Don't strike first, watch their moves

"And if you aren't allowed to?"

Jamel asked with a deep frown.

"I'm backing out then..." I said with a taunting grin.

They both stared at each other in shock, clearly, they weren't expecting me to put them under condition.

I can't just sign this deal with them without knowing much about it.

And that says it all, they're bent on destroying me.

Gareth was the first to recover from his shock. "You backing out?"

"Tsk, I never mentioned that." I said feigning annoyance.

"Or did I?"

"Wait, what! You never said anything?" Jamel frowned deeper, clearly in confusion.

"Did you hear something? Like what you aren't supposed to hear?" I prolonged my feigned expression.

"Hmm... But I thought I hear you said something about backing out." He said more to himself.

"Then you must be hearing things." I huffed in pretence.

"Well never mind." He waved it off, not knowing what else to say to defend himself. "Can you just sign now?"

"H-huh? I thought I asked for a request just now?" I growled.

"Yeah. Yeah. You can take your time in reading it." He smiled trying not to shutter.

"I never asked to take time in reading. I'm taking it with me, consider the deal then send it back with my signature in it, that is if I'm willing to give in." I said with a calm but intimidating voice. "What did you say?"

"What do I say? I say, you can or are you opposing him Gareth?" Jamel quickly voiced.

"Why will I?" Gareth raised his brow with a questioning look.

"Let's call it a day then." I gave them a sly smile before standing up. "Good day..."

With those two words, I exited still feeling the tension I left behind. I'm sure I've gotten them into a tight situation but then all I've got to do is play along with them. Hardie can't afford to loose a thing.

Let's see who wins at the END...

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||Jamel Grayson||

This just didn't make any sense.

Hardie not giving in immediately. And here I am doing nothing about it. Yeah, how could I? His ignorance and cold expression and his voice, everything about him keep giving me a bad vibe.

Maybe I should have killed him when I had the Chance to. I hate everything about him, I never believed I could still be afraid of him even after being the second ranked drug lord.

He...he... he is just... what was I going to say anyways? I don't even know how best to describe him. Good Lord, I sure need to act fast, his calmness is freaking me out.

"You look pale. Is it because of him?" Gareth pointed out.

I quickly masked my expression with a smirk. "Of course not, why will I? He is never a threat to me, so I see no reason to be afraid of him."

"You seem to look like you just saw a ghost." He said flatly.

"Does ghost even exist? Come on stop believing in myth, okay?" I chuckled. Even though, I'm starting to convinced myself that Hardie was a risen ghost with the kind of aura that surround him.

"I'm not. Just saying." He toned.

"What do you think of it?" I whispered.

"What did i think of what?" Gareth flicked his long lashes that could get women jealous, slowly in confusion.

"The outcome of course. As in the deal we made him want to strike, is it something good. Don't you think they would be repercussion of it?" I asked trying not to sound fearful or desperate.

"Who say there's a repercussion in it? Come on, stop acting like a chicken." He chuckled darkly before getting up. "I'm gone..."

"Yeah." I nod curtly as I watch him leaves. I sigh resting my head behind, I just hope this turns out to be good.

Of course, Gareth does not seem bothered or shaken. He's always confident in his doing while I'm here having a second thought...

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||Hardie Morrison||

"What did you think?" I asked Lincolnshire after he went through the papers I got from Jamel.

"Something doesn't seems just right here, there's more to this." He creased his brow like he's searching for something in the papers to prove his words.

"Yeah. I'm thinking that way too." I reasoned.

"For thinking of something like this, they're willing to bring you to dusk at all cost." He furthered.

"H-huh huh?"

"They will want to strike starting with what you cherish most, don't you think?" Lincoln said.

Lincolnshire is right though. He's a type of guy that think faster before time.

"Yeah." I nod.

"I think so."

"Or are they..." He stopped halfway as he inched his brows thoughtfully. "Are they still trying try to figure out what could possibly hit you hard?"

"Huh? What do you mean?" I knot my brows in confusion.

"Like what you can't do without. What I mean is something you cherished most." He replied plainly.

I know, he's always thinking a step ahead.

"Right."

"That something you cherished most, you got one?" That his last statement got me as I breathed in sharply.

No! I shouldn't be thinking about this now, it just too bad just as it hold the worst memories ever. Oh gawd!

I closed my eyes in pain as I breath in sharply, this is just bad!

"What? I don't meant to. If you are not telling me, then fine, its okay. Just telling you though, not for you to spit it out." He rushed words like he's guilty.

I kept mute like I'm unaware of his speech.

Amelia...!

I thought about her and my heart tightened in pain. No, I shouldn't be thinking about her, it always make me loose my mind.

I closed my eyes and breathe in sharply. Not now!

She is my past maybe, I should stop thinking about her.

"I say you sign this. Accept their challenge." Lincoln barge into my thoughts. "Don't strike first, watch their moves..."