Page 13 of Cruel Heir

I glanced at Keith once. He was still fast asleep. Then, I stared at the timestamp underneath the text. It was only a few hours old. Realization hit me.He sent it right before showing up at my door.

Dread and disbelief filled me. Nick was right.

I wanted to scream at Keith and wake him up with punches, but something inside me stopped me from doing that. I slowly got out of bed with his phone in my hands. I continued to go through his recent texts.

Are you sure she actually tried double-crossing you? Don’t go toying with her if she didn’t. That’s not you, man. – Kyle

Even though I was already expecting the fucking worst, I couldn’t help but feel betrayed. I felt like the dumbest person ever.

I don’t know, but what I do know is that she’s gonna do whatever her father asks her to do. Eloisa’s one of those people with daddy issues. - Keith

Keith exchanged a few more texts with Kyle, but I stopped going through them. I didn’t feel hurt anymore. This was my fault – I had gotten carried away. I wouldn’t blame Keith for anything either – everyone expected this from him. I had been warned about it. I just didn’t listen.

It was about time that I got a grip on myself and not let my emotions take control of me.

It was time for Keith Carson to know that I wasn’t some girl he could break for his own good.

I got dressed as quietly as possible before getting my phone and car keys. I glanced at Keith one last time, seeing how innocent he looked in her bed.This scheming, plotting bastard.

I turned around as I was leaving the dorm.I almost forgot something.

I slowly opened my drawer and pulled out my gun. It was completely against my rules to use a gun outside Bilbao. Hell, I hadn’t even shot an actual person in my life. It was just something that I was supposed to keep with me. Well, a lot of things weren’t going according to my plans, though.

I thought of how close I was to Keith. I was so fucking close, but I couldn’t blow his head off. That would’ve been so fucking easy on him. I would make him pay but in a slightly different way. And I knew just how to do that.

It was dark and quiet when I stood in the parking lot. It took me only a few minutes to find my car. As I started it, I sat there while trying to get my head together. Having a plan was not enough – I couldn’t act on my own.

I could call Nick, but he would never agree to it. I could also call Allison, but she wasn’t capable of that. I thought of the only person who’d be willing to help me out – someone who wouldn’t really have another choice.

I pulled out my phone and searched for his number. Four rings later, a sleepy voice answered my call.

“Hello?”

I did not bother greeting him back. “I need your help, Sam. Meet me near the Carson vineyard, but don’t say a word about it to anyone.”

“Miss Castillo, are you oka—?”

“Yes, Sam, I’m completely okay,” I assured him quickly. “There’s just some unfinished business that I need to take care of.”

As I uttered those words out loud, I stopped feeling anything.

If there was one thing I knew about Keith, he wanted to take something away from his father – something he believed he deserved more than the man who served as the don in his family before Keith even existed. His biggest flaw was his hatred for his own blood.

So, Keith looked for validation in other ways. He called himself the Prince of Bilbao, took over the work when Don Carson fell ill, and kept a close eye on everything. Unfortunately for him, I wouldn’t sit in my dorm and cry over him. I would show him what it felt like to be double-crossed.

I only waited for a few minutes outside the Carson vineyard before I saw a familiar car approach me. I couldn't help but smile as a disheveled Sam scurried towards me. At least I had someone to count on.

"Oh, I'm so glad you're alright, Miss Castillo. I thought something bad happened to you." There was concern in his voice.

I got out of the car. "I'm okay. Did you bring what I asked you to?"

Sam looked at me with his big bright eyes and nodded hurriedly. "What are you planning, Miss?" he asked politely, following me as I made my way to his car and opened the trunk.

"What do you think? You are allowed to guess – I won't shoot you."

The boy’s eyes merely widened, unable to respond. I almost laughed at his reaction.

"Don't worry; we will not burn the entire vineyard – just one of the factories. I need to teach someone a lesson," I said.

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