𝐃𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐇

S E V E N

TAKE HER
———————༻☫༺———————

"You have a lot to pay for, girl," Valerian heard the vicious words mutter from Carlos' mouth but he ignored it. He was leaving now. He has his money and no longer has the girl.

The girl who was lying to get her way out of this. But a small part of him wondered if he made the right choice. Is this girl telling the truth? Has he just handed her back to the man who she truly was trying to escape?

Valerian neared the doors, forcing his head forward, not wanting to turn around and see the truths he feared were true. Grey who walked in front of him, pushed down the handle of the door and as he opened it, he turned to Valerian and the look in his eyes told Valerian he feared the same.

And then, Grey's eyes turned and narrowed at something behind Valerian. He heard the thump and the pain-filled cry. Valerian turned and saw Nalani face down on the floor, her hands barely holding her up as her hair fell in front of her.

"Vie!" Arlo warned. But his words meant little.

Valerian's head tilted as he watched Carlos shake his hand as though his hand hurt from how hard he had just hit her.

"Again," Carlos growled and two men stood above Nalani picked her up and held her by the arms.

But Valerian was there before Carlo's could come close to touching her again. His gun was out with haste and was pointing at Carlos' head.

"Touch her again and I will kill you," Valerian twisted his tongue in such a new, sudden rage.

Nicholas raised his gun at Valerian but Valerian didn't even bat an eye in his direction. Arlo and Grey were at Valerian's side, their guns raised at Nickolas and those two men who stood above Nalani.

Even if Grey and Arlo didn't agree with Valerian's actions, they would always follow him. No matter how dangerous and foolish.

"What is this?" Carlo's mumbled in front of Valerian, anger dripping from his face.

"I've changed my mind," Valerian snarled.

Carlos let out a breath of laughter, "don't be a fool, Marcini."

It would be easy to kill him right now. Just one movement of his finger and this man would be dead. But Valerian knew it would start a far worse war.

"She is my daughter," Carlos raised his voice, "You have no right to take her. You can't. I won't let you."

Valerian was a ruthless, cruel man but he had always believed in one thing; you don't abuse women. Especially if it's only out of boredom.

"Boys, take her," Carlos gave a nod of his head to the two men in front of him. And despite the guns aiming at them, they pulled Nalani to her feet.

Valerian moved his gun and shot both men dead in seconds. Their bodies fell to the floor with a thud. And Nalani fell weakly to her knees and braced a hand on the floor. She could barely keep her head up.

Nicholas's eyes were wide and he drunkenly stepped forward, as though to grab Nalani himself but before he could Valerian shot his leg and he groaned in pain and fell to the ground.

Valerian wasn't thinking clearly. He was starting wars but this rage was consuming him and he couldn't control it.

"Next one goes in his head," Valerian growled behind Calos' ear, "you have a choice here, Carlos. Either I walk out of here with her or I shoot your son in the head."

Nicholas screeched as he rolled onto his back and a puddle of blood flooded around him.

"You are making a great mistake, Marcini," he yelled but Valerian only clicked his gun.

"Five seconds to make up your mind or I'm shooting him," Valerian was growing impatient and he could see Nalani on the floor. Sitting there so still, her eyes barely open in a conscious daze and he could see her lip and cheek were bleeding through the hair that stuck to her face.

"Take her," Carlos yelled, "fucks sake take her but mark my words when I tell you, you've caught me on my weakest of days. I will find you, I will kill you and I will take her back and torture her in unimaginable ways."

Valerian turned his head to Grey and with a nod of his head he understood. Grey lowered his gun and went to Nalani, scooping her up in his arms.

"Good luck," Valerian growled so viciously and then shoved Carlos out of the way, "You won't find me, old man."

Grey walked past Valerian and he still held his gun toward Carlos, watching his every movement so carefully and he wouldn't move until Grey was far enough away. Grey held Nalani in his arms, her limbs falling weakly.

Arlo followed Grey, his gun still aimed and slowly Valerian left the hall, still wondering if he made the right decision.

༻☫༺

"Do you have any idea what you have just done?" Arlo whispered in a rageful tone as they exited the building and into the chill of the night.

"Would you rather I left her with him?" Valerian answered him back with agitation.

"Yes," Arlo answered truthfully, "She is the daughter of our enemy. And what Carlos does to her is not our concern."

"It is if we are the ones handing her back to him," Valerian seethed. A pain in his head approached and all he could think about is whether Arlo was right.

Arlo climbed into the driver's side of the van and slammed the door shut. Grey stood by the door to the back of the car and then Valerian opened it. Grey, carefully placed Nalani's limp body into the car.

Then, grey looked up at Valerian, "You did the right thing," and then got in the car himself.

Valerian still wasn't sure but got in the car anyway. Instantly, Arlo drove off at high speed.

༻☫༺

The car was too silent. And the tension was high. Nalani sat beside Grey, her head fallen onto the window, her hair stuck to her lips which were now dry with blood. Her cheek forming a dark bruise.

Valerian stared at her. He wasn't sure what he was going to do with her. Let her go. Lock her up. He had no clue. But he knew one thing, he would not let her go back to that man. Valerian's heart was nothing. It felt nothing. It was as black as hell and just as cruel. And yet there was something, buried deep, something goo. He could feel it and he hated it.

Street lights passed through the car, lighting it up for a second at a time, allowing Valerian to see her clearly. To see all those scars on her legs and arms and neck, even her chest. To see that bruise. Seeing them only bought back memories of his own. Memories he wanted to stay buried.

His jaw tightened as he looked away from her, knowing he would never let her go.

———————༻༺———————
ᴅᴇᴠɪʟɪꜱʜ

ᴄᴏᴘʏʀɪɢʜᴛ © Kirsten Enn

ɪɴꜱᴛᴀ - kirsten.enn