The Toxic Deal

11. I RULE

BRIA

"who the hell are you?" Benji's impatient voice saved me from my further embarrassment and also recovered me from the shock of looking at this breathtakingly handsome devil. The man who tortured me for days. The man who caused me to lose my peaceful beauty sleep for many nights. The man who was the reason my family was living under constant fear for days. The man who was the reason I got two new pimples and fine lines on my forehead as a result of my constant frowning.

Benji was hit by one of the men holding him. "watch your tone old man". A scream escaped my lips as blood spurted out of Benji's mouth.

"How dare you hit him, you rascal? Leave him and the kids. You got business with me then talk to me. I swear I will make you regret ever setting your foot in my property if you dared to touch any of them. You don't have any idea who you are messing with." I was seething in anger. My voice came strong and menacing though I was in bad shape and form.

My eyes snapped to the intimidating devil in fury and there he was standing like a statue with a stoic face, as cool as cucumber. Did he was even breathing or these goons were playing a trick by using humanoid as their so-called King?

He tilted his head by approximately five-degree angle and Cameron got the message. He started reciting all of my details in monotone.

"Bria Maxwell. Wasted twenty years of her life doing nothing to be proud of, like looking after people's mistakes. Owner of this house, a small café and property surrounding it. Completed her high school and now taking online courses to complete graduation as she could not afford the college fees as she has spent all the money her parents left for her to look after them. See we know who we are messing with." He said the last part directing at me.

"don't" my voice came as a whisper.

He furrowed his eyebrows in confusion "come again". He leaned closer to me to hear what I was saying.

That was all I wanted. I pulled him down on the ground and swung my right leg, tightening it around his neck. I was punching him repeatedly, shouting in frustration with tears running down my face.

"don't you dare to call my kids as mistakes. They are not mistakes. They are my family. Understand, you pukeface?"

It took some time for everyone to get into the action as they stood there stunned. Gabriel was the first one to get his senses back as he grabbed me by my waist. I saw Cameron's face turning partly red from the blood that was oozing from his now broken lips and nose and partly purple because of lack of oxygen all credits go to my vile hold on his neck.

"Bria. stop. Briaaa"

All the voices were a blur in the back of my mind as all I could see was red. The ringing voice in my brain was helping me to concentrate on my target, who was on the verge of losing consciousness.

"enough!"

A loud voice boomed like a thunder at a peaceful night and I felt my body froze at the amount of authority it held. Gabriel took advantage of it and dragged me away from Cameron at a safe distance. By the look on his face, he wanted to punch me in the face but restrained himself and turned his attention to his boss. Two men came forward to help Cameron and gave him water which he gulped like a thirsty camel while coughing and spitting some water on the ground.

 I know... I am so f*****g amazing.

Until now the devil stood there without uttering a single word or even moving any of his muscles. I couldn't look at his eyes but I was pretty sure that he was beyond pissed as a straight vein popped on his forehead showing a red flag, a sign of danger while his jaw was tightly clenched. I swear I had never seen someone get furious without showing any physical sign to give away their feelings. But I can't blame him, I have damaged his two men pretty bad in the span of twenty minutes after all.

We stared at each other for one minute and fifteen seconds when he signalled a man to his left. He came to me with hesitance and held a pen and papers in front of my face.

"sign them" that were the only words left his mouth other than 'enough'. His deep, rich voice was more intimidating than his presence. It was powerful yet captivating that could make you act the way it commanded. It was so hypnotising that it could make you forget everything and everyone, enchanting you to obey his command without a second thought. Those two words were enough to straighten the unshaved hair on my body stood straight like needles. His voice was firm and filled with such authority that my stupid, partially functioning brain considered following his order for a fraction of second.

"no Bria. don't do it." Benji was struggling more now like a tiger trapped in a cage.

I took deep breaths to clear my mind which was halfway in the process of shutting down. "I will not sign them." I succeeded in delivering my decision in a calm yet firm manner.

He c****d his head at a twelve-degree angle as if he was challenging me to defy him.

"Miss Maxwell. I am not a person with many words and I certainly don't like to waste my time and energy in unprofitable things like talking, unless necessary. So, I will repeat once again and for the last time. Sign. Those. Damn. Papers." His voice turned my brain into mush and I HATE IT.

I thrust up my chin in the air to show him that I was not going to change my decision and was about to snatch those papers to tear them in shreds when Gabriel snatched them and held away from my reach. He really did learn from the past experience. Smart bastard!

"you know what, I also want to repeat once again and for the last time. Take your damn papers and show them up to your a*s. I don't care so you can Go. To. Hell." Yeah, take that you monster.

After another minute of staring down, and audible collective gasps, fidgeting from jokers in black suits and heavy breathing and sobbing from my family, he decided to broke the silence.

He actually used his muscles for the first time in the night and turned towards my family proving my humanoid theory wrong. His jaw worked again "You. Come here."

Cody. Or should I say Cody the rabbit as I was sure his heart was beating faster than the rabbit's. When the poor guy couldn't muster the courage to move his feet, another pawn of the devil grabbed him by the elbow and presented shaking Cody to his boss.

"I was informed about only a man, a weak girl and six kids. Then who is he?" That imbecile fool didn't even have to look at anyone as his stare was fixated on trembling form of poor Cody.

I thought every one of them would jump to explain their Boss about the extra presence but only Cameron answered him. Wow. Nice discipline. One day I also want disciplined people at my fingertips.

Cameron cleared his throat "he works in their café from last few days. He was not expected to be present here at this time as his shift ends at eight in the night."

It must have been a task for him to talk as his face was still contorted in pain. Well... He deserved that!

Guilt spread across my heart as I watched a trembling form of Cody that he was dragged into my mess without any fault. He was a little annoying but a nice person. He really cared for me and kids. He-

A loud shriek was boomed in the night followed by ear-splitting screams. 

I had always thought about what exactly happened after death. Did the soul really go to heaven or hell? Did the big man up there keep the records of all the sins and goods of every person? Were there really any ghosts or the unsatisfied souls trapped between two worlds? What about karma? They say karma is a b***h. I remembered a quote saying 'karma is like a rubber band. You only stretch it so far before it comes back and smacks you in the face'. Was that even true?

Because if it was then I would love to witness the karma smacking this demonic asshole in his too-perfect-to-be-real face. I stood there frozen as if my body was in comatose. I could hear that ringing sound of a gunshot and that heart-wrenching scream as if they were set on replay mode in my mind. I had to find the STOP button. My mind was searching desperately for it but to no avail. I tried to move my body, tried to react in any minimalistic way but couldn't. I didn't blink, I couldn't. Suddenly the air around me got chilly cold and....... nauseated. I felt a pressure building inside me, a large lump forming in my burning throat. The sourly bitter taste formed in my insides that compelled me to release the mounting pressure right then and there. I threw up everything that my hungry stomach contained in one big throw.

My knees gave up on me and I fell on the ground, braking already cracked walls of the dam. My senses came back with a tsunami of emotions and I started wailing. I started wailing in pain and sadness not caring I was a centre of attention for around twenty to twenty-three people. I didn't bother to count the people.

Red.

It was a pool of red, liquid red.

Warm, sticky with a metallic smell. Gushing out of his heart. I have learned in Biology that the human heart is an amazing organ and produces about two f*****g thousand gallons of blood per day. My heart did the same. But not in my wildest dreams this piece of information prepared me for the amount of blood I was witnessing in front of me.

The blood belonged to the person I knew. The person who never missed a chance to flirt with me and compliment me for trivial things. The person who always brought a smile on the kids’ faces. The person who annoyed the life out of Benji with his antics. The person who became a part of our family in a short time.

 Cody.

His lifeless form was paler than before and his wide eyes- they were... empty. Empty of hope. Empty of that mischievous glint he usually carried with his charming smile. Empty of life.

This was all my fault. I was responsible for this. I was the reason an innocent lost his life. I was a b****y murderer.

Flashes of my nightmares resurfaced at the back of my mind. Happy family, their smiling faces, their little girl, the gunshots and.... blood.

"why?"

There was a long pause.

"Why did you do that?" my voice quivered but somehow, I managed to push the words out of my mouth.

The devil stood there as confident and as intimidating as before. He was as cool as before. Not even a drop of sweat rolled down his forehead. No shaking of hands. "I don't like to repeat myself, Miss Maxwell. And if you still have not got the message then..." And certainly, no fumbling with words.

He trailed off purposefully leaving the words lingering in the thick air, to catch by me. To me to understand them. And I perfectly understood the underlined message or should I say threat.

My hateful stare down with him was obstructed by the same papers and pen which I was beginning to loathe. And he stood there like he didn’t put a bullet through a human being. He stood there resolutely like he had not just committed the biggest sin that any human could do. And it irked me deep within my soul.

I staggered towards the lifeless body of Cody and this time no one tried to stop me or even inched towards me. I crouched down beside him and a silent sob betrayed me by making an appearance. But I couldn't care less. My trembling hand closed his empty eyes.

Gabriel stood beside me "now you know what can happen to your precious little family, butterfly. I would suggest you quit with your sob drama and sign the f*****g papers or else next target will be your beloved Jack." And as on the que one of the men grabbed crying Jack dragging him away from the group. His pleading cries were tearing my heart. What should I do?

"Let him go, you motherfucker! Don't you dare to hurt him" Juan and Liam were struggling to get free but failed miserably as a sound of a slap resonated in the surroundings. Liam's chick turned red showing the finger marks.

"Liam..." Benji's eyes widened in worry.

Whenever I stuck at some point in my life, I would always run to Benji. He then pulled me in his arms and calm my nerves with the solution to my every problem. He was my guarding angel. I looked up at him for help and my heart sank five feet deeper when I saw his worried eyes. They were full of fear. Fear of losing me, losing one of the kids. They were full of guilt. The guilt that he couldn't protect us, he couldn't protect Cody. They were full of anger and hatred towards the Devil, towards his goons and towards himself.

And this all was my f*****g fault.

I took deep breaths and gulped down my saliva that resulted in me coughing and choking.

"I- I can't sign the papers even if I want to. We- we d-don't have anywhere to.. go. This hou-house and ca-café are all that we have for us. Kids still go to school and they have their whole future in front of them. I can't take care of my family with even three jobs at a time. So, if you want my property then pay the price." I stood up and looked straight directly at His hidden eyes.

"Bria... what the hell are you doing? Don't do that. It's your father's last memory. You can-" and suddenly Benji lost his consciousness while I saw Cameron removing his hand from Benji's neck.

"don't worry. He is out for some time only. When you finally decided to talk some sense, we don't need anyone to make you reconsider the things, now do we?" that smug shitface.

I turned to the Devil and with all the courage and energy that left in me, I met his eyes... or the place his eyes should be.

"I am still firm on my decision. If you want something then pay for it." I crossed my arms in an attempt to intimidate him... At least I tried.

He stood there unfazed and the most frustrating part was I couldn't decipher his expressions or read his thoughts because of a. I was no mind reader b. looking at his gorgeous face was equal to looking at a rock which is non- living (just to remind you) and c. he was still wearing those god damn black shades in the middle of the f*****g night.

After a long four minutes and thirty-five seconds of excruciating silence (yeah, I have this habit of counting every second when I am nervous/angry/scared/confuse) his majesty decided to privilege us, the unworthy people to hear his decision.

"Miss Maxwell. I am not a person who is interested in charity. So, NO. I will not pay the price. But I am willing to take responsibility of your... Kids' education until every one of them completes their graduation. And about a shelter for you all and job for you, I can recommend you to some hotel which can give you a good salary. But all of this... After you sign the papers."