Chapter 12

Kia I was standing alone while sipping my red wine. My eyes were staring at him. He was talking to the blonde woman. They both were gossiping and laughing, enjoying each other’s company. I clutched my glass, wanting to throw my drink at him. How could he have fun with another woman, leaving me alone? He ran his fingers through his hair and gazed at me. I quickly averted my eyes from him and studied the beautiful hall. I was in an impressive location in New York and everyone around me was dressed in luxurious gowns and tuxedos. I had never been to such a luxurious ceremony.

“Hey,” I heard a familiar voice, and Alice appeared in front of me. She was a beautiful woman with very long hair. Her hair was enough for my dress. “Where’s he??” she asked me with her permanent smile.

I adjusted my red gown suffocating in such a long dress, “I think he is busy entertaining another woman instead of his girlfriend,” I smiled weirdly. The girlfriend seemed weird to me.

She glanced over her shoulder, looking at them. After a while, she looked back at me. “She is Pearl. She is a lovely lady, and he is not trying to entertain her. Surely he must annoy her,” I frowned in confusion. “She has been trying to impress him. I mean, she wants to date Vivian, but he always gave her the cold shoulder.” she smiled, but this time it didn’t reach her eyes. “Kia, do you both really like each other? Or this is...” she didn’t complete her words because of my puzzled facial expression, “Okay, leave it,” she sighed, “What do you think about him?”

I silently sipped my wine for a few seconds. I wished I could let out my feelings for him. He was a murderer and a monster. “I don’t know. I mean, I know little about him. We spent two weeks and unexpectedly he asked me for a date, and I said yes. Who would refuse him?” I pointed to him.

Since Vivian didn’t tell me what story to tell, I told her my story.

She smiled, catching my hesitation. “He seems like a dangerous man,” she took a hold of my hand. Why did she always hold my hands? Sometimes too much sweetness bothered me, “But believe me, he has a heart of gold heart. I know you must feel strange to hear this, but it is true. He is a wonderful man, Kia.”

“But he is a criminal.” I didn’t realize when that word came out of my mouth.

Something flashed beneath her hazel eyes. “Only for bad people. He never killed innocent people.”

Then why did he kill my father and brother? They both were innocent. I wanted to scream at her, but I bit my lower lips, stopping myself from saying anything wrong, “Seems like you’ve known him very well,” I said coldly.

She frowned in confusion and didn’t understand my statement, “No__”. Before she could complete her sentence, her husband approached her.

“See, you have made another new friend,” he said, and kissed her shoulder lovingly. They both were looking for a loving couple. They had a real and tender affection for each other. I didn’t believe in love but seeing this couple in front of me makes me believe, “Sarah has just arrived here,” he said.

“Sarah!! I’m very excited to see her at the wedding,” Alice blurted out excitedly. “You’ve made lots of effort in her gown. I’m eager to see her in that wedding gown.”

The eruption of people’s chat and laughter died when the bride entered the hall. She was beautiful in an elegant gown, clutching a bouquet of pink tulips. My eyes fell on the little flower girl, she was wearing an adorable white dress, and carried a basket of rose petals she scattered along the way. “Harley is looking so cute,” Alice said to that girl.

Her name was Harley.

I had never been to a wedding ceremony. This was my first time attending a wedding ceremony. I had escorted Guarin to many banquets and dinner parties, but the wedding was a different thing for me. “She is looking gorgeous,” I said to Alice, and she gave me a wide smile in response.

A sudden pang of pain hit my chest when my eyes moved to her father, who was leading her to the aisle. I felt empty in my heart. My father’s memories flashed in my mind. My father had left me three years ago. He would never come for me, he would never come when someday I would marry Guarin. I felt the layer of moisture in my eyes, but I didn’t let it tear. I forgot how to cry after him.

“Kia,” I heard Vivian’s voice, and I glanced at him.

“Um,” my voice was raspy.

“What happened?” He stared into my eyes and realized my vulnerability.

I quickly averted my eyes, never wanting him to see me like that. “I need to go to the washroom,” I said and walked out of his way.

He quickly approached me and grabbed my hands. “For the fuck’s sake, tell me what happened to you?”

I didn’t look at him because I didn’t want him to see this side of me. “Let me go, or do you want to escort me?”

He lifted my chin and made me look into his deep blue, which didn’t look like a criminal. “Did anyone bother you?” I saw the concern in his eyes, which were barely visible.

I nodded, “Yes, you’re bothering me,” I snapped, “Then, do whatever you want to do with you.” we were away from people so no one could hear our conversation.

He clenched his jaw. “Alright,” he said and shot me an icy glare before walking out of my way. I saw him until he disappeared into people. How could he act perfectly? All he was trying to show me was his good side, but I knew how vicious he was.

I went into the washroom and washed my face with cold water so that I could ease my overwhelmed brain. I looked into the mirror. My eyes were red, and mascara was smudged, and my lipstick was slightly smeared out of my lip line, making me look like a clown. You have no right to feel vulnerable. You have only one emotion and that is anger. How weak you’re, Kia. How weak, you can’t even tolerate people surrounding you! I breathed heavily, struggling to control my emotions. No, I’m strong. I’m strong. I’m a blood queen. I just needed to forget my father’s love and keep in mind what my mission was.

The door creaked open, and a man stepped inside. I grabbed my clutch and spun around to attack him with my clutch, but I stopped when I recognized him. “Kia, stop! It’s me.” I met his brown eyes.

“Luc,” it shocked me to see him here, “How did you come here?” I approached him and hugged him tightly.

He hugged me back and sighed with relief, “How are you, Kia?”

I breathed silently, inhaling his familiar scent. It reminded me that I had someone close to my heart who was always there for me, “I’m good, Luc. I have been worrying about you and mom,” I pulled back and stared into his eyes, “How’s she?”

“She has annoyed me by asking about you again and again, so I came here to take a clue that you’re good.” he caressed my left hand where I had shot myself. “How’s your hand? It scared me that night.”

“Sometimes I feel pain, but it’s nothing compared to what I had been suffering and you know me very well,” I smiled roughly.

“I was missing you so much,” he whispered.

I smacked him softly. “You’re behaving like a three-year-old kid. You know me. I wouldn’t die until I kill Vivian, so you don’t need to worry about me!! And tell me, how did you know about me and this place??”

“You don’t know how intelligent I am?” He shrugged. “I have a tracker. You know me. I’m advanced and also I have my agent who monitors Vivian’s, a special woman.”

Woman??!

I frowned in confusion. “Who?”

“You remember that day when the first time we saw Vivian, and he was not alone. A few people accompanied him. One of them was Leonardo, and the second was a woman. She is always with Vivian, and she is very close to him, so I have set my agent after her.”

Very close?? What does he mean?

I sighed. “Leo, you need to be careful. This is not your damn business, and I don’t want you to get involved in my plan that much. I can’t risk your life at any cost,” I warned him.

“And I can’t risk your life as well,” he retorted back and met my gaze. “I can’t risk Kia,” he whispered. I swallowed the pain and nodded to him bluntly. He glanced at the door. “I just wanted to see you once. Now I am satisfied you’re ok, then I should leave before someone can see both of us together” he pulled out a small blade from his pocket and placed it in my hand.

“This is my blade” I studied my blade and read my name on it ‘The blood queen’ “Thank you,” I smiled.

He hugged me one more time, “Take care of yourself, Kia,” he said.

I was watching him as he stepped towards the door, but before exiting, he turned to me, “By the way, Vivian is hot, and you both look a damn hot couple.”

I clenched my fist due to anger. “Shut up, Luc. I hate him and don’t expect that he would ever fall for me, and I would ever fall for him. His handsome face and sexy torso don’t change his black heart,” I said bitterly and turned around to face the mirror. I caught him through the mirror. He was smiling and headed out the door.

Before I left the bathroom, I cleaned my face and put on makeup. Under my gown, I hid my blade. It took place beside Vivian. He was talking with another new woman. I didn’t know how many whores he had kept with him. The bride and groom were exchanging their vows. After that, they traded silver rings and kissed. The entire crowd of guests cheered and applauded.

“Wow!” Alice whispered. I sighed in relief when the wedding ceremony was over, and I didn’t like being surrounded by people.

Alice looked at me. She was sitting with her husband beside us. “Would you like to go shopping with me this weekend? Since Sarah got married and she is busy on her honeymoon. I’m alone and I want someone with me.”

I raised my brows. Women couldn’t live without shopping.

“No, she doesn’t like shopping,” Vivian replied in my place. “You can take Pearl with you.”

Alice glared at him. “I’m talking to Kia. She has her mouth. You don’t need to become her mouth.”

“What to do or not to do, it’s all my decision. She is mine, and I have every right to reply in her place,” Vivian said coldly.

She is mine!! Something hit my heart after hearing that word. I hated to be claimed by him, but why did my heart accept this word? Why did not I question it?

Vivian held my hand softly and stared into my eyes. “Tell her you’re not interested. I know you don’t like shopping and being surrounded by people.”

My eyes widened. How did he know about this? “How do you know?” I asked him.

His eyes fell to our joint hand on my lap, “I could feel you. You’re looking uneasy being surrounded by people, and also,” he shrugged, “Leo told me about your few things,” he turned back to Alice, “She’ll not come then, that’s the final decision.”

She opened her mouth to say something, but, “I’d like to come with you, Alice,” I said quickly, “I have never been to New York, and I’ve heard a lot about this skyscraper city. I would love it if you would introduce me to this city.”

Vivian glared at me, his eyes flashing with anger. “You should have asked me, Kia,” he gritted his teeth.

“I know you have a lot of work to do, and I don’t want to distract you. There is nothing wrong with going with Alice. For this, I will get to know her better. She seems sweet to me,” I said and looked away because I couldn’t tolerate his temper.

“Come on, Vivian, you’re becoming more possessive of her,” I heard Alice whisper and Vivian snorted in response.

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We went out and waited for the car. Vivian didn’t look at me after that conversation, and he was looking angry, probably annoyed by my decision. Once again, I had disobeyed him; I was enjoying his frustrated look.

“Boss!” I heard a woman’s voice. I looked across the road at a woman with four men coming towards us. They were in black dresses and the woman was looking familiar to me. I had seen her in the club the first time I had encountered Vivian. She glanced at me and an ugly scowl on her face. She had carried at least three guns because the outline of guns was visible through her tight jeans. The other four also carried heavy guns. I know Vivian was the biggest mafia, but I had never seen him with his men. He was always alone and preferred his look like a billboard model.

“Harmony, what the fuck are you doing here?” He said through teeth, “You should have been with him!”

I saw a flash of worry on her face. “He is out of our hands,” she whispered, barely audible. “He ran away!”

I didn’t understand their conversation, but I could tell they were talking about someone innocent person whom they must have held captive.

“Fuck! I should have killed him,” he hissed and clenched his fists so tightly I saw a trail of blood slide down his palms. “I’m going to kill him,” he said and removed his jacket, revealing a black knife and gun holster.

“Where are you going? You can’t leave me alone,” I said before he could climb into his black Mercedes. He didn’t respond to me and climbed in and slammed his door as hard as he could, and I jolted. One day, I was going to kill him. His men followed him in other cars. But Harmony didn’t move from her place. She was the one Lucian had talked about. She was close to Vivian. I wondered what it was.

“You’re Kia,” she pointed to me and crossed her arms over her chest. There was no soft evidence through her appearance, cold hard eyes, and a seemingly perpetual scowl.

“I’m Kiara Stefan,” I said simply and ignored her bitter expression.

“Kiara Stefan?!” she repeated, as if she was suspecting me, “I don’t know how you ended up here. But don’t think you’re safe here because you ended up in the worst place on the planet,” she narrowed her eyes at me, “Think before you take a step.”

She was threatening me, and I laughed in response, “I’ve come here to rob your boss,” I whispered and walked away.

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