THE CONSORTIUM HEIR'S RECKONING

CHAPTER 5

If it were a normal circumstance, Nicolas would have thought to tread carefully, but Natalie's life was at risk. He didn't know what these people had ingested in her system or done to her. She needed to be attended to immediately.

“I don't care about your dumb vultures," Nicolas bit back, ignoring the gasps that filled the room. “Step away from her!" 

The leader scowled at Nicolas. “You dumbass. You're new here, aren't you?” He eyed Nicolas like he would a gum under his shoe. “I wasn't talking about vultures-" 

"I don't want to know,” Nicolas met his gaze. “Tell them to step away." 

The group abruptly erupted in a fit of laughter. “Who is this man? What has given you this confidence to dish out orders like this?” One of the thugs said.

“Do you even know who he is?" They asked, pointing to their leader who tipped his chin up.

"He doesn't know who he's dealing with,” another gritted out.

“You had better take your slut and get out of here,” another said, then pointed at Natalie. “This one is ours." 

Nicolas didn't feel the energy he felt earlier course through him again, but as he curled his hands into fists, he was certain that he'd beat them to a pulp than leave without Natalie.

The leader stepped forward. “Take the warning,” he began slowly, “and get the fuck out of here. One call to my brother and you and your fucking slut will be dea-" 

"Back off!”

The leader looked away from Nicolas to look at who owned the voice.

He smirked, his eyes raking Nora's body. “Feisty," he licked his lips.

"What do you think, boys?" He asked as he moved toward Nora.

They laughed, "Make her yours, boss.”

Nicolas now had to protect two people. His wife's sister who had never disrespected him and the woman who had joined the team that saved him.

The leader stopped before Nora. Nicolas was about to push him back when Nora caught the leader's hand midair.

Nicolas stepped back, surprised.

Nora, with his gaze on the leader’s shocked one, twisted his hand and… snapped it!

Even Nicolas gasped along with the rest of the crowd in the room. The other thugs cowered back, eyes widened in fear and shock.

The leader fell to his knees and let out a bloodcurdling scream as he held his hand.

The thugs gaped between Nora and their leader with sheer horror.

They hadn't expected that Nicolas would not back off like the others always did whenever they heard the Iron Vultures name. But that didn't shock them as much as Nora's strength but then, they knew that their leader had never really been strong. His only power and confidence was flaunting his brother's name.

“What are you waiting for? Deal with her!" he yelled at his men as he cried, nursing his hand.

His men knew better than to have their arms twisted too. So instead of attacking Nora, they rushed to his side, calling out, “Ben! Are you okay?”

“How can I be, you idiots? “He cried. “You stood there and watched that bitch ruin my arm.”

They consoled Ben as he howled in pain. “I swear my brother will kill you. He'll avenge me, you witch!" 

Nicolas got over the shock of Nora's feistiness and mercilessness and hurried to Natalie's side. He removed her hair that was smeared on her face, took her phone from the table and gently picked her up bridal style in his arms.

Natalie's eyes drifted open when she felt hands on her. With a hooded gaze, she glanced up at Nicolas. Upon recognizing him, she began to sob softly, her arms tightening around him.

“What happened?” Nicolas asked softly.

"Ben,” she whispered in a slurred voice. "It was after my classes,” her eyes drifted close before she opened them again and continued. “My classmates.” Her gaze fell on Ben who was still crying and she pointed at him. “He drugged me,” she managed to say coherently. “My classmates betrayed me." 

"Shut the fuck up, bitch! Who cares about you?”

Nora stepped up beside him. She lowered herself beside him and whispered coldly, causing Ben to shiver. "Call anyone a bitch one more time, boy and I'll snap your neck.”

“It's not me!” Ben cried as he crawled away from Nora. He turned his hateful gaze on Natalie. "It's my brother. He took an interest in Natalie and asked me to get her. He orchestrated everything. Please, leave me alone.”

Nora cocked her head to one side. “And where is this brother?" 

Ben, thinking Nora was scared, smirked wickedly. “He'll be here soon. He'll get here and you and him,” he pointed at Nicolas who had stepped closer to him, "will all be in his hands. He'll deal with you two mercilessly. My brother spares no one who crosses him.”

Both Nicolas and Nora stared at Ben with indifference. 

Ben opened his mouth to speak again, but Nicolas shut him up with a brutal kick to his jaw.

Ben let out a pained cry as he held his jaw, unable to speak anymore. He tried to speak, but he was in so much pain. At this point, the other thugs’ longing gazes were on the entrance as they hoped for Ben's brother to step in and save them.

The onlookers watched, trembling in fear. Fear for themselves and for Nicolas and Nora. They all knew Ben's brother, Ivan. They knew Ivan to be a ruthless and merciless figure. And they knew that Nora and Nicolas might not make it alive with what they just did to his brother.

“What's happening here?" 

Time seemed to stop as the cold voice shook the room. The atmosphere turned icy as the owner of the voice demanded to know who was causing trouble in his bar. 

“I asked a question. Who dares to cause trouble in my bar!" His voice was low, yet it made almost everyone tremble in its wake.

The crowd immediately stepped away from Nicolas, because the newcomer was none other than Ben's brother, Ivan.