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ARMANO

We three were gathered in my office, bent over the desk where we looked through all the information Kian had collected for us on his laptop.

Mea's arm brushed against mine, warm and soft and for some reason, it was a little distracting.

"So the location of this heirloom is known to the public..." I said. "That's stupid."

"Look at the security." He pointed to the picture he had acquired of the two-storey building where the diamonds were kept.

"Impenetrable", Mea muttered.

"Plus the heirloom is kept in some sort of a special locker, it says, opened only through a special key."

"Look", Mea said mockingly, gesturing to the screen. "Mr Harrington seems to be a manwhore pig. Why does it remind me of a certain someone?"

Even Kian's lips twitched in amusement. Hypocrite. He had the same number of flings as me but the only difference was that he was discreet about them.

"Mind I remind you who's the boss here?" I glared at her.

"You mean Kian?"

I pinched her waist hard making her yelp and shift away.

She looked amused as she shifted back, pinching me in return.

Kian looked done with us and he changed his position, putting himself in between us. "Focus." He scolded us.

I reached behind his back to pull Mea's hair making her head jerk towards me and she looked ready to kill me.

Kian glared at me making himself look older than he was. Sometimes, it felt like he was the elder one between us.

"Fine." I rolled my eyes. "I'll behave."

Satisfied by my answer, he focused back on the screen.

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• GROUP CHAT •

Armano: Does any of you feel like being generous and helping us out?

Arnaud: You are not supposed to take any help. You three are on your own.

Armano: For the hundredth time, why are you in this group chat? You are not our cousin.

Arnaud: No, but I am your cousin's husband and your UNCLE.

Armano: A very annoying uncle.

Arnaud: Let's not forget that if not for my help, you would have never been born.

Armano: That's a very weird way of saying that you helped Mom and Dad get married. Also, I already know, so stop reminding me.

Armano: @Cel how do you survive this old man? He's annoying.

Celestine: Unfortunately, I love him.

Arnaud: ...a lot.

Armano: @Arnaud you are 44, grow up.

Arnaud: You grow up.

Zaire: I'll agree with Arnaud. Grow up Armano.

Armano: Shut up, fucker. Now since you claim to be the most intelligent person, why don't you help us out?

Zayden: You won't be getting any help from us. Besides, you have a brain too, use it for once.

Lenore: He doesn't have a brain. I swear I am smarter than him.

Ada: Lol

Armano: @Lenore I will deal with you later.

Alamea: Don't worry, cousins. I used my brain before he could use his. I already have a plan.

Armano: You did?! Then why do I not know it yet?

Alamea: I was going to once Kian comes home.

Armano: KIAN! WHERE ARE YOU SWEETHEART? MY BABY! COME TO ME, WE NEED TO TALK, MY LOVE.

Zaire: RIP Armano.

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Kian came back home half an hour later and we three decided to talk in my office. It was only then he checked the group chat.

I swear he physically cringed the moment he read my last messages in the group chat.

"What?" I said when he glared at me coldly. "Am I not supposed to admit that I do love you?"

Alamea sighed, shaking her head.

Kian was allergic to any kind of affection, I wonder what will happen when Uncle finally forces him to get married. Deep down, I am excited to see him suffer.

"Okay, listen." Mea slammed her palm on the desk to get our attention. "I have an idea. There's hardly any chance of it working but we can give it a try."

I leaned back in my chair. "Go on, devil."

"So, Mr Harrington has a son who is also--spoiler alert--a womanizer and there's this club that he frequents. Maybe, we can go to this club and I can try seducing him and drugging him and then make him blurt out some more information about that heirloom."

Alamea seducing a man for information. I didn't like the idea at all. How the fuck is she even comfortable with that?

No one knows about that incident except me but Kian is smart and with the way Mea avoids a man's touch, including his, he is aware that something must have happened.

Even he watched her with worry for a few seconds before sliding his eyes to me.

My eyes locked with Mea's. "No. We can come up with something else."

She looked a bit uncomfortable but she crossed her arms across her chest. "I said I can do this. We have to do something."

I stood up, stepping close to her and said to Kian, "Leave us alone for a minute."

Kian got up and left us alone.

"I am not going to have sex with him", she said.

The thought of her having sex with anyone made me feel annoyed. "Of course not. But seducing him? What if he starts touching you?"

"Then I will break his hands. Armano, you know I am not as weak as I was five years ago."

I brushed the strand of hair from her forehead, my fingers lingering there. Determined blue eyes stared into mine. "You were never weak, Mea."

She lowered her eyes. "You know what happened that day, I couldn't protect--"

Grabbing her chin, I tilted her face up. "I fucking told you to not think that way. You are my third in command, I made you that for a reason. I will not allow you to think that way about yourself."

Warmth swirled in her eyes and for a second, she leaned closer.

I let my thumb caress her cheek once before I released her and stepped back.

She cleared her throat. "If you think I am capable then let me do this."

"Are you sure?"

"You both will be there. I have nothing to fear. We have to give this a try."

I still didn't like the idea of it. Mea with another man. It made my skin crawl. Not just because of whatever happened to her. Something else was there...I just couldn't pinpoint it.

She watched me closely. "You don't trust me."

"I do. I am just thinking about it."

"You seem angry..." She trailed off.

I didn't realise I was frowning and quickly schooled my expression. "Nope. Let's go with this plan of yours."

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"Where are you going?" I asked when I saw Alamea marching out with her sling bag.

"Shopping."

"And you didn't invite me?"

She rolled her eyes. "Why would I invite you?"

"For shopping advice obviously."

"I don't need your advice. I am going to get a dress which I can wear to that club."

"About that..." My voice dropped and I grabbed her elbow. "When were you going to tell me that it's a fucking sex club?"

"It doesn't matter what kind of a club it is. I am going anyway."

Right. I let out a breath. "Okay. Let's go."

She didn't argue with me anymore because she knew it would be fruitless.

I grabbed the extra helmet and helped her wear it, strapping it and making sure it was secure.

After putting on mine, I got on my monstrous bike, revved the engine and waited for her to get behind me.

She grabbed my shoulder and hopped behind me, adjusting herself so that there was some distance between us.

There was no point in doing that because the moment I rode off, the force of it caused her to jerk, her front glueing to my back, her arms going around my waist.

It's been years since she last rode with me. Back then, I used to ride carefully because she was so young but this time I didn't hold back.

"Can you slow down?!" She shouted.

I grinned even though she couldn't see it and ignored her.

Her palms were pressed against my abs, their warmth seeking through my t-shirt and I could feel her breasts squished against my back, sending a tingle through my body.

My grin faded away and I tried to ignore it.

It's been a few days since I last fucked anyone. Must be because of that.

I drove us to the nearest shopping mall, putting my bike into the parking lot and turning off the engine.

In a haste to get off, Alamea got imbalanced as she started to fall back, her one leg stuck in the bike.

I grabbed her arm just in time, keeping her in the air.

"Look at you falling for me", I teased her, pushing up my helmet's visor.

Even though I couldn't see her face, I could feel the intensity of her glare. "You will be falling too once I kick your balls."

Chuckling, I balanced the bike in between my legs and helped her get off without falling again.

She took off her helmet, her hair ponytail all messed up and she thrust it against my chest, stomping away.