Green-Eyed Devil

Chapter 02

Whenever Carlos was tired from work, he would always end up at nightclubs. It was always a habit of his that never failed to rest. He liked the noisy atmosphere, the intoxicating alcohols bottled in many kinds, rich friends, and lascivious women.

Carlos loved to party and squander like what any rich men do to sustain and enjoy themselves. Clubs, alcohol, money, and women always reminded him of how good life is, how good his life is.

By the time he finished two bottles of vodka, Lucas came and sat beside him. Carlos grinned at his bodyguard and at the same time driver who was breathing heavily, clinging to his self-control.

‘’ Hey Lucas, why did you leave such pretty faces I have fetched for you?’’, Carlos chuckled.

‘’ I nearly killed them Carlos.’’ Lucas sighed and grabbed himself a drink.

‘’ My friend, have you starved yourself for a whole week? You’re losing it.’’ he gave him a pat on the back.

‘’ Oh Lucas!’’ Carlos laughed.

‘’ Lucas dude! You are not serious are you?’’

After his laugh, Lucas looked at him. ‘’ I have news.’’

‘’ What?’’

‘’ Zillion just entered the club.’’

‘’ What the hell? Why now?’’ Carlos was taken aback from what he heard.

‘’ I just saw him seconds ago. ‘’, Lucas stood up. ‘’ And he’s heading here. I guess I am going to see myself out.’’ he grinned and disappeared.

Carlos composed himself and sat back while straightening the crook of his tie. He could see Zillion from afar heading towards his table. His tall and composed frame made him stood out among the crazy crowd. By merely looking at his cold expression, it made him shiver in discomfort.

Zillion was his cousin whom he didn’t want to disappoint the most. To Carlos, Zillion invoked the definition of fear with his stoic greyish-green eyes that excelled in concealing emotions, his almost blank expression that can hide away a lot of things he’s up to, and the slight beguiling smirk on his lips that showed an arch of mischief.

He was attractive with his overall physical appearance that made it impossible for every woman to resist him. He was praised for his looks, his intelligence, his status, and his skills but he was often disliked for his brusque manners that he openly and directly showed.

Carlos smiled charmingly as Zillion sat across him. ‘’ Hello bro.’’ he couldn’t conceal the nervousness stirring inside him. His eyes went wide when Zillion sighed and smirked.

‘’ Why don’t you just pour me a nice drink. ’’ he spoke. Carlos laughed and called for drinks to be served.

‘’ Tired?’’ Carlos asked. Zillion leaned on the leather couch while maintaining eye contact with Carlos.

‘’ Good thing you came here. How’d you find me anyway bro?’’

‘’ Lucas.’’

‘’ Ah! Damn that--.’’ Carlos practically threw his head back.

‘’ Where is Ellie?’’ Zillion asked.

‘’ I don’t know, she’s probably wasted somewhere. About last night, was it Ramos?’’

‘’ Who else would try to kill me? ‘’ Zillion said and sipped on his whiskey.

Few glasses of spirits and three bottles of tequila were laid on their table. Zillion grabbed one glass and filled himself straightly. Carlos only looked at him while he drank.

‘’ Liam’s heir is a girl.’’ Zillion looked at him.

‘’ What ’’ Carlos nearly choked on his tequila.

‘’ A girl? No way. ‘’

‘’ I accidentally met her last night.’’ Carlos paused for a moment, processing what Zillion said and chuckled nervously.

‘’ How—well if it’s a she then Ellie will not be the one who’s going to be thrown into marriage. That leaves…you.’’ Carlos pointed at him.

‘’ Whatever ’’ Zillion obviously didn’t like what he heard.

‘’ I mean who else would. I can’t get married to her because grandma dearest already got me a girl.’’

‘’ Bro, so is she beautiful?’’ he mocked. Zillion ignored him and continued to drink.

A minute passed, they both cursed as they held their chests.

‘’ Ugh!’’, Carlos fell on the floor. ‘’ Damn that a*****!’’ Zillion grunted and kicked the table. Drug.

He stood up and spun on his heels to spot the waiter who just served them the whiskey spiked with drug. He kept on glancing all over the place until he saw a familiar silhouette.

‘’ He’s damned.’’ he cursed and went away while bearing the pain clawing on his chest.

Drugged, Carlos collapsed on the floor squirming in pain. The pain was a dozen of shooting arrows.

‘’ Why is he that good? Still can run with that shitty drug on his system.’’ he murmured. He had always admired Zillion. He was too tough and surprising at the brim of danger. He was just different that Carlos considered himself lucky and envious for having such a family member like that.

‘’ hey, are you okay?’’ a lady approached him.

‘’ Please get me out of here.’’ he gasped. The lady helped him walk and leave the noisy club.

Zillion forced his legs to speed up. He was unable to use his full speed due to the drug running in his system. As soon as he caught up with the guy, he grabbed his gun and shot him on his leg.

Zillion walked towards the guy with an angered expression. He held him tight on his collar and smashed him on the ground. “ Ah!”, the guy screamed when his shoulder hit the hard ground.

‘’ Get up.’’, Zillion spat and kicked him on the side. The guy only gave a painful grunt.

‘’ You!’’ he knelt on one knee and threw several punches. He was too caught up on his target, making him bleed without noticing a sudden attack behind.

He was kicked with force on his side and his head. The impact made him drop on the ground. The attacker kicked him again on his side and subsequently stomped on his abdomen thrice. It was difficult for him to regain his strength and counterattack when he can’t even breathe steadily.

‘’ You nearly killed him!’’ a feminine voice rang.

Zillion scoffed at the presence of a woman looking down at him. Her eyes were glaring intently. A small pang of pain struck his pride. When he attempted to get up, she stretched her leg to kick him but he was swift enough to grab it.

‘’ Hey!’’ afraid of getting hit, she immediately transferred all her weight onto her left leg that he was holding and stomped his chest real hard. ‘’ Sorry.’’ she muttered sincerely, regretting what she did.

Witnessing the unpleasant sight before him, Carlos immediately grabbed the female attacker from the back and locked her in a tight embrace.

‘’ Why were you kicking my brother you crazy chic? ’’ Carlos shouted.

‘’ Let go!’’ she tried to break free but Carlos only tightened his hold.

‘’ Ack! Don’t press on my stomach.’’ she yelled.

‘’ Yow bro, you okay?’’ Carlos asked Zillion who already got up. The anger in his green deep set eyes escalated. In a split of a second, he stepped close to her, breathing hard.

‘’ Oh crap.’’ the female attacker froze. He looked furious and deadly like he was about to eat her whole.

‘’ Ah.’’ she yelped when Zillion grabbed her by the shoulder.

‘’ Let her go.’’ Zillion spoke. Carlos gulped and released her from his embrace and Zillion grabbed her by the arm. She hissed in pain from the contact. He stared at her as he drank the familiarity of her dark brown eyes that had once looked at him with fear and surprise. She was looking at him, narrowing her eyes. An equal force of shock sliced through her

‘’ You! ’’ her brows furrowed.

‘’ We meet again.’’ Zillion scoffed. Carlos stepped in and tapped Zillion’s shoulder.

‘’ You know this chic bro?’’ he asked. ‘’ Liam’s secret heir.’’ Zillion answered. Carlos inhaled sharply in surprise.

‘’ What! This cute chic?’’ Carlos stared at her.

‘’ We can talk nicely, just let me go.’’ Tarius said.

Feeling the stinging pain on her right arm which was wounded last night, she groaned as she tried to move it. She felt like the stiches have been ripped.

‘’ Just let her go bro.’’ Carlos said calmly while Tarius hoped.

‘’ Hey Tars!’’ Carol emerged and waved at her.

‘’ Hey.’’ she smiled.

‘’ What’s wrong? Your face doesn’t look good.’’ Carol came over and checked her face.

‘’ I got a pain on my left shoulder and it really hurts. I t feels like it’ll rip or burst.’’

‘’ Let’s go to the hospital.’’

‘’ Good idea.’’

‘’ I wonder how’d you got hurt.’’ Carol looked at her as they walked.

‘’ I slipped.’’, Tarius simply answered. ‘’ No you didn’t, someone hurt you. Hm, I can smell a man’s perfume on you.’’ Carol sniffed.

‘’ Yeah, got into a fight.’’

‘’ What? You mean—‘’

‘’ No, I meant I tried to save someone but I ended up being caught and I injured my shoulder.’’

‘’ Wow, what kind of guy would wear a perfume like that. I kinda like it.’’ Carol chuckled and Tarius sighed.

‘’ A jerk.’’

‘’ Hm, okay so Mrs. Lopez told me that if you won’t have a vacation, better help her on tomorrow’s fund raising at the Klimton Center.’’

‘’ What? No.’’ Tarius objected. Carol laughed and clapped her hands twice. She was glad about her reaction.

‘’ I know you won’t like it so just have a vacation. It’s just one week and you’re back to work.’’

‘’ Okay fine, fine. It’s better than Klimton Center. That building needs to replace their employees.’’

‘’ Meh, don’t say that because Sean is there. You know he likes you, like a lot.’’

‘’ That’s the problem Carol, he doesn’t like me. He’s more like obsessed with me and I don’t very much like it.’’ Tarius spared her a glance.

‘’ Okay, he’s a total creep but he’s hot.’’

‘’ I still don’t like him.’’

‘’ Ey, that’s the biggest problem with you Tars. You just won’t let yourself date a guy. Dating matters now that you’re an adult and for your information girl, you’re freaking hot, just change that attitude.’’

‘’ I am not interested okay, knock it off and let’s head to the hospital before my shoulder gets stiff.’’

‘’ Okay okay, if you say so.’’

Inhaling deeply, Tarius tapped her fingers on the soft cushion. She could feel the needle ripping through her skin, diving in and out. Even with the effect of the anesthetic drug, she can still imagine the pain on her arm being sewn at the moment.

‘’ How deep is it?’’ she asked.

‘’ Not deep enough to be considered a major wound.’’ the female doctor said.

‘’ How long is it?’’

‘’ About five or four and a half inches.’’

‘’ Wow, that’s a serious one.’’ Tarius said making the doctor chuckle.

‘’ Don’t worry about the scar, it’ll fade away.’’

‘’ Yeah but how long is it gonna take to fully heal?’’

‘’ Depends but I would say be careful for a week and a half, don’t forget to sterilize it and don’t forget your medicine. The knife was kinda rusty.’’

‘’ A week of torture.’’

Tarius walked to her apartment. She flicked the light on and stared at her newly designed condo. Every molten black square of the floor tiles were gleaming and the freshly painted wall screamed in a smooth wooden brown color.

The newly organized furniture all draped in either brown or black completed the whole scenery inside. It was lovely and inviting, well to her. Slowly, she walked towards the sofa and sat down pulling her legs up to the wooden coffee table, crossing them on the ankles.

‘’ Ah, I’m really tired.’’ she sighed heavily. Easing her arms on the soft cushion, she yawned.

‘’ Anyway, I think I forgot something.’’ she spoke. Trying to remember every possible thing she forgot, she sighed multiple times like a problematic student during the last semester. She couldn’t clearly remember a thing but her gut was telling her that there was something important she forgot.

‘’ The flash drive? No I gave it to Carol for editing. Mrs. Lopez’s glasses, I returned them. Where else did I go?’’ she wondered.

During the day, she was very busy with a lot of work starting from the publishing company to a fund-raising event, and a brief meeting with a sponsor. She had a lot of things to do, a lot of things in mind, and a lot of things at hand. The mixture of every work and errands she had to do made her forget things and it happened many times already.

‘’ Oh crap, I left my journal, my journal, oh gold. The memory card is stuck in there.’’ she quickly stood up, tied her hair, wore a cap and went out.

Hailing a taxi, she went to the building where the brief meeting with the sponsor was held. Unluckily, the fifth floor was closed where her journal was.

‘’ No, there are a lot of important matters on that journal, including the memory card. Ugh this is—‘’ she stomped her feet.

’’ Whah! Matters, matters ugh I need to submit that at twelve in the evening.’’ she glanced at her watch and groaned in frustration.

‘’ It’s already eleven.’’ Pacing around, she constantly glanced at the glass door that leads towards the conference room. The temptation of crossing the borders tugged at her.

‘’ No, no.’’ Tarius stopped herself from opening the door. Walking inside would be dangerous. Firstly, she wasn’t even an employee in the building and secondly, trespassing is considered a crime.

‘’ You got to submit the file tonight, in an hour.’’ she whispered to herself.

‘’ Ugh whatever.’’ Without second thoughts, she went inside and walked towards the conference room. Quickly, she scanned the area after entering. Walking towards her seat five hours ago, she took a closer look at the desk but found nothing.

‘’ Where is it?’’ she scratched her nape. She continued searching until she came to a point where she entered the private office. Feeling all tensed and anxious, she quickly searched the tables and the desks, even the shelves. Shock struck through her when she heard footsteps coming towards the room.

‘’ Oh scrap!’’ she hissed and hid beside the shelves, making sure the thick red curtain concealed her. When her wounded back bumped the cold wall, she bit her lip to suppress a painful groan.