Chapter 21 Twenty One
Elara's POV
By the time I left the bar, I had devoured two full bottles of ale and a big plate of tender steak. My stomach was full, but that didn't matter. All that mattered was the fact that taking the alcohol had made me recover myself. Make my head clearer.
The fresh air outside hit my face as soon as I stepped out of the bar door. The night air was colder than it was earlier.
I wrapped my arms around myself in a bid to generate warmth. I had left my jacket in the cat earlier. As I hugged myself and went to my car, I felt calmer than I had all day.
The street was quiet unlike when I arrived. The only noise heard was the soft sound of cars passing by. I walked slowly to my car, my heels clicking against the pavement. Maybe tonight wasn’t so bad after all.
I yanked my car door open, getting overwhelmed by the warmth of my car's interior.
settled into my seat, letting out a long tired sigh.
The heat radiated from the car made my body relax. I closed my eyes for a second, leaning my head on the seat while my hands rested on the steering wheel.
I turned on the engine, it roared to life with a smooth hum. Tonight was for me. I had to make sure of that. I stared out the window, watching the empty street.
Gosh
I needed personal tranquility. A night away from my responsibility that weighed heavily on me.
It felt peaceful. I felt peace and for the first time in days, I didn’t feel like punching someone. Maybe all I needed was ale and I would be just fine.
I shifted gears, a smile stretching across my lips as I was ready to drive home and sleep like a baby when I remembered my phone had buzzed earlier.
I fetched it out of my pocket.m, heading straight to the message icon.
A message from Throne headed the rest of the messages. Unread.
I clicked it open, my eyes skimming through its content.
Throne: Were you able to meet with Lucas, Boss? Did you arrive safely?
I blinked, feeling a little guilty for ignoring my phone the whole evening. The throne had always been there for me. His commitment to our syndicate was one among the many things that made it bloom greatly.
My fingers scrolled down to the second message. He had sent it a few minutes after the first.
Throne: How did the meeting go? Did Lucas try anything funny? Call me when you can.
I sighed, feeling my chest tighten a little. The throne was always like this. He has always had my back ever since I became the leader of the syndicate. He was always checking on me. I couldn't blame him. With how crazy things had become, he had every reason to be worried that I went all alone to meet with a maniac.
I leaned my head back, my lips pressing together in thought. My fingers drumming on my steering in complement with my thoughts.
Should I call him?
Or shouldn't I?
Maybe I should. I couldn't keep him worried. If I called and told him I was alright, he would stop worrying. Besides, he had every right to be worried since I went out at noon sharp and was yet to return at 7:11 PM without any phone calls or text messages.
My thumb hovered over the call button for a moment. I didn’t want to talk too much, but I hated keeping him in the dark too.
Finally, I clicked the voice call icon, placing the phone against my ear.
The line rang as I waited for him to pick up, my fingers tapping the steering wheel slowly. This time with Aria’s name flashing on the screen. I quickly pressed the answer icon.
“Hey, Boss. How are you?she asked calmly.
“I am great, Aria. Do we have a problem with the syndicate?.” I inquired about feigning ignorance even though I knew the real reason why she called.
She was probably worried about me like Throne was.
There was a short pause before Aria spoke again, her voice sounding a little soft.
“There is no problem at the syndicate, Boss. Everything is fine here. I just…wanted to. I… I was worried. You’ve been gone all day and no one has heard from you. No text messages. No calls. Throne is worried too. He has just been passing up and down the whole place.”
I sighed, leaning back against my seat. “I’m fine, Aria. The meeting went smoothly. The meeting had ended long in the evening. I just needed some time alone after it.”
Silence swept across the two lines for a second or two.
“I understand, you, Boss,” she replied quickly.
“I'll let you go now so you can focus on your Wheels. We’ll talk about everything when you are back. Everything. Just wanted to check on you.”
“Thank you,” I said simply. “I’ll be back soon. Just Tell Throne to relax. I am fine.”
“Alright, Boss. I'll let Throne know that I spoke with you. Drive home safely,” she said. The line gave a soft beep indicating Aria’s disconnection from the other end.
I tossed my phone on the passenger seat and started driving
The streets were empty,with just a few cars on the road and it was just the way I liked it.
The quiet night made it easier for me to clear my head. My hands stayed firm on the steering wheel as I turned it around, taking turns on the road. I had my mind focused on getting home with the burning need for nothing more than a long, hot shower and then a peaceful sleep.
But just when I was about to take a turn into my street, my phone buzzed beside me. I frowned, irritation gnawing at my skin. I grabbed my phone with one hand, the other hand placed on the steering wheels while I glanced at the screen.
It was a message from Lucas.
My forehead wrinkled as I tapped it open.
Lucas: yYou better be smart, Elara can use your head. Make the right decision while you still can.
Was that a warning?
Who was he to threaten him?
How dare he
I wasn’t someone to be threatened or ordered around. The peace I had just experienced vanished like smoke. I could feel my heartbeat rising in my ribcage.
My jaw clenched.
Just when I thought my night would end well, Lucas' text ruined it. Anger bubbled inside me. I slammed the phone back on the seat. My grip around my steering wheel is tightening.