Beauty and the Price

Chapter 21

The Meeting

"I saw her," Luke spoke up from the couch with a tired grin.

Gabriel sat next to him. Nathan was between Victor and Silas on the other couch as they all waited for the Toma team to arrive. Owen, Kota, Sean, and North had gone to the kitchen.

With his laptop planted on his lap, Victor typed meaningless codes into it while his mind was elsewhere. Ever since the party, he struggled to think about anything other than meeting Sang and their time over the piano. He loved her eyes. And he couldn't stop thinking about how she looked at him when he played for her. There was also the lingering concern of who her father was. Victor knew, just by looking at her that she wasn't involved with her dad and it wouldn't be uncommon for parents to have double lives. Still, the fact that Sang could be mixed up in it left him worried. And how would she feel when her father ends up in prison and then if she ever found out Victor helped in making that happen?

Nathan glared at his shoes, ever since he found out about Sang being John Sorenson's daughter he was determined to jump on this assignment. There was no way they would leave her with someone like that. He tried thinking of ways they could get her out before bringing it up to Mr. Blackbourne. His eyes slid over to the kitchen door where Mr. Blackbourne and the others were currently talking. Nathan inhaled a deep breath and released it through his nose. The past few days were difficult for him, seeing Mr. Blackbourne and knowing how he felt about Sang and the fact that he had most likely seen her last night.

Silas was staring at the sea painting on the wall. He had spoken to Mr. Blackbourne the previous night after the party. He told him how he made the final decision to stay when his brother goes back to Greece on his own. But considering that his father was thinking of going to Greece too and he wasn't going without Silas, he knew it would be a difficult fight. Even with the help of his Academy team. He still hadn't told North about his decision, it was hard enough avoiding Mr. Blackbourne when he asked about his reason for staying. His team, he'd told him. But that wasn't the whole truth, it wasn't what made his decision solid. Though part of him worried and he wanted to see his reason again. He wanted to be sure he was making the right choice. But he knew the answer to that, especially with the whole situation with her father, Silas couldn't just leave Sang, he wouldn't. He needed to stay for her.

"Who?" Gabriel asked as he stared up at the ceiling with his head against the headrest.

Luke's smile grew smugly. "Sang," he said, causing the other three to suddenly bring their attention to him. With a playful smirk and amusement in his eyes, he looked in Victor's direction. "Vic will tell you, he was flirting with her."

Gabriel gapped at Victor and in a hushed voice, he said, "you were flirting with the girl Mr. Blackbourne likes?" he blinked at him. "What happened to Bro Code?"

Victor's cheeks turned red, he lowered his eyes to the keyboard when he felt Nathan's heated glare on him. It wasn't just Mr. Blackbourne... He knew it was wrong to go after the girl his friends liked. He had no excuse, he liked her too.

Silas kept his eyes on the painting as he listened to them. His hands were on his knees, curled up in fists. If Victor was flirting with Sang so could he. Especially since Mr. Blackbourne wasn't making a move or even looked like he was planning to. Silas would ask her out the next time he saw her, he'd make sure he was the first to do it. She was nice to him and maybe she'd say yes.

Nathan's glare didn't waver. Was Victor really flirting with Sang or was Luke messing around? But the blush on Victor's face and his silence answered that. How could he? He knew Nathan liked her and he was already having to deal with Mr. Blackbourne.