Fatal Alliances: Chapter 8.5

SAVE THIS PIN

I didn’t like what I was doing. I didn’t like that I was lying about something like this. But I don’t regret it one bit. It was the only way to get O’Neil away from her. Had I said anything else, he wouldn’t have cared. He would have still taken it as an invitation to keep harassing her. I’ll deal with the consequences of this after.

If he thinks I’m unaware that he molested a young woman 8 months ago, then he’s wrong. The girl wanted nothing to do with him, but he found a way to threaten her and hurt her. O’Neil was one of the worst kinds of men out there. And I’ll be damned if I didn’t do anything to protect Greene from him. So, she might hate him for telling this lie, but she doesn’t realize what a silver lining it is. She doesn’t realize what she’s being sheltered from. What kind of monsters there are out there. God, she was so naïve. So delicate. It made me worry if bringing her here was the right thing. But it’s safer with me here, than in the hotel alone.

After meeting with the client I intended to meet, I scoped the rest of the room out. Finny and the others still had their share of business to get done. I couldn’t risk involving myself in that just yet. With a tired sigh, I headed back to the table where Greene was scolding Donnie about something.

“Don’t you ever stop with your pointless arguments?” I exhaled, wanting a little peace right now.

She looked at me as if my words hurt her but drew her gaze away just as quickly. I’m not even sure what that was about. She seemed almost flustered. No. I don’t need to ask her anything. I can’t solve all her problems, even though I had a strange desire to want to tonight.

The link of my wristwatch snapped apart whilst I was trying to put it back on, “Useless piece of…” Can’t believe I paid so much for this shit.

I twirled the liquid in my glass around as I pressed it to my lips. Going down, it burned against the walls of my throat. I wasn’t hungry, but having a drink or two was socially acceptable enough. Greene seemed aloof. Here, but not here. She mindlessly munched on the appetizers when she suddenly began coughing.

She better in God’s name not be choking right now. I’m definitely leaving her ass home next time.

She excused herself and went towards the washroom. For the entire evening, Greene had been avoiding me. Not that I cared, but it was evidently noticeable. But something was underlyingly wrong with her. Her face was pale, and she seemed almost in pain. Why didn’t she tell me? What was going on with her? Was she ill? She looked unlike herself. She should have told me if something was wrong. I’m not a mind reader.

I observed from a near distance that her necklace fell to the floor. She paused, keeping a hand on her stomach. After her contemplative hesitation, she turned back, but I had already picked the necklace off the floor.

“I have it, don’t worry,” I said as I fastened the necklace around her neck. Her body reacted to my sudden touch. Her skin was warmer than I expected, as my fingers trailed along her bare skin. Soft and inviting. With everything in me, I forced myself to pull away.

***

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