Part 42: You’ll Die Before Me

"I didn't expect I'd see you in my bedroom."

"It wasn't my idea when I asked to see you." Devyn took a seat on the couch, making himself comfortable. "More yet, I bought you this apartment, it is actually mine. The bedroom is mine too."

Ash grinned as he poured wine into two glasses. "Of course, I'd never forget such an important thing in my life. It shows there is more hope than meets the eye that you'll soon get back to being my hunting dog." He offered him a glass.

Looking from the glass to Ash's face, Devyn reached for the glass on the other hand instead and took a sip. "I'm not certain it should be interpreted like that."

"I'm afraid I can't help your uncertainty, considering that even after seeing me serve the wine you still fear I'd poison you." Ash took a sip from the glass which Devyn had refused.

Devyn smiled, resting his arm on the armrest and placing a leg over the other as though to demonstrate who was in charge. "I have no fear. I simply wanted to prove something."

Ash tilted his head. Something wasn't quite right and he sensed it since the moment Rhys Grier's name popped up as an incoming call on his phone earlier until where he had agreed to follow him into his bedroom.

Had the little sister said something to him?

"That what's yours will all be mine, and what you have for me will be your portion of downfall."

Ash kept his eyes on the glass he had just taken a sip from but he could feel Devyn's eyes piercing through his skin, his voice awakening goosebumps on his all over his body. He felt as though a death sentence was just passed to him, as though he was suddenly thrown into the ocean of life with a ticking bomb chained around his neck.

Yet, more than that, Ash knew Devyn had just come to declare war, war that Ash had already declared.

Ash smiled and looked down at Devyn. "I'd like to think you're a charming knight telling me you'll take all my problems onto your shoulders and bestow me with all your love. Like in the past, surely you haven't forgotten."

Devyn said nothing.

"It was you and I against the world." Ash drained his glass and refilled it. "You were my everything, my do or die. I'd be utterly shattered without you in my life. That's what I made you believe and you did. You were just a stupid cunt back then."

Walking to where Devyn sat, Ash softly clicked his glass with Devyn's. "Cheers. But now you're a mad cunt, I'd be a fool if I didn't study your newly learned fragile techniques."

Ash leaned over bringing his face down to Devyn's face, such that he could make parallel eye contact. "I never let anyone take what's mine, I never take what belongs to others unless I make it mine first. Surely you still have some sanity to understand what I mean."

Devyn looked up at Ash who raised his glass and took a sip.

Devyn thought for a minute before putting the glass back on the table, widening the grin on Ash's face. "You... you have that much faith in me, don't you?"

"Yes, sweetheart. Took you long enough to figure out." Ash told him. "You haven't changed that much, why would my faith in you change?"

"Keep trying, some day your little victories will lead you somewhere." Devyn got to his feet. "But the moment you stop trying, will be the moment I fuck you all over in ways you can't possibly imagine. Hope your faith in me is strong enough to understand." He walked to the door.

"Excuse me," Ash said and stepped in front of Devyn. "Let us get back to the topic at hand, shall we?" Bringing his mouth to his ear, Ash said. "Considering that this is your bedroom, you clearly have nothing against Addison spending her days naked in this room, right?"

"Apparently you'll never cease to shamelessly destroy the lives of innocent people for your own selfish gains, Traceigh." Devyn spoke without moving.

Ash straightened. "I don't know why I expected you'd be proud of me for that." He indicated with his arm that Devyn leave. "Now if you may, I'm expecting my girlfriend here any moment now."

Devyn smiled before walking out.

"Forgive me but I won't be seeing you out." Ash called after him and waited until he heard the entrance door close.

Something felt quite wrong. Something that was giving Devyn a boost of confidence. Something Ash had to figure out quickly.

..............

Devyn's phone rang. "Wrap it up quickly." He answered.

'We have, but we spotted someone like Adey entering the apartment.' Came the voice from the other end.

"What the fuck do you mean someone like Adey?" Devyn's heart fluctuated and started beating out of rhythm as several words rang at the back of his head. 'Now if you may, I'm expecting my girlfriend here any moment now.'

Ash wasn't simply trying to spite him, was he? Ash was giving him a warning. The son of a gun had invited his little sister over soon after Devyn had announced he was on his way.

'She entered the building when we started the car.'

"GET HER THE FUCK OUT OF THERE FUCKING NOW." Devyn growled just as he heard an explosion in the background of the caller's end. He turned to the driver. "Turn back."

"You were poisoned, your lips are already blue and your veins are blue all over your body." The driver told him. "I think they can save Adey in time, we must first get you to the hospital."

The poison that Ash had added to his drink was fast acting and had already started to take effect while Devyn was still up in Ash's bedroom. Devyn knew it definitely had the potential to kill him if he didn't get it checked out soon. But Adey... she was just an innocent person caught up in Devyn's mess.

He should have seen through Ash's words right away.

Devyn laughed dryly. "What you should be thinking right now is that you will die before the poison kills me and you'll die before my sister feels the heat of that fire."

As the driver turned the wheel and changed direction, Devyn felt an itchy feeling start in his chest making him want to cough.

After trying to suppress it for some time, he finally allowed himself to cough, using his arm to muffle the sound. Upon pulling his arm away, Devyn noticed little scarlet spots staining his jacket. The bastard Traceigh...

"I swear you'll die before me." He swore with his remaining pride and ego, considering that the poison had already destroyed his strength and will power to hold back the scratchy cough which would lead him to his early death.