~Magnolia Knight ~

My head spins. The words fly around me like as if a bee was annoyingly buzzing around my ears. I try to take in my surroundings and realise that I am currently laying on top of the smooth fabric of my bedsheets. I know it because it is the most comfortable thing I have ever been able to lay on, and its softness can never be forgotten.

I must have passed out again, because there is a small blank between Gab's conversation with my Bee and now, it's like I have magically appeared in my bed. But as I try to move, the drug still lightly weighting on my body, I feel the heaviness of my movements and how it drown the energy out of system. Panic creeps inside of me, as I cannot feel my legs. I was already in situations like these... those horrible nights where I was forced to do things I didn't want with disgusting guys like Nick. Their body pinning me down forcefully...

The images flash back into my mind as I stare at the ceiling of my bedroom and unconsciously my breath starts to quicken and my hands clamp into tight firsts to the point where I feel my nails dig into my fragile skin. it will never leave...

"Lila ?" a voice softly speaks on the left side of me and I force my head to turn to look at the worried expression of Blake, an expression that I caused..."hey, hey, hey, it's okay I am here, you are safe." And with his gentle manner he seems to automatically calm me down as I seek protection into his arms. He tightly holds me in his arms and hushes comforting words into my ear.

"It's like sometimes I am paralysed in my own nightmare, Bee." I breath out, and I instantly feel his body tense because of the words I speak out. "He is always here... N-Nick... I can't find peace" I truthfully explain, how I feel, but it is still so confusing in my mind, that I can't seem to express it with the right words. It is so clear in my head though...

"I will find him and kill him myself Lila, I swear he will never touch you ever again. " Blake's anger seems to make it's appearance again, but I tighten my grip on him, to make him calm down like he usually does when I hold him like this.

"He is in a gang Bee. I know it. I just can't find the pieces of the puzzle and put them together." I say, which makes Blake pull away from the hug to look at me in the eyes. " He is hiding in California, and he is under someone's protection. It has to be the Italians. " The drugged state I was in, weirdly made me realise some things and have a clearer vision on some things. I don't even know if it's possible, but I feel like if I keep digging a bit further, everything will come together and make sense. But for now, there are still so many unanswered questions...

"These fucking Italians..." Blake growls lowly and he nervously passes a hand in his hair, which seems to ease his frustration. "They want something we have Lila...it's dangerous. That's what they were looking for yesterday...they planned on taking it right after the party."

"Are you talking about that party from yesterday ? The best party of the century that happened to turn out to be a shooting range ?" I slightly smile at the little joke I seemed to crack in my current state. Maybe it wasn't something I should have said, because by the looks of it, Blake didn't appreciate my comment. I clear my throat and ask him something I somehow managed to hear in the conversation yesterday, or this morning I think. " Are you talking about the keys ?"

Blake's head snaps up at me when I mention the keys, which makes me think that he was definitely not expecting me to hear that.

"What did you hear of the conversation Magnolia ?" he sternly asks me. The use of my full name was already hinting me that this was serious.

"Just about the keys Blake." I state back, which wasn't a hundred percent the truth, I heard about how Gab was trying to warn my brother of someone, before he was cut off. "What are the keys for and why do they want them Blake ?" I reform my question and I watch as an unknown expression forms on the face of my closest brother.

"It's bigger as it seems Mags..." he sights and looks around him, before turning his gaze back towards me. "I want to tell you, I swear, but Damon made me swear not to tell you. It brings you into so much danger and I don't want that." His expression seems like he was having an internal battle with himself. And I know that if I can get more information, I can surely go further into my investigation. I have to try.

"Since when does Blake Knight listen to someone ?" I smirk at him and I watch as his mind slowly tilts in my favour. I know I have touched a sensible spot, because I have the exact same one, and people could easily use it against me. Blake and I are similar on a lot of points, we could definitely be great partner in crime.

"Never." He sights and rubs his hand over his forehead, before sending a look at the door to probably make sure nobody was there. When he looks back at me, the seriousness took over him, leaving no space for any sort of jokes. "You have to promise not to tell Magnolia. Listen carefully." I eagerly nod and wait for him to continue.

"Our parents have had something very dangerous in possession for quite some time. They managed to get it when we weren't even born and it's been in a vault since they laid their hands in it. It's a powerful and can make the world tilt upside down in a few seconds, if it gets out in the real world. So they decided to lock it up in a very safe place, something very few people could have access to. Only family should be able to get to that. You hear me ? Only family. Damon. Leo. Me. Ethan. Greyson. You. Don't forget that." He stops at every name carefully, as if to make sure that I am listening, which I was.

"What is it Blake ?" I ask, unsure if I really wanted to know the answer to that question. Maybe it's better if I don't know...

"I cannot tell you. But the keys Magnolia, they are around each and one of us, hanging around our necks like heavy weights." He pauses a second and shakes his head, before letting out a frustrated sigh. "It's the necklaces Lila. They are the key to everything, you can't ever let go of it do you understand me ?" I look at Blake with wide eyes and I automatically reach for the necklace that is hanging around my neck. This is the key to a powerful weapon...but what is it ? The engraved initials of my name on the necklace suddenly feels way heavier than it should be. " You can't open the door where is hidden the object with just one key, multiple keys are needed for that..."

Our moment gets interrupted, when we suddenly hear the front door slam shut and seconds later the voice of the scariest brothers of all times resonates through the whole mansion. Shit.

"GET YOUR FUCKING ASSES DOWN HERE. NOW !"

We are fucked.

We were indeed in a freaking mess, when we had to confront Damon about what happened the night before, because of course an attack couldn't be hidden away from him. And neither did the party. He was aware of everything, no shit. Could we really think that this could go unnoticed ? Nah bullshit.

Damon ended up by forcing the guys to do military excercices for at least 6 hours in a row, while I was chilling on the couch, watching them suffer in the garden. Damon was aware of my state somehow and thought it was already enough as a lesson. I agree.

That was the only punishment the boys got, because I think Damon was just relieved that no one got injured or killed during the attack. It was his biggest worry. We do had to clean the house and the maids were dismissed for the day, so it was only us. I didn't complain, because we deserved it for one hundred percent.

At the end of the day, I ended up passing out on my bed, exhausted from the day. But it was not over. I still had a race to attend the same night and I wouldn't want to miss it in the whole world. I could finally race with Rage and I was ready.

Like before, I sneaked out of the house through the garage and made sure to hack into the security cameras to enable them for 5 minutes, which was just enough for me to leave the property. Well actually I didn't hack the system, someone from the Burning Heath did. All Gab's work. Couldn't be more grateful to have a partner in crime like this.

But he wasn't the only one helping me in this. Will was going to be by my side tonight, because he knew exactly about the race that was happening tonight, which meant that he knew damn well that I was going to kick asses. He didn't want to miss it, but he tried to warn me about one thing though. This night was not going to be one of the usual races. Hell no. It was going to be...

different.

Xx