"My parents' identity. Can you give me that?" Selene joked.

Keir's face fell listening to her words. He robotically got up from the chair and walked a few feet away from her.

Selene stood there awkwardly, wondering what she had said for him to react this way.

"What's wrong?"

Keir glanced at her and then back outside the window.

"I'm the reason you are giving up your parents?" He asked.

"No.." She tried to lie but his condescending look shut her up. "Yes." She sighed.

"Why didn't you tell me this?"

"Keir-" Selene cut herself off, sighing in defeat.

"Whatever I did is my decision and I have no regrets." She walked towards him and placed her palm against his face.

"It is your only hope. Don't you want to know your parents? I know you do." Keir tried to bring some sense into her.

"I do." She answered truthfully. "But like I said, it's my decision to make."

Keir exhaled sharply, annoyed by her stubbornness.

"If we are talking about our own decisions, let me tell you that I decided to give myself up to NIA," Keir said.

"What?!" Selene jerked her hand off his face like she was hit by electricity.

"If you don't give me to them yourself and stand by your deal, I'll put that decision in action." He challenged her.

Selene scoffed in disbelief. She couldn't put words to tell him that if he is the price for her parents, she doesn't want that.

Keir closed his eyes, calming himself. Looking at her panicked face concerned him.

"Look, angel." He talked in a more smooth tone than earlier. "I'm many things but not a selfish man who would take away his girl's only wish."

And I'm not who would give away her love for someone who was never there for me, she wanted to say but didn't. She knew he would do anything to convince her to give him up.

"I-I can come up with something. Like a plan? To get their identity and not break the deal?" She reasoned.

Keir nodded, somewhat relieved.

Selene grabbed his palm that was inching to her face.

"Promise me you will not do anything stupid until then." Her words sounded more like a warning.

Keir nodded, smiling assuringly.

"Promise me." She demanded.

"I promise."

***

Keir scrunched his face in distaste as he glanced up at the barely lit Hudson club board.

"Downtown needs a new meeting place," He muttered.

Selene nodded in agreement. He was right Hudson club is the oldest and commonest meeting place. Everyone here meets everyone. No wonder they've met here too.

It's a surprise that this club is large enough, spreading half of the town. If it wasn't for the single storied - dark alleyway, shitty club vibes that it spewed it could've been remodeled into a large commercial hotel.

"Let's go." She took his hand in hers and they made their way in.

Booming sounds of music and air that smelt like smoke and piss hit them as soon as they stepped in. It must be something she should've gotten used to by now but she never did.

Tonight might be her last day that she'd visit Hudson club. Selene didn't have an answer as to why she thought so but she knew the day is very close.

"Is he the one?" She asked Keir.

They stood at the threshold of a secluded booth, peeking from the unwashed bloody curtains.

Keir glanced at the guy behind the curtain and nodded curtly.

"Yep. The zebra guy."

Selene snorted in humour at the nickname he chose for Brent. His black inked tattoos along his body, in a way do make him look like a zebra.

Hand in hand, Selene pulled Keir beside her and went inside to greet her old friend.

"Hi, Brent." Selene placed a cocky smile and greeted him.

Brent, who smirked hearing her, paled out when he looked up and saw Keir beside her.

He expected to meet both of them today but just not together or anything similar to holding hands like a power couple.

Brent composed himself and smiled sideways.

"Sel! It's so good to see you."

He got up and walked to her, giving her a peck on her cheek and a side hug, all the while Keir held her hand firmly.

Keir grunted softly at his pathetic attempt to irk him.

Selene walked to the couch and took a seat but glanced up at Keir when he didn't join.

"I'm gonna grab a drink. Do you want something?" He asked.

"No." Selene shook her head and smiled.

Keir leaned down to peck her lips and left them.

Brent, who was watching their lovey dovey exchange chuckled, "So you two are back together, huh?"

"We were never together, on the contrary, you brought us together." Selene smirked, "I should thank you for that."

Her smirk grew looking at his locked jaw that he did trying to control his anger.

Brent gave her a fake smile, "It's the least I could do for the loyalty you showed for the Reyes'."

Now it was Brent's turn to smirk.

Selene gave out a wry laugh, "Was this your plan of ruining me?" She double quoted her words with her fingers.

"No, but it's a start."

"A rocky start, I should say. Did you actually expect Keir to leave me and go away? So that you can have me all by yourself?"

Selene leaned front, mock pouting at him. "Poor Brent always after his brother's girl."

"Shut up, Bitch." Brent gritted.

Selene leaned back, laughing at him maniacally.

"I can still tell everything to Haden. He would feed your bones to the dogs he raise." Brent threatened.

Selene stopped laughing and looked at him squarely. He is right. If Haden knows of this he will kill her in ways no one can imagine.

"But you won't." Selene spoke up, "You have other plans in your mind. Don't you?"

Brent laughed, "See? You are a natural at this. Which is why Haden loves you and I like you to have you as my crime partner."

"The position is taken, Brent. Get over it already." Selene rolled her eyes.

"The British guy will only slow you down. Weak you down." He mocked Keir's British accent and ended up sounding like a choking pig.

"But I should say that he got excellent skills at slitting throats." He sighed thinking about something, "I saw his work on my cop friend."

Selene shut her eyes, cursing at her stupidity. Of course he knew Yates, they both were southerners and showed immense pleasure in annoying people. She should have guessed.

"You send detective Yates to find out about me and Keir? He was a cop and your friend, you made him do your dirty job?" Selene shook her head at him in disgust.

"You are a cop too, you do dirty jobs. Very dirty." His eyes trailed down to her legs.

"Speak for yourself, Manwhore." She spat.

"Flirting aside. I called you to discuss the plan with you."

"A plan you already executed." She deadpanned.

He ignored her and spoke, "You will give Haden to NIA."

Selene rolled her eyes, "Which is what I've been trying to do for the past three years."

"This time you accelerate it. Like in a few days?"

Selene waited for him to continue.

"With strong evidence."

"And you know about this strong evidence, I suppose?" She asked.

"I know what and where. You just have to get it."

Selene laughed wryly, "Get it yourself then. I'm not an idiot to know this isn't a trap."

"I can't risk it. I won't get my hands dirty." Brent shrugged.

"Oh! So if the plan blews up, I'll be dead." She retorted.

"And if you don't, I'll tell Haden and you'll be dead anyway." He chided, smiling slyly at her.

Selene huffed and stayed silent.

"This isn't a choice, Baby. I don't think you understand what a deep shit you are in."

Selene bit her lip trying to think about the odds. He is right she is in deep shit.

Brent sighed, feigning sympathy, "You should have just stayed with Haden. I understand the killer is handsome and irresistible but your head on those smooth shoulders is important too."

Selene glared darkly at him.

"Make up your mind and I'll help you gifting Haden to NIA. Tell me your answer in a day, or you'll know what I'll do." Brent warned.

Selene got up and turned around to get out of his loathing presence. She stopped in her tracks and turned back to him.

"I can just say the word and Keir will gladly present your dead body to me." She spoke, her voice oozing authority and passion.

"But he gave up killing for me. That's how much he respects me." Selene gulped down the anger bubbling in her.

"He is a better man than you two brothers can and will ever be." She snapped and left the booth leaving behind a raging Brent and a shattered glass by him.

*****

What do you think about this short chapter? Should Selene take up his offer or kill Brent?

Let me know your thoughts on it.

Have a great day!

~Aurora. ❤️