Chapter 12

Arthur's POV

"This is a mistake." I push Lilith away from me. I do not make mistakes, but this is a mistake. I shouldn't have been there, but revenge seemed so sweet. Now the revenge tastes too sweet and it is going to blow up in my face. I need to sort this out now, today. "I need to go. Please, don't leave." I place both my hands on either sides of her face lifting her head slightly so that she can look at me. "I need you to trust me. You cannot leave this house. I will be come back. You will be safe here until I get back and then I will explain everything to you." I stare into her shiny dark eyes which has started to well up, but there wasn't time for this. I needed to know that she understood. "I need you to answer me." I command

"Yes." She breathes nodding before turning her head away from me. As soon as I reach my armoury room I change into a pair of dark jeans, a black V-neck t-shirt and put on my boots. I strap on my 9mm underneath my shirt, grab my sniper case and insert my Matsuda blade onto my back. I was getting ready to party.

"I wasn't expecting to see you so soon. Decided on my deal already?" Viktor's mocking voice started burning through my core, but I had to stay calm. I might have gotten myself into more than I can handle. My eyes strolling over the plus minus 25 trained men circling behind Viktor, the two men I know too well alongside him and I could almost feel the four red laser dots burning away through my backside.

"I have enough money. I don't need yours." I spit out the words. Very true words. I had more than enough money. Too much money. I didn't need money. "Tell me why you want the girl?" I demand, playing my whole hand at once. I was here to end this for now and forever. I am certain that Lilith doesn't know anything that he can bargain on and why drag her through all of this at all then? His son is dead and she doesn't have the answers. He should start looking for the information in other places and let me take care of Lilith.

"That is none of your business." He smirk. "Give her to me and I will let you leave. You can go anywhere except for New York and I will let you live."

"Do you think I have been afraid of dying? You already took my fear away. I do not have anything to fear anymore. You made fucking sure of that." I accuse him and he knows it too well.

"That was not the way it was supposed to be. You know that." His words continue to mock me. What other way was there?

"I don't care how it was supposed to be. Now tell me what is she worth to you?" I hated this. I could quickly press pass his two shields and push my blade into his neck, but that would be stupid. I could take them all out without putting up too much of a fight, but his snipers are the ones that worries me. If they are only a friction of what I am. I am dead and although I told him that I wasn't afraid to die, I was more keen on living since I entered the game.

"If I tell you, you would kill her and I need her alive." Viktor's voice laced with heartache. He is not going to torture her to get to the bottom of his son's assassination. I won't let him. "You were going to give her to me for what… Three million in hard cash and what? Wait…" Viktor's sudden move of his arm up to his ear caught my attention. "Look what we have here." The grin on his face compels me to turn around, but from everything I expected this made my blood run dry. I couldn't move. I was for the first time in my life not ready for what was about to follow. I couldn't take my eyes off of what was happening right in front of me. I couldn't focus on the four red blood hungry spots on my back neither on the army behind Viktor.

My focus was solely on the small brunette figure clutched between two asshats. Their arms grabbing onto her with all might and from the looks of the blood and scrapes covering their arms and faces she wasn't volunteering to go with them, but now… She was still staring at me in awe. She wasn't fighting anymore. She gave up. I could see it in her eyes. She's done.

"I fucking told you to stay at the fucking house!" My voice raise to anger I have never heard myself speak in. My voice sounds foreign and my veins pulsate with anger, disapproval and disappointment. She can't be here. I told her. She understood. She nodded. She didn't listen. "I fucking told you…" I started off again nearing her when Viktor pipes in.

"I won't do that." His calm voice curse through me. I didn't care if they killed me at this point. I needed her to know.

"Stop!" I stop dead in my tracks as I see the sharp red points clinging to her chest. He saw. Once again Viktor has won.

"Tell me one thing." I glare at Viktor's sharp blue eyes. Ice breaking ice. "What do you want with her?"

"I see." His thumb brushes over his grey stubble. "You are afraid of something afterall."