Rivals

CHAPTER 20:

Rebecca

"So, we're really going to Russia?" Reese asks with a croaky voice as he stands in the doorway of my room, watching Lyla and I pack a few suitcases full of clothes.

"Technically, we're both being forced," I say while zipping my suitcase closed.

Lyla leaves the room and then Reese swaggers to the chair in the corner of my room to sit on.

I rub my tired eyes and yawn. It was too early for this. Feels like I just went to bed and then Lyla was waking me up to get ready to leave.

"I can barely handle sitting in a room with Morgan alone, but now I have to deal with him and Killian on a plane for an endless amount of hours," I rant as I lay back onto my bed. "As if things aren't awkward enough," I say more to myself.

After we kissed in the pool, Killian became extremely cold to me. Kissing in front of my dad was my idea and Killian got hurt because of my stupid decision, but I didn't think he'd still be upset.

He's been staying at the mansion here and there, mainly to meet with my dad. If we had any interaction, he would be nice one second but then cold and pretended like I wasn't there.

Around people he would act like he cared for me. He would make sure his entire body was captivated by me around people, but then he was distant and said one word answers when I tried to talk to him.

And it was worse when my dad was around us. Killian wouldn't even acknowledge my existence if my dad was in the room.

"Just sit on the opposite end of the plane while Killian and Morgan plan to thwart you," Reese jokes, bringing me back to the present.

"Not funny. Come on Reese, give me some real therapeutic advice," I encourage.

"I am not a trained therapist and you would be better off with a real one," he advises sarcastically as he gets up from his chair to walk to the bathroom almost directly behind him. He shuts the door behind him and then I talk louder, so he can hear me while I rant more.

"I can't go to a real therapist because Dad will know what the therapist and I talk about. So it looks like you are officially stuck with the job!"

"Bex I am trying to take piss here if you don't mind," he replies too loudly.

"Sorry big brother," I quietly say as I stare at the ceiling. "Ugh," I sigh to myself as I hear my father and Morgan yelling about something.

"Okay, now that I have emptied my fluids, you may speak to me again," Reese says as he comes out of the bathroom and takes his spot back on the armchair.

"How am I supposed to go to Russia with those idiots?" I ask.

"Easy, you get on a plane and go," he sarcastically says.

"Very funny smartass," I say as he shrugs his shoulders. "And how am I supposed to pretend to like this guy when he basically has two personalities around me? One minute he is a bit charming and somewhat of a decent guy, and the next he is just a dick," I calmly spill.

"Do you like him?"

"What? Of course I don't like him!" I sit up slowly and rant even more now. "He's a dick."

But a great kisser.

Reese stands from his seat and sits at the bottom of my bed. "You are going to stay there while I talk," he demands, getting very serious.

My facial expressions turn to disgust and confusion, but I nod and let him have his moment of talking.

"You need to stop telling me he's a dick. We all know he's a dick. I am going to get you out of this agreement Bex if it is the last thing I do, but until then, stand your ground and don't let yourself get even more mixed up then you already are," he councils as he lifts up his glasses into his hair and then rubs at his eyes before placing them back onto his nose bridge.

Too late for that.

"Or you can escape to Australia and become an illegal underground boxer," he starts but I cut him off before he can finish.

"Can that actually be an option?"

"I don't suppose why it couldn't be. You're already packed and ready to go—so go," Reese encourages as Lyla pops her head into my room.

"Killian is here for you both," Lyla announced softly as she took both of my bags out of my room.

"I guess we'll have to put a rain check on the escape plan," I groan.

"Maybe we can take a little detour on the way back," he playfully suggests as I sit up from my bed.

"Rebecca Vera Vecellio, don't make me drag you down here," my father yells from the bottom of the stairs.

"And that's our que," I laugh.

"You think?" Reese agrees as we both trug our way down the stairs.

"Took you both long enough," Morgan groaned as he waited with my father by the front glass doors.

"Don't start with me today Morgan. I am not in the mood," I roll my eyes.

"But of course your majesty," he mocks as I turn around and ball up my fist but Reese catches me.

"Woah, watch your temper. We have the entire flight to make him a pancake," Reese reasons as he drags me out of the mansion.

"I'd rather flatten him now," I spat.

"Now now Princess, that's no way to talk to a friend," Killian voiced from behind me.

"Always a pleasure to see you Killian," I gag.

"Please, the pleasure is all mine," he bows his head as I roll my eyes.

"Ready Princess?" Killian asked me sweetly with a frustrated smile on his pursed lips.

"Nope, but who cares right?" I snobbily answered as I walked past him and to the black van.

The air was cold and the sky was pitch black. The only light we had was from the house and the vehicle headlights.

Morgan walks out with my father and then shoots me a nod before walking over to us.

"Be careful kids," my father advises as he hugs Reese and I. "Be good at the ball as well. This is a great honor to be the only members outside the gang to be invited," my father adds.

"Don't worry Dad. We'll be just fine," Reese reassured as my father sighed.

"I'll be looking for Xander while you're all gone, and when you return, I'll have him back and in his room," he added before my mother came out to join us in our goodbyes.

"Two months from my kids? I could barely stand the one month away from you two," she radiantly spoke as she hugged both Reese and I. "You too Morgan. I'll miss you around here," she adds and gives Morgan a hug.

"We'll miss you too Mom," I say before I feel a hand on my shoulder.

"They're in good hands Mrs. Vecellio," Killian assures politely, making my mother smile wide and my father frown before they walk back into the mansion.

He drops his hand from my shoulder and turns to climb in the backseat of the vehicle.

"From this point forward until we get back here, let's please put this feud on pause," Morgan casually begs. "Quite frankly, I miss my best friend," he admits. "So...deal?"

"We'll see," I respond playfully as I climb into the backseat after Killian.

As I buckle my seatbelt, I feel a slight stinging sensation on my neck.

"Ow," I jump in my seat and hold my neck.

I look at Killian and he is holding a small needle with no fluid inside.

"What the hell did you just do?" I weakly and slurrily say as he pulls me into his chest.

He wraps his arms around me and I am completely engulfed in a sickening sweet scent of peppermint and cigarettes before I completely lose consciousness.