10
Offer
Blood pumped in my veins as a bullet broke through the glass window, the small piece of metal grazing my skin slightly. They clamped a hand to my mouth and roughly dragged me out of the large vehicle. I was exposed to the threat now. Masks hid their true nature from the eye, the cool metal sensation of a gun pressed on the side of my forehead.
My eyes shut as I await my fate. A click of a gun uprose, sweat trickled down my forehead as my heart pounded against my chest. A gun shot came, But I was still alive and breathing. My eyes ploddingly open.
"You hurt her; You'll suffer the consequences." Stavros stormed. "Last words?"
The men that held me now lay lifeless on the ground, he scarcely unveiled benevolence upon them. His piercing gaze met my own. Powerful strides towards me, he lifts me up. Wrapping his arms around me.
"Vernamina!" Rosalynn's brittle voice echoed.
I stood still, Stavros' body slightly shook. Adrenaline never was good for times like this. It worked against the body, movements never stealth and always hurried. He, however, mastered the art of adrenaline. He controlled his movements. Whispering in my ear to not move, I obliged. I knew he wanted to hold me.
"Vena, ven!" She cried. "Oh thank God, thank God..."
I didn't know why they cried, why they worried. I prepared myself from the day I knew of my father's business. I expected death, if it ever came to a time where I was to meet it... I would've accepted my faith. They worry too much.
Zahir pushed Stavros away from me, taking me into his arms. He muttered an apology profusely. How sorry he was to have abandoned me inside a van, how he didn't provide me a weapon. Was I that important?
"Zahir!" I screeched as a bullet punctured his shoulder, his eyes watered in pain.
Stav shot the man by the leg as he started to run in attempt to escape. Rosie took me in her arms as they surround the man. The slave cursed his luck, realising he was caught. He insulted Zahir, degrading his identity. Stavros momentarily disappeared, only to comeback with a dead man's body.
"Clean up should be here in a while." Zahir tended to his wound. I winced as Stavros dropped the soulless body on the ground. "It's the Americans."
I tensed.
Zahir's brow plucked up, he's intrigued. "Amerikanoí? Ti tha théloun mazí mas." He asked Rosie. "Don't look at me, I don't know anything!"
"Vena, is it you they're-" The voice of my cousin became my salvation at that very moment. I didn't want to let them know about the situation I am in, yet. Zahir's a clever man, I knew he would find out without me piping out a word.
My cousin commanded the troops to spread out and find any leftovers. My stomach turned at his crude term. Leftovers, really?
"You!" He points at Zahir, "You didn't even think of calling company?! Are you fucking nuts, huh?!" He latched onto Zahir's collar.
I grasp on Damocles' bicep, pulling him away from my friend. "My cousin is in danger now, because of you! You're don now, are you not? Why the fuck didn't you think of the consequences, you know you all aren't normal people! You can't just walk around unprotected. Ilíthie karióli. Tha boroúsa na se skotóso." He seethes.
"Dame, stop it. Please," he slammed Zahir to a wall. My pleads were unheard; Zahir remained a stoic expression as my cousin threw threats at him.
"Damocles." It took one word from Stavros Koenig to make him stop. He unlatched onto Zahir. "Come, we have more important matters to discuss."
He whispered to Zahir one last time before following Stavros. I hurried to my friend, "Are you okay?"
"I'm turned on right now, Vena." He grins.
My face morphed into disgust. He got turned on from my cousin almost killing him? This guy, my goodness. I shook my head in disbelief, grabbing him by the arm. Rosalynn fawned over Zahir like a mother hen would to it's chick. She slaps the back of his head.
"You dirty little bitch, you got turned on from that? Zahir, he was close to skinning you alive!" She pinches the side of his stomach. "Shut up, you saw how hot he was when he pinned me to the wall. Dear Lord have mercy,"
"You're already dating Rosa's brother!"
I smacked him in the chest with my fist. We sat quietly in the car. Rosalynn and I settled on the backseats. Zahir sat at the passenger seat while a soldier drove us back to the estate.
All I could do was watch it drive further away as their car turned into nothingness from the comfort of my room.
"I cut your chains," Stavros' voice startled me in fright. My brows knitted in confusion. "You're free now." He let himself in, after closing the door.
What did he mean, I'm free now? Did he—
"H-how?" My heart bounced with joy. I'm no longer bound to the American heir, yet I couldn't help but feel guilt. To cut the chains of a bounded maiden, you had to face a great challenge. It often affiliated with blood, pain and misery.
Ignoring my question, he grabs my hand; Lacing his fingers with mine. A strong tug was all it took for me to land straight into his warm arms. He held me close to him, I felt his fear. Fear that I did not quite comprehend. His dove his face into the juncture between my neck and shoulders. I relished the warmth his body emitted. His nose nuzzling my skin. The intimate affection made the butterflies that resided in my stomach, awoke from their slumber.
I always felt like this with him. All the rainbows, butterflies and heart flutters. It all seemed too surreal. This dream I'm living in could be taken from me with a snap of a finger.
"Are you going to answer me?" I whisper to him. He hummed in answer. "What did you do?"
He rose from his previous position to give me a chaste kiss. Eyes vicious, a sadistic light in them. "I made them an offer they can't refuse."