The Phone Call

Crystal felt relieved when the doctor who was in charge of examining Cullen after she regained consciousness, announced that Cullen was fit to be discharged.

 Cullen was hit with a dry stick in the head whilst she was captive. That led to her being found unconscious when the rescue team arrived.

Riding in the car, Mervin was reclining on his seat. He seemed to have been lost in thought.

His mind went back to what had just happened earlier. 

He knows the Griffins for being ruthless, yet, he never imagined they could go to this extent. Surely, Crystal and her sisters were open to another attack anytime soon.

Picturing Crystal's house Which was a few yards away from a neighborhood road, it was easy for the Griffin cousins to launch another attack. 

Thus, Mervin concludes after pondering for a moment.

"Marko, take us to the safe house please" he instructed his driver. He tilted his head and faced the outside of the moving vehicle.

As per orders from Mervin, the driver changed Lanes. He took a turn at the nearby roundabout.

"This is not the root to my house"

Crystal looked at Mervin with too much curiosity written on her face. The car was currently moving towards Henderson NV, a city in downtown Las Vegas.

"You will be staying with me from today onwards. We are heading towards my safe house. It will be safe for you and your sisters"

Explained Mervin. 

The answer seemed not to have been enough to make Crystal bow to the idea of staying in the same house with Mervin.

A lot of thoughts cloud her mind.

How can she just wake up one day and abandon the house her late parents worked hard to build so she and her sisters could get permanent shelter?

How did he expect her to forsake a place she had called home for twenty-two years in just a blink of an eye?

After retorting for a while, Mervin finally gets Crystal to reason with him. 

At last, Crystal was silent.

The car arrived before a huge black gate after a long drive of An hour. The gate automatically opened, permitting the Hummer H2 to pass through it into the compound.

Staring outside, Crystal's mouth formed an "O" She couldn't help but get mesmerized by the beauty of the mansion before her. 

She has seen numerous of these types in movies and some rich neighborhoods. Never had she pictured herself residing in one. 

It felt like a dream.

Stepping out of the car, she couldn't help but gawk realizing how huge and magnificent the land was. It was more like a villa. 

It had trees and flowers surrounding the mansion adding to its beauty. 

Bodyguards were standing at every corner of the mansion.

Crystal admitted that the title ' Safe house' suited the place.

"Crystal!" 

That was Camilla's voice. Camilla was brought straight to the villa after being rescued earlier. 

"My baby" 

She exclaimed back. She felt her chest light as if a huge burden had just been lifted.

The thought of her sisters being kidnapped by the Griffin's earlier, felt like a death sentence to Crystal.

 Now seeing them safe and sound, it was enough reason for her to give her whole salary as tithe.

The three sisters embraced each other with love as tears streamed down their eyes caressing their cheeks. 

Mervin just stood beside the sisters, with a smile of satisfaction.

"Welcome to your new home"

Mervin finally uttered when the sisters disarmed.

The sisters both stood still facing the house that was just referred to as 'their new home'. 

*

Evening comes by so quickly. Crystal and her sisters were yet to adjust to the house.

They were in one room gisting when a maid walked in and informed them that food was ready. Crystal and her sisters dragged their lazy as* towards the dining.

Before them, different types of mouth-watering food were pressed. They watched keenly as the maid carefully dished out the food from the warmer and served each of them on a plate.

"Eat as much as you can. This is your house after all" Mervin said.

 He wished Crystal and her sisters could adjust to their new environment as soon as possible. 

"You are the best, brother-in-law Mervin"  Camilla raised her right hand and gave Mervin a thumbs up.

Mervin grinned. His hands were in Camilla's hair ruffling it.

Like a puppy submitting to its master, Camilla's cheeks flushed.

"And one more thing, never leave the house without tagging along at least two or three security guards," he warned.

The three sisters were busy digging into their pasta, they did not even bother to reply to Mervin, yet they understood his every word clearly.

After chit-chatting for a while. Camilla and Cullen excused themselves from the living room. They excitedly walked away towards their new bedrooms.

Crystal and Mervin were left all alone in the room. They both had a lot to discuss, yet it seemed like none of them wished to start a conversation.

Crystal cleared her throat drawing the attention of Mervin.

"Am…Mervin"

Crystal finally broke the long silence. Mervin raises his head and stares into Crystal's ocean-blue eyes.

"Honestly, am… I am thankful for what you've done for me and my sisters. " 

She kept on swallowing hard with each word she said. 

"Your safety is all that matters to me, Crystal"

He said calmly as he welcomed a smile from Crystal.

 Abruptly, Crystal stood up.

"I will be in my room. Goodnight" 

Her hand was in her hair, scratching the sculpture. She bit her lower lip.  

It was already past 10 p.m. The following day Mervin had to go to work. So the earlier they went to bed, the higher the chance he would work up on good time to get ready for work the following day.

" Fine, good nig.."

His words were hanged when his phone rang. He reached for the phone in his pocket and checked the caller ID.

 A frown appeared on his face as he dropped the phone on the table. It was obvious that he was not interested in sharing a word with the caller.

Crystal peeped on the phone and 'Mr. Brooklyn' was badly written on the phone screen.

She looked at Mervin. His eyes were slightly closed as his head rested on the chair's back. 

"Is that not your father?"

"I'm not interested," he said calmly. 

Crystal sighed softly. She picked up the phone from the table and directed it to Mervin so he could pick up the call.

"Pick it up already. My arm is hurting"  Crystal muttered. Her eyes were fixed on the phone that kept on ringing nonstop Mervin opened his eyes and looked at Crystal whose face seemed to tell him that 'I won't budge until you pick up the call'

He facepalmed himself before taking the phone from Crystal and clicking the answer button.

"Yes," he said sternly.

"Come home now!" That was all Mr. Brooklyn said before cutting the call. 

It sounded more like a command and not a request.

Mervin removed the phone from his ear and stared at it as if the phone was responsible for the misfortune he was currently encountering. 

He scoffed as he randomly threw his phone to God knows where.

There was a silent  for a while until Crystal said, 

"Are you not going?" 

Mervin squeezed shut his eyes and swallowed a lump of saliva down his throat. He was fed up with his parents negatively poking into his love life with Crystal.

He was not ready for another round of blood feuds. 

Not now. 

Not after he has just recovered from a blow that the Griffin cousins threw to Crystal and her sisters.

A warm hand wrapped around his shoulder. Crystal was sitting beside him. She picked up his right hand and stared into his eyes.

"Mervin, I know how you feel. I know you are doing this for me. But at least don't put me and your parents in a tight position." She said in a sympathetic tone. 

"They are your parents. You knew them before you knew me" She paused and sighed 

Then she said, "I do not want to be someone who comes between the relationship of you and your parents." 

Marvin could not stop staring into her innocent eyes. 

Yes, he was doing all this for her, yet,  she did not want her to be a target for his parents as well. 

She did not want to put her in a tight position with his future parents-in-law. 

His Adam's apple moved as he took a deep breath and gulped down his saliva

"fine"

He looked away from  Crystal before saying " I will go".

Those words come out rather forcefully as his teeth grind together. 

He stood up from the chair. 

"make sure to go to bed early. I will be back soon"

Mervin said as he found his way to the door. 

Crystal turned her head as he watched him twist the door mob and open the door before his body completely disappeared through the door. 

She heaved a deep sigh as she stood from the chair and found her way to her new bedroom. 

…

Grim! Grim!

That was the sound of Miranda's phone. With her eyes partly closed, she reached for the phone which was under the pillow.

"Mission failed. Brooklyn's security team took the girls. Our boys let their guard down" 

Teddy explained in a voice as hot as pepper, making Miranda immediately sit straight from the bed.

"What! I will be there shortly" 

She cut the call and was about to step out of bed when she felt a hand cuddling her waist. 

At first, she thought she was hallucinating, for she never shares her bed with anyone. 

'Who could it be?'

Her little brain wondered. 

It was then, she realized she was wearing the birth uniform. 

She gasped. 

Looking down the floor, her clothes and male clothes were spread all over like a carpet. She needed no one to tell her what just happened. 

Her heart sank as her throat burned up, and her breath increased as she slowly turned to face the owner of the hand.

"You are awake"

The guy said half asleep. Miranda's face burned up upon seeing the guy's face.

"Bryan Hoover, what did you just do to me?" tears were already dancing in her eyes.

Bryan is a CO model and they both work for the same agency. They've been in commercials and movies together and were once rumored to be dating. 

Bryan has had a crush on Miranda, but Miranda's heart is already with someone which makes him not confess his love.

He was already planning to embrace his one-sided love, not until Miranda pleaded with him to keep her company yesterday night. 

"What have I done? I did not initiate this, you begged me" he sat straight. 

Rubbing his sleepy eyes.

 Miranda looked at Bryan for a while and just then, the memories of the previous day flooded her mind. She was drunk yesterday.

 Ooops…drunk is an understatement because she was wasted. 

Bryan happened to be near the bar where Miranda was soaking her throat with different types of beers. He could not just let her continue wasting herself. Thus, he decided to take her home, but unfortunately or luckily for him, Miranda pleaded with him to put off the fire between her legs.

Miranda served herself to him on a golden platter.

Thinking about the whole scenario of the previous, Miranda hit her chest continuously before facing Brian. 

" I was drunk, Bryan. Do you think I would have made such a lame request if I were sober? Even if it were that I requested it, what happened to protection? Are you bent on ruining me, Bryan? For Christ's sake, I am soon to be Mervin's bride." 

She spat while running her fingers in her hair. Smoke came out of her nose.

Bryan sighed before he said," Mira, it's high time you wake up from your nightmare. Mervin has nothing to do with you. I love you, Miranda. If you happen to take in as a result of our intimacy today, I will take responsibility by making you my wife." His Caribbean blue eyes were sending affection to her pure blue eyes which were giving him a deadly glare. 

She removed his hand from her waist and stepped out of the bed. 

She pulled the duvet and covered it around herself from her shoulder to her knees. Her eyes never ceased to send chills down Bryan's naked body. 

" Be warned, Bryan. Stay away from me. It's Mervin that I want and no human can stop me from having him. Not even you. If you dare breathe a word concerning our intimacy, you will kiss your miserable life goodbye" she fired.

She did not bother to give Bryan a second glance. She picked up her clothes which were scattered on the ground before storming into the bathroom.

Bryan was left speechless, his throat had dried up as he tried to control his breath. His eyes were fixed on the bathroom door. 

It's not as if he does not have what it takes for him to make Miranda happy. He just could not figure out why Miranda was so obsessed with Mervin. 

What did she see in Mervin that she could not see in him? 

He wondered.