Chapter 27: Hot Day In Hell

Kyle's POV

EJ Hollen's hand grabbed my neck and I was slammed against the wall with brute strength."I want to smash your face in!" he yelled at me. This wasn't the same man who had given me the job of being his daughter's bodyguard nor the same man who found out his daughter was in love with said bodyguard.



"EJ, we came to talk to him. To hear his side of the story," Evan said. He was looking on with a smirk and seemed to be enjoying every moment of it. Tears escaped my eyes as I gasped for breath and I thank heaven when his hand released me.I fell to the floor, chocking.



"Get up! You call yourself a bodyguard and just got the life squeezed out of you," Evan Hollen said.



I picked myself up and locked eyes with the two men in front of me.



"You had two jobs. To protect my daughter at any cost and never to hurt her. I accepted you when she told me she was in love with you. Why did you hurt my daughter, Kyle?" EJ asked me.



It was clear he was livid about the whole misunderstanding between Zenobia and I and the more I thought about what my mother and Lina did, I was fuming on the inside.

"Mr. Hollen, this is all a major misunderstanding and a spite. A plot. A scheme by my own mother and that bitter ex-friend of mine."



"Ex-friend, you got my daughter tied up in some bullshit love triangle?"



"Of course not. I have no romantic feelings for Lina whatsoever. I swear it."



"Then why were you in bed with her?" Evan cut in.



"I don't know how it happened," I answered foolishly and I was struck across the face. I cussed underneath my breath.



"How did you get into bed with Lina?!" Evan asked again with a shout.



"I was having a meal with my mother. The next thing I knew I was awake in a guest bedroom at my aunt's house. I think my mother put something in that food and while I was out, she had Lina come in there, into the bedroom she put me in, and Lina made it appear I was screwing her for the camera. I didn't."



Evan's eyes narrowed in and grew darker by the seconds. My heart raced in my chest as he analyzed me.



"What do you think Evan, think he's telling the truth or was that whole speech full of shit?"



"Nah, I think he's telling the truth. There's something about Lina that doesn't sit right with me. Did Zenobia provide her information?"



"No."



"Then I say we provide ourselves with it. What's Lina's last name?" Evan asked me."Constantine."



"Constantine, why the hell does that name sounds so familiar?" EJ asked.



"Bloody hell, EJ. Do you think she's related to.." Evan paused and turned to his brother. Realization seemed to hit the both of them.



"We should head to dad's, and your ass is coming with us," Evan finished and he yanked me to the door. We got into their respective vehicles and drove to another mansion with a golden gate.



"I have a question, is the gate made out of real gold?" I asked as the vehicle came to a halt.



"The Hollens don't do fake," Evan answered and he ushered me into the front door entrance to his father's mansion. EJ followed behind.



"Get my father," EJ spoke to one of the maids.



"Certainly," she answered and disappeared deeper into the place.



I looked around in amazement.

The mansion was bigger than Zenobia's but both were luxurious and so clean and welcoming.

After a minute, Mr. Ethan Hollen appeared and so did Mrs. Emma Hollen, his wife.



"Darlings," she greeted her sons.



"Hi mom," they answered in unison and their faces fell when she hugged them and kissed their manly cheeks. All that masculine energy they portrayed to me earlier disappeared.



"I'm afraid we came here on a pressing and disturbing matter," Evan broke.



Ethan Hollen offered us a seat at the couch. He sat across from us with his wife.



"Dad, are you familiar with the name Lina Constantine?" Evan asked him.Mrs. Hollen gasped and Mr. Hollen face grew angry.



"I'm familiar with the surname but I don't know a Lina Constantine," he answered.



"Well we believe she might be a relative of Sharon. Perhaps her grand daughter."



"Impossible. Sharon didn't have any children."



"Are you certain on that mom?"



"Absolutely. She went to prison for crimes she committed against your father, your grandmother and I. She wasn't with a child, was she Ethan?"Ethan paused and so did everyone else.



"Oh my God. Please don't tell me she was pregnant, had your child and we didn't know anything about that?" Mrs. Hollen broke.



"She couldn't have," he mumbled and appeared to be lost in thought.



"Listen, we need to figure this out and as soon as possible. Zenobia could be in danger," Evan said and Ethan jotted back to reality.



"Danger?"



"Lina Constantine was working at Hollen Tower and as Zenobia's assistant. She had access to personal information. We need to make sure that that girl isn't a threat to my daughter."



"Where's Zen?"



"She's still at the cabin with her other friends."



"Get her back here right now. She'll be much safer at home and with her bodyguard than at the cabin," Mrs. Hollen said, "And why her bodyguard isn't there with her?"



"That's a whole other story," EJ let out.



"I don't know what is going on and I don't like it. This feeling of dread just washed over me especially with this Lita Constantine girl."



"Lina," I corrected and quickly regretted it when all eyes landed on me.



"No need to worry, dear. Hell would freeze over before anyone harms a hair on my family's head."



"What if it's your own family?" Mrs. Hollen asked him and his eyes popped at her question. She got up and left the room and the feeling of dread was left behind.EJ called Zenobia several times before she answered.



"Zen! What took you so long to answer the phone?" he shouted when she picked up.



"Sorry dad, I just got out the shower," I heard her voice spoke from her end. I smiled to myself. I missed her voice already.



"Listen, I need you to pack up your stuff, get your friends and get back home immediately.""Why? What's going on?"



"I need to know you're safe until that mess with your former personal assistant is sorted out. Do you understand me?"



"Dad, Lina doesn't scare me. I don't care if she's a Hollen or not.""Wait, what did you say?"



"Well, I've been digging and I found out a vital piece of information.. She's...""Zen, Zen! Hello! ZEN!!"



The phone beeped rapidly before disconnecting. EJ tried calling while making a beeline to the exit and to his vehicle. I ran after him.



"I'm going to get my daughter," he said as he got behind the wheel."Can I come with you?"



"Wrong choice of transportation. We need to get there quickly. We'll take the chopper. We can land on the east clearing," Evan said.



"Excellent idea," EJ replied. We went to the roofing of the mansion and a helicopter stood on its helipad, awaiting takeoff.



Evan got into the pilot's seat and EJ and I strapped ourselves in. Up and away we went within a few minutes..........Half an hour later, we arrived at the cabin and Zenobia, Tiffany and Bao met us outside.



"What's all this about and why did you bring him back here?" Zenobia asked.



"Is everyone ready to leave?" Evan asked firmly.



"Yes Uncle Evan."



"Zen, thanks for the getaway regardless of the few hiccups, it was a lovely cabin and your hospitality is always on point," Tiffany said as she hugged Zenobia.



"You sure on taking the car back, you can get a ride in the chopper and I will have your ride delivered in the morning," Zen said to her.



"Nah, that's all right. Thanks."



Tiffany's boyfriend loaded their car and he got behind the wheel."I'll see you at the office," Tiffany said and waved goodbye to Zenobia. She made her way to the car. Her boyfriend started the engine and an aroma of burnt toast mixed with sulfur flooded our nostrils.



Everyone's eyes went to the car and I knew what was going to happen. I made a run and pushed Tiffany out of contact with the car, reached for the driver's door and yanked her boyfriend out the front seat. We dived for the nearby bushes just as their car exploded into flames.