"PLAYA "

Chapter 18

Dante gave a longer laughter when he saw shock on Rayan's face.

"Grand...what," Rayan stuttered.

"Grandfather dear," Dante wispered and smirck.

"It isn't shocking that Will didn't tell you about me. I doubt if I remain in the dark, he would have told me that he's from a mafia background, not even your mother told you. "

"You know my mother." Rayan looked at him.

"I know everything, grandson, and now that I have decided to show up. I'm here to claim both my son and my grandson, " Dante smiled.

"I don't know if you truly my grandfather like you claim or not. But if you are, and my father hasn't mentioned you to me, then there must be something to it, " Rayan said, and Dante smirck.

"What do you think?" he asked Rayan.

"I should be asking you that, Oldman. What do you think"

Dante never expected Rayan to be this smart.

"You take so much after your mother. Everything in her is in you. "

"Not everything," Rayan snapped. He didn't even realise that gunmen had already surrounded him.

"Take this as a warning from me. Stay the hell away from my family. I don't care if you are some shitty mafia. You don't want to mess with me, Grandpa. " Rayan stressed on the last word and turned to leave.

The gunmen were stay blocking his way. He angrily pushed them away. He got in his car and drove away.

"Overlord, why did you let him go. I thought you planned to take him. " Dante right hand, man questioned.

Dante took out his cigarette and lighted it.

"No need," he said, smoking.

"What if Marcus gets to him first?" The guard asked, and Dante looked at him.

"I'm sorry, Overlord." The man quickly apologised.

"Don't eat the birthday cake before the birthday. My grandson is not a weakling" his voice dripping with mad venom.

"Yes, Overlord," the guard quickly nodded.

Rose was in her room, reading her lessons. She tried calling her dad, but he didn't pick. When she got home, she was told that her father had left the country with Zara for a business meeting. She's a bit angry. She even sent Rayan a text, but he hasn't responded yet. He didn't come to school, and she felt that he was still mad at her.

The next day on campus, things were cool as usual. She and Anna didn't have morning classes. So they sat under a tree to chat.

"So you mean up till now your dad hasn't even called to check on you and Carrie yet?" Anna asked after Rose explained everything to her.

"This had never happened before, and besides, he's rushing things to fast," Rose said.

"Obviously, your dad is obsessed with this lady," Anna groaned.

"But he needs to slow down, and besides, we don't even know anything about Zara and her family." She said, and Anna looked at her.

"Wait, you mean you guys don't know anything about this lady." Anna asked, and Rose nodded.

"What if she's a scam, a thief, or something?" Anna said, and Rose looked at her.

"No, she isn't. Zara is a nice person. She can't be a scam or thief. " Rose shook her head in disagreement.

"Nowadays, people are not to be trusted," Anna said.

"I know, but she's different, and besides, she likes us. She loves my dad too,"

"I was just saying my mind."

They talk for sometime, neither Eric nor Rayan show up to school. Anna, Rose, and Titus spend the day together. In the afternoon, Rose went home. She met Carrie at home.

"How was school today?" Rose asked as she sat down next to her sister.

"School was fine," Carrie muttered.

"Sister, I'm bored. I want to go out. Please take me out." Carrie pouted.

"Have you studied?" Rose asked.

"Yeah, I did,"

"Ok. Let me go and change. I'm taking you to the zoo, " Rose said and got up.

"Yeah."

Carrie loves the zoo. She loves seeing all the animals.

After Rose got through changing her clothes. She took Carrie to the zoo, and she even bought ice cream for Carrie. Carrie was busy watching the animals, while Rose stood on the other side watching her.

Not too long, she received a call from Rayan.

"Hello, who's this?" she said, and he laughed.

"Seriously, butterfly"

"Is it now that you thought of me?" she hissed.

"I seriously don't know how to handle your attitude," he said.

"Then get used to it. Why you weren't in school yesterday and today." She asked.

"Well, I've been being really busy these days,"

"Really, busy with what?"

"I can't say for now. A lot is going on, " he groaned, and she raised her brows. What is he talking about? "

"Where are you?" he asked

"I brought Carrie to the Zoo,"

"Ok. I want to see you is that possible "

"When?" she asked.

"This evening"

"Ok."

"Alright, see you soon,"

"Okay," she ended the call.

Later in the evening, when she and Carrie arrived home, Rayan was already there.

"Brother Rayan," Carrie ran and hugged him.

"When did you arrive?" she asked.

"Not too long," he said, smiling at her.

"Rose and I went to the zoo."

"I know, so did you have fun?" He asked, and she nodded.

"Next time I want you to come there with me,"she said.

"Ok, next time, I will definitely go with you,"

"Ok," she smiled.

"Carrie, go and shower. You're sweating, " Rose said.

"Ok, I will be back," Carrie said to Rayan and went upstairs.

"What can I offer you?" Rose asked Rayan.

"I'm fine. I don't want anything, " he said and pulled her on his laps. He buried his face in the crook of her neck.

"Rayan, are you ok?" Rose asked when she noticed how he was clingy unto her.

"Please, let's stay like this," he said, his breath hitting her neck. She bit her lip.

"How was campus today?" he asked after some time .

"As usual, everything is OK. I kept asking Titus about you, but he said he didn't know where you were. Have you two settled your fight? " she asked,

"Titus and I don't fight. I'm over it. "

"He was not feeling himself the whole day," she said, and he looked at her.

"Is he sick?" he asked.

"I don't know. I think you should check up on him, " she said, and he nodded

"I will go to his place from here," He said and laid his head on her shoulders.

"Rayan, you don't have to carry it all. You can share it with me, " she said, but he just stayed silent. She knows something is definitely wrong, but he isn't telling her.

"If you need somebody to talk to, I'm here," she said, and he nodded.

He clinged unto her the whole time. He didn't even let her go. They stayed like that as she told him what her father did.

"Your father needs to be careful. Not everyone can be trusted, " he said.

"You're right ,"Rose nodded.

It was 10 pm when Rayan arrived at Titus house.

"Surprised visit." Titus was shocked to see Rayan at his door. Rayan pushed his friend aside and entered.

"I'm spending the night here," He said, facing Titus.

"Look, young man, you can't just barge in my house like that." Titus said and walked up to Rayan.

"And so. What are you going to do about it? " Rayan asked with his hands, akimbo.

"I'm gonna beat your ass nigga" Titus said and they both burst into laughter.

"It's been a while since we played like this." Titus said, and Rayan nodded.

"I miss our old days,"

The two of them sat down on the couch,

"I'm sorry for what I said the other day. I didn't mean it. " Titus said, and Rayan looked at him.

"It's alright, you were actually right,"

"I wasn't. You don't trust people easily because of what you have been through. I shouldn't have said that, " Titus said, and Rayan nodded.

"Everything is just repeating itself, dude. I don't even know what to do anymore, " Rayan said, and his friend looked at him.

"What do you mean" Titus asked.

"I met my grandfather yesterday on my way from my dad's company,"

"What?" Titus gasped.

"Yeah. " Rayan noded.

"I....I don't understand,"Titus said, and Rayan explained everything about his encounter with Dante.

"This can't be true." Titus shook his head.

"The man and dad look exactly the same." Rayan said.

"I think you should tell dad about this," Titus said, referring to Mr. Anderson.

"Not yet, until I have digged into this."

"That's too risky, Rayan. That man is a gangster "

"Have you forgotten that I was also a gangster before?"Rayan looked at his friend.

"That was before Rayan. You have changed "

"Well, it's life. Things can't always be stable. I feel like my life is about to take a serious turn, and I need to be prepared. " Rayan siad.

Titus looked at his friend and nodded.

"Then I'm in this with you,"

"What?" Rayan gasped.

"I know some gangster guys. This game is not only for you. Remember, we are one now, " Titus said, and Rayan smiled.

"Is there really a friend like you. I don't know what I will do without Titus. " Rayan said...

"Don't do without me because even I myself can't do without you. We are brothers, so remembered that, " Titus said hugged his friend.

"It's action time. Ready?" Titus asked.

"Ready," Rayan said and hugged his friend back. Now he has nothing to fear or lose when he has loving people in his life.....