OLIVIA

22

Austin and I decided to meet at a cafe not too far from the diner. I wore a pair of black leggings I bought at some wretched old store down the street from my house, a black oversized hoodie and my old white sneakers and a black beanie with a scarf around my neck.

The cold was numbing every part of my body. I shivered. As I approached the cafe, I spotted a black car parked outside and wondered if it was for Austin. Then I saw a dope ass black motorcycle and I just knew it was for him. A shudder ran down my spine and I cursed at whatever it was that made weather. I mean, it was afternoon and I was shivering like a pig standing at the peak of Mount Everest.

I opened the door to the cafe and released a deep breath as the warmth and soothing smell of coffee hit me in waves. Even though I adored the cold and the rain, mama didn't wanna get no frost bite.

I looked around and spotted Austin at a booth close to the heater and prayed that God bless him for choosing that spot. I walked across the room till I reached the end where Austin sat, sipping on a cup of cocoa and staring out the window. He was so lost in thoughts and zoned out from everything else, he didn't notice me sliding into the booth.

"Hey." I chirped, nervously. He turned his head to me and his green eyes met mine.

"Via! About time." He said as he dropped his tea cup on the table, clasped his fingers together and looked at me with intense curiosity. I felt like a lab rat under serious observation and I had never been more uncomfortable.

"Okay, shall we get down the business?" I offered with a raised eyebrow. He smiled and rolled his eyes, something Kevin usually did. I could see the resemblance now.

"Oh my God Via, slow down, won't you have a cup of coffee, cocoa or something?" He asked.

I wish he'd stop calling me that.

I looked outside the window and tugged my hair behind my ear.

"Um..." I started but he interrupted.

"Don't worry, it's on me." He said with a grin. I cleared my throat and offered him a tight lipped smile.

"Yeah that's not... that not it. I have money, I just don't wanna waste unnecessary time. I wanna know what I called you to tell me." He narrowed his eyes and studied me.

"And what did you want me to tell you exactly?" He asked as he tilted his head to the side, watching me closely with a small smile on his face. This was fun for him. I almost scoffed.

"Well everything, I wanna know everything. I feel like I'm missing something here, I can't remember...a lot." I said looking down and fiddling with my fingers. He hummed and nodded his head.

"No wonder." He muttered and I looked up, confused. What did he mean? Why did he always have to be so roundabout?!

Ugh!

"Waiter, two cups of hot cocoa please." The waiter nodded and walked away.

"I said I didn't want anything." I said sharply.

"And I didn't say it's for you." He said with a wink and I just rolled my eyes.

"Get to the point Austin, tell me what you meant by danger. Who's coming after me?" I asked and he just stared at me.

If I could murder this man I would...

"Well, before I start going into details I want you to tell me everything you can remember, we can start from there."

"How do I know I can trust you?" I asked and he shrugged.

"Dunno, you called me and if you can't even trust me then you're wasting both our times." He said.

"But... how do I know you're not the danger, I mean I could be making a mistake." I asked.

"Well then I guess you'll just have to rely on your instincts." He said, unperturbed.

I took a deep breath.

My instincts says to strangle you.

Chill Olivia, chill.

"Do you know about my step father?" I asked and he nodded.

"Well then you know I murdered him while trying to defend myself but the court didn't see it that way. So basically after that I was taken to juvenile prison then jail and I only just got out." I explained and he shook his head.

"Not what I mean Via, before that, before the murder. All your memories before, that's what I wanna know." He asked and I nodded but as soon as I opened my mouth to speak, I realized, I didn't remember. A lot of my time as a kid, I didn't remember it at all. That's why I couldn't recognize him.

"I-"

"That's were the problem and the answer lies." He said and looked up with a smile as the waiter approached.

"Thank you very much." He collected the tray and set it down on the table between us.

"Elaborate." I demanded.

"You see, your step father was no ordinary man. Aside from being a complete asshole and serial killer he also happened to own a certain organization." He said as he took a sip of his cocoa and moaned in delight.

"This is good." He remarked, looking admiringly at the cup of cocoa.

Whatever.

"Like a mafia?" I asked.

"More or less." He said.

"What do they do?" He looked up at me, all of a sudden serious.

"They kill."

I began to put two and two together. Okay so put yourself in my shoes. What happens when you murder the head of an organization who specializes in killing? They come for your head and I had don exactly that.

Fuck.

"Okay so they want me dead?" He nodded them raised his index finger as if to say pause.

"They want more though." He said and took another sip of his cocoa. He kept moaning and I was seriously starting to consider stealing the second cup of cocoa on the table.

I took one glance at it and grabbed it in a second. He looked at me with a raised eyebrow and I shrugged as I took a sip.

Damn, it was good.

"What do they want?"

"To torture you, to break you till you're literally begging for death and then, kill you in the most unimaginably painful way." He said and leaned into the leather sit of the booth.

"How do you know that?" I asked. If he wasn't the danger, if he wasn't the one who wanted me dead then how did he know all of this?

"Cause I'm in the organization." He said simply and took the last huge gulp of his beverage.

"What?"

"You heard me. I'm one of them." He leaned forward and his green eyes darkened, his expression neutral and his body language stiff.

Oh no.

Austin....

Fuck.