Killer Sunshine

XIX

"Do make yourselves comfortable" said the man motioning for the empty couches.

Xavier, who still held Bella's hand walked them towards a couch farthest from his father,  not missing his father's glance toward their held hands. The man took a drag before his eyes landed on Bella's own inky pools. Half expecting the girl to bashfully look away,  he was surprised to see her hold his gaze and she didn't miss it.

"What's your name girl?"  He asked,  his voice both authoritative  and patronising

"Delilah, her name's Delilah" Xavier coldly answered. Bella didn't miss the tension between parent and child,  and wondered why there was so much of it.

"I believe the girl can speak for herself son" he said,  his own eyes clashing with his son's daring him,  before returning his gaze to Bella only to question

"Or are you mute?" to which Bella answered with a straight face

"No... I'm not" the man cracked a smile then, his foot jiggling as his leg remain crossed over the other

"Tell me Delilah, how old are you?" she felt Xavier painfully squeeze her hand then and she let out a hiss,  to which the young man was quick to lay off. One fleeting look at her hand now in her lap, she looked back up at the man that had both interest and amusement in his eyes

"23" he nodded

"College?" she shook her head

"Parents?" her right eye twitched then and she said

"Dead" to which the man nodded with another drag of his cigar

"Sorry to hear that. But I'm curuous, what happened to your hands?" he questioned. She couldn't help but spit out then

"Why do you wanna know?" as she thought back to the episode she had had.

"A bit touchy are we?" when she showed no sign to say any more,  his gaze turned to his son

"He's gonna come after her"

"And how did he come to know about her" Xavier grounded out

"Your display of protectiveness didn't really go unseen boy.  You should know better by now"

"Who are you talking about, Xavier,  what is he talking about?" Bella questioned facing the young man that looked both furious and concerned. Only he ignored her question and angrily said

"I won't let him touch her" the man chuckled then

"You and what army?" he questioned, eyes full of mirth,  he looked back at Bella

"See, there's a very bad man your 'boyfriend' ticked off, girl. Now you're his game" he said,  his eyes clashing with his son's he sadistically said

"And he's eager to hunt you down." the words directed at her "And you just about put a target on her back when you came up empty handed. She was his minute you stepped foot into that club with her". Getting up from his seat,  he walked toward a small table near the corner of the room,  and on it sat a decanter with brown liquid toxin. Pouring a decent amount in a glass,  he gave one last look the pair's way and said

"You can leave now" 

"Shit shit shit, Shit!" the cuss word came out in a rant through Xavier's lips minute the elevator doors closed. Pacing inside the small contraption,  Bella simply looked on,  she was over it,  she felt over it,  so over everything that she found herself numb to the situation.

Xavier looked at her then,  seeing her lack of worry or emotion toward his father's words had him furrowing his brows in question, only to brush it aside when he realised he had a lot more than her to figure out. He knew that once Maxwell set his eyes on something, he got it no matter the means. And he wondered just how he would get him to change his mind about Bella