The Canvas

5- Ezra

Of course I didn't want to leave Paulie alone with Charlie. The second he walked in; I could see it all over his face. He didn't have to say a word for me to know that he has information that he's purposely hiding from me. Then he opened his mouth and addressed me as 'Ez' which put the cherry on top. His voice had a slight waver like he wasn't expecting me to be at their house and he rushed off to shower without many words exchanged. He was nervous, and he knows I know why. Charlie does too.

Charlie was right though. If I stayed, I would've felt obligated to do something about the situation. If I figured out that he or his father stole the product, I'd have to get it before it litters the community. Charlie's mistake is thinking that I would turn it over to my dad. If I get my hands on it, I'm anonymously dropping it off at the police station. 666 won't be a problem when the pigs are on their tail. And the Advocates will cool off on putting it on the market. With cops on the lookout for it, they're smart enough to drop it.

Once I left Charlie's, I dropped by my house to grab my gym bag and went for a workout. With the family I was born into, it's often that I find myself with pent up anger. At least it keeps me in shape. Of course, I could use the training facility for the Devil's Advocates, but I'd rather not interact with any of those dirtbags.

As soon as I walk through the gym doors, Jocelyn makes a beeline for me like I knew she would. "Need a private lesson?" Her eyes follow me seductively. Jocelyn is a private trainer at the gym. I made the mistake of hooking up with her before finding out her dad is a Don in 666. They think that if she can gain some control over me, it will benefit them. And this is where it gets even more complicated. I know Jocelyn finds me attractive, but she'd never fall in love with me. Maybe she'd fall in love with the idea of me, but she goes after me because of duty- not desire. She'd do anything to please her family, even if it means fucking a guy she has no romantic connection to.

But that's not why it's complicated. Because a lot of people will go through drastic measures to please others, it's in our nature as humans. It's complicated because Jocelyn is in love with Paulie. As in Charlie's brother Paulie. I see the way they look at each other. And it doesn't take a genius to know that they're sleeping together. I've seen Jocelyn offer Paul many 'private lessons' and unlike me, he never refuses.

"Have you talked to Paul recently?"

Her face floods with a surprise that she tries to mask. Paul and Jocelyn are two people who wouldn't be able to lie if their lives depended on it. They're stupid to think that their little arrangement would stay a secret. The moment Paul started going to this gym was the moment they went public, regardless of whether they know that or not.

"My dad is keeping everyone busy. But I guess you already knew that, right?" Jocelyn is quick witted and opinionated.

I shrug my shoulders and walk away from her before she can say anything else. When I make my way over to the punching bags, Flynn Porter is sitting at the bench wrapping his knuckles. He's scanning the area like he's on the lookout for someone and I know what's going through that thick head of his right now. He thinks that maybe if he skips school and comes to the gym that a Don's daughter works at, he'll be able to find the thief.

"The fuck are you doing here?" He should be in classes getting ready for the Omen.

"What? You gonna tell my dad?"

"Maybe I should," I threaten him. "You need to drop it, Flynn. Let the big boys handle it."

"You're such a hypocrite, you were doing way more than this at my age, who's to say I can't handle it too? I'm more than capable. You all underestimate me without giving me a chance."

"No one underestimates you. I'm sure you'll make a good little criminal when you're older. Keywords: when you're older. You have your whole life ahead of you. Take some time before you sell your soul to a business that will likely kill you. Worry about the present and the fact that the Omen will be revealed in the next couple of days."