Edenbridge

Chapter Six

"So? How did it go?"

Morbid asked cheerily, picking food out of his teeth and flicking it away. Kell sat with her legs up on the booth, one arm resting against the table as she faced those who sat around the bar.

"To be honest, I don't know. I'm not sure what happened. They did tell me that Chester wasn't dead, which was interesting."

Kell mumbled. Morbid suddenly stopped picking at his teeth, furrowing his brow and sitting forwards.

"Not dead?"

He repeated. Kell nodded and chewed on her tongue, watching Adrienne serve drinks to people Kell had never seen before.

They were all dressed in black suits that were clad to their body. Their shoes were shined so much that the light bounced off of them. None of them looked in Kell's direction, but instead focused on the Contessa who came sweeping into the room with a huge smile across her face.

Kell looked away instantly and back at Morbid, taking a deep breath and rolling her shoulders.

"They said that he wasn't dead. They didn't explain to me how that could be but they also said that they weren't dead. They said they should be, though. It wasn't at all like I thought it would be."

Kell said, taking her legs off of the seat and facing Morbid. She kept her eyes on him as she felt the Contessa's stare look her up and down, trying to ignore it as her head twitched.

Morbid kept his confused look about his face, hunching down and letting his mouth fall open. He stared at Kell with a blank expression for a while, his eyes dull and no words leaving his mouth.

"They aren't dead?"

Morbid repeated again. Kell sat back against the seat and tilted her head back, groaning loudly and throwing a cautious look over to the Contessa.

Maria was conversing with the men all dressed in black, her smile gone and a concentrating frown covering her face instead. She ran her tongue over her top lip and nodded, taking a deep breath as the men dispersed and left the Contessa sitting alone at the bar.

Kell watched Maria throw back a shot before looking back to Morbid and smiling gently to herself.

"No. Mr Valentino, who I presume is their boss, made me listen to his daughter's heartbeat. It was definitely there. Maybe they were just trying to play with me, but then his daughter said something about leaving it to her and she'll sort it out after her father said that I could leave our mafia for the Family."

Kell muttered. Morbid's eyes had widened and he'd pressed his lips together in a thin line, sitting up straight and pressing his back against the leather seat.

"Mr Valentino?"

Morbid said. Kell nodded, clearing her throat loudly and shaking her head roughly.

"As in Dominic Valentino and his daughter Morgana?"

Morbid pushed, desperation in his voice. Kell nodded hesitantly, chewing on her tongue as Morbid began to roughly shake his head from side to side. Oh god, Kell thought. What does he know that I don't? He pushed his hands out in front of him and tensed, the veins in his forearms and neck sticking up against his skin.

"You're in trouble now, Kell. You're in a lot of trouble. You need to talk to Maria. Now."

Morbid said informatively, barking the orders at her.

Before Kell could respond, Morbid pushed himself up to his feet, gestured for Kell to be quiet and trotted over to Maria, tapping her on the shoulder with the same flushed look across his face. The Contessa glared at Morbid, confused and bewildered with his sudden intrusion.