Blood Bath

chapter 54 // sin

"No, it can't be possible." I responded to Tan, sitting across from me. 

I sat in my desk chair hunched over the dark black desk, staring back at Tan who took up one of my lounge chairs. We had been working all day on new programs that could help us track down Ryker. It had been a complete week without any word, any news, anything. We were completely in the dark but there was always that gut feeling that he was still alive. 

"I don't know what to tell you, it's right here." Tan exclaimed, shoving his computer towards me. 

I stared down at the email that had been hacked into from one of Tan's programs. The title read "You have been invited to the Galactic Ball. Hosted by Ryker Smarts. Join us." I slammed the computer shut as I crossed my hands over each other and buried them into my forehead. We had our answer now, we didn't stop Ryker. He had just been hiding low, preparing to launch a ball. 

"When is it?" I spat through my teeth. 

"Tonight." Tan quivered, I could tell he was nervous. 

"He specifically said that he would only launch this type of shit after he takes down Metric. He hasn't touched us, what the hell is he planning?" I questioned, standing up from the desk. 

I paced back and forth across the room while grasping my chin with one of my hands. I glanced over at Tan typing away on his laptop for a few more moments. He knew when to work and how to work, I appreciated how he was always on top of shit. When I was slacking in finding information, he could do it in a quarter of a second. 

"He's hosting it at the Snow Reapers in Chicago." Tan spoke clearly, typing away at his document. 

"The fucking Snow Reapers?" I spat.

The Snow Reapers were a fellow ally that hosted outside of Chicago. Caspian Astor owned the business but we were waiting for his son, Fox Astor, to take over due to Caspian's ways. I didn't understand why they were making a deal with Ryker and hosting the ball at his place when we all were direct enemies. I grasped my phone in my hands trying not to crush it with my fist. 

"Want to tell me what is going on?" I yelled into the phone as Caspian picked up. 

"Ah Sin, it's been a long time!" he cheered from the other end. 

"Cut the shit." I gritted between my teeth at the phone. 

"I was about to email your IT tech, Tan is it? Yes. We've got it all figured out." he replied calmly. 

"We? As in the Snow Reapers or us? Because I don't recall you discussing any of this with me." I grunted. 

"Us. You can thank Fox for that, I wouldn't have included you in this but he insisted because they took something from you apparently." he exclaimed. 

"Yes, something special. He's our kill." I sneered. 

"I see, I will arrange that. Read the email, I must go now. Take care." he responded before I heard the beep. 

I rolled my eyes and stuffed my phone into my back pocket before stretching out against the desk. I glanced over at Tan who was staring back at me with his eyes squinted. He was trying to read my emotions like the fake therapist he is. 

"The email?" I questioned him. 

"Thank fuck Fox didn't say anything about Haven. You know what Caspian thinks about women." Tan replied.

I nodded back at him as I cracked my knuckles. Caspian always had a thing with women, he saw them as nothing more than a simple fuck. Nobody liked Caspian and his head was always on a platter hence the reason Fox was taking over. The bastard couldn't even run a business correctly. 

"Ryker will be sitting in the middle table, no weapons are permitted. Caspian's guards will strip him dry. Only one of us is allowed one weapon, nobody else. There's a whole timeline, he thinks it would be best after the commencement speech." Tan read. 

"Haven has to do it." I demanded, staring back at Tan.

"I agree, I believe that will be the only way she will be set free." Tan nodded in agreement. 

"You're free to go." I replied to Tan, needing some space.

Haven was the only one who could kill him, she needed too. That man had stripped her of the confidence she worked hard to build and showed her the darkest of our world. I knew she wanted him to pay for what he had done and I didn't feel right taking that from her. I poured my rum into a small glass sitting on my table and sighed, falling back into my chair. 

Knock, Knock

"Come in." I grunted, annoyed since I had just asked for some alone time.

My eyebrows perked up when I saw Haven come into the room, dressed in black leggings and a blue hoodie per normal. She had slight bags under her eyes from the lack of sleep and a sense of hesitancy as she approached. 

"Hey grumpy pants, you're going to grow too many grey hairs if you never take a break." she announced, taking a seat on my lap. 

I balanced her on my left leg and wrapped my arm around her waist, basking in the sense of safety she gave me. She was right, I did work too much, even though I tried to pull away from it. She rested her head underneath my chin, leaning slightly into my chest as I rubbed her back.

"Did you have a nice night with Con?" I questioned.

"Of course." she replied. 

"Hmm.." I muttered in response, telling her I understood. 

"Sin?" she asked, pulling slightly away from my chest to look at me. 

"Yes Canim?" I groaned, staring back into her eyes. 

She took a deep breath and her eyes began to become glossy. I took the time to examine the slight train of freckles over her nose, her long hair that hung underneath her chest, and her perfect body. I will never get over looking at this girl, she is utterly perfect. 

"I want to stay." she whispered. 

 The words were like music to my ears, I loved hearing every second of those words. My fear had been caught in my throat when I remembered the deal I had made with her in the beginning. She completed me, she completed all of us. She couldn't leave but I wouldn't make that decision myself and now she did. And it was in our favor. 

"I wouldn't want it any other way Haven." I calmly exclaimed, pulling her into my chest again. 

I kissed the top of her forehead once before she began wiggling out of my arms. She stood up and wrapped around my desk, straightening herself as if she was a large business man. She puffed her chest out slightly and squinted her eyes, deep in her thoughts before she spoke. I leaned slightly back into my hair amused at the sight, wondering what she was going to say next. 

"On one condition though!" she demanded, slamming her fist down on the table. 

"And what is that, my dear?" I questioned, letting a slight chuckle fall out of my chest. 

"I won't be a house wife. I want my own portion of the mafia, I want to teach women how to succeed here just like my mother did." she exclaimed, letting her chest fall. 

I stared back at her with a sparkle in my eyes. She really did fight for everything she wanted, she really did always try to change her life around for the better. Haven was an inspiration to not just me but to everybody around us. I knew that this is what she deserved, she would excel in teaching the women in our group. 

"Done." I replied. 

Her eyes widened in shock before she jumped over the table into my arms again. She began hugging me tightly and shaking me in her arms. I chuckled a few times before hugging her back, holding her there for a few moments. She slightly pulled back again and planted a long bruising kiss on my lips. It was just like the first time, full of fire and passion. I fucking loved this girl. 

"After one thing." I added as she wiped her mouth off from the kiss. 

"Hm?" she responded, cocking her head slightly to the side. 

I brushed my thumb across her jaw for a few seconds before sighing. 

"You have to kill Ryker."