APATHETIC (Mafia and Roses - # 2)

Chapter 2

KIKI’s POV.

I walk into Colton’s office with my new proposal for the next music concert we are to hold and he narrows his eyes at my smile.

“Mr. Gilliam…”

“Colton. We should make things more comfortable between us.” He corrects me and I smile.

“Colton, I have some ideas.” I say as I sit on the chair in front of him.

“Share.” He says and I place my paper work on the ceramic desk between us.

“Here…” I say as I point to the first printed line.

“Everyone knows Colton the rock star is performing life at the center of the city next month, but I think we can change the concept a bit.” I say and as he reads through.

“A billboard like TV concert?” He asks.

“Yes, you could sit in your studio here. I and Ian will work on projecting it live on the billboard at night. We will therefore have the attention of everyone going back home from their various outings.” I say and he rests his jaw on his crossed fingers.

“A sudden change in the concept will affect the company.” He replies.

“Actually no. The live concert still holds, but not next month. Let’s make the center of the city overcrowded when the actual concert will a hold week after the billboard concert.  Just a debute to the main album will be shown and your fans who are always fond of you will boast our progress and see…” I pause to show him another part.

“If we were meant to have a fifty billion dollar gain, this would be an additional twenty and that still boasts the company. Not forgetting our social media followers increased so much after the last debute.” I say and he smiles.

“What will I do without an assistant like you.” He says and I smile.

“Then I will accept the car you got for me because after this, I will see it as a cool reward for my idea.” I say and he smiles.

“Right.” He says and I take away my paper work.

“Mia…” He says and I raise my head to look at him.

“Yeah?”

“How long are you willing to make things awkward between us?” He asks and I sigh.

“I do not want to talk about it because I suppose you will take care of it.” I reply.

“Mia, why don’t you agree to this? I am not going to step out there to tell the press that the news about us is false, because I would be going down almost immediately.” He says.

“No, you can’t go bankrupt. If anything happens today and everyone is to stay at home for six years, you will survive. “ I reply.

“My mom is a rapper, she will retire in two months and she is either going to hand over her industry to me or my cousin who is also my competitor. There is nothing to lose, we are not in any way attracted to each other. We’ve all got our heartbreaking love stories. It’s a contract relationship that wouldn’t lead to marriage. We can prolong the fiancé and fiancée thing till my mom hands over her industry to me.” He says and I nod as I nibble on my bottom lip.

“After the company has been handed over to you, how do you think your innocent mom will feel when she finds out we are breaking up?” I ask.

“Things happen in relationships, even those who claim to love each other so much ended up with a divorce.  We will end the contract and it will be like a breakup to everyone. You will get paid heavily. We are talking about a two billion dollar deal, Mia. Remember you want to be rich yourself, you do not want to be rich based on your rich parent’s fortune…”

“Okay fine, let’s discuss about the contract.”  I say and he takes out some papers.

“You have the right to add some clauses and also strike out the ones you do not quite agree with.” He says and I collect the papers from him.

I read through the first page and then open the next to read the rules.

1.       . No s****l relationship between the agreeing parties.

2.       Every clause in this contract are to be kept confidential. Under no circumstance should a third party be involved.

3.       For the sake of the press, public displays of affections like a kiss on the cheek and holding of hands are compulsory

 I continue reading and stop when all of the rules seem to be fine by me.

“I think we are good, although you are free to fix your f**k dates with other women. Just don’t get caught by the press.” I say and he smiles as I sign.

“I want Camilla Hayes.” He says as I hand over the contract papers for him to sign.

“The model?” I ask as he signs.

“Yes.” He replies.

“Okay, I will fix you up with her.” I say as I stand up.

“I think we need to go out together now.” He says and my eyes drifts to his neck tie.

“Your tie is crooked, may I?” I ask and he stands up.

I adjust his tie and he smiles.

“If I wasn’t allergic to love I would have actually married you, but I can’t risk making you unhappy for the rest of your life.” He says.

“You are not the only allergic one.” I say and as I take my hand off his shoulder.

“You have always dressed as my secretary, but starting off tomorrow. You are to dress like the soon to be wife of a billionaire. Let’s go to a cloth store.” He says.

Let’s?

“I can go alone.” I reply.

“For the press and my mom, we can begin to show our fake love from the next few hours.” He says and I nod as he follows behind me.

“Damien.” He says and I grin as Damien runs past me.

As soon as we step out of the company, I give out a relieved sigh as there is not a single pap in sight..

“You hate the paps so much, I see.” He says and I nod.

Damien stops the car right in front of us and one of his bodyguards moves to open the door for us.

As soon as we settle in, I take out my phone and decide to text Nolan when a news headline shows on the notification bar.

Alejandro after a near death experience, finally announces his reunion with his ex.

I read and nibble on my bottom lip.

“I shouldn’t be affected.” I murmur as I tap on my w******p icon and begin to text Nolan who is also online.

[KIKI, Mia]

Hey!

[Nolan]

Hey sis, if you hadn’t text. I would have been in your apartment for dinner, are the rumors from yesterday true?

I read and sigh.

[Kiki, Mia]

When we are together we can talk about that better. Alejandro has gotten back with his ex.

I type and send.

[Nolan]

Okay. How do you feel about it? Does it affect you? Do you still have feelings for him?

I read his reply and sigh.

“Mia? We are here already, but we can’t stop the paps.” Colton says and I nod.

[Kiki,Mia]

Talk to you later.

I send and raise my head to look at Colton.

“It’s not my first time with the paps. I have had to deal with them so much in the last four months I have worked with you. I can do well?” I say and he nods.

“I will hold your hand.” He says and I force a smile to my face as he gets off the car.

He puts out his hand for me to take and I place my hand in his as I get off the car.

“Colton the rock star is here.” I hear one of the paps say and I force a smile to my face.

“Put in more effort.” He says as he looks at me.

“What?” I ask.

“The smiles, it is so fake and obvious.” He says and I make a ‘Oh’ shape with my mouth before laughing.

He lets go of my arm and put out his arm for me. Holding his arm with my two hands, we walk towards the entrance of the store where the paps are with their cameras flashlight flashing nonstop.

“Ms. Mia, we wanted to believe that the relationship between you and the rock star is a mare secretary and boss relationship, but seeing you two holding hands and smiling it confirms that the news from yesterday is true.” A lady says.

Wanted to believe?

“Based on the fact that you two announced your engagement, we assume you two must have been dating secretly, how true is that?” Another asks and I just want to disappear.

ALEJANDRO’S POV.

Standing in front of a mirror all I see is a man who has let his usually short hair grow to a shoulder length. Adjusting my blaze just as the man in the mirror reflects, I nod and step out after retrieving my gun from beneath my pillow.

My shoes against the tiled floor makes slight sounds as I approach the new dining area where every close one is seated. Lucy’s face brightens up as she sees me and her parents give a satisfactory nod at the same time like they had plan to do so. Bianca drops her cutlery and her eyes meets mine, but I can’t seem to get the message she is trying to deliver with her brows.

Moving to sit next to her, I pull a sit for myself and Lucy’s smile grows as I sit opposite her.

“If you do not want to get married, you aren’t supposed to appear at this dinner and Brantley asked me to pass this on to you.” Bianca whispers as she squeezes a paper into my hand beneath the white velvet cloth of the table.

The man breeched the contract.

I read Brantley’s message and tuck the paper into my pocket.

“Let’s make a toast to our children’s reunion. It nice to have the mafia’s unite once more.” Lucy’s mom says and everyone raises their glass, except I who has eliminating the man who just went against us on my mind.

“Alejandro?” My mom says and I raise my glass and clink it with each and everyone’s seated.

“Can we come back to this later? Brantley found Chris.” I say and Lucy springs up at the same time with Bianca.

Bianca didn’t read the letter’s content?

“We will take care of it, look after Dad.” I say and stand up too.

Mike and Joe assumes my right and the females; Bianca and Lucy assumes my left.

“I still do not understand why Chris had to become a spy and for who?” Lucy asks and Mike rolls his eyes.

“We are almost at the cage, you can ask him yourself.” Bianca replies as Joe pushes the door of the room where the cage is open.

The deafening silence in the room is broken by Lucy as she walks over the table containing bullets.

“Chris, am I right? Who do you work for and why are you spying on us? You have left the mafia and that should be it.” Lucy asks, but she is replied with a deafening silence.

“You should know me well, I do not have a tinge of patience. Who sent you, you son of a f*****g animal?!” Bianca asks as she screams and when he refuses to reply her, she puts her hand out and Mike places the key to the cage in her hand.

She unlocks the cage which looks more like a prison and step in, her heels clicking against the concreted floor of the cage and Chris’s expression changes.

“If you keep acting dumb, I will actually make you lose your sense of hearing for real. You son of an animal who is about to lose his younger sister to a bullet wound that would be created on her chest by me.” Bianca starts off shouting, but end the statement with a loud whisper that sends Chris panting as fear overwhelms his facial expression.

“You can kill me, at least I won’t spy anymore but please I beg you in the name of whatever you believe do not harm my innocent sister who doesn’t know her brother is into a mafia. If you do not kill me after I confess, the one who sent to spy and let out your information to them will kill me.” Chris replies and Bianca being who she is hits him across the face and I look at Mike.

Mike makes fast strides into the cage as Bianca’s fist keeps coming into contact with Chris’s face until his lips bust and Mike carries her out by her waist.

“I am not a man who enjoys his time being wasted.” I say.

“You should try to do one more right thing and that’s telling us about the one who hired you to go against us and become a spy otherwise you will lose more than you bargained for even after you have died.” Joe tells him and I raise my gun.

Chris cold dark eyes meets my gun and he shakes his head.

“Gonzalez.” He whispers and I hand over my gun to Lucy.

“Is there any good reason why he had to spy on us?” Mike asks as he walks in with a very furious Bianca.

“I don’t know.” He replies through his teeth as he groans in pain.

“Tell this son of an animal that I hate lies!” Bianca shouts as she c***s her gun and I look at Joe.

“Sis this isn’t what we agreed on. You aren’t going to get your hands stained.” Joe whispers to her.

“Then you have the right to get yours stained?” She asks and Mike moves to hug her from behind.

“Heart.” Mike says to her and her hard expression softens.

“Thank your lucky stars that I won’t be the one who will fix the bullets on the appropriate parts and remember your lucky stars is yours, not your younger sister’s.” Bianca says and bang the iron door of the room as she steps out.

“Does Alejandro have to repeat his question or you are willing to repeat Alejandro’s previous question and still answer it yourself?” Joe asks and Lucy returns my gun to me.

“Either ways, you would still kill me and kill my sis. As I was loyal to you, I have decided to be loyal to Gonzalez.” He replies and Lucy enters into the cage.

“As that statement rolled out of your mouth, didn’t you notice the keyword?” Lucy asks as she stoops to his height in the chair.

“Kill me already!” He shouts and Lucy hits her right elbow in his cheek.

“The death you want badly, you will get it in front of your younger sis. Bianca, bring her in!” Lucy shouts and Bianca makes an entrance with Chris’s sister.

“Isn’t your brother stupid?” Bianca asks the nineteen year old lady.

“Chris, why did you get yourself involved with this set of people? Can you release my brother please?” She asks and Lucy scoffs.

“Poor child, she is about to watch her elder brother die painfully.” Lucy muses and his sister goes down on both knees.

“Let me touch him.” She begs and I nod.

“You have two minutes.” Mike replies and she hurries inside the cage.

“Your cheek is bruised, you look horrible right now. I feel so sorry that you are this hurt because you wanted us to move houses. I love you so much bro and I wish a miracle would just happen and they wouldn’t have to kill you because I haven’t paid you back for taking care of school fees and feeding me all of this years, for being a father figure to me, for acting as my rich boyfriend when my ex crush tried to embarrass me.” She tells her brother as she cries.

“I am sorry. I am very sorry Marie…” He replies his sister and I watch Joe’s expression  drop.

The mention of the name Marie still hurts him. I wish she didn’t die…

“Time up.” Mike says and Lucy moves to drag Chris’s sister out.

“Let in two men, have them both unconscious and let them go.” I order and step out.

“Alejandro, what’s wrong with you?!” Bianca shouts as she follows behind me.

“Nothing.” I reply.

“Aren’t you aware of the fact that a betrayer is always a betrayer. He betrayed us and when he let out Gonzalez’s name he betrayed him too. What if that son of an animal goes back to Gonzalez?” She asks as I ascend the stairs.

“He has someone who he cares for and that is sister Marie. Our Marie died too and you know the memories that come with remembering Marie, let them go.” I turn to face her as I lay emphasis on ‘Let them go’

“Fine!” She replies and walk away as I walk into my study.

Walking further in, I move to open the windows. Carrying the empty waste basket closer to the window, I pick up a lighter and all the newspapers having Kiki and Colton’s pictures.

Dropping the newspapers into the waste bin, I ignite the papers. I put my left hand into my pocket and raise my cigar to my mouth with my right hand as the door to my study is opened.

“As you want, Chris and his sis are unconscious. They have been taken out and Chris has been taken to the mafia’s meds.  By the way, can you at least put out one of the flames?” Joe asks as Mike moves to take the basket.

“I feel good a bit, you are finally moving on.” Mike comments as he watches the rest of the newspaper burn before putting out the fire.

 “We have a family dinner you ditched, you three should get downstairs right now with the ladies.” My mom says as she walks in without knocking and Joe gives her a small smile.