Amelia POV
I went through my wardrobe in search of a hoodie or any warm clothing, It was pretty cold outside, and i, Bianca and Natasha were having a girls outing. As I rummaged through my wardrobe, my fingers brushed against a familiar fabric. Pulling it out, I realized it was Kai's hoodie, the one he had given me weeks back. holding it up and snuggling it, i was hit with the familiar scent of his cologne that lingered on the fabric. After going through my wardrobe and finding out that his hoodie was literally the only cozy outfit i had, i had to put it on.  I grabbed my purse and headed downstairs to meet Bianca and Natasha.
"Hey girls!" I greeted them with a smile as I joined them. Bianca raised an eyebrow as she noticed Kai's hoodie draped over my shoulders.
“look who’s looking beautiful again!” Natasha beamed cheerfully as she pulled me in a bone crushing hug. As we hugged, i could feel Bianca’s gaze on me the whole time, she didn’t say a word for a while, and i don’t know why i was getting the feeling that she wasn’t happy again.
"Nice hoodie, Amelia. Is that Kai's?" Bianca finally spoke, her voice low
I nodded, trying to play it off casually. I didn’t expect any of them to notice that i was putting on kai’s hoodie, and i was really not in the mood to answer any question about how i got it "Yeah, it's just something to keep me warm. I couldn't find anything else," I replied, hoping to brush off any further questions.
“wait a minute! My brother gave you his hoodie!?” Natasha asked in shock immediately she also realized that it was kai’s hoodie
“well, we were out working together on a cold evening and i didn’t bring a hoodie with me, so he just had to give me his hoodie” i lied, silently praying that they find it believable so i don’t have to answer deeper questions that’ll get me exposed, and thankfully, it worked.
“it seems like my brother is finally getting comfortable around Amelia. Isn’t that so sweet?” Natasha said to Bianca who gave her a tight smile
“you’ve got it wrong Natasha. Kai only gave his hoodie to me because i didn’t have one” i said
"well, as long as you're warm," Bianca said, her tone neutral.
"it looks so cute on you, maybe i should set up a blind date for you with kai!" she exclaimed, her enthusiasm bubbling over.
"No, thanks, I’ll pass. Shall we head out now?" I suggested, eager to change the subject.
They both agreed, and we set off for our girls' outing, leaving the topic of Kai's hoodie behind. Firstly, we went bowling. Even though it was still 5:00pm in the evening, kai still had his guard tailing us, which was pretty uncomfortable because i am literally just trying to have fun, there’s no way i’ll run off despite knowing that my mother’s life was on the line. After almost an hour, we decided to try our hand at mini-golf. Despite our lack of skill and the feeling of being watched by kai’s guard, we had fun. it was probably the best night out I’ve had in a while and this was all Natasha’s idea, despite kai wasn’t in support for whatever reason, Natasha stood on business insisting that i go out with her. After a long evening, we headed over to the ice-cream van for an ice-cream break, Natasha and Bianca opt for a strawberry flavour while i opt for a vanilla flavour.
“so, what do we do next? We still have an hour before heading back home” i asked holding my ice cream and waiting for Bianca and Natasha to get theirs
“we go have a few drinks!” Natasha said excitedly
“i don’t think that’ll work, remember, kai said ‘no drinking tonight’ “ i warned while Bianca let out a laugh
“c’mon Amelia, a few shots wouldn’t hurt. Kai doesn’t even have to know” Bianca persuaded, but before i could give an answer, my phone started to ring. I checked the caller and got sick after finding out that it was kai. jeez! what does he want now? He knows i’m out having fun, whatever job he has for me has to wait till the night is over.
“hello” i said, my tone failing to hide my frustration
“meet me at inferno, Joshua will take you there. You have 20 minutes” kai said, his voice leaving no room for objection. Before i could say anything else, he hung up on me, leaving me frustrated. Can this man normalize informing me about any plan ahead of time? 20 minutes was impossible, i wasn’t well dressed. i was too casual to go meet kai like this, i was putting on jean shorts, a pair of sneakers, black hoodie and a black baseball hat, kai would definitely nag about my outfit if i pull up looking this way.
Feeling a mix of annoyance and resignation, I quickly finished my ice cream and turned to Bianca and Natasha, who were watching me expectantly.
"Sorry, girls. I have to go, kai just called" I said, trying to conceal the disappointment in my voice
Natasha furrowed her brow. "that annoying brat, don’t worry about him, just Ignore him"
I sighed, wishing I could stay and enjoy the rest of the evening with them. "I wish I could, but Kai needs me. It's urgent."
Natasha gave me an understanding nod, though I could tell she was disappointed. Hesitantly, i headed over to the vehicle which had brought us and proceeded to the venue because there’s no way i was going back to get changed first. After about 15 minutes’ drive, we finally arrived at inferno. Joshua escorted me in until i spotted kai sitting at his usual spot with a group of men, i didn’t know if it was right for me to walk up to him dressed that way or simply just sit at the pub and wait for him to come find me. After so much consideration, i finally decided to walk over to him. As I approached, I could feel the eyes of Kai's associates on me, their curious glances making me feel self-conscious about my attire. But I pushed aside my discomfort, focusing on Kai as I reached his table.
"hello" I greeted him, trying to keep my voice steady despite the annoyance i felt
Kai glanced up at me, his expression unreadable for a moment before he nodded in acknowledgment. "sit” he replied, his tone neutral.
I took a seat beside him, feeling the hard gaze piercing into me from all direction.
Kai’s gaze lingered on me for a moment longer before he finally asked “why are you dressed up this way?” he asked in a whisper, his eyes still surveying my entire outfit.
“obviously because i was in the middle of a night out when you called asking me to pull up in 20 minutes” i said, still pissed that he interrupted my night out
“nice to meet you again, remind me you name” one of the men asked with a grin as he put out his hand for a handshake while kai shot him a deadly glare
"Amelia," I replied, accepting his handshake. But before the man could say anything else, Kai interrupted, his voice cutting through the air like a blade.
"put out your cigarette, she doesn’t like the smell of cigarettes" Kai commanded, his tone firm and unwavering.
The man and his companions froze, their smiles faltering as they exchanged confused glances. "Excuse me?" the man stammered, clearly taken aback by Kai's unexpected request.
“that was a good one” one of the men said with a laugh while the rest joined in. They seemed to think it was a joke, attempting to laugh it off, but their laughter died in their throats when they saw Kai
"put out your cigarette, now," Kai repeated as he pulled out his gun from his pocket.
Realization dawned on them as they caught sight of Kai's gun, his hand resting casually on the weapon at his hip. Without another word, they extinguished their cigarettes, not without shooting me a glare.
As the awkward tension lingered in the air, I shifted uncomfortably in my seat, feeling increasingly out of place amidst the serious atmosphere. My outfit suddenly felt embarrassingly casual, and I wished I could disappear into thin air.
As Kai started to speak, I cleared my throat intentionally, hoping to draw his attention. But he didn't react, his gaze fixed on the men before us.
Growing more frustrated, I tried again, clearing my throat a little louder this time. Still, he didn't turn his head, his expression remaining impassive.
Feeling exasperated, I attempted a third time, clearing my throat more deliberately. This time, Kai's expression shifted from indifference to annoyance as he turned to look at me.
"What do you want?" he asked, his tone tinged with irritation.
“i’d like to sit at a separate table, i don’t feel comfortable here” i answered, kai went quiet for a while, considering my request before he finally answered.
“stay here, carlos will be here soon to direct you on what to do, only then will i let you out of my sight” he said
As Kai's response sank in, frustration welled up inside me. I didn't want to stay in this uncomfortable situation any longer, and the thought of waiting for someone else to arrive felt suffocating.
"this outfit is so embarrassing," I protested, my voice tinged with desperation. "I'll be fine on my own. You don’t have to babysit me all the time, i am not a fucking kid."
"i never asked you to come here looking like an amateur baseball player"
I felt a surge of anger immediately he said that. This was all his fault, i don’t get why he was making my life so difficult. If he had told me about today’s plan earlier on, i probably wouldn’t have showed up looking like this.  Ignoring Kai's stern gaze, I stood up from my seat and headed over to a nearby table, i wasn’t about to let him control me again.
As I sat alone at the pub, I couldn't shake the feeling of Kai's eyes lingering on me, even from across the room. it’s been a while since i left, and he was still staring at me, it was beginning to get me really uncomfortable. I hate the way he always treats me like a five-year-old, i am grown enough to make decisions on my own and go out alone without having him tell me what to do, sending guards to tail me or telling me who and who not to talk to. I couldn’t even order a drink or anything for myself because he wouldn’t let me, yet, there he was, having the time of his life. At this point, if i don’t learn to start saying no or standing on business, i might have to start seeking his permission just so i can breathe.
I watched as Kai finally rose from his seat and made his way towards me, his imposing figure casting a shadow over me. Before he could utter a word, the deafening sound of a gunshot pierced the air, followed by the sight of Kai collapsing to the ground.
Time seemed to stand still as chaos erupted around me, people scrambling for safety amidst the panic and confusion. My heart pounded in my chest as I stared in shock at Kai, his blood staining the floor beneath him as he clutched his chest in pain. Everyone were running out of the club for their safety, but i was too stunned to even move my feet. What just happened?