The cold water drops falling from the shower head seems to add onto the feeling of passion that surrounded the young couple. The boy’s eyes took note of the features of the girl in his arms.

Her beautiful grey eyes that were surrounded by thick, long lashes and that cute little nose, then the plump pink lips that were now swollen and red due to their previous activities.

His hand, that was busy drawing patterns on her naked back, slid down till it reached her butt and picked her up, making her wrap her legs around his waist. She let out a gasp at his sudden gesture before the boy captured her lips into another kiss.

Once contend with his kiss, he left her lips to trace small, open mouth kisses down her jaw to her ears.

“I love you so much, princess.”

A gasp tore through my lips as I suddenly gain conscience, eliciting a series of coughs from the depth of my throat. Once the coughs subside, I take in the cold, murky room with dark grey walls around me. I was deposited on a chair with my hands cuffed with chains that were attached to the table. The wall in front of me had a door that had two guards stationed with each having at least two weapons with them.
I relaxed back.

A few minutes later, the door opens and a guy with as blonde hair enters the room and casually walks to the chair that was placed on the other side of the table. He looked to be in his mid twenties but his aura gave off a creepy and sadistic vibe, alerting me.

I immediately find myself on guard with this unfamiliar man in front of me, with his dark eyes studying me in a calculative manner.

“So, you apparently killed Kane?” His tone suggesting clearly, he didn’t believe what he just said.

My grey eyes hardening at his obvious tone, “And who would you be?”

“Payton Baxton,” he leans down to bring his face closer to mine, “But for you, I can be your daddy.”

I resisted the urge to snort, rolling my eyes at his cheap flirting.

“How about this? You do your job here and take your daddy issues somewhere else?”

His nose flared in anger, face flushing as his jaw clenched. Looks like I stuck a nerve right here.

“You weren’t supposed to be here, Payton.”

A familiar voice called out. Although I knew him, I still felt a tinge of disappointment when I realised, it wasn’t the voice I was waiting to hear. Nonetheless, I relaxed myself, making myself seem as nonchalant as possible, as Michael entered the room making Payton leave after nodding at his senior.
Michael, or Mike, was Jayden Carter’s right hand man and his best friend in the world of crime. They met when Carter first joined the gang years ago and they bonded over time.

I heard a sharp intake of breath and that sound triggered an unmistakable emotion of deep satisfaction in me. Who would have thought that the coldest of the cold people can be caught by surprise? I smirked, keeping my eyes focused on Mike as he paled under the low light of the room.

“Surprise, surprise dear Mike.”

The man in front of me flinched at the taunting note in my voice. He hurried over to my side in panic.

“Ashlyn? Oh my god… y-you are alive?”

His breaking voice amused me and I let the chuckle escape. Had it been before what happened that night, I would have different emotions in me. But, alas, a night was all it took for me to realise how incredibly naïve I had been.

“Alive and kicking. Why? Disappointed my dear brother?”

He frowned, “Why would I be disappointed Ash? Why are you here chained? And, where were you for these past couple of years? Do you have any idea how hard it has been for the both of us?”

Another chuckle left my lips at his acting. Sadist that I am, I couldn’t believe how he can still keep up with his façade.

“I will answer one of your question. I am here, chained because that is what your men do to the person who find someone on their hit list.”

“You killed Kane,” his eyes widen at the fact, whereas I felt satisfied, knowing I messed up quite a lot in this cool and composed underboss of the gang. I shrug in response, hiding my sick amusement.

Michael runs his hand through his hair, pacing for a few minutes before turning towards me again.

“We need to get out of here and then talk.”

My eyes were blindfolded but I was relaxed.

Michael was driving the car, with the silence filled with questions. We were still to talk about the main issue here, however I realized while walking to the car that he might be innocent in regard to the incident of that night. That realization caused me to lower my guard around him.

He clears his throat, breaking the silence, “How have you been Ash?”

“That’s none of your concern Michael.”

He sighed heavily, “Finding out that you are still alive has been quite a shock.” Getting no response from me, he started again, “That night… we saw a body in the farm house Ashlyn. A female body at that. Your note… everything pointed out to your death. How are you still alive? Why didn’t you ever try to contact us.”

I snort, disgusted at the amount of gullibility they expected from me. “And why would I do that Michael?”

“Because we were your bloody family, Damn it!”

“Sure…”

“Stop this Ashlyn. We were a mess without you. HE was a mess without you.”

“You really expect me to believe that?”

“Why in the hell would you not?”

“Well,” I drawled out casually, opening my blind fold, “It may have something to do with the fact that you were the ones to plan that incident.”

The car jerked to a stop. An action so sudden that I hurled forward, the seat belt stopping me from toppling over.

“What?” disbelieve was painted over his face. “What the hell do you mean by it?”

“So intrigued? Why don’t you ask your boss then?”

He sighs, starting the car again and dropping the topic as well as the conversation, knowing he won’t receive answers.

I made him drop me at the café about twenty minutes jog away from Ryker’s place. Once I was sure that Michael is gone, I jogged over to my friend’s place, knocking at his door.

Ryker opens his door, dressed for gym. It being the weekend meant all of us meeting at the gym around 10 a.m. and Ryker preferred to be there before us for some alone time.

His cold blue eyes swept over my frame before he let me enter, “Want the guys over or want to tell them at the gym?”

“Call the guys. I asked Chris to drop Abby at the gym before he leaves. I don’t want Abby to be involved.”

He nodded, taking his phone to call them. Though he pauses for a second, “She will be involved Ash, you can’t shelter her forever. Especially since the main boss is here.”

About thirty minutes later, all the guys gathered around in Ryker’s living room.

“Carter’s men took me. Kidnapped.” Looking around for any inputs from them, and finding none, I continued, “I told Michael that I killed Kane. So that’s it and now we will have to see how it goes from here.”

“Then how are you here? Still alive and not even a scratch on you?” Kevin asks, his face in a frown.

I raised an eye brow in question.

“You know what he means Ash,” Ace was firm, his voice hard as if dealing with one of his goons. “I have never seen anyone coming out of that Investigation house without any injury. The last time someone innocent that came out had two broken limbs and a bloody face. Heck, I am the only one who has worked directly with him. I have seen what he does to the people he thinks are against him.

“So help me understand how are you here without any bruise on you? Not even a hair out of place.”

Mason hums before adding, “And we have all seen how good your reflexes are. Mr. Ryland has trained you himself. Yet I see no signs of struggle of kidnap.”

“It’s almost as if,” Keith leans forward, breathing out of the sentences, “Almost as if you knew you would get kidnapped.”

“As if, you wanted to be kidnapped.”

Unable to conceal my smirk, I look at Ryker, who said the last sentence as I felt proud of having these boys around me. I knew how they hated to be left in dark, but undoubtly they are my best friends, the ones to have my back always.

He just rolls his eyes at me, picking up his car keys, “Out and on wheels everyone, gym awaits.”

“I am not even required to go to the gym!” Keith huff, pouting and immediately the atmosphere turns light. Kevin face palms and all of us laugh.

“Nerd.” We sing in unison as we leave.

A punch blocked.

Faking a right, side step left land a three step kick to his side.

Using his momentum, punch his side.
He blocked.

I release a slow breath as Ryker and I circle each other. He is one of the best when it comes to hand combat which makes the practice fight thrilling. I can hear Keith and Abby cheering for us and Ace and Mason observing us. Kevin took this moment to do some laps for his upcoming competition at the indoor pool at the backside of the gym building.

' Faking a right, he kicked my leg beneath me, making me lose balance and fall.

Ryker helped me up when I noticed the others in the gym grow silent. Feeling eyes on me, I look behind Ryker to find a man leaning on the wall, with his icy blue eyes focused on me. A man who was the reason for the sudden silence in the gym.

A man known as Jayden Elliot Carter.

***********
A/N: Heya readers!
Have fun reading and do leave your comments!
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Love, Rupanshi.