37 - Maze adventures

"We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light."

― Plato

. . .

ZAVIER CREED

"Harry," I said. "Where the fuck is he?" It had been a week.

Harry looked at me and then my brothers, his expression neutral. Harry was a man of patience and one of the best men in the mafia. He had been the

head of Olivia's security but he had failed to keep her safe from the fire, now finding Alexi was supposed to be his redemption.

And he was failing.

I put my elbows on the desk. We were in my office, it was identical to the one I had at the Headquarters. "Well?" I didn't have patience. I needed to kill the fucking Russians as soon as possible. Olivia was in danger as long as Russians breathed.

"He is in New York," he said and pulled the neck of his suit down. There was a bandage there. "He shot me and got away."

"What area?" Ashton inquired. "Riverhead."

"What happened?"

"I recognized him," Harry said. "A stance like that could only belong to a mafia man. I thought he was one of ours but he didn't have the tattoo on his wrist. I knew he was a Russian, then. His tattoos were hidden. I followed him. He led me to an alley and shot."

"Did you shoot him?" I asked.

"On the shoulder, yes." I looked down at the time. I had to leave.

"I want a file," I said. "All details, all the fucking things better be there, Harry."

I stood up and walked out of the office.

I could hear him following me. "Why aren't you killing me?" Harry asked. "I failed you twice."

"You are blood," I replied, descending the staircase of the porch and walking I did the garage.

"Killian was blood."

"Yeah, but he wasn't a MacQuoid." He wasn't my mother's brother.

. . .

I got out of the car. Olivia was waiting by the door.

I smiled at her. "Sorry baby, I got a little caught up in work." I wrapped my arms around her.

She nodded, looking down. "It's okay," she mumbled. "Can we go?" I frowned. "Yeah, sure."

I took her hand and led her to the car. I opened the door for her and she got inside.

Soon enough we were on our way back to the mansion with Kitten fiddling with her hands, not looking at me.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"Georgia," she said and sighed. "She's not picking up her phone. Do you think she's angry at me?"

"Why would she be?"

She sighed again, curling into a ball on the seat. "I haven't but maybe I did." Her not picking up Olivia's calls was suspicious.

I put my hand on her cheek, rubbing my thumb on her cheekbone while keeping my eyes fixed on the road. "She'll come around."

She had to come around. I didn't want Kitten to go through a betrayal.

We got out of the car in the garage. I picked her up because why the hell not and crushed her against my chest. She snuggled her face into my neck while I ran one hand through her hair.

"Do you want me to make you happy?" "How?" She asked.

I knew she'd like the maze as long as she did not know what it actually was for.

. . .

OLIVIA WOODS

"Wow." I gasped, walking closer to the white maze. The marble of it was shining in the quiet sunlight of the rainy day. It was covered with something black and the entrance was thin with intense darkness inside. "This is awesome!"

Zavier chuckled. "Is it?" He kissed my cheek. "Do you think you'll be able to come out from the other side?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. Can I try?"

"Yes." He patted my ass, which was still a little bruised. I glared at him. He gave me a stern look. My glare dropped as he chuckled. "Little brat. You love having your ass smacked." He laid a harsh spank on my ass. I winced, stepping closer to him. He pressed a kiss to my lips. "Go in and don't get lost."

I nodded.

How hard could it be?

I stepped inside and was fully surrounded by darkness. I looked over my shoulder. Zavier looked like an Angel in the light. He waved at me, smirking wildly.

I touched the cold walls of the maze with one hand. Zavier had said that the exit was straight ahead. I tried to keep track, I really did, but I wasn't sure where I was going. Everything was so dark.

"Zavier?" No answer. "Zavier!?"

"Yes, baby?" I felt his breath on my ear. I screamed, almost falling to the ground. He laughed, wrapping an arm around me to keep me from falling. "Scared, kitten?"

"I hate you!" I put a hand on my head, feeling it thump against it. "This place is scary," I whispered to him as he let go of me. I grabbed his sleeve, not wanting to let go. I didn't want to get lost again.

"Quiet down and listen," he ordered softly, pulling me in his arms. I did. I could hear the faint sound of the fountain.

"It is near the exit," Zavier told me. "All we have to do is follow the sound of the water." He intertwined our fingers and we started walking. "To save

your life you have to follow life. It's quite simple, actually, but little idiots like you don't listen."

"I'm not a little idiot," I grumbled. I couldn't lie. I loved this place. It seemed so mysterious and confusing...just like him.

"Sure." He kissed my forehead. "Lead us, now." "W-What?"

"Listen and lead us," he said. "Okay," I whispered.

I closed my eyes, not that they were helping me at all, and listened.

It was coming from the right. I led him, dragging him across the maze or maybe in a circle. It was confusing and it was frustrating but it was a mystery, and I loved mysteries.

I saw it. The light coming, after minutes or perhaps hours of walking around and Zavier not saying a word, letting me lead him.

I looked up at Zavier, his face was illuminated by the light. He smiled. "You did it, kitten."

I got on my tiptoes and kissed him.

. . .