Chapter 5 Aviana Scott
AVIANA SCOTT
AFTER BEING CHARGED, Mia was released on bond until her court date. Since, she had been accusing me of telling either the twins or the authorities about her embezzling money from the company.
“I’m fighting federal charges because of you! I’m going to prison!”
As I paced the carpet in my bedroom, my stomach began to turn. “Why do you keep saying that it’s because of me?”
“I know you told on me, Aviana,” Mia spewed through the phone.
“Why are you so insistent that it was me? Maybe they just figured it out.”
This was beyond bizarre. Mia had been my best friend for fifteen years. We had never had as much of a disagreement. Now, suddenly, she was so sure that I was deceiving her in such a heinous way.
“There was no way that they could have figured it out,” she growled. “I’ve been meticulous for a year. You snitched because you were jealous that I got that promotion instead of you.”
“Mia, I promise—”
“I swear to God,” she gritted threateningly, “you’re going to feel this, Aviana. I just lost everything, and I’m going to make sure that you do too.”
“Mia…” I paused when I heard the end of her line go completely dead. “Mia?”
I pulled the phone away from my ear, staring at it. Blinking slowly, I felt tears coming to my eyes. As I began to sniffle, Damar left his spot at the foot of our bed.
“It’s okay, baby,” he tried to assure me as he slipped his arms around my waist.
“No, it’s not.” My voice cracked. A rush of overwhelming confusion and grief caused me to rest my head on his chest. “We’ve been best friends for nearly twenty years. Why would she assume that I would do something so devious to her over a job? She won’t even give me the benefit of the doubt.”
“She’s reaching, baby. She has to blame somebody. She shouldn’t have been doing that dumb shit anyway.”
“I would never do something like this over a job,” I insisted. “I wanted the raise, but it wasn’t going to change my life. The money wasn’t worth sending her to jail over.”
“I can’t believe you’ve been keeping what she’s been doing from me,” Damar softly fussed as he rubbed my back.
I looked up at him with watery eyes. “She’s my best friend. She asked me not to tell anyone.”
“Well, you see where that got you.”
Sucking my teeth, I softly called his name in warning, “Damar…”
“Okay. I’m sorry. This night is supposed to be about us anyway, so let’s stop thinking about Mia and her drama.”
“That’s going to be hard since she thinks I’m the cause of it.”
“Can you at least try? You wanted me to give us some dedicated time, and I’m trying to do that.”
“You’re right.” Taking a deep, soothing breath, I forced a smile. “I’m sorry, baby.”
He smiled into my sorrowful pout, causing his bedroom eyes to twinkle. That convincing, charismatic expression reminded me of why I had fallen for him ten years ago.
He took my hand, leading me out of the bedroom.
In his quest to create a perfect evening, Damar went all out and arranged for a personal chef to whip up a dreamy candlelit dinner just for us.
As we stepped into the dining room, I was spellbound by the transformation.
It felt like we’d stepped into our own cozy, intimate restaurant.
The table was a vision of romance, decorated with fragrant flowers that danced in the soft candlelight.
“It’s beautiful in here,” I swooned.
Damar’s proud, cocky smirk made my center thump.
As we sat down at the beautifully set table, the warm glow of candlelight casting a soft ambiance over the room, I felt much-needed comfort.
The aroma of the chef’s cooking filled the air, tantalizing my senses with the rich scent of lobster bisque.
The dining room had been transformed into a romantic, private restaurant, complete with elegant table settings and delicate floral arrangements.
“Aviana,” he said softly, his eyes filled with tenderness as he reached for my hand across the table, “I know how much you wanted that job, but please don’t forget that you are capable of achieving anything you set your mind to.
You’re talented, resilient, and deserving of anything you want in life, and I’m here to help you achieve it. ”
I felt a lump form in my throat as his words soothed the ache of disappointment that had been gnawing at my heart. “Thank you, Damar. I needed to hear that.”
“I want you to have everything you’ve ever dreamed of. We’re going to make it happen. I’m going to hurry up and put this baby in you so that you can go back to school, and I’m going to hustle so that you can have all the help you need so that school and raising our child won’t be such a chore.”
“Thank you, baby.”
He smiled with an unwavering gaze as he continued to speak. “And as for Mia… She’s just hurt and lashing out right now. You’ve always been there for her. It’s not even in your character to do what she’s accusing you of. She’ll realize that soon.”
As I nodded, I finally felt reassurance settle over me. “I hope you’re right.”
Damar squeezed my hand gently. “I know I am.”
The soulful melody filled the air. Damar’s eyes lit up as he recognized one of his recent favorite songs. A playful smile danced across his lips.
Unable to resist the infectious rhythm, Damar started to bob his head to the beat. His fingers tapped lightly on the table. He glanced over at me, his gaze sparkling with mischief, and extended his hand toward me with a charming grin. “Come dance with me, baby.”
“Of course,” I replied with a smile, taking his hand as he pulled me up from my seat.
As we moved together to the rhythm of the music, Damar led with effortless grace, his movements smooth and confident.
With each step, he exuded a magnetic charm that drew me closer to him, melting away any lingering worries or doubts.
Our bodies moved as one, swaying to the intoxicating melody with a sense of unity and connection.
As the song reached its crescendo, Damar spun me around gracefully before pulling me close once more, his gaze locked with mine.
Looking into my eyes, he softly chewed on his bottom lip. His large hands then cuffed my ample butt cheeks. Staring deep into my orbs, he acted as if he was going to pick me up.
“You better stop,” I warned.
“Girl, this is light work.”
I smirked cockily. “Just because I carry it well doesn’t mean it’s not heavy.”
Damar seductively raised a brow. “Doesn’t matter how heavy it is, I handle it well.”
MYTHIC GREY
Looking up at the warehouse, Taye blew out a long breath. Then he slowly turned toward me as I sat in the driver’s seat of my G-Wagon.
“You sure about this?”
Chuckling, I shook my head. “You’re thinking too deep about this.”
“You’re not thinking deep enough.”
One corner of my lips rose into a taunting smirk. “You never have these reservations when we’re working with other clients.”
“Because these clients are different. The Mexican cartel is notoriously ruthless. They live by a different code. They kill for minuscule reasons. If they think you crossed them, they will want your head…literally, your head.”
My head tilted back as I let out another deep chuckle. “I got this.”
Nodding slowly, Taye put his hand on the handle of the passenger door. “Okay. Let’s roll.”
As Taye and I emerged from the sleek black SUV, I appreciated his caution.
His apprehension was realistic. The Mexican cartel operated with brutality and unforgiving principles.
In their world, loyalty was bought with blood, and betrayal was met with swift, unhinged, brutal vengeance.
But I had always operated in principle. And I feared no one.
The gravel beneath our feet crunched with each step, stirring up a cloud of dust that danced in the air like ghosts. As we approached the imposing, weather-beaten metal door, it groaned open with a mechanical creak. My gaze swept up, noticing the surveillance cameras perched overhead.
A hulking figure emerged from the shadows of the doorway.
His massive frame was meant to be imposing, but we were similar in size.
Sweat glistened on his brow, mingling with the grime that coated his skin.
His long, unkempt hair hung in greasy strands, concealing his menacing features beneath an oily veil.
But his eyes bore into mine with an intensity that was meant to intimidate me.
With a curt nod, he stepped aside, wordlessly granting us entry.
As Taye and I stepped into the dimly lit warehouse, the overwhelming scent of motor oil and gunpowder hung in the air.
Pablo and Felipe emerged from the shadows. Their faces were masked with unreadable expressions. They were the lieutenants of the Kingsmen.
“Mythic,” Pablo greeted with a low, gravelly voice. “Taye.”
Taye answered with a quick, sharp nod.
“Felipe,” I acknowledged with the same brisk nod.
Felipe waved a hand toward two metal chairs parked at a wooden table, gesturing for us to have a seat.
As we all sat, I got straight to business. “What can I help you gentlemen with?”
Pablo’s lips curled into a faint smirk. “Getting straight to business. I like that.” A smile spread to his ears, revealing a chaotic scatter of teeth. “Let’s talk numbers.”
“We offer quality,” I stated firmly, “and quality comes at a price.”
Felipe’s eyes narrowed, but I could see a glint of respect buried beneath the hostility.
“Here’s what I can offer you,” I began, “AK-47 assault rifles, five hundred dollars each. Glock handguns, three hundred dollars each. RPG-7 rocket launchers, two thousand dollars each.”
His interest now piqued, Felipe raised a brow. “And what about ammunition?”
I leaned so far back in the chair that its front legs rose in the air.
“Ammunition prices vary depending on quantity,” I explained.
“But for bulk orders, I can offer you a discount. One thousand rounds of 7.62 millimeter ammunition for the AK-47s three hundred dollars. Five hundred rounds of nine millimeter ammunition for the Glocks, $150.”
Felipe sat up, placing his intertwined hands on the table. “And explosives?”