Chapter 16

Arlington POV

"She said what?" I massaged my forehead, I was having a terrible headache, and I don't need to hear this right now,

"She said I should train her—"

"I heard it the first... The first fucking time," I slammed my fists into the desk, the real question here is how did she come with such an idea... On her own.

"Did you coach her?"

"What?" Miguel whispered,

"Answer the fucking question Miguel, did you push those thoughts in her head?"

"I didn't,"

"I saw you with her, what were you two talking about?"

Chuckling lightly, Miguel licked his lips, flashing me a half-smile, "If I didn't know better I would say you're jealous Crown,"

Turning the whiskey bottle to my head I began to drink the remains of the once filled bottle, I went from drink once a week, to drink every day, as I now an alcoholic, burying my feelings in booze,

"Are you listening to you're self, why would I be jealous of you... And Paige, I can have any woman I want,"

"True, the maids here cover most of that percentage,"

Of course, he would retaliate, he must have known about me stop seeing Priscilla, and now he is being petty,

"I just want to know why... Why the sudden change of heart, she wanted to be free now she wants to lead to killing... Do you want to be responsible for that, turning a poor girl into a killer... Do you?"

"That's the thing... I didn't encourage her to do anything, she wanted to,"

"And what do you think?"

"That's why I came to you... So you aren't surprised,"

"Ok," I whispered, "I will talk with her... See where her headspace is,"

"Good, I have men to train... A woman might be nice for a change,"

"Are you saying that because you like her?"

"Are you asking me because you... Like her?"

Chuckling, I sat in the leather chair, hoisting my feet on the desk,

"Thought you made it clear that I have a thing for maids,"

"I am going to start prepping for training tomorrow, I'll keep you updated on how well they perform on their first day," he mumbled, marching out of the office,

Why did she want to learn how to fight... Learn how to kill, become the monster she claimed I was, so what changed her mind... What was the true reason behind her wanting to stay here and train with the men, No... This was Miguel, it had to be, there's no way she came up with this all by herself, it was just no way Paige would want to become a murderer, No it can't be.

"Mary," I yelled hoping she heard me, "Get me a bottle of whiskey... Gin will do too," I added if it wasn't other gangsters it's surely going to be alcohol poisoning, I am drinking my self to death "Sir, you called for me?"

Mary appeared at the doorway,

"Yes, I am out of booze, get a bottle of gin in here,"

"Me Crown, with all due respect sir, don't you think you should... You know, lay off the drinking a bit..."

"Oh really, what role do you play in this house, Mary?"

"I am the head maid, sir,"

"Right, and I am the head of the house, never forget your place here... Get me the bottle of gin,"

"Yes sir," she mumbled, bling away,

Maybe I should have chosen Mary, it would have ended less messy and little no drama. She was a strong woman, courageous, outspoken, thoughtful, and kind, I should have chosen her. Rubbing my eyes, I groaned in discomfort, I haven't slept in days, and my body was shutting down. The talk with my mother felt comforting, it's said that she can't answer my questions but I was nice just sitting there, letting out all my emotions in tears, and even though I still feel as if I am carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders, I felt relief... In a way, I felt good, the type of good that was better than sex, better than the touch from a woman, and it was better... Talking.

Shoving the door open, Sebastian sauntered towards me, holding a bottle of gin in his hands, I smiled inwardly at this, Mary must share her concerns with him, as I said before... Courageous woman.

"I take it that you also hear to lecture me about my drinking," I taunted, I knew Sebastian and how petty he can be with his ability to play with words, so I beat him to it,

"I am not here you to lecture you boy, but I want to know... Why are you drinking again?" He set the bottle down, gazing at me,

"I don't have time for this," my voice grew bitter, reaching for the bottle, but he snatched it away before I could even touch it,

"This has to do with the girl, doesn't it? I told you... Over and over again get rid of her, yes you don't kill women and children but... Sometimes you have to make an exception and... I am sure Miguel has no problem with doing it for you,"

He's wrong, Paige wasn't the cause of my drinking habit, and he knows that's, he is just looking for someone to blame, and trying to manipulate me to think it, even though we both know the truth, it wasn't Paige... It was everything, I don't want to do this anymore,

"You're wrong—"

"Don't you dare defend that girl," his face harden, the veins in under his wriggled skin were now visible,

"I wasn't talking about Paige... But Miguel, he has grown fond of the girl, a little crush... Or love at first sight... And we both know what love can do to a man,"

"I will have a word with Miguel,"

"Like you had a word with my father about Lisa, or me about Paige... That's why you never told me because you didn't like her... Were you relieved when she died, happy you can have dear old daddy back to yourself... In your little corner,"

"All I ever wanted for this family is for you all to be beast among men, powerful, fearless, and great... Crown senior did that, no men or child dear to stand in his way, we— he could have anything, any woman, riches... but they came that whore, changing everything, that's when your father confessed to me about your sister, how he was young and scared so he sent the woman away... But your mother," he was now pacing around the room,

"Your mother was different, and no matter what I did... She wouldn't leave, even after you came along, so I— I didn't mean to but,"

Oh my God, my lips parted,

"You did it, orchestrated the whole thing, you sold out my father... You made a hit on her head, it was all you..." My voice trembled to try to hold back the tears "You had my mother killed because of some sick fantasy you had in your fucking head about my father being the perfect killer!"

The room fell silent.

"And it worked didn't it... It worked until he got himself killed, so you turned to me... You made me kill that man... So you could see what I was capable of, you're a monster, Sebastian!"

But he wasn't moved by this, he showed no signs of remorse or regrets... He just stood there with a blank face, it was unreadable... But his eyes... The eyes of a man tell us a lot, and Sebastian was not sorry.

"It needed to be done," he mumbled,

Pointing my gun towards him, he raised his hands, surrendering "You are not going to kill me Arlington," he slowly backed away

"Yeah but I should... I should but a bullet right in your fucking skull,"

"You're upset—"

"Upset? Upset! I am upset when someone owes me money, Morris for example... I am upset when the cops bust my drug deals, I am upset I want to fuck... But I find a suitable bitch, that’s the kind of thing I feel upset about... But you killed my mother because you were jealous, and you think I am upset, I am fucking furious!"

"I didn't kill your mother,"

"You didn't pull the trigger... But it was all you,"

"You barely remember the woman,"

"And who's fault is that?"

I was going to kill him, my finger kept squeezing the trigger lightly hoping he would just drop dead, but I was also not squeezing down on it because a part of me loved this man, he was like a mentor to me, lowering the gun Sebastian breathed out a sigh of relief, thinking he got away,

"Arli—"

"Leave... Run as far as you can, because I will come looking for you, consider this a gift... A head start... I am going to kill you, Sebastian," I ambled past him, trying to find Miguel "Miguel,"

"Boss... Everything ok?"

"Everything is fine, you can do it,"

"Do what?"

"Train her... Turn her into a killer... A devious one."