You Look Better Naked

Diamonds

Welcome home, London," the male's voice pierced through the air, chilling me to the bone as he brandished his gun.

My heart raced, fear gripping me tight as I stood frozen, my bag slipping from my fingers to the floor with a thud. "Please, if you're after money, I can give you whatever I have. Just let my parents go," I pleaded, desperation seeping into every word as I glanced between him and my bound parents.

A mocking chuckle escaped his lips, his gaze cold and calculating. "Your parents never told you, huh?" he taunted, amusement dancing in his eyes. My parents' silent apology only fueled the dread building in the pit of my stomach. "They work for me, and they've been meddling with my affairs."

It felt like the ground had shifted beneath me, the revelation hitting me like a ton of bricks. Everything clicked into place—how could I have ever afforded a prestigious school like Opal High without my parents' involvement? "I don't care what they did. I can get you the money," I asserted, my voice trembling with a forced confidence. But deep down, I knew it wasn't about the money.

"It's not about the money," he retorted, his tone dripping with malice. "In this world, everything has to be balanced. They took from me, and now I'm going to take something from them." His gaze bore into mine, chilling me to the core as he leveled the gun at my head, my life flashing before my eyes in a dizzying whirlwind. His gaze then shifted to my parents, who averted their eyes, unable to meet my gaze. "Next time, you'll think twice before crossing the boss," he spat, the sinister Black Spade tattoo on his neck a stark reminder of the danger lurking in the shadows.

Despite the fear coursing through my veins, a surge of defiance rose within me. He may have held the gun, but I refused to go down without a fight. With a split-second decision, I lashed out, executing a swift leg kick that sent the gun clattering to the ground and him stumbling backward.

"You think you can just take me out that easily?" I challenged, the words leaving my mouth before I could stop them, a mixture of bravado and desperation fueling my actions. His retaliatory onslaught came swift and fierce, but I managed to evade his blows, landing a few of my own, albeit futile against his formidable strength. In a matter of moments, he had me pinned against the wall, his vice-like grip constricting around my throat, choking the life out of me.

"You've got skills, kid, but in the end, I always win," he growled, his grip tightening with every passing second, the world narrowing down to a single desperate struggle for survival. Gasping for air, I clawed at his hands, fighting against the suffocating darkness that threatened to consume me. Just when I thought all hope was lost, he released his hold, allowing me to crumple to the ground, gasping for precious air.

"If you want your parents to stay alive, you'll work for the gang," he declared, his tone leaving no room for argument as he laid out his ultimatum. With a resigned nod, I acquiesced, knowing that my compliance was the only thing standing between my family and certain death.

He pulled me roughly to my feet, his grip like iron as he dragged me towards the door, my parents' anguished cries echoing in my ears. With a heavy heart, I stepped out into the unknown, my fate now irrevocably entwined with that of the Black Spades.

"Welcome to the family, London," he sneered, a cruel smirk twisting his lips as he ushered me into a waiting car, the darkness of the night enveloping us as we sped away into the unknown.

The drive was suffocating, the tension thick enough to cut with a knife as we navigated the deserted streets. His gun remained a constant presence, a grim reminder of the precariousness of my situation. Finally, we arrived at a foreboding black mansion, its imposing facade adorned with the unmistakable symbol of the Black Spades.

"You're about to meet the boss, and if you try anything, I'll put a bullet in your skull," he warned, his tone leaving no room for doubt as he pressed the cold metal of the gun against my thigh.

With a silent nod, I stepped out of the car, my heart pounding in my chest as I followed him towards the ominous structure. Inside, the air was heavy with anticipation, every shadow whispering of hidden dangers lurking just out of sight.

He led me up a grand staircase, each step echoing in the cavernous silence of the mansion. At last, we reached a lavish office, where a formidable figure sat behind a massive desk, his steely gaze assessing me with a mixture of curiosity and disdain.

"Lincoln, who's this?" he demanded, his voice deep and commanding.

"The Walkers' son," Lincoln replied, his tone deferential as he stood before his superior. The boss leaned back in his chair, his expression unreadable as he regarded me with a critical eye.

"Why is he here?" he asked, his voice tinged with annoyance.

"Because he's agreed to work for us, as long as I keep his parents alive," Lincoln explained, gesturing towards me with a dismissive wave.

"So, you bring a kid to me instead of handling your own affairs?" the boss mused, his gaze piercing as he studied me intently.

Before Lincoln could respond, a gunshot rang out, the sound echoing through the room like a thunderclap. Lincoln staggered backward, blood blossoming from the wound as he crumpled to the ground, his life slipping away before my eyes.

The boss rose from his seat, his presence looming over me like a specter of death. "You're working for me now, and no one else," he declared, his voice cold and uncompromising as he asserted his dominance. "Welcome to the Black Spades, London. My name is Kahlil."

As the gravity of my situation sank in, I could only stare in shock, my mind reeling with the sudden turn of events. With a single gunshot, my fate had been sealed, and now I was beholden to the most dangerous gang in the city.

A few of Kahlil's men entered the room, disposing of Lincoln's body with chilling efficiency as if erasing all evidence of his existence. The tension in the air was palpable, a silent reminder of the consequences of crossing the Black Spades.

"Now, tell me, how can you be useful?" Kahlil demanded, his gaze boring into mine with an intensity that sent shivers down my spine.

With a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach, I realized that there was no escaping the inevitable. My life now belonged to the Black Spades, and I could only pray that I would find a way to survive in this ruthless world of shadows and violence.