Jimmy and Garry pulled into the restaurant’s parking lot, their car coming to a smooth stop. The neon lights of the establishment flickered softly, casting a faint glow over the lot.
“This is my area,” Jimmy announced with a slight smirk as he stepped out of the car. His demeanor was casual but confident, his presence radiating the kind of authority that couldn’t be ignored.
Garry, trailing slightly behind him, gave a faint, knowing smile. “Oh? Interesting,” he replied, his tone deliberately nonchalant. Of course, Garry knew everything. he had already lived this moment once before. But he played along, his mind quietly assessing the situation.
Jimmy led the way toward the entrance, his strides purposeful. As they passed by a group of men lounging near the restaurant, one of them stood up, his face breaking into a grin. “Jimmy! Long time, brother! You here for a drink?” the man called out, his voice warm and familiar.
Jimmy shook his hand briefly but didn’t linger. “Not today. Got business to handle,” he said, his tone friendly but firm.
The man nodded, stepping aside respectfully. Garry, following close behind, observed the exchange in silence, masking his thoughts. It was odd to relive moments like this, knowing the secrets each person carried, yet pretending to be none the wiser. Just keep playing along, Garry reminded himself.
As they entered the restaurant, Jimmy’s sharp eyes scanned the tables, one by one. His posture grew more rigid, his focus narrowing as he searched for her.
Garry trailed behind, watching Jimmy with muted interest. There she is. Jimmy’s eyes locked onto a corner table near the back, where Avey sat with her best friend Cassandra. Her posture was slightly slouched, her fingers nervously fidgeting with the edge of a napkin.
Without a word, Jimmy started toward her, his steps measured but powerful, each one resonating with a sense of purpose. Garry followed, his expression calm, his thoughts swirling. What are you up to, Avey?
—
Avey’s Perspective
Seated at the corner table, Avey’s mind was already spiraling into memories she wished she could suppress. The sight of Jimmy and Garry approaching brought back a flood of emotions. Her hands trembled slightly, though she tried to steady them by gripping her cup of coffee.
Her mind betrayed her, dragging her back to a scene she had spent countless nights trying to forget.
A memory, sharp and unrelenting, surged to the surface a memory of the hospital.
She could see it all as if it were happening again. The sterile white walls, the faint hum of machines, and the cold, suffocating silence of that room. Lucian’s lifeless body lay before her, his face serene yet eerily still, his eyes forever shut. She had stood frozen in the doorway, unable to take another step, unable to comprehend that he was truly gone.
And then, they came.
Jimmy and Garry had stormed toward her, their faces twisted in grief and rage. Tears streamed down their cheeks, but their expressions were anything but soft. Their pain was raw, violent, and consuming, and it was directed entirely at her.
Jimmy hadn’t spoken a word. He didn’t need to. The fire in his bloodshot eyes was enough. Without hesitation, he had pulled a gun, pressing it firmly against her forehead.
Avey hadn’t flinched, her body too numb to react, her mind too fogged by shock and guilt. She had only stared at him, her lips trembling, as he demanded answers that she didn’t have.
Now, as she sat in the restaurant, that haunting memory clawed its way back into her consciousness. She clenched her fists beneath the table, her nails digging into her palms as if trying to anchor herself in the present.
But the image of Lucian’s lifeless face lingered, and with it came the echo of Jimmy’s voice, thick with grief and fury.
Her breath hitched, her chest tightening as if the heart beating within her belonged to someone else and, in a way, it did.
Turning her head to the side, she avoided their gaze. She couldn’t look at them. Not now. Not ever. Jimmy and Garry were still approaching, their steps unrelenting, and Avey could feel the weight of their presence bearing down on her.
Cassandra, seated beside her, whispered, “Avey, are you okay?”
Avey’s lips parted, but no words came out. Instead, she shut her eyes tightly, willing herself to block out the images, the voices, the guilt. She didn’t want to remember.
She didn’t want to feel.
Her hand trembled as she reached for the glass of water in front of her, desperate for something to steady her, to bring her back to reality. But even as the cold liquid slid down her throat, the memory refused to fade.
And as Jimmy and Garry drew closer, their faces grim and their eyes unwavering, Avey realized that no amount of water or willpower could wash away the ghosts of her past. Find your next read at empire
Garry and Jimmy finally sat down across from her, their expressions noticeably reserved.
Jimmy, although clearly hesitant, gave Avey a curt nod. His greeting was cold but not entirely disrespectful a nod born of the respect and brotherly relationship toward Lucian. It was clear he didn’t approve of Avey being here, but he was willing to tolerate her presence for Lucian’s sake. His body language screamed restraint, his eyes giving away the simmering irritation he felt.
Avey caught his nod and returned it quietly, acknowledging that she didn’t deserve warmth from him. Deep down, she respected Jimmy. She knew he was Lucian’s closest ally, someone who always stood by him through thick and thin. If there was anyone Lucian trusted implicitly, it was Jimmy. Knowing this, Avey didn’t expect acceptance, let alone kindness, from him.
Meanwhile, Garry offered a polite but noticeably stiff greeting, his voice laced with an edge of animosity. His gaze lingered on Avey with something resembling hostility. The hostility in his eyes was palpable and left Avey confused. She wasn’t sure why Garry harbored such animosity toward her they barely knew each other at this point. Yet, his sharp eyes and cold demeanor seemed personal.
Avey’s mind raced as she tried to make sense of Garry’s behavior. While she had expected hostility from Jimmy, who had every reason to dislike her after what she had done to Lucian, Garry’s apparent dislike puzzled her. She didn’t recall any meaningful interactions with him in the past or even meeting his at this point of time. Could it be that Jimmy had shared her and lucian history with Garry? Perhaps Garry had heard enough about her to form his own opinions and clearly, they weren’t favorable.
Still, Avey pushed aside her confusion and forced herself to remain composed. She reminded herself that Garry’s opinions, while stinging, weren’t the main issue. She was here for Lucian, not his friends, though their acceptance or lack thereof made her task feel even more daunting.
—-