Denied Attraction

Denied Attraction Chapter 17

AMELIA'S POV

"Friend?" I asked slightly confused.

Julio nodded. I watched him sit there nervously as my mind ran through all possibilities. Finally when I came up with nothing, I again spoke.

"Who?"

"Our fathers were both involved in some pretty deep stuff and well the boss is quite a dangerous man to be involved with. Your father paid his way out of it though," he informed me.

I nodded.

"So why are they after me? And how'd you find out?" I asked.

I watched Julio think his answer over. My father was involved in something dangerous? Did my Mum know? Did he hide it from her, or did she know and in return they hid it from Tommy and me? What if she too was involved? I swallowed not liking this one bit. My parents were painted like a perfect picture in my mind. I didn't want anything to ruin that image, but I was dying to know.

"I don't know why they're after you. I just overheard something I shouldn't have. I was involved in the same things as our fathers. I was mostly going and taking what people owed to the boss. That was mostly money and if they didn't have the money, then I took their most expensive things. They tried to get me to do a drug deal but I refused. So of course like any gang, I was forced into it. The deal went south in the end and well when I went to see my boss, I overheard something about your family. Three days later, there was the car accident," Julio said quietly.

I gasped, fighting the tears. It was no accident. My parents were murdered. I was meant to die in that accident but because I survived, they were after me to finish off the job. Dad, what did you get yourself into? I silently asked.

Julio squeezed my hand and I squeezed back. I realized he wanted to get out of this but because of me, he stayed trapped in this horror story. I pulled him closer and wrapped my arms around his waist. He hesitated, before encircling me in his arms.

If they were after me, chances were they might be after Tommy too. I just don't understand how they have no idea where we are now. We haven't moved anywhere. Why didn't they check here first? Did they assume we ran?

"Julio, why haven't they found me here yet?" I asked softly, my voice slightly muffled by his chest.

"I bought two train tickets. You were supposedly boarding that train and left to go two states up with your brother," he replied.

I nodded my head slightly, and held him even tighter. What was this boy doing for me? It's so wrong that he would go to such lengths to keep me, as well as Tommy, hidden.

All I knew now was that I was mixed up in some really bad business and I needed to find a way to protect Tommy. Now that my parents are gone and he's finally awake, a protective instinct awakened inside of me.

Julio had done enough. He had risked enough. I let go of him and leaned back in my chair as the teacher strolled in to inform us that detention had ended.

~~

The days flew and my birthday arrived. I spent most of that time studying and at the hospital keeping Tommy company. During school, I avoided Julio and his friends and sat with Tracey and some of the other girls I was once close with. I distanced myself from those who cared and just hung around those who didn't give a damn about me that I blended in the background for them.

As promised though, after a week, Tommy was released from the hospital and came to stay with Maria, Santana and Julio. He slept in the same bed as I did and after a few days, decided on starting school again to see all his friends. I smiled at that suggestion and walked him to school every morning and picked him up after I finished school.

It was a very sunny day as Tommy and I walked hand in hand. He was singing merrily and I couldn't help but to smile at his happiness. Occasionally he'd sing 'Happy Birthday' and go back to singing the nursery rhythms that he learnt from our Mum. I recall her singing to Tommy when he was a new born as a way to soothe him. I picked up on them and sung to him as he grew up and our parents became more absent from our lives.

I began to sing with him as we skipped towards the Sanchez's house, only to stop dead in our tracks as a man exited his black Mercedes and walked towards us. My heartbeat picked up. Could he be after me? I pushed Tommy behind me and maintained a firm eye contact with the man.

He had grey short hair with a pair or pale green eyes. His face showed signs of aging and his steps were a little slow. He was slouched slightly but I knew if he stood straight, he'd tower over me by a whole ruler's length. He wore a charcoal coloured suit with a white shirt and red tie under the jacket.

"Miss Jordan?" he inquired.

"Yes," I replied as firmly as I could.

He put a tiny smile on his paling face and stopped at arms length from us. I looked into his eyes and shielded Tommy from his sight.

"I'm Joe Donald. I'm here to talk to you about you parents will. You are eighteen today, are you not?" he asked as he checked his papers.

"Will? Yeah, I'm eighteen today."

I swallowed and asked him to come inside. He followed me into the house which for some strange reason was empty. We sat at the table in the kitchen and he placed a pile of documents in front of me.

"Go get changed, little man. I'll come get you after," I whispered into Tommy's ear.

He nodded and within seconds he disappeared down the hall. I took an easy breath and faced the man sitting across from me.

"So what's all this about?" I finally ask.

"As you know, becoming eighteen means you are legally an adult. With that, we are able to allow you to move back to your house if you wish," he began.

I nodded, already knowing this.

"What about Tommy? Am I able to take him with me?" I asked eagerly.

"I don't see why not. You have now become his legal guardian. He is completely your responsibility," he said with a smile.

I couldn't help but smile back at him. Finally, I could go back home and I could take Tommy with me. I didn't have to get in anyone's way anymore. The Sanchez family was finally burden free. I continued to smile as the man pulled out a document that was labelled 'Top Secret'. Confusion formed in my mind. I had no idea what would have been in that file.

Could it be what Julio was saying? My Dad being mixed up in some crazy stuff and now I had to take over? I held my breath as he opened it.

"We, however, have more pressing issues."

With that said, he turned a piece of paper around so that I could read it. It was a bank statement of the money I have officially inherited now that I was classed as an adult. My eyes scanned the paper, reading over various numbers and as I got closer to the bottom, I began to breathe faster. My heartbeat picked up again and my palms became sweat. My mouth dropped open as I saw the amount of money being transferred into my account.

"What?" I gasped out loud.

Joe Donald took the paper back and placed it neatly on the pile.

"Now all you have to do is sign this," he said handing over another piece of paper.

I took the pen, reading over the wording and printed my signature on the line.

~~

"How much?" Julio asked after I told him what happened.

Tommy had fallen asleep early so I sat on Julio's side of the room. Not long after Joe had left, it clicked to me that I may have just discovered a possible reason as to why I have become a target of vile gang members. I was eager to tell Julio, so as soon as he came home, I pulled him into the room and began telling him the discovery. Asking who Joe Donald was half way through.

It turned out Joe was a long time friend with both our families, so it came no surprise to me that Julio was comfortable with me being alone with him. However, right now I was dealing with an unstable yet very sexy Julio.

I gulped and dumbly responded with an "umm."