excited beast in between his legs.

"Richard's, I needed to ask him something."

"You two slept together huh?" Harry asked, already feeling his heart break. Nicomaine's always been the apple of his eyes but she couldn't see that. To her, he's just a partner and an occasional bed lover. And that's it, that's all Harry will ever be in the eyes of Nicomaine C. Mendoza.

"And that too." she said and sat next to him.

"What are those?" Nicomaine asked, pertaining to the scanned documents from police files.

"I really think we should get this job done already. You should not be hanging out with Richard. That dude's shady as fuck and dangerous." Harry uttered, trying to coax her into going back to his side. The perfume she has made him instantly weak. He wants her, he wants her bad.

"Are these legit?" she asked. The clear look of shock in her face made him wonder about the things she and Richard talked about earlier.

"Yep, snatched them from the police's system." he replied. Nicomaine spent the next couple of minutes reading the files.

"What's happening?" Harry asked.

"I saw her name etched on his nightstand."

"Does he know you two were friends?"

"I don't know ... but one thing's for sure, that lying boy has a lot of secrets and they must be unlocked." she said, voice filled with determination.

"Do you think this is still worth it? He might kill you." he warned. Harry's now genuinely concerned for Nicomaine. Her safety is more important to him that any jewelry or amount of cash.

"The case was dismissed. The court proved that he did not kill her. And unless he shows me how dark he can be, I won't go against him." Nicomaine whispered as if Richard is around. Her eyes are still glued on the papers,

"All I'm saying is that I don't want to attend your funeral." Harry uttered.

"Don't worry, there won't be one."

--

The first lie. The first fucking lie.

Nicomaine's thoughts scattered inside her brain. Like a book, the biggest plot twist just took place. He knew who Bella is and was a suspect in her death. The only remaining question she needs to answer before she can connect all the stubborn dots is whether he's always been aware of their friendship or not.

One of the biggest possibilities present at the moment is the dreadful thought of Richard being a total psycho and a cold-blooded killer. She's already seen a part of his dark side but he has not fully open up to her yet.

What's hidden could be the deadliest. He could be Nicomaine's last mission. Her charge, the collector of her debt.

The young girl was about to fall asleep when her phone started ringing. A smile erupted on her face when she received a call from her potential killer.

"Hello Richard, did you miss me already?" she asked him coyly.

"Yeah. By the way, there's a party two weeks from now that we need to go to."

"I'm in, don't worry." she said. A few minutes later, the call ended. Nicomaine got up and went out of her room.

"Harry, do you still have your tux?" she asked.

"Yep, why?"

"Great. Two weeks from now, there will be a massive masquerade party at Beaufort. You know what to do ... lots of jewelries to steal."

"Are you sure about this?" he asked.

"Yes, Richard told me."

---

A sinister smile erupted on his face after the call ended. Richard took his clothes off and went inside the dark room. Using his free hand, he started stroking himself while concentrating on the picture of Nicomaine right on the middle of the black wall. He became hard just by thinking about all the things he will do to her the next time they see each other.

His muscles tensed and his staff came back to life. All nine inches of his glorious manhood pointed at the digital portrait of Nicomaine. Ten minutes later, he felt the familiar tingle coming from his hip. It was then followed by him releasing all his white and creamy fluid.

Richard took a moment to catch his breath. After doing so, he heard his phone ring again. The naked young guy stepped out of his dark room and answered the call.

"Sir, this is Clark."

"What do you want?" he asked.

"Sir, I saw that guy named Harry. The one you told me about weeks ago?"

"Oh, yeah. What's up with him?" Richard asked.

"I already confirmed it, sir. Nicomaine and Harry are part of the Black Star. They are thieves."

"Thank you." Richard answered and quickly ended the call. He then dialed another number and placed the phone against his ear.

"Hey, how are you?" the thick voice from the other end of the line asked.

"I'm good, I need you to kill someone."

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uh - oh ... stay tuned :)