*Edited

Landon and I were now sitting at the bar that was placed in the corner of the ballroom.

He ordered us drinks and continued to talk with a man.

His hand was playing with mine as the man spoke to Landon.

I looked around the room and watched as people waltzed and talked amongst themselves.

For some reason, I could feel that something was off with Landon.

Though I couldn't pinpoint what it was.

The bartender gave us our drinks and I sipped mine quietly as Landon finished talking to the man.

Landon turned to me and leant down to my ear.

"I'll be back. Don't move." He tells me sternly.

"I won't. Don't be long." I say a bit worried.

He kisses my cheek and then my lips.

"I won't." He says and walks away.

I sigh and continue sipping my drink.

I turn back around on the barstool and only to just notice a man sitting next to me.

"Straight whiskey." He says to the bartender.

His voice was gruff and had a thick accent, similar to the one Landon had when he spoke in that other language.

I continue drinking my drink and pretend that I wasn't just observing the guy.

"And who are you?" I hear the man ask.

I turn my head in his direction and realise that he was talking to me.

My eyes widen but quickly recover it with a smile.

"Layla," I say holding my hand out.

He smiles back at me and shakes my hand.

"Matteo." He says.

I pull away and he takes the whiskey and sips it.

"Who did you come with tonight?" He asks me curiously.

"Landon Malik." I answer him.

He raised his eyebrows and nods his head slowly.

"Do you know him?" I ask the man.

He chuckles and shakes his head clearly amused.

"Yes, I do." He says looking at me now.

That's when I realise that his eyes were a similar shade of grey to Landons.

Though this mans was darker, though still very similar.

Weird.

"Oh." Is all I say and sip my drink.

"He's my nephew." He blurts out.

I look at him wide-eyed as shock was clearly written all over my face.

"Nephew..." I whisper out to myself.

"Yes. My brother's son." He answers drowning down the rest of his drink.

"He didn't tell me he had any family left." I say a bit confused.

"That's because he isn't."

Landon's deep voice comes from behind me and I look at him confused.

Though the look on Landons face explained everything.

This man was not good.

"Ah, Angelo," Matteo says standing up from his seat.

He pats Landon's shoulder and Landon's eyes grow even darker if it were possible.

"Give me a good reason to not shoot your brains out right here, right now." Landon says darkly.

Matteo chuckles darkly and replies.

"You see Angelo, I've got men everywhere." He says and begins to point to all the men in black suits that are exactly around us.

"One move and your girl dies." He says humorously.

Landon's jaw ticks as his right-hand twitches slightly.

"Now, I think we have some things to discuss, hm?" Matteo says gesturing towards a table in the far corner.

"Not yet." Landon says coldly.

Matteo sighs and clasps his hands together.

"You've got 30 minutes." Matteo finishes and walks away.

Landon runs a hand through his hair and licks his lips.

He and Andre make eye contact from across the room, Andre nods his head and walks outside.

Landon turns his gaze to me and nods his head towards the doors.

I stand up and walk with him towards the back doors.

We make it to a balcony as its views over a fountain and a beautiful garden.

The faint music in the background and the stars shining over the pitch-black night sky made it look magical.

Landon takes my hand and placed it on his shoulder doing the same with the other one, he then placed his hands on my waist.

"Dance with me Layla." He says, his grey eyes piercing into mine.

I smile softly and start swaying with him.

We dance for what felt like forever, our eyes never left each other.

He twirled me around and I let out a girly giggle at the action.

Landon's lips twitched up into a small smile as he looked down into my eyes.

He leaned his head against my forehead and his eyes softened.

He looked down at me with adoration as he pecked my lips.

As the song was ending Landon took my hands in his and looked down at me.

"Layla." He whispered out.

"Landon," I say back just as breathlessly.

His eyes stayed on mine for what felt forever.

"I lov-

He was cut off as sounds of gunshots rang out through the mansion.

Landon snapped out of his daze and returned to his emotionless self.

He put me behind him as his handheld onto my own.

Andre came into sight as he burst through the door.

"Dante fucked us over." Andre said intensely as the sound of gunshots continued to shoot out around us.

"Everything?" Landon asks him.

Andre nods and replies.

"Everything."

Landon grabs my hand and then dragged me towards some back doors.

We walked through some hidden bush and made it through onto the pathway that led towards the back of the house.

A sleek black SUV was parked at the front and a man in a black suit stood on the driver's side.

He nodded at Landon as he got in and started the car.

Landon opened the back door for me, as he lifted me up and put me in the seat, buckling my seatbelt in the process.

The gunshots got louder and closer with every move Landon made.

Landon looked at me for a few seconds before smashing his lips onto mine.

The kiss wasn't like our usual ones that were filled with passion, desire, lust or love.

This one was a goodbye kiss.

And even though he couldn't say the words it was like I knew.

He took his lips off mine and leaned his forehead against mine.

"I'll see you soon." He says and pulls away.

I feel my eyes water slightly and I quickly grab his arm before he pulls away completely.

His eyes snap to mine and I hold my pinky finger out towards him.

"Promise?" I say.

He looks down at it and then loops his pinky finger through mine and kisses our entwined finger.

"Promise."

With that, he shuts the door and walks away.

*

A/N

Hey y'all earlier update today :)

I might post another chapter later on, if I get it finished :)

- Lei <3