Chapter nine

David  

As I approach Cole's office, I can hear his voice. He seems to be in a deep conversation on the phone. 

"So, did you manage to get the gun from the evidence room?". 

I probe closer as I join the dots. 

"Let's meet at the usual spot. No one should know about this. I'll pay you double. Normal spot? 

I don't think twice as I enter his office 

" I'm coming with you. "

" David ! "he almost jumps out of his skin 

" What are you even doing, proceeding with my case behind my back? "

He heaves a heavy sigh. 

" David , it's not like that, " he says, as he puts his behinds on his chair. 

" Oh, yeah, then explain to me what's going on. I'm tired of people treating me like I'm a child here. "  

My mum treats me like I'm a five year old. My dad on the other hand thinks I can't handle my shit, he thinks there's another path for me, or he thinks I'm still a teenager. And now Cole too? 

" I'm going to get the gun. "

" Okay, when  were you planning on telling me this?" I'm getting mad here. 

If I'm going to be treated like a man I'd better start acting like one. And by start, I mean now.

"We're leaving , but I'm taking the lead." 

"You don't even know where we're going David " 

"We'll find out on the way." 

... 

We are finally here, after a long ride. It's some place that surveillance cameras can't be found. 

It's an old, abandoned, unfinished building. 

We scan the area with our eyes before getting out of the car. We both pull out our guns. Well, Cole gave me one before we left. 

It's better to always be alert. 

It's a two storeyed building and we go in through what seems like the entrance. 

Hands on the trigger. And the nozzle is ready to fire at any moment. 

We go up through what seems like the staircase. To the second first floor after scanning the ground floor and making sure there's no sign of life. We're in  one of the rooms on the second floor when we hear the cocking of a gun behind us. We both turn with our guns in stand by, to the sight of a man who puts his hands up, "It's me." 

"Took you long enough," Cole says as he puts his gun down, like back to where it belongs for now. 

"I thought it was just us," he says as though  disappointed by my presence. 

Are you kidding me? 

Before I utter a word, Cole beats me to it. 

"It's David , don't you recognize him?" 

"Of course," he answers. 

"Where's my property?" I ask with no time to waste. 

"My money?" he asks too. 

"Oh Gosh! Is this how you do business around here?" 

Five minutes later, everyone is  leaving  the place after successfully tampering with evidence. 

As we drive back home, it's already getting dark. 

I'm thinking of how much I've surpassed Maria's thinking. 

I have everything here, the gun, the note and most importantly, her diary. 

She surely doesn't know what's in store for her. 

The nightmare that's coming. 

The surprise that's going to hit her gorgeous face. 

"If you want to play games Maria, I'm glad  to be your couch.'' I  lament inwardly.

The thought of the game wants to pull my mind to somewhere else but I fight it with every nerve in me. I need to think with my brain here and not, well, some other parts.

Cole has been silent throughout the drive

. 

" Are you sure you want to be the one to handle this?" he finally speaks up,"You know it won't hurt hearing her side of the story."

"What for? She'll just lie to get herself out of trouble anyway." 

"So what do you plan with the gun?" he inquires. 

"Leave that to me, brother." 

"I'm leaving it to you because I trust you and I respect your decisions. I don't want bad blood between us. But please do it carefully. If uncle finds out about all this,.." 

"He won't." 

Besides, Cole knows fighting  me on this would be useless. 

I'm not in the mood for supper so I skip to my room as soon as we arrive. I don't want mum to notice. 

After spending some time in the bathtub, relaxing my mind, I hear someone's knock. 

 I rush over to open it, after quickly getting into my pj's. 

Opening the door, I'm met with a smile on my mum's face, she's holding a tray with a plate on it. 

"Hmmh, how charming of you to skip dinner. If you wanted some alone time with your mum, you could have just asked." 

Oh God! Why isn't this new to me? 

The aroma  hits my nose and I can't imagine how sweet the food might be. 

"Pasta, minced meat, you don't want to miss this son." 

She gets in. 

I don't want to ruin her excitement but I'm not really hungry so I just have a spoon or two,when she pops up with a question I've never had an answer to. 

"So, tell me, who's the lucky girl now?" 

I almost choke on the food she just lovingly brought. 

"Girl?" 

"No, woman" 

I know what she's talking about. 

How do I answer this? 

I'm not the one to get into serious relationships but the fact that I'm almost  twenty seven, with a mother  like mine you ought to have one. 

I've always admired my parent's marriage, they always seem so perfect together. 

As for me, I've never been ready. There are plenty of females and I don't know who's the right one so I'd rather prey on them one by one, and have various one night stands(with caution of course). Dont  judge, but I don't think I could give a girl the attention they need in a relationship. 

Besides, now that I'm the heir to the Delavega syndicate, I wouldn't want my enemies to have an easy way to take me down through my heart. And on that note I think my dad and I have very different views on love. 

I'll just get there and I'll know when it's time. For now let's enjoy life. 

"Don't tell me you have no one, as handsome as you are," She teases me. 

"I'd be so disappointed if I find out that girls are not throwing themselves at you." She cups my face charmingly with her soft hands. 

"Oh come one mum," 

"What? So tell me her name," She's still on it,"You just can't be away for five years and have no one driving you crazy." 

Will I be able to escape this route? 

For my mum, I know she isn't backing down. 

"Sofia," the name slips out of my mouth, just because I want an end to these questions. I don't want to call them meaningless because they are from my mum. But are they really meaningful? 

To be fair, that's not just a random name. I'm able to recall it because it's from a girl who won't let me be at peace. 

Talk of girls throwing themselves at me, this one's simply obsessed with me throughout my school days and I've only been able to cut her off because I didn't tell her I was coming home. 

A crazy one. She couldn't stand seeing me with any other home. 

I think from her perception, she always thought highly of herself, as my girl,sticking her nose into my business. 

The only reason I hadn't put a bullet in her skull was because.. Well nothing at that. 

I had tried a relationship with her and clearly , that didn't work out. It made me realize how unready I was. I tried breaking up with her and she almost ran mad-almost literally. 

"Sofia," Mum repeats, "Is she pretty? Can I see her?" She's excited but I have to stop her. 

"Not to sound rude mum, but I'm extremely tired  and I'd really like a goodnight sleep right now." 

She doesn't protest "After picking everything up, she pecks a good night kiss on my cheek," dream of Sofia. "

Not that I'm going to sleep right away but my heart suddenly pumps with a little joy when I remember the handy weapon I've got and I'm going to evaluate them one by one. 

As I prepare myself to finally go to bed I count them in order-diary, note and gun. 

Maria Banes, you' ve been playing with fire and it's time for you to get burnt. 

I'll stay with the diary to know more information about her, then I'll know who she was going to meet at Olives, then we can talk about the gun. 

I put all the others in my safe, the one that it's only me who has the access to it. 

I'm left with the small pink diary in my hands. 

I'm about to read it as my bed time story. I ensure that my door is well-locked before I slip into my blankets and slowly open, page one… 

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