chapter 16

JULIA

Blood stained the marble tile, forming a blurry line, where she must have been dragged out by a horrified Don Paul.

He was pacing around when we arrived, blood stains contracting the white shirt he wore.

“Where's Gloria?”I asked, horrified at the worst.

A lump formed in his throat, “hospital, I left her under high security, I had to meet you”.

Raymond helped Don Paul to a sofa, “sit, it's alright”.

I could see his body trembling, something terrible must have happened here.

“Do you want some water?" I asked as though it was my house.

He nodded, absentmindedly.

I wobbled into the kitchen, it was still as organized as though Gloria wasn't nearly killed.

The smell of doom still hung in the air, strongly I felt I could suffocate.

I hurriedly got the water from the freezer and handed it over to him.

He took a sip before placing it down on the table in front of him.

I edged closer to him, grabbing my note pad, “can you remember what happened”?.

Raymond glanced sternly at me, “can't it wait?”.

I understood him, the urge to secure his father. I shook my head, “it can't, there are some things that he would forget even if he didn't want to,to shut it out.

His jaw tightened but he didn't say anything. I took it away silent go ahead from him.

“how did it happen”.

He swallowed again, his mouth quakes as he spoke, “we were sitting in the balcony talking about the wedding plans, she was saying blue would be the theme”

Raymond squeezed his knees; a silent support.

She said she wanted to use the bathroom”, his voice was beginning to crack, “I waited for her… she was almost dead when I got there… a knife was stuck in her throat.

He shook physically as though he could see the scene right in front of him.

“Where’s the knife”?. I asked.

“I can't find it”?.

Raymond snapped his head to him, “what”?!.

“After we got to the hospital, the nurses removed the knife. I was scared to do it, but when I asked them they said they couldn't find it.

A shiver of danger ran down my spine, This is definitely somebody's work. Someone powerful that they have people everywhere.

Don Paul clasped my hand in his, “please”, his voice quaked, “help me, somebody is definitely trying to get to me, please, I don't know what I did to deserve this”.

Then I knew what I had to do, to get to the root of this matter. I feared someone else would die if nothing was done at all.

First, Evelyn then Mary then the attack, someone is throwing patterns, I feared it could be someone he knows.

…

Raymond

When I saw that look on her face I should have known, that was the same look she had on her face that night before she was grinding herself on my lap.

When I went to her house, only to be greeted by her uncle who in his words said , “she wasn't available”, I knew where she would be.

She doesn't fucking listen.

I ran my hands through my hair as I stepped on the accelerator. She could be in danger for all I could know.

I could bet a thousand bucks she was unarmed. Gosh and just because of my father's case.

The last thing I want is for her to be caught up in the middle of my family problems.

Her location had been sent to my phone, an hour before and just like I guessed she was in a fucking penthouse with zero security.

Sometimes I wonder what qualified her for this job.

I stepped on the accelerator harder. I'm going to punish her .

…..

Julia

I just got off the phone when the doorbell rang. Uncle T had just informed me that a man had come looking for me after the jobless one.

My best bet is Raymond. I'm sure he would be as furious as hell but it gave me some kind of pleasure imagining his sour face.

I pushed myself from the bed, strolling to the door when my instincts kicked

My eyes glanced at the dirty clock on the wall ticking quietly at 2:00 am in the morning.

I hadn't told anyone apart from Uncle T and Tony of my visit here, so I wasn't expecting any visitors. Maybe it could be room service.

I crept back to my room, fishing my rifle out and waiting for whoever is behind the door, to get the memo and pass.

The bells still chimed persistently, more violent than before.

I tucked the rifle into the waistband of my night shorts. If someone wanted to kill me, I guess they'd do it quietly without threatening to bring the house down with these loud noises.

I yanked the door open to meet the cold eyes of Raymond?.

“Why the fuck haven't you been answering your calls”?.

I almost forgot he had this side to him.

He looked like he was coming directly from work; his sleeves rolled up to expose bulging muscles, did he always have to look like he was from a magazine.

I tore my gaze to see his still scowling face, “you aren't supposed…

“I asked you a fucking question, answer it”.

He looked pissed, though I can't really tell why. Who am I kidding, he asked me not to go but he doesn't get to control me.

“What if someone was tailing you?”

I've had enough of him, right now. Who does he think he is yelling at my front door at 2:00am.

“I'm not a child, Raymond, I can take care of myself”.

He shoved me aside, entering inside the apartment.

Taking a quick glance at the room, he scoffed, “Get your things and meet me in the car, right now”.