The Assassin in Blue

20. Calm Down

Once inside, I ripped my shirt down and the buttons flew every which direction. The pain on my stomach had become worse over time, it was getting irritated against the cloth of my shirt. "Ah, shit," I hissed down at the nasty, colorful bruise that blanketed across my skin.

Levi and Andrea left their position on the couch upon our arrival. "What happened?" Andrea eyed the bruise on my stomach. "That looks nasty."

"Car chase," I hissed out, Andrea's fingers making contact with my tender skin made me wince. I ushered her away. "Don't touch it, it hurts."

"I'll go get Leah, she's sparring with Laura. She'll get you patched up." Levi left the room with quick steps.

Andrea backed away from me, she took in my ragged state and compared me to Kaden. She pursed her lips at Kaden, "Maybe I underestimated you. Find anything?"

"Nothing that matters." Kaden sat on one of the sofas, his fingers rubbed at his forehead soothingly.

Andrea shook her head and crossed her arms. "And survey says: I didn't."

At first, I was sure that I could feel Lynn being there. Something just tore into my gut, a negativity that screamed I was wrong. The place just left a nasty vibe to sit with me, and I didn't like it. That was where I was tied up, this was a game and the players were tricky.

"You're going to get blood on the couch," I warned at Kaden, there was no telling whose blood stained the fabric of our clothing.

"It's my couch," he harshly replied, it was obvious that he was annoyed at something. Or perhaps, someone. Me, to be exact.

"Drop the attitude," I voiced condescendingly, my eyes held a warning that reflected the one held captive within his own. "I'm not dealing with your shit."

James made an entry, I could see him momentarily freeze in my peripheral vision. "Oh- I see tits."

"My shit?" His gaze glazed over in anger, I answered with a silent glare. "You're unbelievable." He broke eye contact and threaded a rough hand through his thick waves of messy hair.

I breathed out a humorless laugh into a scoff. "Right, because I'm the center of this shit show." I didn't let the sarcasm in my voice dip, I smothered it.

Kaden's eyes snapped up to meet mine again. "At least you're seeing the problem here."

I took a few steps towards him, anger was slowly rising into my chest to take part in the inevitable eruption. "The way I see it, you are the problem! Ever since-"

"Since when?" Kaden interrupted me with a snap in his tone. "Since you couldn't keep your temper under control?" He stood up, his large frame easily overpowered mine. He looked down upon me, making me feel like a rat caught in the claws of a lion. "Over some fucking money," he spat, making a quick escape out of the room.

That hurt worse than I'd admit, the words he had just said had more meaning than he knew. I was too far built up to even admit that to myself, couldn't. Telling me I had no control was like chaining me up and setting me on fire, the need I had to hold on to any and everything that was mine was deep rooted.

I followed after him with a rushed pace, pushing past James and any protests he had let out. "If I hadn't gone after you, my father would have." Kaden stopped in his tracks and turned to face me. "If that were the case, you would be a goddamn corpse rotting in the bottom an ocean!"

He took a few authoritative steps towards me, I held my ground with an intimidating look of my own. "And what? Do you want me to thank you? It sure as hell isn't happening," he snapped.