Chapter 40: Chapter 40

- The revelation

James's pov

We got into my parents living room, immediately met with anxious faces

—My mum sitting with her face buried in her palms, Mrs and Mr. Barbson holding hands, Lari and Dawn holding hands, Sia staring lost into space and My dad was pacing all over in circles.

"Mum. Dad." I called to get their attention. "What's happening here?" I had a hunch something was wrong, not just wrong, very wrong.

When my dad had called me earlier to tell me to come home, I knew something had happened. There was an update on Zara's abduction, and it wasn't promising to be a good one with the mood they were in. Even though I had kept a cool font, my heart had accelerated when I saw his text

-You need to come home ASAP. We're waiting.

My mum rushed to me, embracing me in a tight hug only she could make loving. "Oh, baby," she started to sob into my chest. Fear grabbed me.

"Mum?"

"I told you to stop crying honey," my dad grumbled as he reached us, taking her into his arms.

"Will anyone tell me what's going on here?" I asked as soon as they were seated.

"Yeah I want to know too," Dei chipped in.

"Okay look..." My dad trailed, looking from me to Dei then squeezed his eyes shut.

"Son come with me to the study." He didn't even wait for my reply before he stood up, going towards the direction of his study.

I gave my mum a questioning look, her face was expressionless. Then I looked to all the agitated faces in the room and inhaled when Dawn gave me a tight smile. I kept looking at Dawn, for a sign or something, but he just mouthed 'Go' then looked away.

Fuck, it's really bad, I thought filled with dread.

"Can I come?" Dei asked holding my eyes.

I didn't know what it was about her eyes, but it was always magical when they met mine. Her usually honey eyes were filled with concern and fear. God, so much fear. "Ye-"

"No, Jamy." Mum shook her head in disapproval then went to Dei, wrapping her hands around her.

I was going to argue when Dei said it was okay. So I went into the study. To whatever awaited me.

"Sit." My dad his usual authoritative self as he pointed to the chair across him.

I was too tired to argue. Too scared, so I did as he said wordlessly.

"They called."

My heart thud not once but twice.

"Who called?"

"Zara's abductors. They gave a condition... a condition for them to release her," he said grimly.

"Then what are y'all bothered about? That should be good news, I suppose?"

"No. It isn't. You should listen to condition first."

"What? It shouldn't be more than some dollars."

"No son. It's something much more...." he trailed.

"How much?"

"It's not money."

"Spit it out, there's no time to beat around the bush." I was on the verge of getting angry at his dramatic way of delivering information.

He looked down at his desk. "You.

"Me what?"

"I don't know how, but the Northern cartel found out you're going to be taking over from me soon and their condition was to get you in exchange for Zara."

I wanted to argue, I wasn't their supposed next leader as he'd said but I let it slide. That wasn't what mattered. What mattered was Zara.

'"What do they need me for?"

"They didn't spill. I don't understand what the hell is going on.''

I didn't have to think about it. It was Zara first– her safety, her life. Everything. It was Zara first for me.

"Okay," I deadpanned.

"Okay?" His features changed into one of unmistaken pain.

"If I'm what or whom they want in exchange for Zara, then let them have me. Zara's coming home."

"Son, you don't have to do this"

"I have to. I need my sister safe."

'"You can still change your mind. You'd be in great danger. Think of yourself. Think of Deila." My breath caught in my throat at the mention of her name.

Shit Dei.

We just got what we wanted for the longest time and... Why now? Why did it have to be now? What would she say? What would her reaction be? It definitely wouldn't be a happy one, I thought painfully.

"I'll talk to her about it."

"I don't support you going. I won't put both my children's life at risk." His voice shook.

"There's nothing you can do to stop me." I walked over to him and clasped his shoulder, then left him in a state that broke my heart, but not more than my heart would break should anything happen to Zara.

"What did conclude?" Mum asked rushing towards me.

"I'll go," I answered sharply. I needed her to hear the seriousness in my voice, so she knew it wasn't up for discussion.

She didn't get it or chose not to because she started shaking her head furiously.

"You can not."

"Mum," I whined. It was so painful seeing that I was causing her pain. "I'll be fine, okay?" I squeezed her shoulder and held her gaze.

Dei walked up to me with her hands crossed around her chest.

God help me, this was the part I dreaded the most.

"James?" she started calmly before she rushed out. "Where are you going? What the fuck is happening here? It's like I'm going crazy! Going crazy from y'all treating me like an in fact and it's fucking my head up!"

I sighed because I understood what been kept in the dark felt like. It was like your eyes being blindfolded in a room full of light and a mirror. You wouldn't see the light, it would be red at the back of your lids and there would be that knowledge of light but you just wouldn't see. She needed to see it. There was no escaping telling her now.

I dropped my hands from my mum's shoulder and turned to the rest of them in the room, I gave put on a small smile. "Excuse us."

I turned to Dei, planted a kiss on her forehead, draped a hand on her shoulders before we walked together to the study. I didn't miss the curious glares that the action brought, even though I didn't see it, I felt it burning the back of my head. They'd get to know we are now an item... officially. That was if we left this room as one, I thought.

As soon as we entered, dad stood up in understanding, clasping both our shoulders with a grim expression before stepping out. I closed the door, shutting us from the rest of the world, giving us the privacy we needed. I thought being alone with her would give me the confidence I needed to tell her about the cartel, betrothal, and most of all that I was giving myself up in exchange for Zara.

Each one was a little more dreaded than the last. Where do I start?

"Dei," I whispered her name, my voice so raw that I wondered if it was mine for a second.

The fear in her eyes increased my dread. Her eyes held fear and she didn't try to hide it. She was scared too, and with the way she was staring, her glassy eyes were reading mine.

We were mirroring each other, I saw her eyes reflect my pain and knew my eyes did hers. With the motive of easing the dread, I whispered her name, before gently dropping my lips to hers.

She didn't respond at first, she did when I suckled in her bottom lips, with a new passion and drive. The kiss was painful and sweet. It was like we were doing 0ur best to shut our minds from the rest of the world and enjoy...our last kiss?

No, it wouldn't be. Now more than ever, I was certain that her sweet delicate lips were what I wanted to wake up to every morning. I will let nothing change that, I said to myself, but I was very much in doubt.

As her warm tongue swirled with mine, heat traveled through me. I let out a groan taking my hand to the back of her waist to press her closer to me. Her moan when I swept my hands over her butt, almost sent me straight off the cliff when I wasn't even at the edge.

My hard-on pressed to her, I resisted the urge to hiss as I nipped on her ear and neck. I didn't know where fate would take us from here, or where we'd take our fate.

I might as well make this moment count, I thought. Who knew if there'd be more like this? I'd allow my pessimism to rule me for the moment.

I willed myself to put those thoughts on hold as I suckled her bottom lips then bit it making her shiver feverishly. Her hands started to go down to my hard-on, and I knew if she touched me, I wouldn't be able to stop myself. We broke off at the same time, she clung to my shirt like she was battling and didn't want to let me go. Shit, it was either she knew, or her intuition's very on point.

"My love." I bit on her earlobe. She hummed still clinging to me.

I looked down to see her eyes shut. Fuck! I'd take her right now but pressing issues wouldn't let me.

I broke away from her, took a step back, and watched as she opened her clouded eyes. She shut it back quickly as she opened it. Dread.

I cleared my throat as I sat on the chair opposite the table. This was it.

She sighed, sitting on the chair across. "Okay, I'm ready," she stated avoiding my eyes. I knew she wasn't ready, but she'd never been. No one was ever ready to know their lives had been decided before there were even born.

'"Okay, I'd start from where I was first told."

"Told what?"

"Our truth." I looked at her, waiting for her to throw another anxious question like 'what truth', but she didn't so I continued.

"Your father broke the news to me," I started then exhaled loudly. "It was that day... that day your dad asked you to give us some privacy. That same day you came back to see me with a livid look. I'd gone with my last words: if you only knew. Do you remember?" I asked searching her curious eyes.

She bent her head, muttering what sounded like 'thought as much' under her breath. "Yes. Yes, I remember."

"Okay. That day, I got to find my whole life was a plan...our whole life.''

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

flashback

"Take a seat," Mr.Barbson offered demonstrating to a chair across from him.

I sat down skeptically, noticing he'd loosened his tie and unbuttoned his suit.

'"We argued who to tell you, when, where, and how. At the last minute, we both decided that I be the one to break it to you."

"What layed egg needs to be broken?'" I asked him humor lacing my tone. "And who're the two hammers?"

A single sound didn't fall from his lips and that was shocking as he was always so humorous. "An egg that was layed over 80 years ago, and was passed on to you when you were born. Our families have a legacy that was passed on to us without an option.' And both hammers are I and your dad.'

Now I was on the edge. What was he on about? What concerned me about 6o years ago when those who birthed me weren't even birthed?

'"James, I need you to listen and listen carefully, what I'm about to reveal will change your whole life for good or otherwise. You'd choose. Are we together?'" His brows rose.

I swallowed hard, every trace of the humor gone from my body. What was the worst I could be told at this point in my life? For me to stay away from his daughter? Hell no I wouldn't be yielding to that, I thought to myself. That I was adopted? What could be so hard about the egg to break?

"Yes," I answered. "I'm all ears."

"Twenty-four years ago, you were born and born into our web. The web which you'll be weaving soon. Two years after you were born, My wife, Erica took in with Deila. In the second trimester of her pregnancy, we went for a scan and saw it was a kicking baby girl she was carrying. In the evening of that day, the Barbsons and Martins came together to celebrate and did what we thought was best of the group– betrothed you and Dei."

My breath skipped and every other word that came out from his mouth I only heard from a distance. I couldn't hear more. Didn't want to. I replayed his words in my head, 'Betrothed you and Dei.'

It was the first time I ever heard a person use the word 'betrothed', I wanted to think it went away with the 20th century and that Mr.Barbson was drowsy.

'"I don't understand." I shook my head in disbelief, frowning because I couldn't bring myself to comprehend.

'"Twenty and four years ago you and Deila were betrothed. Though we delegated longer than we were supposed to, since I already had a daughter, but you were apart from age by 4 years. You and Deila were the perfect fit for it."

"Perfect for what?" My voice rose an octave.

"You heard everything I just said right?"

"About the betrothment yes, every other word was incoherent."

He sighed rubbing his palm to his forehead '"Oh. So you didn't hear the second part of the revelation?'"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Revelation?"

"Yes Dei, it was my dad who told me what the revelation was," I told her. "That we were betrothed because the cartel required both their generations to lead and marriage was the only union strong enough to unite our generation. Both our family companies are undercover for the cartel which is an undercover group for the FBI."

"This all sounds like some crazy shit tale me." Her face was in a state of disbelief and dare.

"Yeah, that's what it is, crazy."

"And why are you telling me this now? You weren't just told. Why didn't you tell me immediately you found out? Or did you not think of how much it affects me too? For fucks sake, who betroths a two-year-old? Or even worse, a baby in the womb. Tell me, James!? How the fuck could my so-called parents drag me into their shit?" She was pushing her hair back, pulling frustratedly. She sounded believing then and more angst.

"I just don't know how."

"It's not just anyone. Not just two people; it's my parents. My dad. My mum. The people I've adored all my life. How could they've done this?"

"I'm still asking myself the same thing. I mean we found each other without their betrothal."

"Yeah, but-"

"But nothing. Don't let this ruin us, please." I held her eyes letting her see I needed her. Needed us.

"I don't know. I don't want to be part of any mafia group or cartel. I don't want my life dictated for me. For fucks sake, we aren't in the 17th century. It's insane and surreal."

I didn't like where she was going with it. I wasn't going to lose her to some stupid arrangement, I decided.

"Letting them fill you with doubt 'cause of some stupid arrangement is them dictating your life." I waited for her to say something, anything, when she didn't I continued. "Do you love me?"

"I love you. You know that."

"Then please, don't let this ruin us." I walked to her side of the table, caressed her face then kissed her forehead when she closed her eyes.

Another wave of dread filled me when I remembered the last part of what I needed to tell her.

"When I went into the study with my dad, he told me Zara's abductors called and they gave a condition for her release."

"What?"

"Me."

She scrunched. "You?"

"Yes. Apparently, they knew I was going to be the next in line—together with you— when my dad retired."

"What the fuck? Am I hearing right?"

I picked the non-existent dirt on my fingers.

"What're you going to do? You aren't going."

I exhaled loudly. "I'm going to meet their demands. I'm going."

"No, no." Her tone was that of denial as she clutched to my shirt, resting her head on her shoulders.

Holding her face in my hands, I tried to make her see what's she was refusing to. "I've to do this. For Zara. She needs to be safe."

After seconds of silence, she tilted her head backward, nodding profusely. "Yes. You'll be safe too, yes?"

"Yes baby, I'll come back for you, always."

She gave me a lingering kiss, it wasn't a goodbye kiss. I was going to come back for her.