Evigheden
Page 15
However, after one look at each of the six faces staring at me like an annoying gnat they were waiting to squash, I knew I had better not push my luck. Turning on my heel, I marched my defeated ass out of the BC chambers and didn’t sag against the wall until I was halfway down the tunnel.
In the back of my mind, I had half-expected for the courts to completely remove the Diamond Order on Luminous’s head; namely because she was getting married. Then again, that really didn’t make any sense, did it? I was trying to figure out who framed her and me along with trying to end her marriage before it even began. Why in the fuck would OE decide it would be best to make my life a little easier?
“Idiot,” I breathed.
Rubbing a hand over my face, I finished the soldier march back to GGHQ and stepped out of the tunnel doors to be greeted with a whole lot of nothing.
Everyone was either enjoying their night off or handling the orders that had been assigned to them. Leaving me to stand there and scan the tops of desks; I was halfway through my scan and clearance routine when I spotted the announcement on an empty desk. The damned thing was like a parrot that just wouldn’t shut the hell up.
“I don’t care,” I breathed, going over to my own desk and grabbed my duster. I do not care, I reiterated in my mind as I shut off my light and started for the front door.
Before I could stop myself, my sword flashed in my eyes and in the split second it had taken me to realize what I was doing, the desk with the announcement was split in two uneven pieces.
Heaving a heavy breath, I stared at what I had done and whispered, “I don’t care.”
§§§§§
Four hours later, I was sitting in the corner of Nine Lives staring at Lovett across the dancefloor in his own little section, filled with some of his Silver buddies, throwing back shots and laughs. He was nauseatingly happy, cracking jokes and raising toasts like this was the most important day of his pathetic life.
“What’re you doing here?” Dristan’s voice floated over the music as he slid into the booth beside me and nodded to the waitress.
“Nothing,” I didn’t want company right now.
Hell, he should know that after our mini-fight back at the office. What I wanted right now was to go over to the guest of honor for the Silver bachelor party and slice him up like a piece of Kobe steak. Granted, that probably wouldn’t do anything for my current situation with the courts, but it would make me feel better.
Dristan, being Dristan, ignored my warning tone and thanked the waitress before turning to me, “so, what’d the courts have to say?”
I cut my eyes to him, debating whether or not I should slice up my friend instead. Opting for the calmer route, I kept my eyes glued to Lovett and the rest of the band of quarters.
“They wanted to know why I hadn’t brought them proof about Luminous’s innocence.”
“Ouch,” he downed the glass of whatever his flavor was for the night and raised a brow to me, “and naturally you don’t have anything yet?”
“Naturally,” I agreed, keeping my answer short and pleasant as I visualized my blade doing some pretty sick shit to Lovett Joker O’Qhuinn.
“If you want her so damn bad, just go get her.” Dristan snapped before waving to the waitress again for another tray. “I don’t understand why you’re sitting here stewing over such an easy problem.”
I clenched my jaw and slid my gaze over to him, “I don’t care what or who she’s doing.”
He made a face after thanking the waitress, and took another drink from the tray left behind, “well, that’s good because Silver pup is going to probably have her bent over a table tomorrow night at the ball.”
I slammed my fist down on the table, making the glasses jump on the tray, “I swear to God, Dristan.”
A Cheshire cat smile came across his face, “you don’t care, remember?” He shrugged sitting back into the booth bench and looked around the club, “not only that, but they’ll probably show up together. You know how those commanders of all of the courts like to add private rooms in the venues.”
Palming one of my smaller daggers, I pointed it to him out of view of the strobe lights, “say something stupid again about that subject and watch yourself go from Dristan to Drina really quick.”
“Oh is that so?” An amused smile covered his face as he leaned toward me. “Are you mad because I’m telling you the truth? Or because you know Lovett and Luminous are probably going to end up making Silver babies while everyone else is getting plastered?”
I threw the blade and watched it land right next to his thigh before pointing at him, “I do not care about what Luminous River and whoever she chooses does. At any given point of the day, but I’m not going to sit here and listen to you talk shit about her either.”
He pulled the small knife from the booth cushion and examined the hole in his coat. “That’s not talking shit about her. It’s simply stating facts.”
“Why are you so obsessed with her?”
“Because I can see the way you look at her, Demir.” He sobered up, “you fail to remember my talents. I know what you think when you see her, and I can read you like a book.”
“Get to the point.”
“I’m not the one boning Luminous River, nor do I have any plans to do so. But that punk,” he nodded toward Lovett and his gang of Silver buddies. “Trust me when I tell you he’s planning one hell of a night.”
There was no sense in fighting with Dristan—or threatening him—because no matter how badly I didn’t want to admit it, I knew he was right. He’d never think about someone I had my eye on, let alone touch her. But there was still Lovett.
He didn’t care one way or the other what I had thought on the subject and would probably boast from hell to high heavens that he was marrying Silver’s most precious asset. After all, she didn’t get her nickname from being pretty. At least, not all of it.
Luminous was lethally calm when fighting—so much so, the scientist who created us were always comparing every one of their experiments to her. She had been the perfect golden child to all other standards along with being easy on the eyes. The scientists had dubbed her the angel. With her assignment to Silver, everyone knew her to be the Silver Angel and one hell of a fighter.
Now, Lovett was going to be able to call her his wife and wasn’t that just something to smile about. I grabbed three shot glasses, throwing the alcohol back.
Dristan cleared his throat, “tell me something, boss.” His brow ticked up, watching me from the corner of his eye. “Why are you here?”
I leaned back into the booth seat, finding Lovett again in the crowd and stayed silent. Maybe I unknowingly—of course—came here to start something but I just didn’t want to admit it. Maybe I was just minding my own business and caught sight of Lovett and the ideas in my mind started running rampant to the point I couldn’t leave until my boot was caving in his face. Whatever the case, I wasn’t going to admit it to Dristan.
He sighed and shook his head, “you really are something Demir.” He looked at me pointedly and sighed when I didn’t say anything. As if to throw in the towel, he blew out a heavy breath. “You know, there is a way to ruin their little union. If you’re hellbent on not letting her go.”
Grinding my teeth together, I kept my tone even as I said, “I don’t care about her, Dristan. Now drop the subject.”
“Oh yeah?” He handed me a shot glass with his alcohol in it and a challenge dancing in his eye. “Since you don’t care, go over there and wish Lovett a congratulations and happy life with his new wife. Who, by the way, will probably be taking his last name.” Winking at me he threw back his own shot, “Luminous Joker O’Qhuinn, has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?”
I definitely was not going over to Silver’s table—especially Lovett’s table—to wish him all the best. Besides that his last name and Luminous’s first name? It sounded like a horrible, watered down version of a DC character. Luminous Joker O’Qhuinn whoever heard of such a bullshit name?
“What’s the way you mentioned?”
Another Cheshire smile covered his face as he downed yet another shot, “well, let me tell you the story of Adam, Eve and an apple.”
Oh Jesus, I thought to myself but listened, nonetheless.
Chapter 9 Kings and Queens of the Night
A month had passed, and I was still festering on everything that had happened since I approached Onyx Elite about Demir’s innocence. No matter what I did, I tried to think of anything other than the obvious.
Demir’s kiss in that damn alley or the fact I was forced to find evidence to prove his innocence. Not to mention the ever-increasing red orders coming from the black courts. But more importantly, I did not want to think about my bullshit decision to agree with Lovett when he proposed we get married.
What in the actual fuck was I thinking? I had never been the marriage material type of woman. I didn’t like the idea of cooking dinner for anyone outside of myself or doing an extra load of laundry. Having someone calling me to ask where such and such was, or when I was going to be home. The picket fence ideal lifestyle made me want to gag and if I thought too hard on the subject, I might even put my head through a wall.
Forcing myself to sit up in my bed, I stared out the window. Why wasn’t I happy Lovett wanted to marry me? I mean, if I really tried to argue my case—for better or for worse—I rolled my eyes on the sarcastic comment.
But seriously, he was my left hand in executing orders—in the guard, he knew my likes and dislikes. He knew I wanted my coffee to have a light cream color and not black because black coffee was probably the most disgusting thing on this green earth.
He knew I preferred the ocean to the mountains. Hell, Lovett even knew my goddamned bra size and knew when it was that time of month, he better not talk to me unless he was holding a rice crispy treat in one hand and a forty-two ounce of Big Red in the other. In reality, I was probably the most stuck-up, oblivious asshole on the face of this earth when I really thought about.
Here was a man who knew me like the back of his hand, had made his feelings clear time and time again. And what did I feel for him in return? Jack shit. Sure, I loved him as any sister would love a brother. As any friend would love another friend who had been there through the highs and lows of life. But beyond that? Beyond the safe platonic net, I had cast us in. Nothing.
Ripping my fingers through my hair, I braced my elbows on my knees and stared at the plank floor. I was a shit worth friend and what made it worse, was the fact I couldn’t find a way to back out of the agreement.
Ok, yes, there were ways around just flat out telling him some bullshit excuse about me being drunk or whatever. But any excuse I had tried to come up with sounded mental on every level. Of course, there were other ways of getting out of the engagement instead of lying to him with a BS excuse. But the other ways involved putting my life on the line.
Onyx Elite was known for creating a hostile situation out of a spa day. So, my other options involved going to the judges of Royal Sapphire and begging them to revoke their approval on our marriage announcement. Which would only lead to OE putting a Diamond Order on me for making a mockery of the guards.
Even with that knowledge and knowing I was backed into a corner, I didn’t know if I could go to Lovett and say I’ve changed my mind. When it came down to the root of the problem there was a simply complicated explanation. And it was one I didn’t want to admit. Especially not to Lovett; not after everything we had gone through together.
Closing my eyes, I prayed for a miracle. Lovett didn’t deserve what I was giving him. Nobody deserved to be dragged along. But I didn’t know how I was going to tell him the truth.
My doorbell ringing stopped my foreboding thoughts on the colossal shit storm I had created. Whoever was ringing my bell this early was either at the wrong apartment or had a death wish. Nonetheless, I knew better than to try and ignore the person on the other side of the door.
Pushing off the bed, I grabbed my robe from the back of my bedroom door and padded down the hallway. Being awake at this God forsaken hour was nothing shy of torture in the darkest depths of hell. Then again, I kind of did it to myself by not going to sleep as soon as I got home. Stupid photogenic memory.
Opening the door, I frowned.
“What’re you doing here?” I stepped aside to let Karina in and looked at my clock hanging on the wall. “You are aware we don’t get up at this hour, right?”
She grumbled something about coffee and knowing damn good and well what time it was. Seeing how she didn’t have any ongoing relationships or relations in general, I knew she wasn’t coming from a long walk of shame.
Closing the door, I beelined for the kitchen and started the caffeine machine. “What’s going on?”
“Can you try not to be so damn happy right now?”
My eyebrows popped into my hairline as I watched her fall into a chair at my island. “Someone’s pissy.”
“I forgot about the fucking ball tonight.” She snapped.
I gave her a screwed eyed look and crossed my arms over my chest, “wait, wait, wait.” I pinched the bridge of my nose and counted back from ten. “You’re telling me, you’re pissed off and snappy because you forgot about the ball tonight?”
“I don’t have a damned costume and Greenaway demanded all of us go and make nice. Something about some damn union something or another. I don’t fucking know,” she quickly snapped at my open mouth. “We have to be on our Ps and Qs, just so we can take a night off. And what do I have?” She slapped her chest and spread her arms, “nothing. I don’t have shoes. I don’t have a fucking dress and why do I have to wear a damn dress anyway? I hate dresses and I can’t ever find one that’s comfortable enough to suffer through for a few hours.”
I poured her coffee and started doctoring my own, listening to her continue on her early morning rant.
“And another thing!” Karina slapped the polished marble and pointed to me, “what in the actual cow fuck shit were you thinking when you said you were going to marry Lovett? You don’t love him like that.”
“I know.”
“So, what in the hell are you thinking? You can’t drag that kid along when it’s not necessary.”
“I’m not going to.”
“Oh yeah? Well you better go tell him that because Silver is buzzing with the news and word on the sordid streets of Castlehedge is you’re going to become the next senior member thanks to your marriage to him.”
My hand stilled, my heart sputtered, and my brain became a spark flying, useless hard drive. Turning slowly to her, I narrowed my eyes, “what?”
“Bitch, you know you heard me the first damn time.”
I shook my head and tried to regain my thoughts, “yes, I heard you, but I’m saying. What do you mean? I’m not qualified to be a senior member, I still have to execute fifteen Diamond Orders and right now, I haven’t even fulfilled my first one. Let alone running the third biggest sect isn’t exactly the easiest thing to do. So, what are you talking about? Silver trying to make me?” I pointed to myself, “a senior member?”
She shrugged, closing her eyes as she took a drink of her coffee, “don’t ask me. I tried to get answers before coming over here, nada. No one higher up was saying anything about anything,” she waved her hand dismissively, “it’s well known knowledge you two are engaged. But as far as the details, nothing.” She huffed out a breath, pushing her hair back from her face and looked at me. “The only thing concrete is one thing.”
I buried my face in my hands and shook my head, “we go through with this I’m going to be elevated and so will he.”
“Like a cow shits on a Sunday morning.” Karina kept sitting in her chair and sipped her coffee with her eyes closed.
Rubbing my hands over my face, I sighed heavily, “what would you do in this
situation?”
“I wouldn’t have said yes in the first place.”
Scowling at her through my fingers, I took a deep breath, “you’re not helping, Rina.”
Lowering her mug, she narrowed her eyes, “you know I love you right?”
I took a deep breath, knowing what was coming and pushed off the island to get my coffee, “yes, Karina, I know you love me.”
“Then don’t take this the wrong way,” she pushed her hair out of her face again and nailed me with a hard look. “You just need to fuck Demir Losett, get him out of your system and then if you still don’t feel anything for Lovett, call it off. You know and I know, we all know, he is a lovestruck puppy when it comes to you.”
I stared at her, debating with myself to knock her out for what she had just said or fall on the floor laughing.
“Bitch, what?” She crossed her arms across her chest and frowned at me.
I looked over my shoulder and spun around.
“What the hell are you doing?”
“I’m trying to find out where you lost your damned mind? Did you seriously just say I should have sex with Demir Losett because that’s the reason why I can’t force myself to marry Lovett.”
Raising a sarcastic brow at me she tilted her head, “babe, you’re making the assumption I had a mind in the first place. The point is simple, tonight, find Losett and slip off into a private little area and get it done.”
I pointed out the window toward the mountain edges, “there, that’s where you got me fucked up.”
“Come on, you can’t look me in the eye and tell me you don’t want to. Hell, I’ll even admit to you, I would ride him around the world and back.”
“Karina!”
“What? His parents made him of something good, ok? Something about that close shaved beard and those eyes.” She blew out a hard breath, “I may not be relationship material, but for that man? I could die right after and be just fine.”