8| Killed

┏━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━┓ Killed ┗━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━┛ Chapter 8: Killed (Kai's POV) An agitated sigh left me as I tossed and turned in my bed for the billionth time. The clock kept ticking, and time kept passing. Within the next few hours, the sun would be up… and I would still be here, restlessly awake. It took every ounce of restraint within my body to remain professional and cooperate with Rose last night. An entire twenty-four hours had passed, and yet, for some reason, glimpses of last night were still replaying in my mind-glimpses of every moment when all I wanted to do was snap her pretty little neck for getting in my way at work. Letting out a breath, I shifted to glance at the time on my phone. Four AM. At some point, between murderous thoughts and a few other ones, I managed to get just above three hours of sleep until I had to wake up and get ready for work. Unbuttoning my grey suit as I stepped out of the car, I tossed the keys to our building valet, offering him a curt nod as I headed upstairs. My footsteps naturally slowed when I took in the employees running around hastily as I stepped out onto the top floor of the building that was Warner & Co.'s office. Agitation surged through my veins as I felt someone collide straight into my back. I took a breath in annoyance and turned to face them while loosening my tie. A set of boxes stacked on top of one another, barely contained in someone's arms, stared back at me. "Sorry, Mr. Warner!" an employee squeaked, hiding behind the boxes. "I'm so sorry," she muttered again before quickly running away. Why the hell is the office such a mess? "One day," I heard my father scoff. It practically boomed off the walls on this entire floor. "One day Kai was gone, and that was all it took for Warner & Co.'s employees to prove how pathetically useless each one of them is," he thundered. I came to a stop at the end of the hallway, watching everyone evade and dodge him as he marched down the hall. People were practically plastered against the walls, trying to blend in and go unnoticed by my father. "Is this what our company stands for, Margaret?" "No, sir. Of course not," Margaret, his assistant, replied as she struggled to read his schedule out to him without being interrupted. He stopped abruptly in his tracks to glare at her. "That wasn't a real question, Margaret." "I'm sorry, sir," she whispered, ducking her head. He resumed his march and demanded, "Tell me. Where am I headed?" "You're headed for your breakfast appointment at Nova. The table is booked for ten o'clock." He let out what seemed like a breath of relief upon sighting me. "You're late," he said, patting my shoulder before brushing past me. "Handle this place, will you?" "Of course. That's the sole purpose I serve, Father," I said dryly. He ignored me. "Who am I dining with, Margaret?" he asked on his way into the elevator. I held the doors open for Margaret as she juggled her purse and my father's tablet. "Thank you," she said quickly, and I tipped my head in response. "Margaret," he snapped. "You are dining with Mr. Chen, sir," she breathed out. My fingers tightened around the door moments before it closed. "Peter Chen?" I demanded. My father sighed, "I'll be late, Kai." I withdrew my fingers wordlessly and watched the elevator begin its descent. Why the fuck is my father meeting Peter Chen? Surely, a friendly breakfast was out of question for them, not with the enmity and animosity between the two families. We didn't just have casual meetings with anyone from the Chen family. No amount of money or business was worth interacting with them. At least, that's what I had been taught since I was a child, before I could even completely comprehend or fathom the concept of hatred. My head tilted slightly as I resumed making my way to my own office, only to stop once again upon a phone call. "Marshall," I exhaled, bringing the phone to my ear. "Miss me already?" "As much as I'd love to, I'm afraid I don't have the time to entertain your humor this morning, Kai." I paused out of curiosity. "What is it?" "I need you in the office. Now." "I'm working, Marshall." "I wouldn't call you if it wasn't urgent, Kai." My tongue prodded at my inner cheek as I scanned the office. "I have urgent matters at hand here too, Marshall… and let's just say my father won't be happy if I bail on my duties as Warner & Co.'s only nepo baby." "Kai," Marshall snapped. "Get over here. You have an hour." Sighing, I pocketed the phone. "Well then…" Turning on my heels, I got back into the elevator, headed downstairs, and into my car as soon as it was brought. I should have known the moment I stepped into his office that this would take a turn for the worse. My breath hitched in my throat as my eyes drifted from Marshall to the despicable woman standing before me. I looked back at Marshall and almost immediately scoffed, "No." An unamused snort came from beside me. "See," Rose said pointedly. "It doesn't work, Marshall. We don't work together. It's the law of nature." Marshall leaned further back in his seat. "Frankly, my dear, I don't care about the law of nature. If you two hadn't worked together the other night, this wouldn't be a pairing in question. But since both of you were there, not only are you the agents on this case, you're also my two witnesses." I paused in confusion. I didn't even know what was going on, but, without a doubt, if Rose was involved, I didn't want to find out. "Witnesses?" I echoed skeptically. Rose glanced at me out of the corner of her eye. "You couldn't possibly be any slower, Mr. Warner." She let her folded arms drop as she turned to face me. "Evan Atkinson," she prompted, "he's dead." "Dead," I repeated slowly, turning to Marshall for clarification. "He was killed two nights ago," he confirmed. "Mere hours after you two stopped tailing him and called it a night. He was found murdered in his apartment this morning. Brutally tortured, then strangled." I let out a low breath as I ran a hand through my hair. "And?" Both eyes cut to me. "And?" Marshall repeated after me. "I fail to see how any of this concerns me, Marshall," I added. "You called me for backup last night, and I was forced to work with…" I turned to Rose. "This… lovely woman." She offered me a bitter smile. "Feeling's mutual, Warner." "Oh, I'm sure it is, Chen," I mocked before turning to Marshall again. "My duties ended last night. I did as you asked, worked with this monstrosity, and reported back to you. My job is done. Evan Atkinson's murder is a separate case, and I refuse to work on it." "Because?" He stared at me incredulously. "Because of her," I held a hand out, gesturing to Rose. "We established very clear rules when you had me sign with the FBI again after you fired me. In exchange for my services, which you guys desperately need, you promised me that I would never have to work with her again." He sighed, "Kai-" "Nobody is dying to work with you," Rose cut in, rolling her eyes at me. My eyes skimmed over her attire and the way her black dress clung to her body, cutting off below her knees. "Then I'd expect you to be quiet while I get us out of this mess," I said, taking a step forward. "Then who am I to stop you?" she bit back, taking the other step forward. "If you don't want to work on this case, by all means, go ahead and walk out. But I refuse to let my job slip out of my hands because of you." Swiveling on her heels, she faced ahead. "He doesn't want to do it? He doesn't have to. Let me run the case alone. I was doing just fine tailing Atkinson until he showed up." "He is right here," I snapped. "He should leave," she mocked. "Stop it," Marshall said firmly, "both of you. A very powerful man has just been killed in this city, and we have no idea who did it. The FBI has enough to deal with at the moment; the New York branch cannot afford to allocate other agents and resources to this case. I need my off-the-grid agents." "Ask Dante," I replied. "He's already working with Anastasia on a case just as crucial as this, and you both know that. Let's not pretend they haven't had sex in my elevators in the name of work." Everyone fell silent for several beats. Rose cleared her throat as she touched her earlobe. "Was that detail really necessary?" she asked softly. "Let's get to the point," Marshall huffed, "this case is important. I don't need you two to work on it immediately, but within a few weeks, once I've got the official paperwork done, I will. So… figure it out. Either you two grow up and work together or… you both will find me an alternative." I arched a brow at him. "An alternative?" "Someone to take your places. You, bring me a different man," he said to me, "and you will bring me another woman," he said to Rose. "I will not compromise on skill and capability, and I will not settle for less than you two. So, good luck. Now," he inhaled deeply, "get out of my office. I have other work to do." Neither one of us moved a muscle. I heard Rose let out a quiet sigh as she folded her arms and turned her body toward mine, her gaze narrowing on me. Pocketing my hands to keep from practically strangling her in place, I faced her. My gaze drifted across her face, taking in her expressions, the small beauty mark just below her right eye, and the cherry red she swiped across her lips. She looks too pretty to be at work. "Take the stare-off outside," Marshall said. Grabbing her purse off his table, she strutted out. I lingered. "Was it necessary to call me out of work for this?" I asked Marshall. "I'm sure you offered her the invite far more kindly." "Quite the opposite," he snickered, "I interrupted her date." My brows twitched. "She was on a date? Poor man." "It was a blind date, actually, and if that were the case, she would be thankful to me. Her expression wasn't exactly beaming with gratitude, Kai." He stared at me expectantly. "Anything else?" "Nothing at all," I answered, taking my leave. . . . . . Chapter 8 I'M BACKKKK I PROMISE I'M GONNA TRY TO UPDATE A LOT MORE DURING MY BREAK BUT LET ME WARN YOU, THEY WON'T BE EVERY DAY