Chapter 18

Ashton

"Brando will fetch you here and you'll start your training in an hour now," Luciano said and I can't help but furrowed my brows at him, I accidentally let go of the spoon and fork I was holding the moment I heard what he just said.

"What are you talking about? W-What training?" I asked him in confusion but Luciano just smiled at me and turned his attention back to what he was eating.

"I'm full already," I said and leaned my back in the chair while rubbing my stomach. Until now it still bothers me when Luciano told me that my training will start now. I can't help but feel nervous. What kind of training is he talking about?

"Get back to the room, I think the clothes I bought for you are already there, change into your comfortable dress and wait for Brando," Zie ordered causing me to frown at him even more.

"You must be mistaken me as your assassin, Luciano," I responded with gritted teeth so that he could see that I did not like what he wanted me to do.

"Of course not, you are more than that, babe," Luciano said meaningfully and the grin on his lips widened even more. I was so annoyed with him that I got up from the chair and walked out of the dining room without bidding goodbye.

I went straight to the room but I was shocked to see a man inside the room with paper bags in his hand.

"Who are you?" I cautiously asked, it was almost a whisper but enough for the man inside the room to hear, I didn't go inside the room in case this man do something that I don't like, I can easily sprint and run.

"No need to fret, it's just me." The man replied and slowly turned to faced me, I heaved a sigh of relief when I saw that it was Brando who was inside the room, I didn't recognize him immediately because I only met him a few times.

"What are you doing here?" I asked and went into the room, I noticed there were different kinds of paper bags lying on the bed.

"Well, about that, your clothes are already here. But the ones in the blue paper bag are what you will wear now for training." Brando replied and took the blue paper bag and handed it to me. When I got the paper bag I immediately opened it and I couldn't help but raised my eyebrows when I saw a black bodysuit inside the paper bag.

"What am I suppose to do with this? Why am I doing the training?" I asked Brando in complete confusion. I can't think of reasons why Luciano wants me to do the training.

"You're one of us now," Brando replied with a smirk on his lips.

"What? Are you kidding? You won't even ask me if I want to be like all of you here? I'm not going anywhere, I'm planning to rest on the bed for an entire day." I said and threw the paper bag at Brando who he caught immediately before I jumped towards the bed and lay down comfortably. I closed my eyes when I felt my body touched the soft bed.

"Nice butt you got there." Brando laughed and my eyes widened when I realized I was only wearing a tee-shirt.

"Pervert!" I accuse him, I was almost yelling and lower the hem of my dress.

"Get up and get changed. You don't want the boss to get angry at you, don't you? The boss may be treating you good but kid don't you dare disobey him. What he was showing to you is just his facade." Brando said causing me to look at him with astonishment.

"What do you mean?" I asked and got up from lying on the bed.

"Don't wake the beast in him, kid," Brando said meaningfully but I did not get what he wanted to convey to me.

Somehow I felt nervous and scared at what he said.

"Get dressed, kid," Brando said again causing me to glare at him with so much annoyance.

"Can you all stop calling me boy or kid? I have a name, you can call me Ashton." I told him and got off the bed. I walked closer to Brando and grabbed the paper bag in his hand.

"If you say so, Ash." Brando laughed and I just smirked at him before going to the bathroom to get dressed. I took off my clothes and took the black bodysuit from the paper bag. I found it a bit difficult to wear the suit especially since I could not reach my back to close the zipper. I heaved a sigh and could do nothing but go out of the bathroom and ask Brando for help.

"Need a hand?" Brando was kind enough to offer me a hand. Note my sarcasm.

I rolled my eyes at him.

"Yeah! As if you didn't expect this would happen." I responded and turned around so Brando can have better access to close the zipper on my back.

"You look delectable," Brando commented as he closed the zipper on my back.

"Yeah! But only Luciano touches my skin." I replied and laughed a little because of what I just said. I suddenly remembered the advertisement I watched on TV.

"Is that a joke? That is the most hilarious joke I ever heard! Hahaha, let's see if only the boss can touch your skin." Brando laughed and finally closed the zipper on my back.

"Whatever, Brando," I replied.

"Well, everything is set already, let's go to the training room," Brando said and went out of the room first, I did not even look at my appearance in the mirror and just followed Brando.

Gradually I felt nervous.

I came across a huge space when I entered the training room. I just follow Brando's every move.

I was not surprised when I entered the room, I already expected to see a lot of weapons hanging on the wall, from knives to guns, even bow and arrows.

"Here," Brando spoke getting my attention, I looked at him as he handed me a stick that looked like it was being used for arnis.

"What am I going to do with this?" I asked in confusion and reached the arnis stick he handed to me.

"Sometimes, I wonder if all the men the boss brought here are really stupid or just innocent and naive," Brando said smiling causing my blood to boil with extreme annoyance.

"I'm not stupid," I said annoyed and out of anger, I whip the stick that he gave me towards his arm. My eyes widened when I heard Brando's scream when the stick I was holding hit his arm.

What the fuck? I didn't whip him so hard.

Brando continued to scream causing me to panic, feeling guilty for what I had done to him.

"I-I'm sorry, you're the one annoying me," I apologized and grabbed his arm which I hit with a stick and rubbed that part to lessen the pain he felt.

Moments later, Brando's screaming was replaced by a loud laughing which caused me to look at him in confusion.

"Why are you laughing?" I asked while Brando was clutching his stomach laughing, the annoyance I felt for him came back and I was about to hit him again in his arm, but he quickly grabbed the arnis stick in my hand.

"That's your first lesson, Ash. Don't go around people saying sorry, you shouldn't feel any guilt or remorse." Brando said as he stopped laughing.

"Are you trying to suppress my emotion?" I asked him in disbelief and Brando smiles at me knowingly.

"Yes, your emotion is your main opponent if ever you'll experience your first kill. Did you know that's why Korn died? Because of his emotion." Brandon said seriously and I'm not sure but there seemed to be sadness in Brando's eyes when he mentioned the name Korn, but it was only a few seconds before his expression went completely blank.

"Who the fuck is Korn?" I asked him confused. This is the first time I heard the name Korn, and what does he mean that Korn's emotion is the reason why he died?

"He was the boy that the boss brought here before you arrived, Boss thought that Korn was ready for a mission so he took him to Russia to deliver a case of synthetic ecstasy, but then things got out of hand. Korn killed at least five people in the warehouse where the trading of the synthetic ecstasy and the money happened, that was Korn's first time to kill. Guilt slowly eats him and he went crazy, he committed suicide after a week of battling his conscience. " Brando said seriously, he was trying to harden his expression but I knew he was saddened by what happened. I can see it in his eyes even though his trying so damn hard to hide his emotions.

"I-I'm sorry," I do not know why I apologize even though Brando just says that I should not apologize.

I felt sad hearing the story of Korn.

"That's why Luciano wants to train you well, sometimes he appears as rude and careless but he cares about his people. Just don't piss him off, then you're fine." Brando said and I just nodded in response.

"Why does it feel like you're blaming yourself for what happened to Korn?" I asked him and I saw the sudden expression of guilt on his face but just like before he quickly shifts his expression and became blank. He's masking his true emotion.

A few seconds passed but Brando seemed to have no intention of answering my question. I took a deep breath before continuing to speak.

"There's still a way for you to help Korn, Brando," I said seriously, causing Brando to stare at me with surprise.

"What do you mean?" He asked with a raised brow.

"You can help me get out of this place, do the right thing that you didn't do to Korn before," I said, my heartbeat quickened when I saw Brando's face darkened. I don't know what happened or what is the real score between him and Korn, but I need to try my luck.

I want to get out of this place, I want to go back home.

"What are you talking about, Ash?" Brando asked in confusion, he was frowning at me.

I swallowed my saliva in extreme nervousness.

"Help me get out of this place, don't let Korn's death be in vain. You are training me to replace Korn, what if I end up like Korn?" I said and ambled towards him, I grabbed his arm and looked at him, hoping I could get a positive answer from him.

Brando seemed to think deeply about what I said. When he was about to answer me, we suddenly heard loud applause. Astonished, I looked behind me and my eyes widened when I saw Luciano with a big grin and slowly walking towards our direction.

Shit! Did he hear what I said to Brando?

"Well, I see what you did there, babe," Luciano said as he approached, a wide grin was still plastered on his lips.

"W-What?" I asked acting like I did not get what he means.

"You took Brando for granted, he was in a vulnerable state talking about Korn's death and you saw an opportunity to manipulate his emotion. What a conniving bítch you are, babe." Luciano said with emphasis on every word he spoken.

"I don't know what you're talking about." I continued to act as if I'm clueless about the things he accuses to me. There's no way I will tell him that I used Brando's weakness to help me get out of this place. I'm not stupid enough to do that.

"I'll take it from here, Brando. Go back to your post." Luciano suddenly said and motioned to Brando to leave. Brando immediately walked out, I could do nothing but gaze at Brando until he came out of the training room.

"I should punish you for what you did, babe. I should be mad at you, but I can't help but marvel at what you did. I think you are better than Korn, babe." Luciano said meaningfully, causing me to swallow my saliva one after another in extreme nervousness.

This is why I want to get out of this place. I want to go back home. I don't want to end up like all of these men inside this yacht.