CHAPTER 87

“We've been compromised”

Arman said as he swung the toilet door open. Claire stood by the sink with her toothbrush in her mouth, and a confused expression on her face

“What?”

She said in a muffled way

Claire quickly spat the fluoride out and rinsed her mouth in the sink

“What do you mean?”

Arman looked tired, confused, and bothered. There was blood seeping out of a wound on his neck. It was a new wound

“Arman, what happened to you?”

She walked close to him, and held his hand in hers. Trying to feel his pain along with him, to take some of it away. Like he took hers

“You're hurt”

“I'm fine”

“You're not”

Claire said, looking up at him teary eyed

“How bad is the situation?”

“Well, we're cooked. We were in trouble before, but now it's like ten times worse”

He had a smile plastered on his face, like the reality of the situation hadn't settled with him yet

“So basically, we're doomed”

“Yes”

“How are you this calm!”

“Well, you're in my house, wearing my shirt, using my spare toothbrush. I don't think I can look at you and panic—”

Claire wrapped her arms around herself and made it look like she was shivering

“Ughhh, if you go on like this, someone might think we like each other”

“You're right— I better go collect my thoughts, so I can act like you mean nothing to me. I don't want to look smitten. I don't think it's a good look on me”

They both burst into laughter

And then, there was the silence, because they were beginning to fully comprehend their situation

“Love finally found me, and then I find out that I can't have it—”

Claire said.Her eyes looking in every direction but his eyes

“It's not over yet—”

Claire hugged him, tighter than she had ever hugged anyone before. Because she felt that it could all disappear in an instant. The period of genuine happiness that she had with him

“What if— you didn't tuck me in bed that night?”

Claire said, as she pressed her face to his chest

“Yeah, I would've gone on a late night stroll. And ignored your advances”

“Your self control needs to be studied”

“Actually I had no condoms”

“You're kidding. That's the reason you tucked me in bed?”

“Probably—”

“Well now I just feel weird. That was like our only chance”

“Who said that”

“You said we were cooked. I could die, you could die—”

“I'm not letting you die!”

Claire released her grip on him, and folded her arms in front of her

“We got in trouble together, were going to face the consequences together—”

“I'm taking you somewhere safe”

“No!”

“Claire, listen to me. Luca has lost his administrative control. That means as far as Pavilochenki's men are concerned, I have been compromised. I wasn't really on their side to begin with. And as long as you're alive, you pose a threat to his plan. You're a loose end that he's yet to cut off—”

“You won't come back to me—”

“I will”

“No no no!”

“You're going to risk your life for someone, and then you're going to die”

“I'm going to risk my life for someone, but it's going to be you”

“And who told you I wanted you to die for me?”

I never asked, I never expressed a willingness to live even.

I just want to be by your side. Because that's the only place I feel safe

If you're risking your life, I'm risking mine too. If you're running, I'm running with you

But don't you dare try to push me away from the danger I'm partly responsible for

“Well, I happen to have two bullet proof vests”

*****************

Arman packed guns, ammonition, supplies and clothes. He had taught Claire how to hold a gun, in the last few moments. She was a natural. It was only fair, she had to grow up with a criminal and pedophile

They were running away from three powerful people

Rufus Pavilochenki, who was after them both, Hillary Gray, who was probably suspicious of Claire, and the Guy Arman mutilated because of Claire.

“There's one last thing I want to tell you”

Claire said, with her hands wrapped around a small bag

He took the bag from her, and placed it inside the boot of his car

“What is it?”

“I was investigating something, something that could potentially tip the balance between the Grays and the Pavilochenkis

It's about Luca's parents

I believe they were—”

“Shhhh”

Arman whispered, as he placed a finger to her lips

“Don't say a word of it to anyone. You have no idea what Rufus Pavilochenki has gone through to protect that secret”

“You knew”

“I suspected it”

“Do Luca and Donald know?”

“No”

“You never told Luca?”

“The Pavilochenki family isn't mine to destabilise—”

“They would do the same to the Grays”

“This isn't my fight, and it isn't your fight”

“But we've been caught in the crossroads, and we have the one thing that can help make the game fair”

“Hillary Gray isn't a good person Claire”

“Well neither is Rufus Pavilochenki”

“You'd rather we help Hillary Gray, because he's the best of the two villains?”

“Look Arman, I don't understand half of what is going on, and I know there's a lot you can't tell me. But I know that if the Pavilochenkis win, Sharon will be in trouble—”

Claire was right. Ignorant as she was, she understood the dynamic nature of the situation.

“So— what do you suggest we do?”

“We continue to gather the evidence, while we attempt to escape our life and death situation”

“We'll get caught”

“If we get caught, well just threaten to upload our evidence to Hillary Gray”

It was brilliant! Dangerous, but brilliant. They would get a trusted agent, and inside guy who would upload the evidence. They would also devise a strategy that would notify him if they happened to fall in that life or death situation

“That's a risky move, but it's tempting”

“It might just mean we're not completely doomed—”