Escaping Christian

12: Kray's

Hold Me Down - Mansionair

                  

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With my resolve drawn up and signed, I easily pushed it right to the back of my mind and sat with Katherine whilst the men sat by bar with very serious masks plastered across their faces. Every time I'd tried to listen in on their conversation, Kate smacked me across the head saying, 'you better be listening to me.'

"Stop staring at him."

"I'm staring at all of them. What do you think they're talking about?"

"Let them be," She rolled her eyes. "I know this is your first time being more than five feet away from Christian after four long days but I always thought the objective had been to escape his presence instead of monopolising it."

I ripped off a piece of bread and popped it into my mouth. "This has nothing to do with him and more about the topic of conversation, Katherine."

"Alright. By the way, I only watched what I needed to watch so whatever happened in between here and Al Mazar I'm eager to find out."

Although I kept my gaze firmly on Callum's lips moving, a blush betrayed my nonchalant shrug. "Don't ask me please. I don't want to talk about anything, we're not teenagers."

"No we're not teenagers but we are full grown women who are entitled to gossip."

"And I'm not in the mood, Kate there's not much to say."

I was met with silence and I turned from Joe to Kate watching me with a calculating glare.

"What?" I sighed.

"None of that just friend's bull crap you spouted yesterday?"

"Not today"

As we both ate, thankfully in silence, I managed to grab bits and pieces of the conversation. Christian was giving Joe the third degree, unsurprisingly. But Joe took everything in stride just as he always did.

"What are the plans for today?" I asked directing my attention back to Kate.

"That I know of, you're safe for the rest of the day. Have a wander around. I have to talk to Christian about something."

"Why do I have to wander off?"

"That of course is none of your business, Chels. I need to speak with him alone and I haven't had the opportunity to do so. Things need to happen and fast. Things are getting sketchy in my head and we all need a strategy. And no, you can't be present; I'm sorry about that."

Christian glanced over and I instantly turned away. "If things are sketchy, how do you know I'm safe?"

"Don't doubt me just yet." She scowled but it was accompanied with a smile. "Go enjoy your last official day of freedom because who knows what happens after tonight. Sneak out though. Christian will be sure to follow you unless you do it right. Jump out a window or something."

"Can I... bring Joe?"

"Sure, take Joe. Just not Christian."

"Fine. Thanks mom."

Katherine smirked sarcastically. "You're welcome darling."

**

Sneaking out was easier said than done and I didn't expect any different. Kate had grabbed Cal and Christian's attention easily by pointing them in the direction of the larger bar with a fifty year old bottle of whiskey at the end of the hotel. On our way there through the lobby, I lingered at the end of the pack taking Katherine's over the top laugh as my cue to grab the back of Joe's shirt and drag him outside and into a cab.