Chapter 13

“Come here, Aria.” I panted hard, a quick glance at my left hand showed that the gunshot wound was already bleeding again due to how much weight I was putting on it.

Aria walked towards me without saying a thing, at least she wasn’t crying anymore, instead she was just quiet now.

“You’re bleeding, oh my gosh,” She stated with wide eyes on taking a look at my left arm which I couldn’t even move around well.

“I know,” I replied around another pant before gesturing with my right hand at the dead body I was trying to move. “Let’s move this big guy over there.”

“Huh?” She demanded. “I can’t touch a dead body, on my gosh, please don’t make me touch him. His spirit would hunt me for the rest of my life and I wouldn’t know peace anymore, oh lord and...” Aria continued but I cut her off.

“Aria! This is serious, we have to move him over there and go meet the police men downstairs.” I glanced around the office in frustration, pushing away the urge to just shoot Aria to shut her up for once.

“To hand ourselves over to them? I thought you said-“

“Fuck, shut up, Aria. Now take hold of his right hand. It might be a bit cold because he’s dead, obviously. And we’re going to drag his body together and dump him on the pile of the rest. Understood?”

“Please forgive me sir, I wasn’t the one who shot you but him, and I have to drag his dead body against my will and I’m really sorry for that, I really hope you forgive me, lord...” Aria started to mutter under her breath as she gripped his left hand with her two hands while her eyes were squeezed shut. She popped her eyes open and glanced down at her hands wrapped around the dead man’s hand and shuddered visibly as she dropped his hand immediately and watched it flop down lifelessly.

“His hand is extremely cold, you said it would be a little cold. Oh my gosh, this is so creepy. Fuck, I didn’t sign up for this when I got transferred to work for the owner of this company whom I didn’t know could kill people flawlessly.” Aria started another string of ramblings which was only helping with worsening the pounding of my head.

I glanced hard at her without saying a word until she nodded her head like I said something to her before letting her eyes fall shut as she picked up his hand again.

“How would we move in the right direction if your eyes are going to remain close throughout?” I demanded.

“Um, I don’t know,” She muttered as she peeled her eyes open.

“Just drag on his hand along with me, I’d have done this on my own if my left hand wasn't almost falling off.” I reminded her as I started dragging on his left hand.

“Sorry about your wounded arm,” She muttered quietly as she pulled along with me, her eyes trying their best to avoid landing on the starting pile of dead bodies.

In no time, we were done dragging the bodies to a corner. Blood trails decorated almost the whole floor of the office, I wrinkled my nose in distaste as I dug out my phone from my pocket and texted Tristan to send the clean up team to come into my office to clean up the whole office and the bodies tonight.

“Go take care of your face and straighten your clothes, we’re going down to the main floor now,” I said as I winced while carefully putting one of my spare shirts which I’ve always kept here in the office Incase of any emergency.

“What’s wrong with my face?” Aria asked as her hands flew towards her face in horror.

“Nothing. Only your eyes are too puffy and your mascara is all over your face. Your eyes are too red rimmed and black like you’ve been crying since the break of today.”

She flew to the window and in a few minutes emerged back with a face bare of any make up and her face creamy white while her eyes were still red.”

“What are you still doing? Grab your things, let's get out of here immediately.” I demanded when she sat down on my chair and started digging into her bag for something.

“Wait, I wanna wear a little eye makeup, my eyes looks too swollen, which is all your fault.” She mumbled the last part to herself as she applied the mascara, but I pretended I didn’t hear anything to avoid any dumb argument, something she was really good at.

At last, she stepped out of the office with me behind her, I paused and locked the office before pocketing the keys into my pocket before we made our way into the elevator.



—


On stepping out of the elevator, everyone’s eyes landed on us and the once loud room became quiet, and in the next second, there were murmurs of ‘see? He wasn’t shot at’, ‘he’s not dead, see?’ and other stupid conclusions they’ve all come to themselves since they were that jobless.

I walked forward and the crowd parted immediately like it always does since apparently, everyone was afraid of me, like they should anyways.

“Good morning, sir.” One of the police men greeted me the moment he sighted me.

“Hey,” I replied before glancing at my wrist for show before glancing back up. “I’m sure you’d prefer to ask me a few questions. I’d really appreciate it if you make it quick as I have somewhere important to be...” I paused before continuing. “Also, I’d like the security of this company to be improved because I’m extremely sure it’s not a good thing for someone who’s about to make a deal with a company get shot in that same company by a sniper which I didn’t even know where it came from.”

I glanced at Aria who was glancing at her feet before continuing. “I’m sure witnesses already informed you about what exactly happened?”

“Yes sir, they have. But...” The police man started to say but I cut in gently with a blank expression.


“I don’t think there’s any need for buts, let’s head over there for the question and answer session, yeah?”

The officer looked around and nodded before leading the way towards the suggested part. After asking a few questions, the officer whom I suspected was already feeling intimidated by me like I wanted from the start, thanked me for my answers and said I was free to go. They’ve already questioned the witnesses before I came downstairs and after a few minutes, they all drove off, their loud sirens ringing on and on before fading away.

I glanced back at my employees and shake my head on seeing all their curious gazes on me.

Clearing my throat, I began to say, “Good morning, everyone.”

“Good morning, Mr Auden.” They all replied.

I refused the urge to wince in pain when a sudden pull went into the gunshot wound covered by my clothes as I continued. “As you all must have figured out by now since everyone of you has a big mouth, the owner of the shares company in Spain that came for a meeting some hours ago is now dead.” I paused as mummers started to increase in folds, like they weren’t aware of the man’s death before I even came down.

I cleared my throat and everyone went quiet again before I continued, “for all we know, the shot that hit him might have been meant for me.” I paused and glanced around slowly before continuing, “For all we know, the hit man might as well be in our midst right now, like a wolf in sheep's clothing.”

Everyone started talking at once but I shook my head before raising my good arm up and demanding order and quiet.

“The time’s 11:01am and I’m officially ending today’s work for everyone. I’d like everyone to be extra careful and mind their own business for their own good. And I’d like the wolf of wolves in sheep's clothing to please continue to play your games, the minute you get caught, that’s the end.”


Gesturing towards my right hand man, Charles to come a little closer, I told him to round up the speech and make sure everyone exited the building in an hour, and that we’d talk on Monday. Gesturing with my head at Aria, who carried her laptop along with her as if we still had a lot of work to do, I led the way outside while she followed close by, her heels clicking on the floor as we made our way towards the already running car.

“How was it, boss?” Lucas inquired as he pulled out of the office and made for my mansion. I looked at the space beside me and shook my head disapprovingly on seeing Aria sitting as stiff as possible on the far side of the car seat.

“Relax, Ri.” I muttered and watched as color rushed into her cheeks on using the name ‘Ri’ on her, the thought of the position we were locked in before that call came in rushed into my head in waves, starting from when she turned into a bold and sexy vixen in the twinkle of an eye, before she gave me a heavenly blowjob, then holy shit, I was about to throughly eat the strength out of her before everything went southwards.

I sat more straight in my seat, ignoring the color still staining her cheeks, I’m guessing she was thinking about all what happened yesterday at the office.”

“Boss?” Lucas called, reminding me of his still unanswered question.

“It didn’t go well, it went the complete opposite way, actually.”

“Wow,” Lucas drawled and I couldn’t agree more.

“A sniper’s hit got him at the throat when I was crouched beside him, which I figured immediately was meant to go into my own neck. On getting to my office, some men held my secretary hostage and attacked me with knifes. They’re all dead now and still at the office, they’d be taken care of tonight.”

“Shit, all those happened in just a few hours? Damn.” Lucas marveled and I nodded in reply before continuing.

“The same guys attacked home too, I don’t even know where they’re from to begin with.” I resisted the urge to run my fingers through my hair in frustration, my brother was still held hostage and I don’t know if he was even being treated well, and now this?

“Um boss, we’re disposing her, right?” Lucas asked as he nodded his head at Aria who wasn’t as she was moments ago.

“Huh? Disposing who?” Aria demanded frantically, her body coiled straight like an arrow as she glance at my face while waiting for answers.

I breathed out a sigh before replying to Lucas firstly, “No, Lucas. We’re not disposing her, she was dragged into this mess because of me, but she’s stuck with us until we figure all these out, at least.” I paused and turned my head sideways until I was staring into her eyes before murmuring softly, “I told you you’re going to be safe with me, nothing’s gonna happen to you, yeah?”

She calmed down visibly, after blinking a few times, she nodded her head and replied with her gaze still locked with mine, “Yeah.”

“Boss?” Lucas called.

I teared my gaze away from Aria’s and focused on Lucas before replying, “Yeah, Lucas?”

“I think we’re being followed.” Lucas replied, his gaze shifting from the rear view mirror to the side view mirror of the car.


“Shit.”