Breakfast had transformed into a daunting and somber ordeal, with an oppressive stillness enveloping the space, broken only by the occasional dissonant clatter of cutlery against plates.
The atmosphere hung heavy with unspoken words, a palpable tension that seemed to suffocate any attempts at conversation.
After everyone had seated themselves and got comfortable in the living room, eyes traveling toward Zei as he took a seat beside her out of all the other places available. Haven shot him a glare which he returned with a cocky tilt of his head.
[Breathe.]
Her eyes shot to his face but he remained as stone-faced as he always was. Was she beginning to hallucinate or was that voice messing with her?
"One of my friends is still abroad but I'll make sure to explain everything to him once he comes back again." he looked away and glanced at the others. "She's going to work at the company but I was rethinking that decision last night."
"What took you so long to reach the house?" Damien rolled a lock of his pale hair between his fingers. "If you were doing something 'private' just say so—"
Before Haven's eyes could almost pop out of their sockets, Zei hurriedly glanced at her and shook his head. "What are you talking about? I just got attacked—"
"What?!" Damien shot out of his seat, shooting daggers at Zei who only looked away guiltily and raked a hand through his hair.
Haven could feel a string inside her chest tightening, seeing him guilty and nervous from the two men who seemed either his age or a few years older than him. He seemed so obnoxiously human that it made her heart clench. She hated the emotion.
God, she hated him.
"She saved me." he pointed to her and suddenly all the attention was fixed on her. She started shaking her head, darting her eyes to the door.
"Don't your dare."
She stared at Zei. How the hell did he notice that? Could— Could he read her thoughts too?!
"We got attacked by Gong's brother on the way home." he began. "I killed most of his guards but then he was about to kill both of us until Haven here, displayed some smart skills and shot him."
"Shot? She killed him?" Damien gazed at her, admiration spilling out his orbs while Theo looked as if he couldn't believe someone like her just murdered someone.
She couldn't blame him. She looked like it too. Frail, too innocent, like a tiny kitten in need of protection.
Zei nodded in affirmation. "So as I was saying, I'm planning to let her become part of the gang—"
"Absolutely not." Theodore crossed his arms. "Did you even look at her? She joins the gang and the next thing we know she's in the hands of a mobster who's gonna get all of us killed. Also, she slapped you! Can she even be trusted?"
"Then test me."
Theo glanced at her, sneering. "Do I look unemployed like the rest of these people do?"
"Yes."
"..."
"There's no need to. If she wanted to kill me, she had ample chance before—"
"I agree with him." Haven stopped him, her hand automatically reaching for his arm. An electric shock traveled up her veins and she swallowed, her throat dry. "I'll join the gang but treat me like a normal subordinate. Do you let all of your members join without making them go through several tasks and examinations?"
Zei stared at her and Haven pinched her skin secretly, trying her best to maintain her focus on the wall behind him rather than on his eyes. Dissolving into his bottomless abyss was utterly nerve-wracking, especially in front of his friends!
Friends who he treated like brothers. Most of the time, at least. Why?
She didn't know.
He astonished her more than anyone had ever done.
As soon as she felt that she knew what he was going to do next, he veered off into a completely opposite direction.
"Then I'll test her myself," Zei said. "And the rest she can prove by herself in the upcoming missions."
His eyes hadn't looked away from her. "Spend today doing whatever you want—"
"What am I supposed to do when I want to go out?" she cut in and Damien's eyes almost popped out of their sockets at how she had interrupted him out of nowhere.
"Then you go out." his lips curved up slightly. "I'm not going to trap you in a cage as if you're an animal."
*Thump.*
*Badump!*
Glancing away, trying her best to appear nonchalant at his words, she internally cursed every person whose name flashed up in her head. He was unknowingly ruining her plans. He was driving her around mindlessly in a circle, playing games, toying with her as if she was a puppet.
He was acting differently.
Unlike himself.
What she still couldn't figure out, was why.
She got up first, walking toward the door under everyone's— apart from his and probably Theo's— scrutinizing gaze. As soon as she reached the door, she let her shoulders drop in surrender. Leaning back against a wall, she glanced up at the ceiling and felt her headache increase ten-fold under a second.
[Take.]
[Come.]
Stumbling out of what appeared to be the main entrance, she breathed in the fresh air with a tired sigh. She looked around the massive courtyard and stepped toward the garage under the gaze of all the guards. How did he even manage to feed so many men? Hell, what did he feed them?
Dog food, probably.
Her brows unconsciously rose in shock at seeing her own bike parked against a large, black SUV. How did he— useless to even ask the question. Considering the number of guards he had on the tips of his fingers, how long could it take to bring a cheap bike to his base amongst hundred other expensive vehicles?
A few seconds?