CHAPTER 50: SOMETHING FISHY

Braelyn’s POV

A vein popped on my forehead once it finally registered that it was Joey and not Lucien.

My phone lit up, without checking the ID I knew it must be that infuriating man.

Unknown: You look like you just swallowed a bug. Don’t skin Joey Alive he still has a loving family.

I quickly replied to him.

Lynn: Do you think this is funny?

His reply came in a heartbeat.

Unknown: Your expression is the chef’s kiss. I wonder what will make you madder maybe a kiss (smiling emoji)

Lucien or not, whoever was texting me was having a blast.

Unlike Lucien, who always carried this sharp edge with him. Joey was a sunny golden retriever.

"Joey, what are you doing here?" Genny gasped, almost dazed by his appearance.

I stared back at Joey whose gaze had the models frozen. He was dressed a bit differently from earlier.

Joey looked nothing like the man we saw earlier at the mall.

He was dressed in a blue that fit just right tailored, sleek, and far too elegant for a casual visit. The soft fabric caught the light with each step, paired with a black shirt unbuttoned just enough to look effortlessly bold. A single gold chain glinted against his skin, matching the faint gold accents on his watch.

He looked like he’d walked straight out of a luxury campaign refined and easy-going, but with that rare kind of energy that made people part for him without asking. And yet, beneath that sunny exterior, there was something sharp. Something dangerous.

"Just wanted to say hi to my sis in law and the photographer who made me a trending topic." He said smoothly with a smile but something in his voice felt like he wasn’t here by Chance. A hint of reluctance.

He looked like he was here for business or something similar. I wondered what a gaming star would be up to.

Genny, who was completely oblivious to the mood and was a bit drunk, chuckled. "Yes, you guys looked super cute in that picture. Come here let Mama give you a kiss." She chimed waving off at him

I stared at her dumbfounded. Was she really drunk or looking for an excuse to touch him?

His eyes swept around us, and the laughter in the room faltered with the air turning stale. Adrian, who’d been the boldest a second ago, took an involuntary step back. Lucas tried to mask his nervousness with a smirk, but his hand twitched.

Lucas glanced at the drink in his glass and his smirk grew. "This is rather interesting." He chimed twirling the glass then handed it over to Adrian

"Drink it." He said, his voice was calm. Adrian froze, his eyes on Joey suspiciously.

He managed a smirk. "What are you trying to do?" He asked and my brows furrowed. What was going on?

Joey laughed. "You’ve got to be fucking kidding. Don’t make this night any shitter for me." He said. Lucas leaned over to whisper something into Adrian’s ear. His gaze hardened and he reached out for the drink

The moment Joey let go, Adrian deliberately let the glass slip and shatter on the floor. My heart jumped, staring at the glass shards on the floor.

"You are really smart, aren’t you?" He chimed an amused glint lingered in his eyes.

"It was an honest mistake." Adrian shrugged, still trying to act unaffected by the tension.

Genny’s model suddenly found an excuse to leave the table. "Where are you going?" She whined trying to stop them.

"We will be back." They said but it still felt like an excuse. Lucas was petrified under Joey’s gaze while Adrian remained unmoved.

Joey’s gaze dropped towards Adrian. "You look too refined to be a model." He stated, and I could feel Adrian visibly tense up. His jaw clenched.

"What do you mean?" He asked before adding, "You are interrupting our jobs." He added bravely. My brain was short-circuited, but I was smart enough to know something was off.

The air went stale. Adrian moved, reaching out for something in his shoes. His movements were swift but Joey read through it.

His hand grabbed my wrist and yanked me off the chair just in time before Lucas could grab me. My heart was pounding as I slammed against his chest before I could breathe. A shot rang from downstairs, and the club was thrown into chaos.

Genny screamed, falling on the ground, and the model used the opportunity to bolt. "Fuck !" Joey cussed, grabbing Genny.

My eyes went wide, "she fainted." I blurted. Genny was a heavy drinker, she wouldn’t have blacked out that easily..Joey hissed again.

"Stay low, something is off." He said cautiously hiding behind the chairs while he tried to text someone.

"What is going on?" I asked him, but he didn’t even have the chance to answer.

My phone buzzed. It was the unknown number calling. A familiar voice reached my ears once I picked it up....

"Follow Joey and make sure you leave." The voice instructed.

My grip tightened on the phone. "What is going on Lucien?" I asked him. He must be close by.

"I am trying to figure that out too." He replied impatiently before the call went off. Screams tore through the crowd and the packed club turned chaotic. More gunshots rang. We squatted, hiding out in our spot, staying away from danger, while Joey was texting someone.

"We have to move." He instructed. Genny was brutally tossed over his shoulder and he started moving. I stayed close to him while we tried to get out of the mess

"Is this a gang rivalry?" I asked Joey. He kicked a door open which led to a staff emergency exit. It was safer than struggling through the chaotic mess of people running for their lives through the main exit

"Less questions and more running." Joey Instructed. The pathway he took was oddly empty; it felt like it was arranged beforehand.

Another door was pushed open and we arrived at the side entrance. Screams could still be heard on the premises. A car pulled over immediately. The back seat was pushed open

Joey shoved me and Genny in before slamming the door and getting in through the passenger seat. I didn’t even get a good look at the driver when a bullet hit one of the side mirrors.

The driver stepped on the accelerator, and we zoomed off, driving away from the chaos. The driver was wearing a hoodie and the rear mirror was oddly angled, making it hard to see his face.

"Please what is going on?" I asked Joey, my pulse was still off the charts. He sighed then glanced behind.

He didn’t answer me. "I don’t think her friend was the target." He mentioned.

"I’m glad I trusted my guts, " Joey added. What was he talking about?

"This was truly unexpected." The driver finally spoke. His familiar voice made me instinctively relax..

"Lucien..." I blurted. He sighed.

"Lynn, have you ever offended anyone related to the Mafia before?" His question threw me completely off.