Chapter 4

I spent the next day fussing over what I would wear and how best not to embarrass myself. I hadn’t bothered telling jess because this would probably be our only date once he realized how strange I was. But I wanted him to like me not someone I’m pretending to be. Clothes I had many clothes yet I had nothing to wear. I had to wear a long-sleeved jacket to hide the bruise that was now yellow on my arm. Should I wear a dress or pants how fancy are we going? What if I dressed too nicely or not nice enough? What if Kol hated what I was wearing? What if I wear a colour he hates or he thinks I look sleuth or not sultry enough?

Overthinking. I had to stop overthinking. I’m going to wear what I want to wear. So I put on a long sleeve black dress the dress was tight and stopped about two inches from my knee it had a V-neck not too low but still flaunted what I had. I left my hair down lightly curled with a straightener.

I put on hardly any makeup but just some mascara eyeliner and eyebrows cause lord knows I need them. Then I put my favourite high heel shoes on they were black too. And I looked in the mirror. I looked nice I looked pretty, I think. I don’t know Jett called me pretty. Some days I felt pretty but I had never felt beautiful. Growing up, my mother would tell me how she wanted a beautiful daughter; all she got was me. She would tell me that I would never be loved because of how ugly I was. So beautiful Is something I will never. But pretty I can do that at least.

My apartment was a mess I couldn’t keep it like this he said he was picking me up does that means at my door? I sure hope not. I quickly throw some trash out just in case and shove a ton of clothes into my laundry basket. My apartment is an absolute mess. You know what I’ll just meet him downstairs to avoid the thought of my apartment. It’s 10 minutes before Kol should be here so I head down.

Getting out of the car Kol comes around and opens the door ever the gentleman. We are in the rich part of town. I don’t stop by too often I have no idea if I’m going to be able to afford this dinner. I feel underdressed, I won’t be able to afford anything here. I can just tell by the outside of the restaurant. I guess my face looked concerned because Kol chimed in “don’t worry I’m paying princess you can have it all if you want” he whispered it in my ear I could feel his warm breath on my neck “anything princess” I turn to him not enjoying what he is implying. But he just smirks at me and I try to hide it but I smirk back.

The inside of the restaurant is dazzling. All the tables and chairs are gold, draped in lush white clothes the room is open with big crystal chandeliers hanging from the vaulted ceilings. This place is way fancier than I thought it would be.

When we walk in the writers are dressed in red tailcoats. And wearing white gloves. When they spot Kol walking in the waiter got startled “sir your family table is ready at the back I will have someone bring beverages as soon as possible” Kol just nodded and walked us back to a corner “family table” I murmur under my breath and Kol looks down at me with a grimace we were brought back to a nice corner table that seats 4 people very comfortably. Kol pulled my chair out for me and sat across for me

“red or white sir” this waiter looks almost scared of Kol as if he says something wrong Kol will. I have no idea but it’s a little strange. Kol takes a cheeky glance toward me and I think he’s about to ask me what wine I prefer but he licks his lips and says “red” I immediately respond “I only drink white actually” “well today princess you’ll drink red”

I didn’t know how to respond to that so I just turned to him and he smiled. I have no idea why but the look he gave me made my heart race I really hope I wasn’t blushing “so you come here often” I say with a snarly tone to my “I did as a small child I haven’t been here in a while my brother used to come here and he would drag me with him” so you have a brother” “I had a brother he died 2 years ago” he said it so calmly but I looked in his eyes he was still hurt by it. “

My sister was killed almost 5 years ago so I understand your pain. And I’m sorry as well losing as a sibling is the hardest thing I’ve gone through” “a tragic backstory is what makes you so interesting Elina.” “I don’t know is that what makes you interesting.” he smirked licking his bottom lip, “I think there are a lot of things that make me interesting and my past is a small part of that but I’m sure there are others you would like to see.”

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

I was about to respond when the waiter came back with the bottle of red and I looked at it and said imported straight from France. Dam he has expensive taste. He opened the bottle and poured me a hefty glass. I held the glass to my nose and sniffed it “are you going to tell me it isn’t up to snuff.” he smiled at me. I took a big sip of the wine it tasted pretty good for red and I didn’t want to admit my defeat so I just smiled and looked up at him. “So Elina tells me about yourself.” wow what a question do I tell him about how absolutely awful my life has been or do I make a joke and seem cute?

He looked at me those blue-green eyes staring into my soul. “Well, I grew up with pretty awful parents and I guess it carried into my adult life with pretty terrible boyfriends I’m kind of out of my comfort zone right now but I guess I’m used to that having the best friend that pushes me out of my comfort zone she would have killed me if I didn’t come today. We are so different I have no idea how we’re best friends she’s crazy, but I love her. How about you do you have a best friend”

“I do have a best friend his name is Brooks I’ve known him since we were little kids,” Kol said with happiness washing over his face. “aw so he does have friends” I mocked he chuckles softly “so you now know quite a bit about me what about you its seems you have a pretty wealthy family do you leach off them or do you have any actual job”

he put his hand over his chest as if I offended him but there is nothing but a smile on his face “you wound me princess however you are slightly correct I work for my father as his apprentice his heir if you will” I go to take another sip of my drink and then I hear a pop.

A pop so loud my ears ring as I look up Kol’s face has gone stark and is moving before I even know what is going on. Kol yanked me down to the floor and is covering my body with his “Elina Elina” I didn’t register Kol was saying my name until his hands were around my face forcing me to look at him “Elina are you hurt” I had no words in me as more pops rattle through the restaurant. I just shook my head “Elina stay here under the table I’ll come back for you I promise” as he said that I watched him stand and pull a gun from his waistband as more pops rattle through the restaurant.

I can hear glass shattering and plates falling and people screaming I grab my knees and tell myself what I always have you are okay you are brave and you will survive. As I hear more screaming, I just repeat to myself you will survive. Once all the pops have stopped, I still heard a woman screaming as I lift the tablecloth, I see the absolute destruction, but I notice the woman screaming has blood rushing from her leg. I crawl out the form under the table cutting my hands on the broken glass.

As I stand pulling the shards of glass from my hands, I rip the white tablecloth from our now disastrous-looking table and run towards the woman probably 5 years older than me. I tried to hush her but she wouldn’t calm or quiet. I rip the tablecloth into a long strip to tie around her leg to help stop the blood.

“This is going to hurt and I’m sorry” I ran the cloth and pull it around as tightly as I can around as I tighten it this girl screams louder, I tried to hold in my own scream as the glass in my hands dug deeper. “What’s your name” I yell trying to put her mind to something else I repeat myself several times before she responds “Elle my name is Elle” “hi Elle I’m Elina and you will be okay, okay my friend Kol he’ll be back and he’ll help you okay,” I said even though I was looking around the restaurant and I didn’t see Kol anywhere but something in me knew that he was going to come back for us. “Are you sure everyone here looks dead,” she says panting in the pain she is still in “he’ll be back okay we just have to wait he’ll be back” I accidentally leaned back as I get more glass in my hands and I wince. As I start pulling out the glass, I see Kol running around the corner.

“Elina” he yells when he sees me he looks at me I see the sweat running down his brow a cut that looks like a graze of a bullet on his cheek his shirt is clung to his chest stuck with sweat his gun was pushed in his waist ban “we need help Kol she’s really hurt” as she gets down to our level “Elina your hurt too” I wave him off as he tries to look at my bleeding hands I push him away them he turns and picks Elle up and carries her out of the restaurant outside there are about 20 people all holding huge guns not police never police not here.

As Kol hands her off to a guy more ripped than him which I didn’t even think was possible. Then Kol turns to me grabbing my hands “Elina your hands” he says grabbing them gently and looking at the “Kol your face” I say as I’m burning the cut along his face with my finger. Then as I look down at the state of my hands it looks a little worse than I thought. “You need stitches let’s get you to a hospital” a hospital is this man serious If I went to a hospital, I would be in so much dept I couldn’t live. “No, I have stitches at my apartment I just need to get back there”. as I go look up at Kol more people start arriving dressed in suits and holding massive guns. “Kol I need to get to my apartment,” I say in a strong voice I know I can’t drive and walking isn’t the best but before I ask to get a ride Kol is already bringing to a car as he opens the car door for me” as I sit in the car my hands start to shake and I can’t really control them. I take one last look at all the blood and destruction. The restaurant was full of lively people as we walked in now, they lay their bullet holes filling them. As we drive away all I can see in my head is the lifeless bodies covered in blood and dappled with bullets.