Cassian's POV
As soon as Lucas and I stepped out of the hotel and into the compound, I sensed someone following steadily.
I have developed sharp instincts from years of being double-crossed and the harsh training that I got from my father.
I turned around swiftly, catching sight of her, but her attention was directed elsewhere. I could tell she couldn't see me.
Celine was defaulting on one of my rules just immediately after I had explained everything to her on the plane.
She was attracting unnecessary attention to herself, one rule defaulted, compounded by her defaulting to the curfew rule.
I wanted to teach a deadly lesson, so I let her follow behind.
"Where is Clifford?" I asked, adjusting my brochure and darting my eyes around the backyard of the hotel compound where we usually had our dirty dealings discussed, before moving into the reservoir area, in search of Clifford. Still, all I could find were two men in suits, probably his delegates.
"Mr Clifford had left ten minutes ago," one of the men answered. A bile rose in my throat; in that instance, I wished he hadn't spoken.
"He couldn't wait any longer; he said that you should meet him in the hotel next to yours," he continued explaining. I withheld a chuckle. Clifford was playing with fire, and this messenger that had the guts to deliver this, I'll shut his mouth forever.
"He said that?" I asked to reaffirm if the stupid delegate would still have the boldness to respond, and to my greatest shock and irritation, he nodded.
In one smooth motion, I brought out my gun and with a loud bang to his head, he fell to the ground with a loud thud.
Fear appeared on the face of the other delegate, and I felt it —the beautiful surge of excitement I experienced when I instilled fear and discipline, showing them who had the power, in case they had forgotten.
"Now you would take me to your stupid boss, I have some news to deliver," I said, motioning to Lucas.
Lucas dragged the second man by his collar, forcing him to go with us. He was visibly shaking, just the way I wanted my victims.
And as I crossed the huge flower vase at the corner of the wall close to the backyard, I felt her presence. I knew that in that instance, she had witnessed everything that had happened this night.
Curiosity, they say, kills the cat, and Celine is the cat that would soon get herself killed. I didn't bother how she would take it; this is my world, and she must live in it.
As soon as we got to the car, I motioned to the bodyguards to get rid of the dead body, sever its head and bring it to the Hotel de classic, where the dead meat Clifford was waiting.
They moved immediately, and I signaled the driver.
When we got to Hotel de Classic, I couldn't help but notice that this establishment was a new establishment, probably owned by someone familiar with the soil of the Damien empire.
The interior decoration was a cheap replica of "The Damien hotel" in Lasport. But I wasn't here for the owner of this establishment, although I would come to that later. I was here for Clifford.
I looked to the delegate. "Now lead us to your boss," I said, looking to Lucas to release his hold on him, which he complied with.
"If you attempt to run, you will be dead meat in an instant," I added.
He moved slowly at first, but a jolt from Lucas got him moving faster, till we arrived at room 97, which was on the second floor of the hotel, not even the VVIP.
He stopped and motioned towards the door. "Speak," I commanded.
"Mr Clifford is in here," he said, hesitating to open the door, and at that point, I got so impatient. "Open the door, or will meet the same fate as your counterpart," I commanded.
He didn't move; he started making suspicious moves, silently reaching out to his pocket to pull out his gun, but I was faster than he thought.
I signaled Lucas, and Lucas snatched his hands from his pockets, pulling the gun with it.
"You thought you could pull a fast one on me, right?" I shook my head, clicking my teeth. "You made a mistake, and now you have just decided your fate. Now open that door."
He pushed the handle, and we walked into a Clifford having his time with prostitutes. I was so agitated that I wanted to draw more blood. I turned to my left, pulled out my gun and shut the second delegate.
The sound of the gun called him out of his little cloud of stars. The ladies screamed, each grabbing a piece of clothing and finding their way out of the room.
I clicked my tongue, "Wrong move," I stated. "Your depot is under my suspicion for diverting my funds elsewhere, and I had called for a meeting to know if we could sort things out, just to be told that you weren't patient enough for me to arrive."
He was sweating profusely, his eyes darting around, probably for an escape route.
I let out a dry chuckle. "You can't escape your doom; you just walked right into it. Now, Clifford, where are my funds?"
He panicked, "I... I, the goods were suspended at th… checkpoint... we couldn.."
I cut him off with another dry chuckle. " Excuses, excuses. Clifford, you steal from me and blame it on customs officers. Look at me, Clifford," I said, stepping closer to him and dragging him by the neck.
"The borders are secured here in North Dalton, and the Damien empire well caters for the customs officers. Once our goods arrive, they know well not to tamper with them. Now, Clifford, you the fuck do you think you are fooling?" I barked at him, trying my hardest not to lose my cool.
"I.."
"Shut up, not one word from you. I just have one question. "Who is the boss?" I didn't wait for him to reply before releasing the bullet on him. I saw his body slump, and the bile in my throat disappeared.