Sold to the Gang Leader

Chapter 45

Am I reading the situation wrong or is Ben flirting with me? He wouldn't dare and besides he's friends with Levi. He's just being friendly. I smile, politely, and gesture for Mel to follow me as we climb into the front row.

"Isn't Ben friends with your boyfriend?" Melanie asks once we were alone. Lucas followed Ben to go greet Hunter.

"Yeah, he is."

"So why is he being all flirty with you? 'I told them to leave it empty for you.'" Melanie mocks Ben, using puppet hands.

"Melanie stop, he's just being nice." I argue.

"Guys aren't that nice to just anyone for no reason. He obviously likes you and doesn't care about bro code."

"Even if he does, I'm not going to let it get anywhere. I love Levi." I say.

"Make sure he knows that." Melanie pulls out her lipgloss and applies a new coat.

One hour into the game, Ben's team is winning 9-3. Lucas is to the right of me, screaming at the top of his lungs for Hunter to tackle number forty five. Soon enough, Hunter puts all force into taking down his opponent and the player falls to the ground giving Ben open space to make a touchdown.

"Yes!" I jump at the sound of Lucas cheering beside me. He drops his popcorn and his smile immediately falls. "No!"

The game ends two hours later and they won 15-3. All three of us wait for Hunter and Ben to appear so we can say our goodbyes.

"We won!" Hunter yells, pumping his fist in the air. Melanie comes over to him and introduces her, while Lucas tries to explain to him all the things he could've done better. Hunter just rolls his eyes and nods.

"Did you enjoy the game?" Ben ask as he approaches me. He has his helmet pinned between his arm and hip. He's now wearing sweatpants and a muscle tank top.

"Yeah, it was fun. Believe it or not, that was actually my first football game."

"I'm glad my game was your first." He winks. "I played twice as hard trying to impress you, you know." Ben flexes his biceps.

I laugh, uncomfortably and glance over at Melanie who is flirting with Hunter.

"Want me to drive you back to your dorm?" He offers.

"Um, I was actually going to ride with Lucas back. He's staying with me anyway."

Ben turns away to look back at Lucas who's chatting up Hunter with Melanie. "They look a bit preoccupied with Hunter. It's late, c'mon let me take you home."

"..Okay." Ben hovers his hand over my lower back and guides me to his car. The drive is short and he turns the radio on low.

When he pulls up to the girls' dorm, I quickly open the door and get out. Walking towards the building I hear Ben get out and walk behind me. Not expecting him to follow me, I turn around to see him inches away.

"The officers..they won't let you in this late if you don't have a pass." I try to come up with any excuse for him to leave.

"Oh..right. Well, goodnight." He leans in to kiss my cheek and I back up.

"Ben, what are you doing?" My eyebrows scrunched as I study his face. "You know I'm with Levi. Your friend since forever."

He doesn't respond and instead tucks his hands in his sweatpants, looking down at the ground.

"Ben."

He looks up to meet my eyes. "I just like you, okay? Look, Levi can never give you the life you deserve. I know he's a criminal, Kara."

My eyes widen in surprise. "You know?"

"Of course, I know. I'm not an idiot. I've known him for years and he has never had a job yet has all this money and I know his mom doesn't give him anything." He steps closer to me. "He can never give you what I can—."

"You need to leave. Go before I call campus security." Holding my back closer to me, I turn and make my way inside. Looking out the window, I see Ben get in his car and speed off.

I press the button on the elevator and go up to my room.

Ben was way out of line to even try anything with me. I don't know if I should tell Levi because nothing happened and it would only upset him. I know he's already been stressed enough and we don't need more problems.

The elevator doors part and I see my dorm room cracked open.

What the hell?

I immediately text Lucas.

Me: Lucas get over here.

Me: I think someone's in my dorm.

Hesitantly, I push the door further open and see Iris sitting in the dark on the couch. She looks like she hasn't slept in weeks. Her blonde hair once shiny and curly is now tangled and stuck behind her head with a hair tie. She's wearing black pants and a dirty dress shirt.

"Iris, get the fuck out." I drop my stuff and stare at her.

"Sorry, honey. That's not now this is going to go." Iris pulls out a gun with a silencer and stands. "We're doing this my way."

My heart drops and I look around the apartment for something to defend myself with. A broom. A flower vase. Kitchen knives but they're too far away.

It's no use. You can't outrun a bullet.

"You don't want to do this, please." I beg, lifting my hands up, slowly.

She laughs, maniacally. "Oh, I want to do this. You took him from me! Levi was mine!"

"He is yours. We're not together, okay? I broke up with him after I caught him cheating. He's not mine, he's all yours. He loves you Iris."

She holds up the gun and points it at me, stepping closer. "Do you think I'm fucking stupid?! I know he went to see you and I know you guys are still together!" She looks down at my hand to see the promise ring Levi gave me. "Well, that's just beautiful. How sweet."

"This isn't from him. Iris you're mistaken, we're not together anymore. He told me he loves you. That's why he went to see me, to tell me it's you. It's you he wants." I carefully make my way to her.

"Take it off." She orders, ignoring my attempts to confuse her. "Now!"

I slip the ring off my finger and place it on the counter. Suddenly she looks at me and her face contorts into an expression of unbelievable anger.

"Please." I move closer in order to have any chance at grabbing the gun from her and taking control of this situation.

"You're the only thing standing in the way of Levi and I. Now that I got him to go away, I can get rid of you and he'll finally realize that we were meant to be." Iris grabs the jewelry and puts it on her ring finger, smiling. "It's perfect for me. He made it just for me."

The split second she's distracted by the ring, I lunge towards her and wrestle her to the ground.

"You bitch!" She screams. She still has her hand on the gun and lifts it up toward me. "Fuck you!"

As the words leave her mouth, the gun goes off.