nightrunners

xv.

"I am not afraid to use this on you, or any of you!" He shouted in the night.

JJ made a step forward and Pope grabbed onto his arm, "It's not worth it JJ, please," he begged, "We can get Shoupe."

"He won't do shit," JJ muttered.

Cassiopeia side stepped over a little, wondering if she could make it to the Twinkie whose lights were shining down the opposite street. She could hear Kiara and Sarah yelling from the van and knew it was roughly a 1000 ft. dash if that. She just needed Rafe's attention to stay on the boys. She moved over a little more, her legs visibly trembling and her eyes wide and shallow.

"So how is it fucking my sister John B?" Rafe twirled the gun in the air, "Do you like polluting our family's bloodline?"

"Enough Rafe," John B hissed, "You are out of your mind right now."

The taller boy cackled, "You see, everything was fine before you corrupted our family."

JJ's legs bounced up and down impatiently and Pope's gripped tightened on him, "It's not worth it JJ," he breathed in the boy's ear.

"Why didn't you let me take my dad's gun?" He muttered, "Would've been real nice right about now Pope."

Rafe's head snapped over to examine JJ, "Ah, so the bitch has got the bastard's gun?"

JJ bit down on his lip hard, "He didn't do anything to you Rafe, leave him alone," Pope called out.

Rafe rolled his eyes, "Go back to cleaning up scum at your father's shop."

"Shut up," JJ spat, his eyes narrowing on the tall boy.

Rafe tsked, "Do you ever listen Maybank? Do you know I could end you, right here, right now?"

"Would you do that in front of Cassioepeia?" JJ yelled, making the girl freeze.

Rafe's eyes shot over at her, "She knows where she belongs."

"Yeah, with us," JJ shoved a finger in his chest, "Out of fucking danger."

"The only thing that is dangerous is your drunken waste of a father," Rafe snickered.

"Let me go Pope," JJ hissed, trying to break free of the boy's grip, "One swing man, that's all I want."

"You'll be dead before you reach me," Rafe chuckled, "I don't want to hurt you Maybank, just get out of my way. Cass and I have business to do."

"She doesn't want to be involved with you."

"She was doing plenty of business with me the other night," Rafe smirked.

JJ's eyes fell and he glimpsed over at Cassiopeia, whose face was stunned.

Without a second thought, JJ broke free of Pope's grip and charged towards Rafe.

Cassiopeia took this as her chance to run and she bolted down the street. The Twinkie began to move in her direction and shone the lights on her.

Kiara honked the horn frantically as Cassiopeia sprinted closer.

"Come on!" Kiara screamed, hitting the gas on the van.

"Cassiopeia!" John B yelled and she whipped her head around to see Rafe racing beside her.

She tried to side sweep him but he grabbed her hair, yanking her head back. She yelled in pain and he lunged for her waist, lifting her up in the air and tossing her over his shoulder. She banged her fists on his back and screamed for her friends.

She lifted her head above Rafe's shoulder to see JJ tumble on the ground, John B and Pope racing to his side. Kiara and Sarah had swung the van around and headed in the opposite direction, in order to most likely catch a glimpse of Rafe carrying Cassiopeia down a side street.

However, she noticed that he changed his path of direction and took her to somewhere more secluded.

--

"I am so disappointed in you," Rafe growled in the silence.

"Set me down Rafe, please," Cassiopeia begged. She had grown tired of flailing her arms and legs, knowing there was no way the Pogues could locate her now.

He ignored her and continued to haul her towards an open field. The stars were the only guiding lights and Cassiopeia silently breathed a word of thanks that they weren't inn complete darkness.

"I'll do what you want," She spoke firmly. He continued to ignore her.

She tried again, "I'll do anything as long as you leave my friends alone."

"You put me in these really fucking undesirable situations," He hissed.

"It wasn't my fault they showed up," She lied through her teeth.

He laughed coldly, "Maybank will show up trying to rescue your ass from anything."

"That's because he cares," Cassiopeia replied coolly.

"Or he's just desperate," Rafe replied, stopping in the field and setting her down.

"You'll have to work more for collateral due to the shitshow you caused tonight."

"No fucking way," She breathed out.

Rafe didn't hesitate to grab the gun from his pocket and stick the barrel underneath her chin.

"You help me, every night," He explained to her calmly, "Every night that you make a successful deal, I'll take five off of what you owe me."

She nodded quickly, realizing there was no possible way she could get out of this.

"If I help you," She suddenly wagered, "You need to start attending AA meetings."

He scoffed, "Everyone on this island will know I have a problem."

"Trust me, I think they already know."

"Whatever," He waved her off, "Just keep your fucking friends out of my business."

He took the gun from her chin and she immediately relaxed.

Flashes of red and blue lit up in the distance, making the dark shadows seem colorful.

"See what your Pogues did," He spat and grabbed her hand, making her shudder.

She ran with him across the field, looking back behind her to see the flashes of color grow closer.

His grip on her hand tightened and she followed his lead, running with him into the night.