I kissed her forehead as I lay her on the bed. She'd have to wake up in a few hours but, I need to think clearly and to do that I do not need her trying to seduce me.
I swear it almost worked the first time.. and the second. My resolve was beginning to slip, that was why I had to put her to sleep... against her will.
The foreboding feeling has become stronger than before. Like five times stronger. It scares the shit out of me and annoys me as well.
What could it be.. what for fucks sake??!!!
I've sent my men to tour this town five times since we arrived. We've swept every nook and cranny, taken to hostage anyone who seems suspicious. Men, women.. teenagers.. We've swept the entire city clean but nothing.
Ferd has gone into the shadows, he operates better from there, but I'm yet to get anything positive from him. He feels the negative energy too. Not as strong as mine but he feels it.
But if he can feel it then it can only mean one thing. Something is gonna happen today, and I am meant to get hurt by it.
Should I just ditch this conference?
I've always been one to trust my gut, but this conference is way too important to just ditch it and I have never been one to run from a fight. Besides, whoever it is, is cowardly. He or she had to wait till I'm completely out of my territory to want to strike.
'Very lame' I want to think, but it's lame enough to give me chills, to make me dream, to make me not want to leave her side.
This is frustrating.
I felt my phone vibrate in my hand, I picked it without looking at the ID.
"I'm listening."
"Sir, we...might have a problem."
*******************
"I ask again, Ray, is it really compulsory I sit beside you at this conference" Anna asked again.
"And for the hundredth time, Annabeth Smith. Yes it's important that you do. You are my assistant for fucks sake. Why do you find it hard to understand that?" I asked turning subtly to her this time.
"That's easy.. because I can't help but notice the stares, both good and bad, I am receiving from majority of people in this place. The men are staring at you and the women, well, they look like they could kill me!!" She scolded with tight lips, careful not to make it too loud.
I wanted to laugh at her response but I just shrugged slightly.
"That, my dear is what it's like to be a successful person in the business world and that is why they would never be as successful as I am." I said brushing an invisible crease on my arm.
"I really do not get y'all, really. Just be humble, happy and rich. Easy peasy. No need to beef and compete. It's sickening." She said huffing and turning back to the pad screen.
I'm tired of it too, love. Really exhausted. But we can't give up now, can we?
Naa.. we can't. Not after the information I got earlier. We are still not certain of anything but the thought of sharing the same conference hall with my father nd his aides tonight says a lot.
Father never attends business conferences. He is usually available during the after parties but not the conferences. But today of all days, not just with his annoying and greedy assistant, he came with his entire aide.
I would have waved it off as a show but my father is known for his lack of subtlety. He might have something planned against you and would always have the front row sit in watching it unfold.
And that's what I think is about to happen.
We have seven of his men in custody right now but we are yet to get any tangible information from them. It's so frustrating.
"Ray, are you okay? You are sweating a lot in a well conditioned room. It's quite alarming." She said looking around her to make sure no one noticed our interaction.
"I'm okay, Anna. Just .. thinking." I said dismissively.
"About?" I looked at her in bewilderment..She isn't taking the hint. " I'm listening " she said giving me a pointed look. Minx..she knows I do not feel like talking.
"About my sister." I lied through my teeth. I just cannot tell her.
"Alright everyone, let's get settled as we start this conference " the moderator said cutting off what ever she was going to retort. I really was grateful for the distraction... really grateful.
The meeting started in full as everyone settled. I searched throughout the crowd for my father or his aides but I couldn't find them.
Could that confession have been a trap? Or was it just plain false.
I spoke into my Bluetooth, telling Andy to track my dad and his aides if he can. If he isn't here then.... Then the info is probably fake.
Shit.
I sat in my seat, bouncing my right leg as I kept alternating my glances subtly from one entrance to another, waiting for when he'd make an appearance. I know he will, but when?
I keep asking myself why I haven't snuffed him out already. I know I can't do it myself but Fernando would do it within a snap of a finger.
I glanced at Anna to see her paying attention to the speaker as she typed on her screen without errors. She kept wiping her palm on her gown to clean of sweat. Either she's still nervous or she's tired already.
I didn't mean to put her in this position, I just can't have her far away from me. I need to keep my eyes on her. For some reason, I can't help but feel she's involved somehow. I really hope she isn't because I'm gonna lose it.. completely.
"You are up next, sir" I heard a lady speak through my other pod. I took a deep breath waiting for my call. I stood up abruptly as soon as I was called. Not before telling her to not leave her seat. I almost turned to look at her as I got closer to the podium.
This doesn't feel right..
"Good morning, Everyone. I believe you had a good night rest. Alright let's begin."
Thirty minutes into my speech I heard someone call through the work pod.
"Sii..rrr. She's gone."
What?!?!
I turned to look at her seat to see that she really wasn't there. I felt my heart tightened in my chest.
Oh no...