"You promised what?" Stewart hissed. "You promised her you'd leave the gang? Have you lost it?"

"I only promised that I'd talk to Sean," said Xavier, giving him a side glance as they entered the gates to the gang's den and walked toward the house.

His friend mockingly sighed in relief. "That solves everything. Sean is a peace of cake. Sean is a snuggly sleep blanket."

Xavier sighed. "I don't care, Stewart." He ran a hand through his hair, his eyes fixed on the bumped floor he was walking on. "I don't care about the consequences. Since when have I?"

If he'd ever thought about the consequences of his actions, he thought, maybe his life would've been different. He wasn't worried, though. If Sean decided to kill him, he'd call it an escape. A mercy. But the only reason he hesitated even a little was that they knew about his weakness. And if they hurt her... Bile rose to his throat at the possibility.

Stewart's voice rose as he said, "Look!" Both of them looked around to see if any of the gang members were near. Taking a calming breath, he began speaking in whispers, "Look, if you mention anything about leaving, Sean will rip your head off." They stopped as Stewart placed his hand on his chest to make his point, "Literally."

"Like I said," spoke Xavier and removed Stewart's hand from his chest, his voice not coming down to a whisper, "I don't give a shit."

They stood there in silence, both looking expectantly at each other.

Stewart was the first to begin, "This is your home..."

"I don't have a home."

He resumed walking toward the house. Stewart trailed behind him.

He should've left a long time ago. But he'd considered his soul dark enough to deserve the depth of this atrociousness until Giselle lit it up with her purity.

He had nothing to lose. No family to take care of. He didn't even have any bridges to burn. Except for one thing. The orphanage he'd built in memory of his sister remained in Petrichor.

He stopped abruptly with the thought, the house only a foot away. Stewart bumped into him.

Xavier turned. "You okay, man?" The corners of his lips twitched up.

"Sorry," Stewart muttered, "I was thinking."

"I didn't know you had that privilege."

He snorted. "Lame. Even for you. You should try thinking sometimes. Knock some sense into your brain."

"And forget reality?" he mocked.

"No problem bumping into someone every once in a while."

"That's how you get yourself killed, idiot."

Stewart's eyebrows shot up in a you're-the-one-to-talk look. "Worry about yourself, mate. It's your head on the trial, not mine."

Xavier sighed, and all humor evaporated. "I need you to take care of the orphanage."

Stewart rolled his eyes as he said, "God! I might as well start calling myself Mister Nanny."

Xavier shook his head. "Lame. Even for you."

And they entered the house.

~*~

Sean wiped his hands on the towel, staining it red. Some people deserved the fire they gathered for themselves by breaking his rules. Torture, he mused, was a great teacher, and he loved getting his lackeys in line.

He took off his blood-stained shirt and wore a new one. Looking at himself in the mirror, he smiled and tore off the pocket over his chest.

He liked it. It gave him a personality quirk. Why did anything have to have a deep reason?

Rais knocked on his door.

"What?" barked Sean.

"Xavier."

Sean sighed. He was done with Xavier's tantrums. It was time to get him in line. It was time to settle the score. So, he walked out with his chin high.

Upon seeing Xavier, he plastered a smile on his face, wondering why he hadn't been signed for an award-winning movie yet, the amazing actor that he was, and said, "Ah, Xavier, my boy!"

Sure, among all the men working under him, Xavier was his best assassin. There was no doubting that. He killed quickly, never missed, and left no traces. Blah. Blah. Blah. However talented he was, it didn't give him the right to glower at him the way he always did.

Sean tilted his head as he measured him up. His eyes filled with the clouds of his past that fogged his reality. No one seemed to notice. Did they think he'd forget?

Xavier was his culprit.

He looked up at the young man and smirked at his troubled expression. "What is it, Xavier? Unable to satisfy your plaything? Need me to help her with it?"

A fire crackled in his eyes. Sean liked how he could affect him in an instant with the game of mere words.

When Xavier didn't answer, he said, "Now, my boy, what are you here for, then?" Sean turned his back to him; waiting, anticipating.

His eyes were fixed on the frame hanging over the wall in front of him. It was a painting--a man was making a useless attempt to save his dying wife by holding her in his arms, looking up at the sky, and pleading to God. Sean grimaced. God. What useless propaganda.

Xavier's words echoed through the room as he announced, "I'm leaving."

He smiled, not that Xavier could see. Part of his decision to leave led him to his end, and part of it lost Sean his best killer. "No."

"I am not asking for your permission."

Sean whirled around, after once glancing at Ashley and ignoring her troubled expressions. "You might not be asking for my permission, but I intend to remind you of what you signed up for."

His culprit's mouth was a thin line. "I signed up to survive."

"And you forget the rules once your life has been changed. I gave you this life and I own it."

Xavier took two quick breaths, and his voice dropped a tone as he pleaded, "Let me go..."

Much better.

Sean turned back around, smiling as he sat on his seat. Scratch that. His throne. He took his phone from the table on his right side. He opened the gallery to see it. Her photo. Sasha.

He needed Xavier to suffer the way he had. Killing him would be mercy. He needed to feel the pain of losing his lifeline, too.

"Fine." Sean looked up at Xavier who stood there like a statue. "I allow you."

His eyebrows rose in disbelief. "On what condition?"

Smart boy. "One last social work and you're good to go."

Xavier's jaw tightened. "I told you, I'm done!"

He cocked his eyebrow. "Do I look like I care? I'm doing you a favor by letting you go."

Xavier glared at him in response.

"Kill one person, Xavier," he said, "It's not much to ask."

"Why me? Why not Stewart, or Rais, or even Ashley?" Xavier took a step forward.

Sean was as calm as an upcoming storm. "Big catch, Xavier, they can't pull it off."

"Pull it off?" He huffed. "What are they, three?"

"You know as good as I do that they aren't as able. It's you. Just one man, Xavier. Just one kill." Sean smirked; his eyes fixated on him.

"What if I refuse?" Xavier gulped. "And don't give me that head-off crap. You know as well as I do that you can't even touch a single hair of mine. So, what is it that you offer me?"

"Offer you?" Sean snickered. His minions around him joined. "Oh, no, threaten is the word."

"Threaten me?" Xavier looked amused despite all his anger. "Well, go on. Try it."

One word. Sean had to say one word only. "Giselle."

It took him a single moment. A moment in which his body shook and he lunged himself at Sean. "You, filthy piece of shit!"

Before Sean could feel the impact of Xavier's blows, his men grabbed the animal, and he writhed in their arms.

"Will you kill the man I tell you?" asked Sean.

"No!"

"Will you not?"

Xavier spat on the ground. "Did I stammer?"

Sean smiled. "Rais?"

"Yup?"

Sean's eyes never left Xavier's as he said, "Bring her to me."

Xavier tried to pull his arms out of their grasp but was held securely. His roar echoed through the room.

Everybody saw Rais's triumphant grin as he turned around and jogged toward the exit as if he wanted this to happen right from the start.

Xavier's expressions change in a second. "Wait!" he yelled, his voice hoarse. "Just one person? Then you let me go?"

"Just one person," Sean repeated calmly, trying to contain his smile, "then I let you go."

"Fine," said Xavier. His fellow gang members left him cautiously, their hands raised in defense. He snatched his arms back and shot daggers at Rais who was smirking at him.

"Deal?" asked Sean, grabbing his attention.

"What will I get?"

"A way out. No money."

Xavier breathed, his mouth open as if wanting to argue but sighed. "Who do I have to kill?"

"A certain businessman." Sean restrained his expression.

"Namely?"

"Not needed."

"How am I supposed to kill him then?"

"You'll find him in Lunaris tomorrow." It was an abandoned piece of land where no one came except for their tricked victims.

Xavier nodded. This was normal. "Just this last person, and then I won't even waste my time to kill you, you son of a bitch," he said in a calm tone, glared at him for another moment, and walked out. Stewart exited soon after.

Sean smirked at his victory and Xavier's ultimate defeat.

"Why did you let him go, Sean?"

He smiled at Ashley's question. Turning his attention toward the girl who batted her eyes at him, her blonde hair a mess, he said, "Ashley, dear. You know nothing of the things that I plan."

She licked her lips and folded her arms. "But he kills this one person, and then no one will be able to stop him."

Sean bit his lip, looking at the exit, as he shook his head.

"Seriously, though," she continued, "who is that special person that none of us have the strength to murder?"

He grinned. "What charm is there for Abbott Beaumont to be slaughtered if it's not by the hands of his daughter's lover?"