Ridin' around with homies like we run the city done it!
Lookin' fresh and feelin' like a milli
money!
Move in silence, you can never hear me comin'!
If you got a problem when you see me Run it!
-Rick Ross
THIRD PERSON
[Run It by DJ Snake playing]
What was that? A bottle?
"Bitch better watch your back!"
She grabbed the neck of the bottle and smashed it over the man's head. Glass pieces mixed with his blood as he fell to the floor. She jumped off his body, realizing that this kind of chaos used to be her favorite, but not when she was a two-month pregnant lady.
"Whose idea was that, huh?" screamed Athalia, defending herself from the punches coming her way.
Soon, her back hit the wall, a knife pressed against her throat. "A knife? Are you threatening me?" she twisted the boy's wrist, causing him to groan in pain. What the heck is happening here? Her mind was still processing it all.
"Not on the stomach, not on the..." she flinched, repeating these words, realizing someone was about to hit her there. "I told you to stay back at the penthouse," and for the very first time, his voice sounded like a prince in shining armor.
And she needed him to protect her because she was not in a condition to do it any longer. "And what was I supposed to do there?" she replied, taking shelter behind his back while he grabbed the person in front of them by the neck.
Cade's wrist was already covered in blood, his T-shirt slightly wet from sweat, and his jaw clenched together as he punched the assailant with each word, "Eat! Sleep! And fucking rest!"
"It's not the time for your lovey-dovey quarrels!" Maya shouted, struggling but secretly enjoying herself. "And I'm not following your strategies again," Cade retorted, swiftly taking out the person in his grip.
"I don't even know why we're fighting?" Asher remarked from atop the bar table. "You guys are crazy!" Naomi barked, throwing a chair.
"Athalia, back off-" Athalia felt a hand on her shoulder, but before she could react, Cade didn't hesitate to twist that hand too. Despite his heavy breath and tired eyes, he made sure no harm came to Athalia.
"You freaking stay behind me and don't get lost," he growled at Athalia, gripping the guy's collar and kicking him down hard. "Daddy's right, Mumma. No need to get involved," Nathan said, helping Naomi to her feet.
"Athal-" someone yelled, and she immediately bent down as Cade picked up a plate and bashed it on someone's head. "Athalia, under the table!" he ordered before breaking some bones.
"Don't make me say it again," he growled, and she complied, hiding herself beneath the table and hugging her knees. The flower vase fell to the floor, and she covered her ears. Athalia peeked through the long tablecloth, only to meet Cade's blue gaze. "Under the table!" he shouted again before two masked men grabbed his shoulders.
"They've got knives," she warned him, her adrenaline pumping as the white blade gleamed near Cade's jaw. "I know, under the table!" he eyed her and struck his elbow into one man's stomach, causing him to drop the knife, then he threw the other over the table.
"Let's end this. I've got a gun," exclaimed Maya as she stood on the bar counter "And the Snow White" pressing the gun against Grady's temple. The chaos went silent, every eye focused on them. Grady let out a dry chuckle. "Can we settle this down with talk?"
"That's what we said!" shouted Asher.
"You guys caused a lot of damage," Grady tried to free himself from Maya's grip. "Who's gonna pay, huh?"
"You started it, motherfuc-"
"Woo, woo, calm down, angry lady," Cade intervened, holding Athalia back and preventing her from doing anything reckless.
"It was you all pulling a trick on me," protested Grady.
"Were we?"
Who is this Grady guy, and what was happening?
[Few hours ago]
"I thought smoking was prohibited near the pregnant lady," said Naomi as she placed the tray of lemonade on the table.
"Sorry," Asher apologized, crushing the cigarette. Athalia rolled her eyes, her head lazily lying on the cushion on Cade's lap. She stretched her arms, letting out a yawn. It was a warm summer midnight with a soft and cool breeze. They all were sitting on the terrace near the swimming pool.
Her hand traveled to remove his glasses and to run through his hair to catch his attention.
"Cade," she whispered, pulling him down by his shirt to meet her lips. Maya's entrance broke the silence and their almost kiss.
Athalia sat straight, fixing her top, while Maya plopped down beside her. "I've found something interesting," she said.
"I don't wanna hear-" Cade began, but Athalia cut him off with an angry glare.
"What?" Athalia interrupted Cade, giving him an angry eye. Maya and Cade didn't get along easily. Athalia took a sip from her straw, then rested her head on Cade's shoulder.
"The manuscript was sold to someone called Greyson, an old man in the black market, and this Greyson is someone who is not easily approachable, so-"
Cade cut her off again. "Did you try to reach him?"
"Of course I did!" Maya continued. "So I was saying, his records are usually maintained by his faithful, loyal son." She smacked her lips and picked up a glass for herself.
"Get to the point, Maya. You need some money?" Cade asked, putting back on his glasses.
"Money? Do you think I could ever be in debt?" Maya let out a chuckle. Of course, she was someone who would gladly steal something precious instead of begging.
"The thing I want is to grab his attention so we can easily make him spill out the information about where the fuck they've kept the manuscript."
"And how would we do that?" asked Nathan.
Maya stared at Cade with some unusual expressions. "His name is Grady," she spoke. "And he has a different taste in men-"
"I'm not doing any of this shit," Cade tried to get up, but Athalia pulled him down.
"We are all ears," she said again, glaring at him, causing him to shut his mouth.
After listening to her plan, Cade was left stunned, and nothing came from his mouth except, "I'm not doing any of this."
"You are Mr. Hanniel," said Athalia, grinding her teeth. "What? You are my girlfriend, and you are asking me to seduce some boy?" Cade replied, getting up.
"You want your precious book or not?"
And that's how they all ended up in this chaotic scenario.
"Let's settle this down here," said Cade, pulling out a chair not for himself, but for his lady. They all sat down in a circle at the table.
"You all clean this mess up," Grady ordered his men before settling himself down.
"Ah, so, where were we?" Grady's tone changed as he looked up to Cade. "First of all, stop giving him these looks," yelled Athalia, maybe it was jealousy or it was just her mood swings.
"What looks?"
"Like you want him in bed."
"Jeez, calm down Athalia. Don't be so cranky. I'm all yours, my lady," Cade pulled her onto his lap, wrapping his arms around her.
"Her temper is like that," said Maya. "But I want answers," and she pressed a knife against Grady's throat. "Or else, I won't mind shedding some blood. I haven't murdered anyone this month." She ground her teeth, causing Grady to gulp hard.
"At least allow him to speak," suggested Nathan, pouring himself a glass of water.
"Number One," Maya gripped the knife tighter. "Where the fuck is the manuscript?" asked Cade.
"Number One, who actually are you?" replied Grady. "Genius, playboy, extraordinary, physicist," Cade chuckled in his husky voice. His dark aura grew heavier as he stared down at Grady, his voice deeper than usual. "You are a sheep wearing a wolf's skin, so be aware because I'm the one with the claws of a wolf."
Athalia felt the thrill in her spine too. She entwined her fingers with Cade's, calming him down, and rested her head near his neck as she whispered softly, "I'm feeling dizzy again."
"Just close your eyes and stop thinking," Cade patted her cheeks gently, and Athalia slowly drifted to the sound of his heartbeat.
"So where were we again? Ah, your father's manuscript," Maya brought the blade closer to Grady's neck.
"Oh, screw it, I really don't know where it is," he replied, and Maya yanked his hair roughly, eliciting a groan of pain from him.
"Okey, I do know, I know," he grumbled in agony. "But I don't have any access to it."
"Just tell us where the heck it is," demanded Maya.
"You guys are calling for trouble."
"We'll see about that," replied Cade.
"It's unapproachable. My father has kept it in his locker along with the diamonds. The security system is damn high and can't be hacked," Grady explained, and the air grew heavy with tension.
"Why keep a book in a locker?" Naomi questioned.
"Because it cost him more than $7 million, and there's something strange about that manuscript."
"Strange? What could it be?" Naomi asked Cade.
"That I can only tell when it's in my hands," he replied with a poker face.
"And how do we get that book, Cade?" they all asked simultaneously.
His smirk grew wider and wider as he replied, "We are going to pull off a million-dollar heist."
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
"Cade," Athalia called out, her voice trembling.
"I'm not hearing anything, Atha-" he started, but she cut him off by embracing him tightly. It was their first serious argument. Her suitcase lay open on the bed, clothes scattered on the floor. She sobbed uncontrollably. "I'm not going anywhere."
He couldn't resist hugging her back, kissing the top of her head as he replied, "You have to, love."
"Why? Why- I don't want to go. I can handle myself," her voice cracked as she buried her head in his chest. "I promise, I won't cause any trouble."
His eyebrows furrowed at her words. Gradually, Cade made Athalia sit on the bed and knelt down, holding both of her hands. "It's not about trouble, Lia. But for the very first time in my life, I'm scared. I'm scared that something could go wrong. And moreover, as a father of our child," he placed his hand on her belly, "It's now my responsibility to keep my family safe."
"I don't want to lose you, Lia," he whispered, kissing her palm and brushing back a strand of her hair. "I'll be home with you after a few weeks, and we can plan everything together-our marriage, the color of our baby's room. I promise, Athalia."
He lifted her chin to meet his gaze, his soft blue eyes like a clear sky. Cade glanced around as if searching for something. "Love," he began, removing the ring from his index finger-the one that symbolized his family legacy. It was a platinum ring with an intertwined serpent and a diamond for its eye.
"Let's do it properly," he stepped back, kneeling properly in front of her. "Will you marry me, Athalia?"
She nodded, unable to meet his gaze because she knew if she looked into his eyes, she would break down in tears, making it harder to leave.
"Lia, I need words."
"Yes, yes, and yes!" she exclaimed, her heart overflowing with love. "Want to hear something more? I freaking love you, Hanniel. Did you expect anything but a yes from me?!" She grabbed his collar and pressed her lips to his.
Their kiss tasted of salt from their tears as their lips moved together. The cold ring slid onto her finger as they lost themselves in each other's embrace.
He pulled away, wiping the lipstick from the corner of his mouth. "Let's go. It's getting late."
Her steps trembled as she walked out of his sight, feeling the weight of leaving him behind. "Hey, he just wants you to be safe," muttered Asher, holding her suitcase as they made their way inside the airport. They were both leaving for California because Asher's work was done there, and Cade trusted him enough to take Athalia home safely.
Somewhere, Cade knew too, that Asher was deeply in love with her, and all he wanted was to see her smile.
"It's just... I'm going to miss him a lot,"