A little chat

A little chat
Chapter 172

Ethan's POV

“When do I ever play by the rules, Canon?” I said, turning to face him, a slow, sly smirk curling across my lips. Canon took a cautious step back, his eyes flickering with unease. “Let’s go for a ride,” I commanded, my voice cold and sharp. I watched as Canon’s gaze darted nervously up the stairs, where Ava had disappeared moments ago.

“I’m not sure I want to go for a ride right now,” Canon said slowly, his voice getting a bit louder. “How about another time? Maybe the weekend. Ava could join us.” He took another step back, his boots scuffing against the polished wooden floor as his hands folded at his sides.

I tilted my head, my smirk widening. “It would cost me nothing to put a bullet in one of your limbs,” I said, my tone light. “But, as you know, it’d hurt me to hurt you.” My fingers brushed the cold metal of the gun tucked against my waist, giving it a gentle pat that sent a clear message. Canon scoffed under his breath.

“I’m sure you’d be delighted to see a hole appear in my body,” he muttered, his voice thick with sarcasm as he brushed past me, heading for the door. I followed close behind, my steps heavy on the floor as my hand moved, sliding the gun back into its holster with a soft click. The air outside was cool and heavy with the scent of mangoes from the estate grounds.

In no time, we were in my car, the engine’s low growl filling the silence as we pulled out of the estate. The grand mansion, with its numerous rooms and endless windows, always felt foreign to me, it felt cold and empty, no matter how long I’d called it home. The gravel crunched under the tires as we left past the iron gates. 

“So, where are we heading?” Canon asked after a long stretch of silence, his fingers drumming nervously on the dashboard. His phone was already in his hand and the screen was bright. From a quick side glance, I could see his thumb hovering, ready to type every detail of this moment back to Ava.

“Hand over your phone, Canon,” I said calmly, nodding at the device clutched in his hand.

“Why?” His voice rose as he shoved the phone into his jacket pocket, holding it close like a lifeline.

“You can rest assured I won’t kill you,” I said, keeping my tone even, trying to ease his panic. But my words only made him flinch, his eyes widening like saucers, shining with fear like i had a gun to his head.

“It’s just my phone! Why do you have to talk about not killing me?” Canon cried, yanking at the door handle. It didn’t budge, the locks had snapped shut the moment we got in. “Fine, take it!” he grumbled, thrusting the phone toward me with a shaky hand.

“What the hell, Black!” Canon shouted as I rolled down the window and tossed the phone out. The phone smashed against the pavement as the car rolled past.

“Rest assured, Canon, I just don’t want that crazy wife of yours ruining our bonding time,” I said, flashing a tight smile. “We need an overdue honest talk.” His throat bobbed as he swallowed hard, his body rigid in the passenger seat, staring at me like I was asking for his life.

“I have a question for you, Black…” Canon said slowly after we drove in heavy silence, the hum of the engine the only sound in the quiet car.

“Go on, ask,” I replied, turning the wheel to veer off the main road, the tires humming against the rougher pavement.

“Have I ever treated you badly these past few years? I mean, I might be a little harsh, but I’ve always been kind to you…” Canon trailed off, his words coming out slowly. I shot him a confused glance but stayed silent, letting his question hang. I was confused and I wondered why he was so terrified. I hadn’t planned to kill him.

I pulled the car into the parking lot of an abandoned warehouse. The headlight lit up the rundown warehouse which had abandoned cars and trailers parked to the side. I stopped the car, unlocked the doors with a soft click, and stepped out, leaving the headlights on to lighten the dark space.

“Get out,” I ordered, my voice cutting through the heavy silence. Canon’s face was set in a blank line, as if I were leading him to his death, his eyes wide with dread as he stared up at me.

“Just remember, I and Ava took great care of you for years,” he said, his voice shaking “I even gave you my blood back then. You would’ve died, Black. I saved you, and now my blood flows through your veins.”

“Out,” I ordered for the last time, slamming my car door shut with a loud thud that echoed in the empty lot. Canon followed, stepping out and slamming his door, the sound sharp against the stillness of the abandoned warehouse.

I slowly peeled off my gloves as the leather was sticking to my sweaty palms and feeling too tight. Then I slid my gun from its holster, setting it on the car’s hood. I wanted Canon to feel at ease when I started asking my questions, to lower his guard just enough. But as my fingers brushed the cold metal of the gun behind me, Canon’s voice rang out.

“I risked my life to save you back then! Is this how you repay me?” he bellowed, pointing a trembling index finger at me, his face flushed with anger.

“Shut the fuck up!” I growled as annoyance burst through me as his words blasted into my mind, starting a dull headache. Canon stumbled backward at my order. Ihonestly didnt undertand why he was behaving this way, Canon was a strong willed man. ''What is wrong with you?''