Falling Into Ruin.

Third Time's A Charm

[Ciaran’s POV]

“Yo, Angus, I’m here.” I call, banging on the door in front of me. “Open the f*****g door!”

Stepping back, I watch and wait until the asshole pulls open the door and peeks at me, his eyes bleary, making it clear that he just woke up.

“What the hell, Ciaran?” He growls as I move forward, shoving him aside so I can enter his self-proclaimed den.

It's just as messy as I remember and smells like s**t, but since this was a request of my brother's, I couldn't just turn around and leave now. At least, if I wanted to live peacefully.

“Shouldn’t I be asking you that?” I huff, heading to his office and taking a seat. “Weren’t you the one that insisted I be here today?”

Last night when I returned from drinking, I found Ryu waiting for me like the good little messenger that he is. Imagine my surprise when he told me that my brother wanted me to accompany Angus in meeting a new possible weapons dealer. Usually he wouldn’t bother with such a thing, so I was more than a little curious about whoever it was we were meant to meet.

“No,” Angus responds, coming to join me. “That was Kiaran’s doing, but as his personal lap dog, I had no choice but to agree.”

“Are you admitting to being my brother's b***h?” I chuckle, leaning back and kicking my feet up on his desk. “Damn, dude, never expected that from someone like you.”

At my words, Angus lets out a growl of warning as his eyes flash a dangerous red.

“You know my situation.” He huffs in annoyance. “What other f*****g choice do I have? Aren’t you in the same position as me?”

“Not at all,” I respond easily. “That bastard brother of mine doesn’t have a f*****g thing to hold over my head to make sure that I go along with him.”

If anything, we had a mutual understanding that as long as he left me the f**k alone and let me do what I wanted, I wouldn’t threaten his position as alpha. It was a win-win for both of us and a way that we could live harmoniously without trying to kill the other.

“Lucky you,” Angus rumbles, pain flashing in his eyes. “It must be nice to live so carefree without a single worry in the world.”

Frowning, I pull my feet back and lean forward, taking Angus in while wondering what exactly it was that my brother had over him. What was so important that he was so obedient to each and every thing Kiaran wanted? However, before I can ask, the doorbell rings, and I know that our visitors have arrived.

“Could you move?” Angus asks, getting up and heading out of the room. “That seat is for our guests.”

Whatever, I mutter, getting up and heading to the corner where I get comfortable and then wait until the sound of voices reaches me along with a very familiar scent and energy.

No f*****g way! I hiss inwardly as my wolf begins to whine in need due to our little mate being so f*****g close.

As I try to get my s**t together, I watch as Angus returns with the man I saw at the pub with her a few nights ago, and then there she is, and when our eyes meet, it takes every f*****g thing not to go and grab her and drag her out of this room.

Third time's a f*****g charm. I think, understanding that even though I was able to push her away the past two times, now that I tasted her, I knew what I was missing, and that had kept me busy for the past few days and away from that pub just in case she showed, but all that was in vain. Here she was, standing right there in front of me, and from the look in her eyes, I knew that she was wanting me and missing me as much as I wanted and missed her.

“Have a seat.” Angus announces, breaking through the daze that I’m falling into. “Did you bring the goods?”

“Of course,” the man responds, placing his briefcase on the desk. “Please take a look.”

Nodding, Angus goes around and takes a seat, then opens the briefcase, revealing what look like normal bullets.

Confusion growing, I stare at them, trying to figure out what exactly is so special about these bullets that Angus and even my brother would be so interested in them.

“They look like normal bullets.” Angus mutters, grabbing one and lifting it, but when he touches the tips, multiple needles explode from it. “Fuck.”

“Careful,” the man chuckles as my little mate watches on, curious. “They’re very touch sensitive.”

“Yet you let me touch it.” Angus snaps. “Tell me, what exactly is so special about these that you think I will agree to working with you?”

Please do. I think inwardly, silently watching and waiting to see what my little mate was involved in, but for some reason, I just can’t pinpoint her as someone who would be so involved in my world.

She was stripping at that club. The small voice in the back of my head says. Reminding me that the place we first met was frequented by the lowest of low. Hell, my being there was a perfect example of that, but even then, something wasn’t sitting right.

“These bullets,” the man announces before I can think too hard on it. “Are special grade and can be filled with whatever you desire, and once the needles are released, it will immediately inject your enemy with it.”

Interesting. I think, imagining the damage that could be done if we were to put wolfsbane in them. That would be an absolute game changer, and I immediately understand why my brother is so interested.

To say he was power hungry was an understatement. Every time I turned around, he had his hand in some shady s**t, and when it became too much, I would have to clean up his mess.

“How many of these do you have available now?” Angus asks, sitting back. “I know we discussed the numbers previously, but have you…”

“Yes,” the man responds. “I’ve already fulfilled your first order. Now, it is only a matter of you paying what you promised.”

Smirking, Angus reaches into his desk and pulls out an envelope, then passes it to the man, who opens it and begins to count.

“It’s all there,” Angus assures him. “You don’t have to worry.”

“This is just a formality.” The man responds, finishing his counting and then pocketing the envelope. “Anyway, if you’re happy with the product, can I assume that we have a deal then?”

“I’ll have my people call you.”

“Then, I believe we’re done.” The man announces, getting up and stretching. “You don’t need to see us out.”

“But we insist on it.” I say, realizing that my little mate was about to disappear from my sight and wanting to stop it. “Allow me.”

As I speak, Angus gives me a look of curiosity, but he doesn’t say anything; instead, he goes back to looking over the bullets.

“It really isn’t necessary.” The man says as I head their way. “It’s just a few feet, so…”

“I’d like to treat you to a drink.” I counter, not knowing what the f**k I was even doing. “As a way to celebrate our future collaborations.”

What the f**k are you doing, Ciaran? I think as my little mate's eyes come to rest on me and a look of confusion and hesitance appears in them. Are you really going this far for a f*****g woman?

No. I wasn’t doing this for just any woman. I was doing this for my mate, because even if I tried to remind myself that there was no f*****g way she could be beside me, I also couldn’t stop myself from thinking that fate certainly wants us together.

Third time's a charm, right? That’s all it was f*****g taking for me to go against my resolve and throw myself into something dangerous like the f*****g fool that I was.