Ruthless (18+)

thirty-three

Devlyn Tevere

"I still can't get over how fucking beautiful you look." Roman breathes. He looks me up and down and bites his bottom lip. I feel my cheeks heat up at the compliment and I glance at him.

"Thank you." I speak, giving him a small smile.

"Of course, baby." He says and throws an arm around my waist as we walk towards the car together.

Already, I can feel the late spring heat engulfing me. I lightly fan my face with my hand, praying that my make up doesn't melt off. I walk to the passenger side first and hold open the door for Roman.

"Thanks, babe." He smiles at me and gets in.

"You're welcome."

I get into the driver's side afterward and turn the car on, followed by the air conditioner.

"What's the address?" I ask after I open up apple maps on my phone.

Roman reads out the address from his phone for me to type into the app. My phone calculates the route and I nearly have a heart attack when I see that the event is a two-hour drive away. It starts at 8 and it's currently 7.

"We're gone be late," I announce as I start driving. Usually, I prefer being late because then people notice you but this is a family thing. I see roman roll his eyes through the corner of my eye.

"That's great, the later we are, the more attention we have on us." he shrugs nonchalantly.

"Fuck you're just like me." I laugh slightly.

"I know." he grins.

...

After spending an eternity trying to find an empty parking space, Roman and I are finally on our way inside the event. It's taking place within a large hall that I assume Romans great grandmother booked out for tonight. The moment we step inside, I feel hundreds of eyes burning into my skin. They're judging me, I just know it. Soft music is playing over the speakers, which some people are slow dancing to.

"let's go meet my great grandma." Roman offers. I gulp and give him a nervous nod.

"you look like you're about to shit yourself, chill." He laughs slightly and reaches down to take my hand.

His grandma is sitting at a table surrounded by 3 men that look about her age.

"Her name's Josie, and that's my grandpa," Roman speaks into my ear, pointing at a sleeping man next to Josie. I nod in reply and anxiously rub my sweaty palm against the thin fabric of my dress.

I gulp as we approach the table. I feel like I'm going to vomit. I don't even know why I feel so nervous, it's not like me to be this worried, I don't care about anything.

"Grandma!" Roman happily speaks.

Josie looks up at him and gives him a toothy grin. She gets up from her seat and walks up to Roman to give him a hug. Once they've embraced, she shifts her eyes to me and gives me a smile.

I smile back and offer my hand to her, "I'm Devlyn, nice to meet you, ma'am. "

She declines my handshake and pulls me into a hug instead. "Call me Josie. You look beautiful, by the way. You must be Roman's girlfriend, I've heard lots about you. "

"Thank you, and I am." my face lights up at her compliment. She's so sweet.

"Sit with us, I want to get to know you. Please." Josie insists, looking at me with hopeful eyes.

"Of course." I nod.

I sit down with her and for the next half an hour or so, we talk about everything there is to know about each other. Honestly, she's so lovely. We got along so well and it wasn't awkward at all with her. For some strange reason, she reminded me of my mother. She was so genuine and loving.

What is she doing in a family like this? She doesn't belong in all of this. She seems so... normal.

...

Half an hour later, I'm sat at a bar stool, alone, drinking straight from a bottle of Midori. I have no idea where Roman is but Josie and her husband, Tom, left me just now to go home. She said she was tired.

I observe everyone around me. They all look wealthy and by the way they behave, I can tell they're a lot like me- ruthless criminals.

It makes me think. Maybe this isn't the right lifestyle for me. If I'm so upset that I can't have children someday, maybe I shouldn't be the owner of such a huge narcotics business.

But even if I wanted to leave, there was no backing out now. I'd lose my life if I tried. I know too much about too many people.

I start having an panic attack as I get lost in my thoughts. The sound of the music becomes drowned out and all I can hear is my heartbeat in my ears. It feels like the walls are closing in on me and suddenly I can't breathe. I get lightheaded. It feels like I'm about to pass out. I decide to get some air.

The moment I stand up, I instantly trip. So I'm drunk AND having a panic attack. Great. I regain my balance and struggle to walk to the entrance of the hall. The room is spinning around me.

I finally step outside and sit down on the large stone steps, bottle in hand. I drink more of the Midori and put my face in my hands, wanting this night to be over. I take a deep breath and count to five, then exhale for five seconds. I repeat this a few times until my panic attack subsides.

"Rough night?" A deep male voice breathes down my neck.

I shudder and turn around. There's a man of about 22 sitting on the steps behind me. I didn't even hear him come. I observe his face quickly. He's got hazel eyes and tan skin. His hair is tied into a man bun, perfectly framing his sculpted jawline and stubble. I am taken aback by this mans beauty.

"You could say that." I nod slowly. "I'm sorry, who are you?" I question.

He scrunches his nose. He probably smelt the alcohol the moment I opened my mouth. He takes the bottle from my hand and pours the remaining contents of it into a nearby plant.

"I think you've hand enough of that. I'm Romans friend, Kane." He hands the empty bottle back to me and gives me a big smile.

I scowl at him and cross my arms over that. "I was going to drink that, I don't like you." I blurt out, not in control of what I say.

"You don't need anymore, you reek of it." He shoots back.

"Whatever." I mumble and stare up at the clear night sky which is littered with stars.

I can feel my vision going blurry and one of my fake eyelashes is poking my eye, about to come off. My eyes start to close.

"Good nighttt." I slur tiredly before I fall back and pass out in Kanes lap, escaping from my anxiety and worries for a short span of time.

thoughts?