Carlton ✔

33| The Dreaded Conference

Dedicated to: Red_Leasia

"Fear is a liar."
~ ssweetly.com

Carlton's POV

The final day ultimately dawned on us, and I gawked at the sunrise from the Price Villa.

Fuck everything.

Out in the massive cobblestone driveway of the Villa stood three sleek, black SUVs and around it stood my whole world and everything I ever gave a damn about.

Damien adjusted the pistol, in Dylan's hands, to perfection, teaching him how to take someone's life. I had never imagined in the wildest of my dreams that I'd live to see a day where my naìve best friend would be doing that. And yet here I was. Perhaps this is just what happens to people that get close to me -- they become monsters.

Breanna was standing beside them, giggling everytime the pistol slipped from Dylan's hands and occasionally rambling a suggestion or two.

It always caught my eye, the way Dylan swayed left to right when he was excited or scared, how Damien's black curls bounced everytime he threw his head back and laughed and how Breanna always tucked her bangs behind her ears only to purposely pull them back out so she could tuck them again.

The corner of my mouth twitched into a small smile looking at them -- my whole world in one spot.

If things go wrong, I wouldn't be seeing some of them tomorrow.

I gulped.

All our lives were going to change from that point onward. Either good or bad, I didn't know yet.

Before I realised it, I grabbed Bree's hand and pulled her into a corner. The skin on her hands felt smooth and soft, I kissed it gently then placed my lips on her fingers, memorizing the texture of her skin.

She touched her forehead with mine, gazing into my eyes. Maybe she wanted to tell me not to be scared and that everything was going to be okay. However, the heftiness of reality suppressed it.

Maybe she was scared too. Her hands were warm, I felt her blood rushing through her, I felt her breathe, I felt her alive and that made me feel alive. And wondering that today, all of this could stop, made me feel all types of crazy.

"I'm not gonna let anything happen to you," I promised.

*****

After an exhausting plane ride, we got into cars that took us to the event's premises. The closer we got, the faster my heart thumped.

The commencement hall's backside gates opened for our three cars, carrying us and our security guards. Damien did the talking with the security as I kicked an unloaded AKM rifle under my seat.

As VVIPs, we were allowed to go through a more secured entryway, avoiding reporters and long lines.

Once inside, my eyes landed on the car in front of us. A suited man climbed out followed by five security guards, caging him and protecting him like an ancient relic, too valuable to lose.

My heart soared. This man was Adel Khan, founder of one of the biggest petroluem industries in the world. I had always wanted to have a few glasses of scotch with him and make him my mentor. But now was not the time!

It was a huge deal being at that event. We wouldn't have got in if it wasn't for my brother. Was my brother such a big deal that he was being treated equal to Adel Khan?

A surge of jealously rushed through my body. I didn't like it.

We were making our way through the isolated parking lot, towards the colossal double doors of the main hall.