I Should Have Stayed

Chapter 23

"You want to hear everything from the beginning? Alright. It was the night before the last day of school. Marcus and I did that little senior prank at the high school, which, you have to admit, was pretty amazing. Then, after pulling that little stunt, I was already on a watch list, so Miller showed up at my graduation, offered me a job, I took it, and then I was off.

"At first, Miller trained me to fight, how to kill. Then, I was taught how to be a leader, or at least how to be a better one. Then, Miller introduced me to the gang and how it worked. I didn't want to do any of it. I didn't even understand why I was... chosen to do these things. Maybe because I was well rounded? Had potential? Hell, I don't know. Anyways, I listened to Miller, did as I was told, and in the end I was given an empire far bigger than I ever imagined. But there was a catch. I still worked for Miller. When I met Blank, I realized that I didn't have to work for someone anymore, and so I defied Miller. I bailed on him and took the gang with me. But Miller and I still had one thing in common. We both hate Tanner Lane.

"I never wanted to admit that, but I just did. So from there, I met... Lindsey. We sort of, fell in love and she was immediately integrated into my life and became a very close asset for the gang. She was perfect. At some points in between there, things went wrong, but they worked out in the end. I had a few confrontations with Tanner but nothing too bad. Recently, I decided to come back here to finish up a couple of deals and I went back home. I left Blank in charge when I left as I usually do, but then he started messing with me saying the manufacturer messed up a shipment and then I met with him and he had been told to change the order. Then, Lindsey was murdered and that was all I needed to put Blank in the ground. In the meantime, Miller gave me a second chance to break my ties with him for good, as long as I finished off Tanner Lane.

"This whole thing is just so confusing. I never thought that Blank would betray me like he did, though I still don't quite know why he did it. We came here to Las Vegas to get a package, which I haven't opened yet. It's the last assignment for Miller and then I can finally be free." Just as I spoke I pulled out the small envelope from my pocket and opened it. It was a white index card and in black letters it read:

Kill Tanner Lane.

Alright Miller. I'll kill Tanner Lane, and then you. "I'm supposed to kill... kill Tanner Lane." I said to Ava. She looked at my face closely, inspecting my every move. I could tell she was reading me. She was reading my very own fear of killing. "Also, I saw Blank. He's here in Las Vegas like we were told. I'm scared, but I know we have to go after him."

"I think that's the first time you've actually admitted that you're scared. You're not getting soft on me are you?" Ava smirked a little, trying to lighten the mood.

I chuckled. "No, but I do know that we need to track him down and I don't want you getting hurt so I'm sending you back somewhere. Not home because Blank might look there, but instead, somewhere. Where would you like to go?" I asked as I stood up and started packing again.

"Oh no. You are not ditching me now. We've already been through so much. How much worse could it get?"

"A lot worse. You don't know what happens behind the scenes, Ava. People will die, there will be murder, there will be revenge and fighting and-"

"Dakota! Look at me! Relax, everything works out in the end. It always does." She wrapped her hands around my face and held me close. "It'll be alright. I'm here to help not to be in the way."

"I know. That's why you have to leave. I can't have you die. Not like Lindsey. And when you were shot you almost died and... I... I-"

She pulled me to her and I melted in her arms. I didn't mean to fall in love again, and I'm sure she didn't intend to either. But then, it just happened so suddenly. I was always known for being swept off my feet in a matter of seconds. I felt a tear run down my cheek as we stood there and then finally after a moment I spoke, "Where do you want to go?"

"I'm not leaving you." She sounded powerful.

"You don't have a choice. I'm not letting you die because of me like everyone else has. So, tell me, where do you want to go for a while to live?"

She looked at me with sad eyes as she understood that I wouldn't back away from this. "Anywhere." She said. I almost thought that I noticed a tear fall from her eye.

I turned around and grabbed everything from off the bed and we left the hotel. As we stood outside waiting for a taxi I saw him. He was standing there across the street staring at me with a force so strong that it almost crippled me. I watched Blank smirk and then walk away. Just as he did, the taxi pulled up out front and we both got in. I was taking Ava to the airport for the last time.

I quickly rushed her into the taxi and we sped off in the direction of the airport. I had my private jet there waiting for her. The mood in the air was depressing me, but I knew that I had to keep her safe unlike all the others before her. Lindsey, my parents, Leanne, the people of the gang, all of them. When we got there, I paid the driver and we got out and went inside the airport. She wasn't talking to me, but if the situation was reversed I wouldn't be talking to me either.

I felt eyes on me and I frowned slightly looking around for the watcher. I spotted him just as he bumped into me and apologized. I felt something stab into my pocket and then I pulled out a little slip of paper. Two sentences were clearly written on it along with one letter.

Blank is here. Leave. -M

I looked outside the airport and saw people surrounding the jet. They were my men, or at least they used to be. I flipped over the card and saw an address. It was the address of the nearest warehouse of my gang. I assumed that Miller wanted me to go there. Maybe Blank was there, or maybe Tanner Lane. In that moment I knew that Ava and I couldn't get in the jet, so I grabbed her arm and led her outside as I handed her the card. She read it and looked at me and nodded. She had already analyzed the situation before I could and was already ready to act.

I didn't want her in this, but at this point it seemed neither of us had a choice. The only thing I could do was hail down a taxi and jump in. We were going to the address on the card and I was going straight to the source to shut it down.

You have to dig up the roots in order to remove the tree. And I was ready to do just that.