Ride or Die {Book 1} ✔️

Chapter 23: As Good As Dead

"Your father?" My voice giving away my shock. At the station? Something triggered in the back of my mind. Oh right! How could either one of us, Evan and I, even forget that we were supposed to meeting the Captain. Bright and early.Those were his words. But yet, you were telling me that Jordan was his daughter?

She nodded. "Captain of this neighborhood's police department. Along the way, I have something to show you."

My knees were shaky as I stood, the breakdown I just had still lingering. Wiping my face and eyes, I tried not to look like I was unstable, running fingers through my slowly drying hair. I knew, even after those attempts, I still probably looked a mess. Oh well.

I dragged my feet across the ground, following Jordan down the sidewalk. I let her walk in front of me, staying a good five steps behind her. Evan walked on my side, back into one of his quiet fazes, staring off into the distance. Dude had some serious issues, but didn't I? I struggled not to allow my mind travel back to the evil thoughts roaming freely in my head. It was hard when there was nothing but bad things in my memory bank.

Instead I focused on one thing that helped to brighten up my dampened mood. I told you. I'm going to protect you.His words, the gentleness of his tone, the way his eyes shined with determination that dead look replaced for mere seconds. And now, as I stole glances at him from the corner of my eyes, I couldn't help but to notice how his eyes had that blank and foggy look in them again.

I'd told him about things I never told anyone else. I told him things I hadn't told other people. A weight that usually settled onto my shoulders, lifted only a little. However, worry and anxious feelings still ran throughout my whole body, for my mother and Evan's mother. Captain might be able to protect my little amount of people, my father and his wife. Including Evan's friends, Ryan and Dexter.

But what about our mothers? Were they going to die? Evan's mother, was she going to come out of her coma or would she not have enough will to even want to live anymore? Would Carl take extreme measures and kill off my mother because I wouldn't obey him? Just how were things going to play out? I refused to believe that things weren't going to turn out alright.

That didn't stop my mind from playing the game, what if though. What if Evan's mother died or mines? What if the Captain can't live up to his promises and the drug dealers manage to escape. What if the drug people get through the security and kill our family and friends? What if, what if, just what if.

There was no balancing out. It was either we won or lose. No middle, no in between, no shortcuts.

And no escape.

I bit on my bottom lip as we turned into an area of Chicago I had not yet to explore. But I couldn't take in the wonderful sight of the Lake that stood to our left our even the blaring sounds of the cars that were in the open street on my right. I had blocked everything out and couldn't focus correctly, a walking zombie among the living.

Somehow, after what seemed like miles of walking, Jordan had a cab waiting for us by the curb. The sickening yellow of it pierced my eyes and I averted my eyes from it. She quickly beckoned us inside, roughly handing the taxi driver his money and explaining where we needed to me and the fact that he had to drive like wild bulls were chasing him. 

The taxi driver lived up to this statement, driving so fast that I thought I was going to become carsick or fly out of the window with each harsh brake. Wherever we had to go, Jordan was making sure we got there on time. Her face was serious and set with determination, even though she was smashed between me and Evan. If I was her I'll only be pissed off that I was against people and the taxi was stuffed with hotness and smelled like dirty gym socks, a bogus car freshener didn't help by adding the combination to the stench.