LUCY POV
The dining room felt like a cage.
Talia's smug smirk persisted as she sipped her wine, her eyes darted to my direction as if I was the main villain she couldn't wait to solve.
I pushed my food around the plate with little appetite. I was left alone with Talia and Will after Nic and Gray had hurriedly left with Cullen.
Will stood quietly at the doorway. I was burned by his presence, but I didn't want to look at him. Not after his girlfriend's bombshell. Not after everything.
My chair scratched the marble floor as I got up. I muttered, "I am going to my room." my voice breaking. Talia blinked, but that did not stop me from moving forward.
Immediately, I stepped out of the room. Will's footsteps were heavy on the ground like a shadow I couldn't shake off as he followed me behind.
Upstairs, I clicked the bedroom door open and I stepped inside before I had a chance to close it. Will slipped in quickly.
Turning to face him. I yelled, "You can't just barge in just like that."
His eyes were unreadable and dark. "I'm your bodyguard," he whispered, his voice almost mocking. "I will go wherever you go because it is my duty to guide you."
"If that is your duty, then stand outside!" I yelled, pointing at the door. He turned to face the door, but he remained motionless. Instead, he leaned against the wall, wrapped his arm about his chest, and observed me as if I were a prey.
My chest ached with anger, and we remained silent for a long time. He said, "You are angry," breaking the tension in the room, "but why?" He asked, stepping closer to me.
I laughed, bitter and sharp. "Are you kidding me? Aren't you?" I move closer to him, filling the gap between us as I speak directly into his face, "You kiss me, act like I'm nothing, then tell me you have a girlfriend. Now you're here, playing loyal guard. What's your deal, Will?"
For a while, I thought he was about to kiss me again as his jaw tensed, but he did not say anything. Instead, his eyes fell to my lips. His phone buzzing in his pocket broke the magic, and my breath caught.
He took a look at it and his face changed immediately, then he turned away, typing quickly.
"What's so important?" I demanded, stepping closer. "Who's that? Your girlfriend?"
He took a step forward and glanced directly at me, his eyes burning. "Could you please stop asking questions that you would not want the answers to?"
Before I could respond, my stomach dropped the moment a scream echoed throughout the house. It was from downstairs. Will's hand held to his waist, where I knew he kept his gun. "Remind still," he ordered, already moving for the door.
"No way." I grabbed his arm. "I'm coming with you."
He looked at me but didn't argue. The scream grew louder, joined by shouts, as we rushed downstairs. Talia stood in the foyer, clutching her phone. The butler was trying to calm her, but she shoved him away with her pale face.
She yelled, "They're gone!" Her eyes went wild. "Nic and Grey…they left with Cullen, and now their car's missing!"
"What do you mean, missing?" I asked, my voice sharp. Will was already on his phone, yelling orders to someone I don't know.
Talia's poise broke as she turned to face me, her voice breaking. "On the highway, their car was discovered abandoned. Not a trace of them. Nothing!" For the first time, since I joined this family, she appeared calm rather than a haughty queen.
Will hung up, his expression grim. "Raymond's checking it out, there is no blood or weapons. They're not hurt yet."
"Yet?" I snapped, afraid of spiking. "What's going on, Will? you know what is going on, don't you?"
He didn't answer me; he just held my hands and shoved me towards the door. "We're going right now."
I yanked free."Until you tell me what is happening, I will not leave this house with you!"
He fixed his icy, unforgiving gaze on mine and said, "You want the truth? Fine. Your husband's family isn't what you think they are, Lucy, they're rotten and I'm not just your bodyguard."
My heart stopped. "What does that mean?"
The front door sprang open before he could respond. Bella Dipson rushed in, her eyes burning with rage and her face heated. She spat out, "You!" and gestured to Will. "I was aware that you were in trouble!"
"Trouble!" I look at Will, but he remains calm. "What is she talking about?" I demanded."
"I have no idea what she meant by trouble." Will reply, moving towards me, but I step backward as I give a headshake.
"Last night, I caught you skulking around, brandishing that gun. "What did you do to my brother?"
Will's face remained the same as he shot his hand toward his waist, "Bella, watch what you say." he said calmly, "Because you do not know what you are discussing."
She hissed and took a step closer, "Oh, I know a lot about all your doings, I had been following you all these days and I witnessed you meeting Raymond. Are you not planning something? Tell me, or I swear I'll tell everyone!"
My head spun. Bella following Will? Carrying a gun in secret? With my chest pounding heavily, I gazed at him. "Will, what's she talking about?"
He avoided looking at me. His icy, calculating gaze remained fixed on Bella. He muttered, "what is going over your head kid, go home."
Bella laughed, sharp and manic. "Home? After what I found? You're not just a bodyguard, Will Cannon. Or should I say… Andrea Perkins?"
The world tilted. Andrea Perkins? My lips dried up, and I reached for the wall for balance. Will's expression remained the same, although his eyes wavered, possibly out of dread or remorse. For the first time, he looked cornered.
"You just made an awful mistake, Bella," he stated in an uneven voice.
Upstairs, there was a tremendous crash, and before I could process it, there was a cold silence. With his revolver in his grasp, Will's head jerked up. He hissed, "Stay here," but I was already on the go, my heart racing.
The black door to Grey's room was open at the top of the stairs. I smelled blood, a faint but familiar smell. I pushed myself forward despite my knees giving out. Will immediately followed me behind.
As the room was in ruins, documents were scattered everywhere, furniture toppled, and there was a single, red-stained photograph on the floor. It featured a little boy with curly brown hair grinning next to a couple, and was ancient and faded. In shaky handwriting on the back: *The Perkins Family, 2008
Will froze, his breath ragged. "No," he whispered, as he picked it up with his hands shaking for the first time since I met him. I saw him break.
"Will… who are you?" I asked, my voice trembling.
He turned to me, eyes haunted. "Lucy, I…"
A gunshot echoed out from downstairs, cutting him off. Bella's scream followed immediately.