She is Fatal to Death (Standalone Story)

Chapter 14 (Steal You Away)

Keone

Keone stood across from Angel who was particularly menacing tonight. His eyes flashed with fury, but even deeper than that was disappointment.

Keone didn't quite know what to do with himself. He'd never gotten himself in this kind of predicament where not even Death was on his side.

"You've lost her."

Keone kept his chin raised. If he were to crumple underneath Angel's intimidating look, that would have been far more shameful than anything else. "I tried my best...considering what I did, I was surprised she even allowed me around her. We made the smallest bit of progress, but...they had a secret weapon."

"Rocio?"

Keone's eyes widened with surprise, although he should have known better. Nothing gets past Angel, well, except for Renata in this peculiar case. "You knew?"

"You didn't?" Angel shot back.

Keone backed off. "I've failed you, Angel." He felt like a child as he admitted to his defeat and foolishness. "What do we do? Nirvi has her now."

Angel turned his back on Keone and began to pace. "I do not worry about Nirvi or her clan or any of her undying allies..."

"But?"

"Now that Renata is in her custody...I have begun to worry about what is to come."

Keone hated how calm he sounded, considering the alarming words coming out of his mouth. "Can we get her back?" He didn't know why he bothered asking when he already knew the answer.

"No. It'll only widen the chasm between us. Once she has found her footing, she must decide whether she is willing to stay with Nirvi or not."

"And if she does?"

"We'll have to put her down. We'll have to put them all down."

Keone shook his head.

But there was an unsaid threat between them. One that was throwing them both off kilter.

She couldn't be killed.

Diamond

She wiped her nose, wincing as the sore skin responded with stinging pain. She discarded the tissue in the nearest garbage can and dragged her palms down the sides of her throat.

The booming music from the stage was muffled in the dressing area, but Diamond could still feel the vibrations of it against her skin. A couple of the ladies were sitting at their vanities and touching up their makeup. Others simply sat on their phones. A few were laughing at some shared joke. The heavy cloud of perfume and sweat permeated through the air and stuck to the walls. She hardly noticed those kinds of things anymore.

Diamond paused before knocking politely on the door.

"Come in."

Diamond entered Natalia's office. It smelled more heavily of cigarettes in here, but she had quite a couple years ago. Natalia was reading a pile of papers, but put them down upon her arrival. She removed her readers and sighed. Her eyes raked up and down Diamond, pausing on her face.

Diamond cleared her throat. "You asked for me?"

"Want to tell me why you're crying on clients?"

Diamond looked anywhere but her. "I wasn't crying on them." She wiped her puffy, red face, self-conscious that she couldn't hide how much of a mess she was without Renata. "I'm fine."