58

Word Count: 1998

~Kiva

I face the building, my stomach churning uneasily.

This is it. As long as everything goes to plan, my father is going to be dead, and I feel no sadness for that thought.

Problem is, I'm an intricate part of this plan, and there is a good chance I'm walking into my own death.

I look through the tree's, knowing the rebellion members are close and Ark will have his eye on me for as long as he possibly could. He was reluctant to let me do this, but he knows this is the best way to ensure everything goes smoothly.

Summoning a breath, I march toward the building, immediately catching the attention of the guards.

Father seems to have brought his entire company with him. This is the last time he plans to come here, and he probably knows something may arise before he can make a break for it.

They raise their guns at me, even when they realise it's their Princess they are threatening.

"I just want to see my father," I reason, holding my hands up.

The plan is to have me lure him into his main meeting room so the rebellion members can deal with the guards.

One of the guards nods for me to follow him while the others keep their guns pointed right at me. I keep my hands up as I'm guided through the front door and into the main entrance.

Father emerges from the meeting room, speaking to someone. His speech cuts off immediately upon laying eyes on me.

I hope my appearance unsettles him.

I woke this morning to see the major swelling had gone down around my eye, although a dark bruise had taken its place. I cleaned up all the dried blood down my neck, although the ache from the wound is very much present, reminding me of why I'm doing this.

"Father," I greet flatly.

He clears his throat, clearly taken aback. "Kiva. You've returned."

"I want to talk to you," I tell him, looking at each of his guards who still hold their guns up threateningly. I swallow tightly, knowing this is a risk. "Please."

"Lower your guns," he orders. "If she came here willingly, she does not need to be apprehended."

They oblige him, although they remain close, not taking their eyes off me. I try to ignore them, not caring if they think I'm a threat to my father. They are completely right about that.

"Thank you," I breathe.

Until I get into that meeting room, I'm trying to come off unthreatening and passive. He needs to think I'm here for a civil conversation, and not to lure him into his death.

"This doesn't mean I trust you. I assume your lover is planning on killing me," he muses, nodding at the man he came out of the meeting with. The man ducks from the building.

I imagine he has something to do with the business. I hope the rebels take care of him.

"Can we sit down somewhere? My head is killing me."

His jaw tightens, but he nods, gesturing into the meeting room.

I amble my way in, trying not to appear too eager. He may not trust me, but he underestimates me. He doesn't think I'm capable of contributing to his death, but he greatly misunderstands my deep burning hatred for him.

"Ark won't have to kill you if you admit what you did to the public," I tell him once the door is closed and we are sitting down.

One of his guards is standing near the door, watching me. He may complicate things, but I'm sure Ark will have it covered.

"That would ruin both our reputations," father reminds me.

"You don't care about my reputation. If you did, you wouldn't have hurt me like this," I insist quietly.

If I raise my voice, I may entice him into doing something rash. Hopefully the rebels have started closing in.

"I didn't intend to hurt you," he exclaims, shaking his head. "I do love you, Kiva. I've done a lot of this for you, and I want you to understand the benefits to this."

I nearly scoff in disbelief. Benefits? How could any amount of money be worth this?

"You're allowing people to get killed," I hiss.

His eyes darken. "I don't want to have to hurt you. I need you to try to see where I'm coming from."

His threat rolls off my shoulders. I'm not going to be scared of him anymore. I'm not going to let him think that I love him, that I agree with what he has done. These are his last moments, and I want him to die knowing I'm better off without him.

"You're not my father anymore. I should be more sad about that, but I'm not," I growl, my fingers tightening into fists underneath the table. "I hate you, and I hope you suffer."

"I'm saddened that you've made this decision-"

The lights suddenly flicker, dousing the room in darkness for a moment. I flinch, not anticipating that. Father pales too, turning to look at his guard.

"What is going on?" He snaps.

My heart pounds against my chest as my eyes flick between their interaction and the door. Ark told me it would just be him coming through it when the guards outside had been cleared out.

The guard opens the door a fraction. A gloved hand appears through the gap suddenly, grabbing the side of the guard's head before slamming it into the wall with enough force to break through the plaster.

My eyes flare wider as the guard crumples unconscious to the ground.

Father presses back in his chair, but pauses as the door opens and Ark stalks in, pressing it closed behind him.

My breath hitches. His face is grave, splattered with a few drops of blood from those he slaughtered to get in here.

Father lurches from his chair. "What the fuck-"

"Why don't you sit down," Ark encourages darkly. His voice is deadly calm, and although he doesn't brandish a weapon in father's face, it's enough to have him stiffen with fright.

"Of course it's you," father seethes.

Ark steps forward, a good couple inches taller than my father. "Sit the fuck down, or I'll kill you right here in front of your daughter."

As father obediently sits down, Ark glances at me. His eyes soften ever-so-slightly, as if to apologise for what he has to do.

I don't fear him, though. I would, if I didn't know how soft and gentle his heart truly is. He is finally getting revenge, and I don't want him to be worrying about me the whole time.

"Where are my guards?" Father questions.

"Dead. No one is coming for you," Ark tells him. He pulls out a chair on the side of the table, falling into it.

He knows my father won't run. The rebels would be outside waiting for him anyway.

"You won't get away with this," father snaps, leaning forward in his seat. "Everyone now knows that Kiva is attached to the rebellion. If you harm me, she will never have a life beyond this."

"As her mate, I can look after Kiva," Ark exclaims, his eyes darkening at the addition of my name to the conversation. "You should start worrying about yourself, although I suppose that's always what you've done."

My father won't even look at me now. He's ready to use me as a pawn for his freedom if he needs to.

"If you kill me, another will come up in my place," he states coldly.

"This goes further than just ridding the world of people like you." Ark shifts, doing well at holding himself back. "Your business killed my sister, and it killed many other loved one's. Those people hurt by you are standing behind that door, having killed all your guards, and now want you dead."

Terror visibly seizes him. He turns his head to the door, swallowing thickly. Death is behind that door, but it is also on this side, and now there is nowhere for him to run.

"If you kill me, you're no better than me," father snaps. He's desperate now.

"None of us are claiming to be a good person," Ark says calmly. "We just want you dead."

"Kiva. I'm your father." He's turned his attention to me as his last resort to get out of here alive. "Tell your mate to let me go."

"What he does to you is none of my business. You allowed his sister to be killed," I tell him sternly, refusing to let him get a single glimpse of emotion. "I won't even waste my breath on how you hurt me."

He draws in a breath, the true realisation that there is no other person to turn to save him finally hitting him. His expression falls and he appears calm.

"Do it then. Kill me."

Ark sighs, probably wishing my father would beg some more. "See, I love my mate. I love her more than you could ever understand, and I don't want her father's blood on my hands. So I'm going to let my fellow rebellion members get their revenge."

Ark lurches forward, grabbing father by his collar, pulling him out of his seat.

"No!" he screams. "No! Don't!"

He tries to fight against Ark, but it's no use. Ark opens the door and tosses my father out into the waiting arms of vengeful rebels.

He slams the door again, turning to me.

"I can't imagine they will take long," he mutters, brushing his hands together.

I didn't know that was the plan. I thought Ark would deal to him, not the rebels, although this way makes sense too.

Father's screams are brutal and frightened, growing more distant as he's dragged away.

"I feel sick." I hold my stomach, trying not to envision what those people will do to him. I know he deserves it, that these people have lost loved ones in the most tragic way possible, but it still hurts to think about.

"Are you okay?" Ark whispers, rounding the table to approach me.

He's immediately dropped that cool, dark exterior he had for my father, shifting back to that sweet mate that I've come to love.

"I'm glad he's gone. I just want to get out of here," I tell him, forcing myself up to standing. My legs tremble in protest, shock still rolling through me.

"First, I want to thank you," Ark says, taking my hands in his so he can help keep me standing. "All these rebellion members are going to want to thank you."

"I didn't do anything. I feel like I should also repent for being so oblivious," I mutter, rubbing my damp forehead.

Ark shakes his head. "There was no way you could have known. Please don't harbour any guilt."

I let out a long breath, my stomach still twisting, although I feel more at ease. It feels like the spirits of all those who lost their lives here are thanking me.

"So what now?"

"We scope this place out, get all the information we need so we can find all these clients and take care of them," he tells me, speaking tentatively as if I may be upset about the idea of making the clients pay.

Most of them are even worse than my father. Of course I want them gone.

"Please burn this place down, and then the cabin across the lake. I want these memories gone," I tell him quickly. A horrific place like this should not be standing.

Ark smiles grimly. "Of course. Anything for you."

I draw in a deep breath, feeling a new bout of confidence seize me. "Alright, let's get this done."

🤍••🤍

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! and as always it is available 10 chapters ahead on Radish!

THE DARKEST TEMPTATION— OUT NOW ON WATTPAD!!

~Midika 💜🐼