Sorry for the long wait! I thank everyone fore voting and commenting, they are my fuel to write. For the next couple chapters, I will be dabbing into the themes of nonconsent, but it'll get more prominent in later chapters! Thanks a bunches
-SFM
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Alexander Zane sat motionlessly as he contemplated his next form of action. Whether he wanted to admit it or not, a war was brewing between the groups. Eons ago, his ancestors had helped form the five syndicates of Heliopolis; Valyria, Sillia, Averda, Erysia and Nyscaria. While Valyria was remaining strong in the midst of distress, the growing militia was just waiting for an opportunity to break out from their confines and gain control of the country by eliminating syndicate rule.
His biggest problem right now, was the beauty he unceremoniously 'rescued'. Zane knew that once Zero found out about the death of Serens, he would demand retribution for not only his lost funds but also the life of one of his men. He would demand Lena. Zane shook those thoughts from his mind. He would never willingly let his enemy have her, not when he had spent the last two years protecting her from the shadows.
Yet, his concern constantly centered on the war his actions could potentially ignite.
Valyria's relationship with Averda was already on rocky grounds ever since an incident two years ago that left several top members on each side floating in various bodies of water. It took a lot of negotiations between the heads of each group in order to establish the flimsy peace treaty that now existed. That agreement gave Averda control over some of the free cities' streets as well as gave Valyria, influence over Averda's drug routes. Zane was positive that his father, Leon wouldn't hesitate to give his angel to Zero as a way to maintain the harmony, especially, when Lena had no ties to the group. Zane knew he needed think of a way to rectify the situation and fast.
Looking out the car window, Zane watched as a whirlwind of colours and lights passed by. Cole was in the front driving carefully through the tight roads, while Ares sat patiently next to him. The interior of the vehicle was all black leather with hints of silver designs embedded on the doors and window frames. Zane felt stiff in his suit, he loosened his tie and took a deep breath. His meeting with Madam Nyla in the simplest terms could have gone better. The woman wasn't known for her kind-heartedness but rather for her stubborn fierceness and cruelty. Nyla being his aunt didn't help his request at all. She shot down his invitation for partnership without restraint.
For decades Valyria was subdivided into various sections under control of top members, each responsible for protecting and guarding their territory and the citizens within them. His father Leon was the current leader who ran the entire syndicate, each section paid tribute to him and in return he ensured the vitality of the organization. While, each section was still Valyria, it was common for sections to join forces in an alliance in order to defeat invading outsider groups such as the militia, before it reached the leader's attention. Zane had hoped that his aunt would accept his plea, and join forces. The both of them combined would have had large enough numbers and power to fight off Averda forces, should a war erupt.
Unfortunately, his fiery aunt had glared at him with the same silver blue eyes that characterized their family. She had spoken in a cold tone, "you are still too young to understand the affairs of men," and had her own nephew escorted promptly off her estate.
"Fuck!" Zane thought silently to himself, "I'm 23 years old and she still treats me like a pubescent teenager trying to act big."
"You know Alexander..." a soft voice erupted beside him breaking him out of his deep contemplation. Zane turned his head and looked at the older man. Ares was like a father to him. In fact, he had raised Zane more than his own father had. Deep feelings of respect automatically formed in the younger man as he listened inquisitively to what Ares had to say.
"People can feel when you're really angry. It just rolls off your skin..." Ares had his naturally wide grin plastered on his face as he pointed towards the driver, "Just look, you're already making Cole feel uncomfortable."
Zane looked towards his friend who was watching them in the rear-view mirror. Cole wore his usual stoic expression as he eavesdropped. Watching the two younger men exchange confused looks caused Ares to burst out laughing. His laughter was so contagious, that within moments the whole car erupted in hilarity.
Their humour was short lived as Zane reached into his suit pocket and answered his beeping phone, "Hello?"
Ares watched intently as a series of emotions crossed Zane's face.
"She did what?" Zane said with a barely contained anger.
Ares let out a small smile.
"Yeah, I'll be there in a few minutes...make sure you put someone outside her door." Zane said sternly, effectively ending the conversation. He then slammed his fist into the side of the car door in frustration.
Cole raised his brow quizzically,
"Fuck!" Zane exclaimed, "She stole a pen cap off Lou and picked the lock on her cuff and the door. She fucking tried to run away and ended up falling down a flight of stairs!"
"I'm liking this girl already!" Cole said with a wide smile as he looked at his angry friend through the rear-view mirror.
Once again, Ares let out a light hearted chuckle as he gave Zane a friendly slap on the shoulder.
"What?" Zane said angrily.
Ares looked towards his younger friend and with a smile said, "You basically abducted and imprisoned the girl...what girl in her right mind wouldn't try to run, especially when her captor is a reputable gangster!"
"I took her for her own safety," Zane said with a pout, "Zero probably already has men looking for Serens' body. If I didn't..."
"And did you tell her that?" Ares said interrupting his young master.
"Not exactly..."
"Well then, in her eyes you kidnapped her, handcuffed her and locked her up in a basement...quite similar to what Serens did, no wonder she ran."
Zane stared with intense eyes at Ares. He hated being compared to that sick bastard, Serens.
"An infirmary isn't a basement" Zane said in denial.
"A windowless room in the deepest part of a hole in the ground... sounds like a conventional basement to me," Cole said playfully.
Zane leaned back and sighed, "What is this? Pick on Zane day? And don't forget that it was in that very basement where both of your lives were saved...multiple times!"
"Okay, Okay..." Ares raised his hands in surrender, "it's a basement infirmary, but that still doesn't change the fact that the poor girl is probably terrified in there,"
"Fine!" Zane said loudly, "I'll tell her why I took her, and when she comes to the realization that I am her savior, than we won't have this problem anymore."
Sharp green eyes stared at Zane. The younger man looked back at Ares waiting for him to say whatever it was on his mind.
"And when or if she comes to this 'realization'," Ares mimicked air quotations as he spoke, "are you expecting her legs to magically open for you?"
Ares hesitated momentarily in order to think of a proper way to phrase his next statement.
"Listen, I've helped you spend the last two years looking after this girl. She's not the type to be swayed by your power, money or looks. She's not like the other girls you've played with, and it is that very quality that attracts you to her...Tread carefully, Zane. If you take away too much of her freedom and wild spirit, she'll cut your throat and feed your carcass to the wolves."
Zane nodded his head, fully understanding the warning his friend was telling him.
"How do I keep her with me and tame her without taking away her freedom then?" The young man asked quietly.
Softly, Ares patted the Zane's shoulder, "The best way...is to let her make the decision to stay herself."
Zane furrowed his brows, knowing that the likelihood of her choosing to stay on her own free will was small.
His ears perked up as his older friend continued.
"However..." Ares said returning his handsome grin, "That just means that you need to make it so that she feels that the choice is hers."
Cole interrupted their conversation by clearing his throat, "I hate to break up this heartwarming father-like figure and son moment...but we are back at base now."
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With a rush Zane stormed the building, taking the elevator down to the infirmary. He was eager to see Lena immediately. The elevator doors opened with a "ping" and no sooner was Zane charging down the halls.
Ares and Cole were right on his heels, and Lucretia met them outside her office. She was tapping her right foot impatiently and wore an angry expression. Lou held a clipboard to her chest and when she spotted Zane she stepped in front of him. Without warning the pretty doctor punched Zane right in the stomach. The handsome man gave a light groan and clutched his gut.
"What the hell, Lou?" Zane exclaimed fiercely.
"I. Told. You. Not. To. Agitate. Her!" Lucretia began hitting Zane on the shoulder with light blows from her clipboard as she emphasized every word.
Zane grabbed the doctor's wrist in a solid grasp, "I didn't exactly agitate her," He said defensively.
Lou gave the handsome man a deadly glare and spoke angrily, "No, you did something worse! You made her decide in a drugged up stupor to try and escape a heavily guarded base! For goodness sake, what did you do to make her want to leave so badly?"
Zane, still clutching on to the doctor's wrist shoved Lucretia's arm down and gave her a hard glare.
"Shut up, Lou," He said in a quiet whisper.
Zane strutted past her and headed straight for Lena's room. The guard placed to watch over Lena quickly unlocked the door upon seeing his boss.
Zane nodded to the young man in black and entered the room, slamming the door behind him.
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Lena was startled when her prison door flew open and slammed shut, but she was absolutely terrified when she saw the look splayed across the handsome man's face. Okay, so perhaps her escape plan wasn't the brightest, but hell, the chance of freedom beat having to endure the intense gaze she was suffering now.
"Damn," She thought to herself. Even when he's angry he's still a sexy bastard.
Lena felt her sex tingle with familiar sensations and knew she was already getting wet. Lena looked down at her traitorous body and willed it to behave, "Down girl, he's not a horse you want to ride on."
"Oh yes he is," A part of her mind argued.
Forcing herself to look at Zane, Lena watched as he stalked closer to her. She noticed him squeezing his fists repeatedly in a habitual way of calming himself.
"Oh shit, this'll be fun," She thought to herself sarcastically.
