บท 33: Frenemy?
Dominic simply smiled in amusement watching my hand withdraw in a flash.
'Angel eyes', just like that day when we crashed into his party. He couldn't have found out that we were the ones who took his USB without having contact with the SIO.
"You haven't told them yet?" he asked slightly tilting his head.
"How did you..."
"Your colleague George."
George aka Nathaniel. Wouldn't we be declared dead after that violent fight? Did Nate hope for us to be alive? Was he that desperate to go as far as contacting Dominic?
Dominic wasn't taking his eyes off of me. I could do nothing but stare back at him anxiously. There was never really a chance for me to tell my mafia family about me and Derek working for the SIO. The SIO are considered worse enemies than the police force to the mafia. The way Damian was arrested even though the main target was Victor, spoke loads about the sneakiness of the SIO.
As of now, Eric and the others are probably thinking that we were a part of the force because the SIO is a very closed off agency. There is no way the identity of agents like us would be exposed easily. How would they react to this new reveal?
Eric's question rung in between cutting into the tense air like a knife.
"You both know each other?"
"Yes." "No."
Dominic and I blinked at the contradictory answers from the two of us.
His smile returned once again, he looked so innocent yet his eyes held mischief as though he was enjoying all of this.
"I am hurt, Angel eyes. But you seemed so eager when you were taking off my shirt the other day."
The air turned colder, I could feel the icy stares of my brothers piercing into Dominic's head.
"Mr.Dominic, would you like to leave with your hands detached or your legs detached or both?" Damian asked politely with an eerie smile.
"Stop misleading the conversation using the wrong words, Mr.Knight."
Inaccurate words could get him killed but he was so calm and collected. It reminded me of the day when he was taunting Jonathan. Is this a regular thing for him? There goes another name into my list of insane people.
Eric's sudden appearance startled me, his shadow fell on my eyes blocking off Dominic completely. Damian and him were completely focused on Dominic that no one noticed my dilemma.
"If you don't have anything useful to say, then it would be better for you to leave, Mr.Knight."
Was Dominic going to reveal the USB theft as well? I peeked past Eric's shoulder to see him. His eyes immediately moved to mine and at that instant, I understood his intentions by the look on his face. He was waiting for me to open up by myself about our association with the SIO but my brothers were not giving him the opportunity to wait for me to tell the truth.
"Leave. Now." Damian went on resolutely.
There was no point on hiding it. This needs to be settled. It's now or never.
"Derek and I are…" I raised my voice silencing the group. Eric's back felt like a secure cloak to hide myself while I spoke the difficult parts because I didn't want to see whatever expressions they would make on their faces.
"Derek and I were…" I corrected myself.
"…contracted agents of the SIO. We came to Watford for two reasons. One, to build a permanent home for ourselves. Two, to eradicate all the four mafia gangs and for the central hub of crimes to cease to exist."
I held my breath so that my voice wouldn't shake.
"If we were not betrayed by our superior, we would still be working for it. By involving us directly into Damian's case, she broke the agreement."
Damian's face had changed when he turned around. Emotionless like stone but his eyes were glowing, as though in anger.
"Who?"
My eyes quivered in confusion, what is he mad about?
"Who betrayed you? The name."
Was that all that he cared about? He did not ask about the most important part.
"Gabriel, our superior."
He hummed in response and that was all.
Eric however did not ask anything.
"We will have a private conversation about this later." he asserted.
I almost let out a sigh of relief but Damian's inquiry was not over yet.
"That does not explain how you both met."
He was referring to me and Dominic.
"Oh, she's the USB thief I told you about. And Mr.Derek too."
"You gave it to us voluntarily!" I retorted accusingly.
Dominic gave a short laugh.
"My bad. I did show you where it was but it was you who unbuttoned my shirt."
"Stop tha-"
Words got stuck in my mouth. I was trying to warn him but my ears grew hot due to his gaze, the same gaze as that day at the clubhouse.
"That's enough. Let's hear what you have to say. Have a seat, Mr.Knight."
Eric apparently changed his mind after the reveal and pointed to the chair at the far end of the table while leading me to the opposite far end. My brothers sat at the sides of the table while Dominic was all in professional attitude. He crossed his legs and intertwined his fingers.
"Let's get down to business"
***************************************
The joking atmosphere around Dominic was gone in a whiff. He had come with a deal at hand and it was his topmost priority to fulfill it.
"Mr.George and I have made an agreement. He gave me a lot of information and in return he wanted to give you both a proper funeral. As you know already, you were both declared dead but not publicly. But you both being alive, changes things."
Nate had exchanged information about the twins to Dominic so that he could escape the clutches of Gabriel and also to retrieve their bodies. He had hoped to give them a memorable farewell as their only colleague, friend and family. Since Dominic had business connections with the Terranova gang, he had hoped for negotiations and find Derek and Diana.
"You have three options, Ms.Diana."
Dominic usually made changes to the deal according to the wishes of the client. His current client's most valuable part of the deal were the twins. Now that they were alive, he wanted to give all imaginable possibilities for their life from here and let them choose what they wanted.
"One, Mr.Derek returning as witness to Damian's case. The end point would probably be arrest, suspension and demotion. You know the rest."
It was the most unlikely option to choose since there was a high price to be paid. Diana was also unsure because she did not want the case reopened on Damian.
"Two, the outer world considers you both dead and you keep it that way. You lose your identities and continue a barren life of a normal citizen in hiding. Pursuing a different career would be really arduous."
Eric and Damian did not like either of the options. They exchanged a quick glance sharing the similar thought of not wanting their siblings to suffer.
"Three, the most straightforward option of all. Joining the mafia and officially announcing the return of the Terranova siblings."
All eyes fell upon Diana who had a grim expression etched on her face. She let out a deep sigh.
"Let Derek wake up. We will give our individual decisions together."
Dominic remained unconvinced by her answer.
"You can choose anything you want, Ms.Diana. Regardless of anyone else's opinion here, I will fulfill whatever you and your brother want."
Dominic's indirect poke was enough to piss off Eric.
"Our family is very capable enough to give our siblings what they want. So stay out of it, Dom."
He stressed on every word in a low voice making sure Dominic heard him. Eric and Dominic were literally having a war of whose glares could go colder. Their authoritative aura emanated pressuring everyone else in the room. Dominic's mouth curved on one side slyly. The two were competing to receive the favour of the twins.
Diana was bewildered by the show of power and authority and yet nobody did anything to each other.
"Mr.Dominic, I don't understand...how are you here? What is your relationship with the Terranova?"
Dominic's face did a 180 degree turn and the cheerful attitude returned.
"In terms of business, we are ones who make deals. In terms of political, we are ones who are enemies. In terms of personal, our ancestors and your ancestors were best friends. Obviously, this relationship faded with the passing generations but we still abide by some of the practices they had I guess.."
Diana was internally gaping while her eyes widened. This man, just who was he.
"We are not exactly friends and not exactly enemies. Is that what you would call a frenemy?"
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