Chapter 173: Chapter 173
When Brianna and Lucien walked out of Terrence Clayton’s basement, their backup and rescue troop were busy securing every evidence of the dirty politician’s misdeeds, from the smallest to everything they could find. The IT team also came guided some of the soldiers to do specific tasks to make sure they got all copies of evidence from Clayton’s personal computer aside from his portable laptop.
“We’re leaving ahead of you, guys,” Lucien declared.
Walking behind Brianna, he beamed as he told the two team leaders who seemed to be waiting for him and Brianna to walk out of the door that he was going before them with Anna.
Brianna did not say anything to deny or confirm Lucien’s words, but she walked to the vehicle closest to the gates and checked if the door was unlocked and had the key in it.
“Who has the key to this one?” Brianna asked.
She kept searching; smart keys are not like the mechanically cut traditional ones where they would be put into an ignition cylinder and turned to start a car. Smart keys can be placed anywhere close to the ignition, and the car engine can start with a press of a button. When Brianna couldn’t find what she was looking for, she turned her head to look at anyone who could have the key in their possession.
They were all startled when Brianna suddenly looked at them with a frown.
Blake and his men were still a bit dazed in disbelief that Boss B was leaving too soon. She did not even give any further instruction aside from what she said to do with Terrence Clayton. She did not mention anything else at all. It was not how things used to happen when they wrapped things up on their gigs. They were still waiting for her next order. They did not believe it when Lucien said he was leaving ahead with Boss B. Adding to it, she did not say anything until she asked for the car key of the last vehicle and the first to exit the place without a blockage.
“Boss…?” Blake asked with a hesitant voice.
Brianna saw the confused look in her men, along with Blake Gordon.
“I’m sorry, guys, I can’t stay a minute longer within an unsafe distance for that scumbag. I might get a sanity snap and bury a bullet in his rotten brain,” Brianna blew air as she exhaled with an intense irritation and annoyance as she sharply pointed her chin towards Terrence Clayton’s direction.
Everyone around Brianna understood her feelings, so they nodded in agreement.
When they heard her response, they realized that this target had been on the top list of her missions, even before knowing who she was supposed to hit after finding out that the Michaelsons were innocent of her parents’ death. It was tempting even with the mere thought that he was only at an arm's length to their Boss B. They taped Terrence Clayton’s mouth with duct tape to prevent him from saying anything that would provoke Brianna and pull the trigger because he kept pissing her off with nonsense words on their way out of his basement earlier. Until now, he was still boisterous, although his words were muffled and unintelligible to anyone who could hear them.
A soldier ran like his butt was on fire as he apparently had the key Brianna was looking for. He was too scared to be pulled out from what he was doing assigned by his immediate superior when he heard Boss B was asking for the key of the vehicle he drove on their way into Clayton’s place. He tried to ask someone to hand the key over instead of him, but no one was willing, and to avoid keeping the lady waiting, he rushed out of the basement as he was told to assist in disposing of the dead body and taking the wounded to a medical care.
Lucien saw the soldier with the smart key rushing in Brianna’s direction. But noticing the paled look on the soldier’s face, Lucien, who was closest to him, extended his arm, and with his palm open, he motioned to hand him the key instead of giving it to Brianna.
“I’ll take it from here, soldier, thank you,” Lucien firmly stated.
“Sir, yes, Sir! Thank you, Sir!”
The soldier snappily saluted Lucien as soon as he handed the latter of the car key in his hold. He could not help expressing his gratitude that he need not get too close to the fearless Boss B. He was well aware that the lady was not in her best mood right now. She is not very approachable; although she is also not that despising on typical days, today could be considered to be her worst. They were all aware of who Terrence Clayton was to her.
Lucien tapped the soldier’s right shoulder before he turned around to walk away, heading to the car’s driver's seat direction.
“Let’s go, babe!” Lucien lightly bent his head sidewards to suggest she sit on the passenger’s seat, a direction to his right.
Brianna stared at Lucien for ten seconds before she shrugged her shoulders and got into the car, just like Lucien suggested.
“I just hope you are taking me somewhere I would like to be right now,” Brianna scoffed as she fastened her seat belt as soon as she got seated next to Lucien.
He grinned widely, expressing great confidence that wherever he was taking her would absolutely please her. Or at least, that was what he was hoping for.
Lucien drove away smoothly, but silence filled the atmosphere. No one was saying anything. Not even a word. Brianna was blankly looking upfront while Lucien was careful driving. She did not even bother asking why Lucien pulled over by the side of the road and got out of the vehicle but returned right away to continue driving.
“Babe, are you alright?” Lucien asked when they arrived where he wanted to take her.
“Hmmmmm…?” Brianna asked absentmindedly.
She did not look anywhere else than the worried face of the man right in front of her. Brianna smiled faintly. Then she closed her eyes, leaning her head on the backrest of her seat. She inhaled deeply, and as she exhaled the air, she breathed all out. Another deep inhale followed.
Then her breath outs became a blow of air as if she was trying to release whatever difficulties were inside her heart.
“Anna…?”
Lucien got off the car to get as close as he could be to the only girl his heart beats for. He opened the door to her side and embraced Brianna close to his chest. He was not sure what to say, but when Lucien felt like she was drowning in something invisible to the naked eye, he hugged her tight.
And as if it was all Brianna was needed to release her emotions, her tears started to wet her eyes, and soon she was shaking while blabbering words.
“I don’t know what I feel right now…” she started with difficulty uttering her words fluently.
“It’s alright, just take it easy. I am here. I will never leave you alone, no matter what. Death or whatever,” Lucien softly spoke his words to comfort Brianna.
She was overwhelmed with so many mixed emotions. Brianna had forgotten how it felt to be sad; she was not sure if she was feeling that emotion right now. But most of all, she had never experienced how it was to be happy that she was not certain she was having that feeling at the moment either.
“I wanted to kill him with my bare hands….” Brianna whined, whimpering in frustration and disappointment that she seemed to have failed.
“You did the right thing. If you killed him with your bare hands or however you might have thought doing so, his blood would have stained your hands. He is not worthy,” Lucien rubbed her hair and upper back as he replied, clearing her doubts about how she handled the matter with Terrence Clayton.
Brianna’s softly sobbed on Lucien’s shoulder. Her hands remained above her lap while Lucien embraced her warmly, comfortingly. She was not able to say anything in response as her throat seemed to have a huge lump, making it difficult for her to speak or even swallow her own spit. Lucien saw this side of her for the very first time. He could not be sure to say that maybe this was the very first time Brianna had acted the way she was doing right now. And he loved to see her willing to show him this side of her, something Lucien could say as her weakness.
But Lucien loved it!
She is his girl, his woman to dote on and love after all. She did not have to be tough at all times. He would even wish she was always this unguarded like usual girls and women would be. But Lucien also loves the kick-ass, bad-ass side of her.