37
The next morning, I was standing at their front door. I was sluggish and tired as I knocked on the door. I couldn't tighten up my glare and smile no matter how much I had to before them.
The door finally opened and Jeeves, my parents butler opened the door and stared at me with pale blue eyes.
"Ah Ms. Anastasia how good of you to stop by for a visit." he said opening the door for me to enter. I moved inside quietly and looked around at the large foyer.
"Hello, Jeeves. Where are my parents?" I asked trying my best to control myself as I turned to look at him. He was closing the door when he finally faced me.
"They are playing chest out on the veranda." he said and I just moved off to the left side of the house moving through the living room, then my father's weapons room, and then his room filled with multiple stuffed animals from his safari adventures around the world. The faster I walked, the more the reality set in of everything that happened. The Swedes lied to me and my father did not believe in me. My nose twitched some as I reached the large kitchen and the back doors that would lead me to the back. I opened the door angrily seeing the two polished adults sitting down with a chess board between their bodies.
My mother, Sophia, and father Cayden, did not even face me. It was like they knew I was coming.
"Wow I can't believe it took you this long to come around and see your family, Anja." Mother responded and I glared at her before letting my eyes just fall on my father.
"You couldn't just let me have this? You had to pay my partners to watch me?" I asked. My father was finishing up his move when he leaned back and exhaled.
"I told you that you did not need to be a part of the Escort program. It was dangerous." he explained quite calmly. I shook my head.
"I passed my classes, I worked hard, I was doing something on my own!" I replied.
"And I told you the Monroe family does nothing on their own." Dad replied finally looking at me, his hazel eyes like a snake. I shook my head, my eyes weakening some.
"You sabotaged me." I said, my voice breaking and he shook his head.
"No. I just payed your way to success. And don't think I don't know about your little four way relationship. They were right to call things off in our deal, because I was going to end it regardless. It wasn't healthy." he said. I shook my head looking up at the sky some.
"I don't need you in my affairs. I told you I didn't want to be like the other board member's children, sitting around and using their parent's money! I wanted to make a name for myself!" I snapped. My mother scoffed and looked at me skeptically.
"Anastasia… an escort though? Really? Anastasia the Escort that's what whores are darling even if they work for The Commission that is still what you are trained for to do what is told of you for money. You should have figured that out by now when you had to study and participate in sex ed." she said. I could hear the bite in her tone. I looked between them now as they looked back at the chess board. I shook my head.
"You're both so wicked. You let the boys join Commission and kill and now they are elites! Did you pay their way to success too?" I asked. Father shook his head, his eyes never leaving the board.
"No. Professional killing is a noble profession. Being an escort is not. But if it's any consolation, all the money that was put in their account hasn't been touched. Maybe they were planning something for you." he said. Mother shrugged.
"Or themselves." she said looking at me with a smirk. I just looked between the two for a moment before turning from them and moving back into the house.
"Love you." they said in unison. I didn't even respond. I just stomped through the house not even bothering to make it to the front door, before the environment began to shift and change around me as I was walking into the living room of my own apartment. They weren't sorry, that much I knew. Then again, they weren't really good parents either.
Now I just crossed my arms wondering what it was I should do now. Was there anything I could do now that I knew what I knew? Any of them could just find my location and come here. If they were smart then they wouldn't bother me for a bit. But it was obvious they weren't that smart. There was a firm knock on my door and I turned and stared at it for a moment before moving over to the door and opening it. Axel was staring at the ground when he looked up at me. I shook my head frowning.
"No." I merely stated and swung the door close only for his hand to press hard on the door stopping me.
"We have a mission." he stated against the door. I shook my head.
"So have The Commission send you a briefcase. I'm NOT going!" I said trying to close the door. Damn his strength. Before I knew the door was pushing open and I could no longer try and close it. Axel stepped inside closing the door behind him, his eyes just focused on me as he came upon me. I walked backwards almost tripping over my feet and falling. I found my back against my wall, my body tight and tense as his hands pressed against the wall. His eyes stared down at me with command making me wonder if there really was a mission. Was he alone? Where were Otto and Oscar?
"You are coming with me now." he demanded, and I felt my body fill with rage as I started to glare at him getting in his face now.
"No." I said through clenched teeth our eyes challenging each other now. We continued this stare down for what seemed like forever.
"Do you want to hurt us? Huh, would that make you feel better?" he asked, his tone almost desperate. I scoffed and looked away.
"I just want you to go away." I said and he winced shaking his head.
"I can't. If you want to be angry, be angry with me. Oscar and Otto wanted to tell you but I convinced them not to." he said and I shook my head.
"You all can think for yourself and you knew the consequences that could happen if you continued to keep this from me and I found out." I explained and he slowly he nodded.
"Fine be angry with us. We will accept that. But we still have a mission and you are still working." he replied. Still working. God I really did sound like someone's escort. I sucked my teeth pushing past him.
"Yeah we'll see for how long." I replied. Axel looked at me confused.
"What do you mean?" he asked and I just turned to him.
"I'm saying that us- the four of us are done! Our relationship our partnership all of it! How can I trust you ever again!" I replied before I could even really think. I didn't expect that to come out of my mouth, but I was just too angry. Axel was quiet as he stared at me stunned and slowly he looked down at the ground as if not knowing what to even say. Finally he sped past me and out the door without another word and I felt my face shrivel up as I closed my eyes, tears falling down my face.
I guess I did want to hurt them in some way. I put my hand on my forehead feeling utterly stressed. I even turned and moved back out the door to try and stop him to tell him I didn't mean what I said. But he was nowhere in sight, and I couldn't help but wonder if there was still a mission.
After a few hours, I knew I couldn't stay cooped up in this place all day. So I got dressed in a pair of blue jeans and a red tank. I didn't even care about anything right now. I left the apartment and moved over to my car and paused as I saw the multiple bouquets of flowers on the hood of my car. I was stunned for a moment thinking this had Otto written all over it.
It seemed like something he would do. I collected the flowers and put them inside before returning outside. I thought about pulling out my phone and texting them, but then I felt they'd ignore me now since I had upset them and I didn't want to be ghosted or left on read right now. But I knew they weren't like the men of this time. They wouldn't be so petty.
They'd answer, I knew they would. But I couldn't face them right now. I needed to get out of my head for a bit. I moved to my car and then just looked at it for a moment before stepping back and just looking out down the street. My apartment was beside a few neighborhoods that eventually blended into the city and so I just began to walk down the sidewalk. I looked out at the sky, thinking there was something better than all this.
Maybe I should just forgive them and move on. And I wanted that, I wanted it so much. I just needed my space is all. I took a mild short cut through an ally that would get me to the other side, whereas the sidewalk would have just taken me further down and then around. As I did, I heard a mild whoosh and I stopped and looked around before finally looking up. My eyes flexed as I saw who it was. That boy, from the store who said my name. He was leaning back leisurely on the escape chute biting onto an apple.
"I know that face. You are definitely having an inner battle with yourself." he said. I blinked rapidly now not believing what I was seeing.
"It's you. That boy." I replied and finally he jumped down landing in front of me, straightening out his coat as he looked himself over and ran his fingers through his short hair.
"Yeah haven't heard that one before." he said sarcastically before finally stopping in front of me. I leaned back some confused by his mere presence.
"Uh…" I replied awkwardly noticing he was just gazing up at me now which was creeping me out a little.
"Wow… I never thought I'd see you again." he said lightly and I tilted my head now.
"I'm sorry have we've met before?" I asked and he nodded slowly.
"You want the truth?" he asked. The truth? What truth could he possibly have to tell me? But right now I could really go for the truth. I shrugged.
"Sure kid." I replied and he nodded.
"Well my name's Five. I worked for The Commission and we used to date." he merely replied. My eyes slowly stretched at his words. Was this kid messing with me!
"I asked for the truth." i stated and he nodded.
"And there it is. You wanted to know so I told you and now you can't tell if you should believe me or not since I mentioned The Commission." he said in a matter of fact tone. My head was spinning some and I shook my head. Who was this kid and was he a threat? I crossed my arms.
"Okay say I believed you, why would I date you?" I asked, not maliciously but still showing mistrust. He smirked.
"You asked me that same question when I asked you out on a date. Want to spend the day with me? I'll tell you everything I know." he said with a smirk. I looked him over. What else was I even going to do today.
"Fine convince me kid." I replied. He gave a warm smile before motioning for me to follow him and so I did.
