Collateral Damage.

CHAPTER 5

Daisy's POV:

I stand outside Paragon Real Estate, another branch of Kaiden's empire. I must be out of my mind doing this considering I witnessed him kill a man last night, but I guess when you escape such a close call you become a bit reckless. On the bright side, I'm closer to finding out the truth about Callum than I was last week.

Straightening my shoulders, I adopt a purposeful stride as I pass through the revolving doors of the building.

The hum of activity envelops me. The sharp fluorescent lights illuminate the cubicles and flurry of movement within.

The scent of coffee and printer ink greet my nose as I look across the office.

I weave through the desks and passing workers and approach a serious looking man who types determinedly at his keyboard.

"Good morning", I offer him a smile. It goes unnoticed as he remains focused on his computer.

"I'd like to look at some properties", I increase my voice in the hopes of gaining his attention.

He looks up, his face in an annoyed grimace.

As he's about to speak, there's a sudden commotion as people scramble off their seats.

He stands up so fast his chair flies back, hitting the wall behind him.

"S-sir, welcome. I was just finishing up with this client", he stammers, his voice shaky.

Feeling a presence behind me, I turn around and see Kaiden Reed taking determined steps towards me. His stride quickly eats up the distance between us.

He addresses the stammering man behind the desk.

" I'll take it from here, why don't you take a break?", Kaiden says. Looking over his shoulder he a speaks to the entire room.

"All of you"

As if someone pressed a button, they all snap into motion, moving swiftly out the door. In the span of a minute, we're the only ones in the room including a few of his men.

"Sit", he tells me gesturing to the chair in front of the desk.

I lower myself to the seat, cautiously. I keep my gaze pinned on him. My heart beats frantically in my chest as I keep hearing a gun go off and the thud of a body hitting the ground.

He gives me a cold smile. Dragging the chair from behind the desk, he positions it in front of me and sinks into it. With an air of confidence, he relaxes into the seat, assuming a languid position.

"Daisy Jones", he says rolling my name off his tongue.

"Pleasure meeting you here", he drawls sardonically.

I'm frozen in my seat,the erratic beat of my heart fills my ears.

He stretches out his hand and a tablet is placed in it. He offers it to me, his eyes glinting. When I don't reach for it he shakes it in my face.

"Go on, take it", he insists, his voice low and even

With shaking hands, I take the tablet from his hands, feeling a shiver race down my spine. A scream rips from my throat as I see the image plastered on the screen. Callum’s body, at the scene of his death.

I toss the tablet to the floor, the sound of it against the tiles echoing through the room. Sobs wrack my frame.

The image burns itself into my mind‐ Callum on his back, his body filled with bullet holes, his eyes trained unseeing at the sky as blood pools beneath him.

I shove my hands to my face rubbing my eyes, trying to erase the emptiness of his eyes from my mind.

Shaking, my body bent over, I hear Kaiden speak, his voice dripping with false sympathy.

"Tragic isn't it?", he pauses taking a deep sigh.

"You trust someone , they betray you and end up dead. Weeks later, I find you sniffing around my establishments", he drones

I dig my nails into my palms as I try to force myself still. Raising my head, I glare at him fueling all my anger and hate into one look.

Tension crackles between us.

"You're cousin stole from me. Multiple times", he states, malice coating his words

"And you killed him for it", I retort, choking out the words.

Callum on his back, empty eyes staring at the sky. I squeeze my eyes shut at the image.

"No, I didn't get the pleasure of doing that. More’s the pity", he informs me, disappointment in his tone.

My eyes widen at this revelation. He may be lying, my glare returns as I consider that alternative.

"I'm not lying, I didn't kill him", he shrugs

"I prefer less messy modes of murder, plus I wouldn't kill him till he returned my money", he concludes

"So who did? You have a motive, you say he stole from you. If you didn't kill him, who did?", I ask desperately as my voice trembles.

Through gritted teeth he snarls, "I don't know"

It pains him to admit it, I see it in the scowl on his face and his clenched fists. His knuckles have turned white with how hard he folds them.

His hand whips out, faster than I can comprehend and he squeezes my jaw in his hand.

"You're going to pay for what your cousin did", he growls in my face."By the time I'm done with you, you're going to wish I caught him instead".

Shoving me away he relaxes back in his seat.

"W-what do you mean?", I ask

"You're now responsible for your cousin’s debt. I'll find something to do with you" , he informs me as he rises. Straightening the lapels of his suit, he pins me with a dark look.

"Or you can work on your back. In my bed", he says.

Nausea fills my stomach and my hands tremble at his words. I swallow, trying to find my voice but the words cling to the back of my throat.

I flinch into my seat as he closes the distance between us. Leaning in, he presses his lips to my ear as he whispers,

"Maybe at the end of your performance I shall consider myself properly compensated."

My breath whooshes out of me as he suddenly grabs me and tosses me over his shoulder.

I scream beating my fists against his back as I struggle to free myself. He barely flinches at my onslaught and maintains a smooth stride to the car parked outside.

I buck against his hold which only tightens. Screaming out as sobs tear from my throat.

Opening the backseat, he throws me inside.

I scramble upright pressing myself to the opposite side of the car. Behind my back I fumble with the car lock.

"Don't bother, you'll only be dragged back in here and I'm tired of your screaming", he says

At this I only scream louder, lunging towards him. He restrains my arms and pulls me against him.

I continue struggling but he easily contains both of my hands in one of his.

A cloth is placed over my mouth and nose and I feel myself fading into unconsciousness. As my head slumps on his chest, I feel him arranging me into a more comfortable hold.

Kaiden's POV:

She's slumped against my chest, unconscious as we are driven to my house: the core of Kyklos.

During the drive there she sleeps restlessly, murmuring under her breath and shifting on my chest. Sighing I reposition her once more when her head slips.

I stiffen as her head nuzzles into my neck, her warm breath brushing over my skin. I gaze out the window, propping the hand that's not holding Daisy in place under my chin.

My phone buzzes in my pocket. I swipe to answer the call.

"Have you retrieved her?", Alex questions

"Yes, we're on our way", I tell him, shifting Daisy's limp body.

"What's your plan?", he presses

Breathing out a sigh of frustration, I reply,

"I'll find out what she knows on Callum."

"How's the interrogation going?", I ask. I ordered Alex to carry out an investigation ever since Callum’s murder, I suspect that there's a mole within Kyklos. The way our suspects have been dropping dead recently that only proves my suspicions correct.

"Not good, Kostas has disappeared", he informs me

I sit up, anger igniting

"What do you mean disappeared?", I growl at him.

" The guards at the entrance were killed and he wasn't in the containment room." Alex explains

I grit my teeth at the realisation that this sets our investigation a couple paces back.

Massaging my temple at the sudden pinch of a headache, I take calming breaths against the anger that threatens to consume me.

Callum’s betrayal was only the tip of the iceberg of the deep scheme that is being carried out right under my nose.

"I'll start the search for Kostas, I've already contacted our sources in the police force they're all on guard", Alex assures.

"Good, make sure they do a good job of it, I'll drop her off and join you at the scene", I tell him, ending the call.

We arrive at the house, I scoop her up in my arms and make my way inside.