Malachi's eyes widened in surprise as Cian revealed his desire for Kaliyah. "Kaliyah?" Malachi repeated, his voice laced with incredulity. "What do you want with her?"
Cian's expression remained impassive, his eyes glinting with a cold, calculating intensity. "I want her," he said simply, his voice low and menacing. "And I always get what I want."
Malachi shook his head, a sense of unease creeping over him. "You're making a mistake, Cian," he said, his voice laced with warning. "Kaliyah is worthless. She's not even-"
Cian's eyes narrowed, his gaze slicing through Malachi like a knife. "I don't care about her value, Malachi," he interrupted, his voice dripping with disdain. "I want her, and that's all that matters."
Malachi's eyes locked onto Cian's, searching for any sign of weakness or doubt. But Cian's expression remained firm, his eyes glinting with determination.
"When do you want her?" Malachi asked, his voice resigned.
Cian smiled, a cold, calculating smile. "I want her moved to my mansion tomorrow," he said. "And I want her to be ready to... cooperate."
Malachi's eyes widened in understanding, a sense of trepidation creeping over him. He knew that Cian's idea of "cooperation" was likely to be brutal and unyielding.
"I'll send my men to pick her up by 10am" Cian added and Malachi nodded in understanding and turned on his heels to leave.
As Malachi left the casino, Levi turned to Cian with a questioning look. "Cian, what's going on?" Levi asked, his voice low. "Why do you want Kaliyah so badly?"
Cian shrugged, his expression unreadable. "I know what I'm doing, Levi," he said simply.
Levi raised an eyebrow, his eyes narrowing in suspicion. "That's not an answer," he said. "What's so special about Kaliyah?"
Cian's eyes narrowed slightly, and for a moment, Levi thought he saw a flicker of something else in his eyes. But then, Cian's expression smoothed out again.
"I said I know what I'm doing, Levi," Cian repeated. "That's all you need to know."
Levi's eyes lingered on Cian's face for a moment, searching for any sign of weakness or doubt. But Cian's expression remained firm, and Levi knew better than to push him further.
"Fine," Levi said finally, turning away. "But if this blows up in our faces, I'm blaming you."
Cian's smile was barely perceptible, but Levi caught it anyway. "I'm shaking in my boots, Levi," Cian said dryly.
After Malachi left to go see Cian, Kaliyah was left alone in the small apartment. She sat on the couch, her eyes fixed on the wall as she seethed with anger.
She hated Malachi for keeping her trapped in this apartment, for controlling her every move. She hated him for using her as leverage to pay off his debts.
Kaliyah's eyes narrowed as she thought about Malachi and his dealings with Cian. She knew that Cian was a powerful and ruthless man, and she wondered what Malachi had gotten himself into this time.
But Kaliyah's anger and resentment towards Malachi only grew stronger as she sat there, waiting for him to return.
Finally, the door opened, and Malachi walked in. Kaliyah's eyes snapped towards him, her gaze cold and unforgiving.
"What happened?" Kaliyah asked, her voice icy.
Malachi didn't even bother to look at her. "Pack your bags," he said, his voice flat. "You're leaving tomorrow."
Kaliyah's eyes narrowed. "Where am I going?" she asked, her voice dripping with hostility.
Malachi shrugged. "You're going to Cian's," he said, his voice completely nonchalant.
Kaliyah's eyes widened in shock. "You sold me to Cian?" she repeated, her voice disbelieving.
Malachi didn't even flinch. "That's right," he said, his voice still flat. "You're going to belong to him now."
Kaliyah's expression didn't change. She didn't feel a surge of emotions, neither happiness nor sadness. Instead, she felt a sense of detachment, as if she was observing her life from outside her body.
She wondered, almost idly, how her life was going to change now. Would she have another shot at happiness, or would she be trapped in a new nightmare?
Kaliyah's thoughts were interrupted by a dry, mirthless laugh. She was laughing at herself, at the absurdity of her situation. Cian was a monster, a man who had killed someone in cold blood.
And if he was involved with Malachi, he couldn't be a good person. Kaliyah's laughter was a cold, hard sound, devoid of any real amusement.
With a sense of resignation, Kaliyah turned on her heels and headed to her room. She knew she had to pack her bags, to prepare herself for the new life she would be entering tomorrow.
As she packed, Kaliyah's mind was a blank. She didn't think about the future, or the past. She just existed, in the present moment, as she prepared herself for whatever lay ahead.
The room was dimly lit, the only sound the soft rustle of clothes as Kaliyah packed. Her movements were mechanical, her eyes fixed on the task at hand.
As she finished packing, Kaliyah stood up, her eyes scanning the room one last time before she went to bed for anything she had omitted when she found none she laid down on the bed.
She knew this was a major change. But Kaliyah was not one to back down from a challenge. She steeled herself, her eyes fixed on the future, as she waited for the dawn of a new day.