I chugged on the bottle of wine, downing every content and then wiping my mouth with the back of my hand. ou've always been a shadow, a shadow that lurks behind me for no reason.
I tapped the ashes on the ashtray. I am getting addicted to you every minute. Every single time i look into those eyes, it gently caresses my thoughts. I get aroused by just watching you be a man.
Still, I have plans. Plans to make you suffer, plans to make you wish you never trespassed. You are very smart and strange at the same time.
I smirked.You are falling for me, and even though you are acting tough towards me, I can read the messages in your eyes.You are obsessed with me, and that's your biggest mistake.
"Hello! Who is home?!!"
My door suddenly flung wide open with Zoe stepping into my apartment, holding shopping bags and a big tote bag.
I was startled but when I saw her smiling face, I frowned."You should know how to knock. Just because I registered your thumb prints on the scanner, that..."
She rolled her eyes."Oh forget it, Lazy fingers..." she glanced at me, on seeing the cigarette in between my index and middle finger, she was perplexed,"
... when did you...? You smoking?!
"I looked away from her, staring at the television. There are questions one shouldn't bother to answer, this was one of them,
"Rachel...?" She dropped the bags on the tiled floor, scurrying to where I sat,"... what the hell are you doing with a cigarette?! When did you start smoking this shit?!!"
She said, she wanted to snatch the stick away from me.
I slapped her hand immediately.
"Don't!" I said, my voice was cold and scratchy.
She was stunned, staring at me confusedly.
"Rachel?... what, what is the meaning of this? You don't smoke, you've always hated smoking, now, you are sitting here and smoking a cigarette stick.
What... when did you pick up such an habit?"I pressed the lit bottom on the ashtray to put it off. I stood up from the couch, walking to the bedroom."It shouldn't matter to you. What I do with my life, Is none of your business..." I tilted my head to the back to look at her,"
... I guess you had fun with your lover boy, yeah?. Do me a favor, pack up and leave my apartment."
She was astounded, giving me a blank, open-mouthed stare.
"Me?!!! Leave?!!!"I scoffed."I wasn't dumb when I uttered that you should leave.
I don't wanna say anything more. You shouldn't be here, you could get hurt.
Stay away from me, Zoe.
My friendship with you ends today..."
I looked in front of me, approaching the bedroom entrance,"... it's better that way. Bad things are going to happen and you shouldn't get involved in any of it." I said, entering the room.
••••♠️RYAN♠️
"Boss. You have been working on the sculpt work more consistently than the others. This is the first time I am seeing you burn this amount of energy on it."
Anna said.My workshop... it was afternoon. Sitting on a stool, holding a scalpel and I was busy carving a hand from a piece of refined light brown clay with it.
"Mmhmm. This sculpture is going to be a splendor. A piece of art that can neither be destroyed or recreated. A sculpt work that targets the enemy."
"Pfft. You are carving Rachel's body on a bunch of clay. How is...well... whatever you just said.
"I chuckled."You don't get it, do you?..." I dropped the scalpel on the top of the work table."... Rachel is the bait that draws the enemy to me.
When I sent Reece a message through his subordinate, I know, he will be able to understand it..." a grin tore across my face as I turned around to look at her."
... he is going to come for Rachel because, she is close to me. Not only that, he is going to lead Collins here and this piece of artwork will do a great job in grounding Collins in Bronx."
"Hmm. how are you so sure, Boss?" She asked."The enemy is easily predictable. I have known them for years, it's not rocket science.
I know their next move without blinking an eye and right now, I know Reece is gathering his resources in search of Rachel and I..."
I got up from the stool,"... and I will wait for him to make the first move, which leads to the naming of this very sculpture."
She cocked a brow at me, with her hands tucked behind her."And what are you going to call it, Boss?"I smiled."
ZB160403."
"I don't understand the name boss." She said, giving me a face that show her confusion."ZBfor Rachel Blake, and 160403... it's a date. The night, the gruesome night, Collins and Reece tried to annihilate me."
I said, a scowl slowly crept on my face.
••••🌱ZOE🌱
Something is not right with Rachel. Why did she suddenly changed and telling me to leave her home.
She meant it, she wasn't tripping when she said I should leave.I sighed, leaving the eCollinsator as it opened.
I stepped into basement, walking towards where my car was parked while pulling my luggage along.
I will miss her.She's my best friend after all. It is strange to see her acting cold towards me.What's happening?
Is she going through any form of stress?I took out my phone from my pocket. There is only one person I can speak to... Reece Norman, Rachel's ex fiancé. Rachel respects him so maybe he could talk some sense into her.I don't like the fact that she has picked up the habit of smoking.
I frowned...Why is she even smoking?!!!I scrolled down my call log in search of Reece's number.
When I found it, I dialed it immediately. He picked after some time.
"Hello Zoe. It's been a while."
"Reece, thank God you answered. Have you been hearing from Rachel?"
"No. What about you?"
"I am currently at her place..." I got to my car,"... oh well, she asked me to leave and..."
"Gimme her address!" He said. The sudden rush in his voice was startling. Why did he ask for her address in such a manner?."Reece, are you okay? You sound as though you are in a hurry." I asked.
"Yeah, Yeah,I want to speak to Rachel urgently. We need to talk and... wait!... do you know of any man she has been frequently seeing?"I shook my head sideways.
"No... Rachel is not in any form of relationship."
"No man at all?." Why is he asking me such questions?And why does he wanna know who Rachel's with?"I haven't seen her all lovey-dovey with anyone."
"Send me her address then."
"Why Reece? She doesn't like you."
"Send me her address, Zoe. Or do you want Collins to get angry at you?"I caught the chills immediately.Who dares bask in Collins's anger and stays alive?
Even though he is my father's pal, Collins won't hesitate in killing me if I mess shits up."Pinning the location and sending it to you now." I said."Good. I'll be waiting.
Good day." He said, hanging up immediately.I sighed, staring at my phone and wondering, what the hell is going on.
••••⚫️REECE⚫️
*****"We shouldn't be here, Reece." A panicking Ryan spoke as we moved into the site grounds."We are already here so behave yourself.
"He went mute.We walked into the dilapidated building."I feel uncomfortable being here, Reece."
"Chillax bro. You not a kid, so take a chill pill."We got to room with some gangsters in it. They held baseball bats and guns."Brought the motherfucker, yeah?" Collins asked, sitting on a stool in a corner. He was busy smoking a big cigar pipe."Yeah, he is here." I replied, grinning at Ryan.
He was petrified, stunned and visibly shaking. He walked to where Collins sat."What's going on?! B-Boss! Wh-?"WHAM!A bat to his skull, he fell to the ground and he was out cold."Tie him up. He betrayed us all."Collins said.
*****
I stood in front of a painting in my room, lost in my thoughts. Smoking from a big cigar stick and a bottle of whisky in my hand.
Ryan is alive and he is definitely going to have his revenge.
I have to be very careful, smart and tactical.Things will definitely get bloody.
Ryan is not an ordinary human being.He is a blood thirsty demon, The Ghost of Manhattan Streets.
🌹RACHEL🌹
Life is like a beam balance it weighs out the probability and uncertainties. it's like a transparent sieve.
life..... unfair to many, but subtle to a few.