"Can you at least tell me where the hell are we going?! And slow down! I don't wanna die yet! Not now, not with you!" I screamed but I doubt that he can hear me since my head is covered with this helmet.
I was just confused when he opened the garage and took this big motorbike, and now he's owning the road and I don't know where in the pits of hell are going to end up to?
"Hold tight," And once again he revved the engine under the burning sun.
"We're almost there." I heard him assured me.
I could feel my heart beating so fast because of panic. I grabbed his jacket and laid my eyes on his back. I tried to look around. I am not even familiar with this place. I guess we aren't in Greenwood anymore. It looks like a huge and secluded subdivision, only that there are no houses or buildings. It is surrounded by green grasses and tall trees. He steered right and took a couple of kilometres until the huge mansion is revealed. My mouth dropped upon the sight.
"W-where are you taking me?" my voice is shaking.
"Someplace. Just trust me on this."
I wanted to jump off the ride but I would not hurt myself anyway so I hit his shoulders, hard enough for him to nag me. "Hey, I'm driving!"
"And I'm furious!"
He parked just a few ways before the main entrance. The exterior is similar to those Greek mansions with its huge carved pillars. It looks elegant and grand.
I got down the ride and wandered my eyes as I couldn't seem to find the switch to turn off my amusement. "Who owns this place?"
"Well, you're curious about my parents, right?"
"Holy shit, you live here?"
His forehead crumpled and grabbed my arms. "Don't worry, they're not here. Because if they are, then we wouldn't be here in the first place."
His words struck me like lightning. As if I don't wanna speak again. He grabbed my arm and lead towards the main entrance. The gigantic wooden door opened for him, revealing a slender middle-aged man. He looks very respectable for he is wearing a semi-formal suit and glasses. "It's good to see you again, Master Noah." the older man said.
"And it's good to be back, Lincoln." My eyes widened in disbelief as he gently smacked the older man's back. What a douche! Has he got no respect at all? The way he treated the old man hinted me that he might be the family butler.
"Forgive his attitude, Mr. Lincoln. Noah is just a little rogue." The older man seemed to be shocked with my comment regarding his master. "Hello to you too, beautiful young lady. I am Lincoln, the inferior of Giordano clan. Shall we?" He was about to escort me inside the mansion when Noah grabbed me.
Giordano clan? It sounds very expensive and wrong at some point. So, he's Noah Giordano? I never knew that. It occurred to me that I don't know anything about him at all.
"Tsk. This is Iris Claire. No need to show her around. We've got no time." he remarked.
The man nodded in agreement. "And when Thomas arrives, bring him to the office." he demanded before dragging me upstairs.
"Absolutely, Master Noah."
There are huge portraits hanging on the wall. One took my attention. It's a family portrait. There's Noah in the middle of his mother and father, and they were all wearing formal clothes. He's an only child. I hid my smile. He always looked angry. "That's three years ago." he grunted, as if ashamed.
"I thought you aren't in good terms with your parents?" I curiously asked.
"I don't like them but I do like my possessions."
"So, why living in that apartment?"
"You better stop asking questions now, Iris. I didn't bring you here to interrogate about my fucking life." he sounded like he was scared that I might actually grasp something valuable, something informative.
I just rolled my eyes. He opened the door and let me in the huge room first. The floor is carpeted. There is a writing desk in the center. The furnitures are all made from heavy red woods. There is also a big window seat on the other side of the room. I skipped towards it and looked down. "Woah..." I can see the field of green below. The fountain. The swing set, and even the pavilion.
"Don't you wanna live here instead?" I asked, not looking at him. Although I could feel his glare piercing on my innocent soul.
"Not in a million years."
"Why do you hate your family so much, Noah?"
"Are you my shrink?" he sarcastically asked.
He stepped closer to my direction and followed my gaze below. "He's here," he looked at me down my chest.
"You might wanna find something to cover your skin." My jaw dropped. What the hell is he talking about?
"Who's that? Is that Hans?"
"No. His brother, Thomas." He threw his jacket on my face. "Wear it."
"If you don't trust him enough then why did you even invite him?" I scoffed but he did not bother to answer.
It was a heavy feeling to cover my whimsical halter top with his jacket. In a few moments, the door blasted open, revealing a matured looking man. He has a resemblance with Hans. Why is this man even here?
"Woah, is this her? The chick?" The unfamiliar man looked at me, memorizing the corners of my face down my neck, chest, and hips. I gulped and grabbed on Noah's sleeves. Now I know why he asked me to wear his jacket.
"Chill your eyes, man. Are you really doing that lame move of yours in front of me, in my very own house?" Noah warned.
"Okay, cool. We're cool." the other surrendered, raising his hands in the air.
Noah sat on the desk, his ragged black Chuck Taylor Converse shoes soiling the surface. While the other man pulled a chair nearby and propped down.
I couldn't even afford to be closed with that stranger so I positioned myself down the window seat instead. "Iris, this is Thomas. Tommy, this is Iris. The one I told you about the threats." Noah trailed off.
"Right. And you were suspecting Joe's group doing all those nasty shit?" Thomas clarified.
"Oh, I don't suspect. I know." Noah uttered confidently.
"You do realize that whatever it is that's threatening this chick is not some cheap ass crew, right? It should be something big. A person with a big name." the other suggested.
"Well, maybe he has connections." Noah did not stop fighting for his idea. He looks down, as if thinking things very deeply. While I am staring at him, I could also feel the piercing gaze of Thomas at me. "What did you see? In the alley?" he asked.
"They were harassing a girl— a girl student, forcing her to consume drugs, hell I don't even wanna think about what other things they possibly had done to her." I lost my voice.
"Maybe they were just playing around. You know, girls your age do like to have a good time." Thomas casually said.
"Are you out of your mind? Do you think I am out of my mind?! I don't even know why I am talking to you!" I faced him but the beast in him just smiled at me.
I stood up with urgency, "Noah, I wanna leave." I demanded.
"God, I was hoping you two would get along. I won't be able to help you alone, Iris. And did you really think I'd help you until the very end?"