𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐏𝐋𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐊𝐈𝐃𝐒 - jj maybank

- 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐟𝐢𝐯𝐞

𝗔𝗹𝗹 𝘀𝗶𝘅 of the pouges laughed as they sipped on their cheap beers, each of them marvelling in the face that Pope was technically the heir to Tannyhill. They all joked and teased him about it, especially JJ and John B, who put on fake British accents and bowed to him.

They were standing at the wooden deck near Heywardʼs shop, careful to stay under the roofing to avoid the warm rain that fell over the island. Kaci sat Kaz on her lap as she rested on a stack of plastic boxes beside Kiara, the two of them sharing their can. JJ watched them, a grin cracking onto his face when he noticed Kaz trying to eat Kaciʼs rings again, knowing the girl was considering the option to stop wearing jewellery.

"I just keep thinking about the letter, the one that Limbrey sent," said Pope, tone serious as he stopped scratching his head in thought and turned to his tipsy friends. "It had the wheat symbol on it. Like, that must mean it has something to do with the Royal Merchant."

"Yeah," JJ agreed, opening his arms up to take Kaz from his mom. "Something seems fishy."

"But if we find that cross, we can split it like we were gonna split the gold," Pope continued.

"Yeah. I'm with that," said JJ, offering Kaz a sip of beer, to which the baby licked the can. He turned back to Kaci, who was glaring at him for attempting to give the baby alcohol. "I think there's something seriously wrong with our kid."

"Yeah, starting with the fact he's half of you," Kaci retorted, rolling her eyes as JJ smirked.

"Aw, c'mon, Princess, don't be like that," he said, "we're gonna be rich."

"And live happily ever after?"

Everyone turned around at the sudden, unfamiliar voice. A woman in crutches stood behind them, beside a man wearing a leather jacket, who held up an umbrella for the pair. She stepped up onto the deck with the teens, and although most of them had never seen her before, they all knew exactly who she was.

"You assaulted my father," Pope seethed, getting close to her, causing Limbreyʼs brother, Renfield, to push the boy back.

Kaci glared at him, sliding off her seat on the boxes. "Don't touch him, you cunt," she said, jumping to stand beside Pope.

"Oh, I didn't assault anybody," Limbrey corrected the boy, the tone in her voice soft, almost warm. Welcoming. Nothing like her character, but it fitted her well.

Kie rolled her eyes. "He can identify the psycho miles away."

Limbrey furrowed her brows at the younger girl, putting on an act of confusion. "Why would my employee a...a...asault your father?" she questioned with a light laugh. "That's absurd."

The womanʼs face suddenly flew to the side, and all the pouges held in a gasp of shock at what happened — except JJ, who knew it was coming, and smirked at his girl. Limbrey turned back around to meet Kaciʼs fierce eyes, holding her palm against the red mark the girlʼs palm left on her cheek.

"Cut the bullshit," Kaci snapped, and Renfield stepped closer to her. She didn't care, she only scowled at him, too. "What are you doing here?"

Releasing a calming sigh and taking her time to get past the firery teenʼs actions, Limbrey turned back to Pope. "Listen, we can keep on negotiating, but the fact is that I want the key."

The mention of his familyʼs key set the Heyward boy off, and he went up to get in the womanʼs face, causing Renfield to take a step forward and start pushing him back. Jumping straight to Popeʼs defence, JJ and Kaci both launched forwards again.

"Hey," Kiara hissed, glaring at the man.

"...And I won't stop until I have it," Limbrey continued, unbothered by the teenagersʼ outrage. "I don't have a choice, which means you don't either."