A Gangster's Heart

Chapter One

"Makeover night at home, hun?" The lady stood behind the service desk with a bright smile on her face. If only she knew who she was talking to.

"Something like that," I replied.

~

I cleaned the scissors under the soft trickle of water that came from the filthy sink. Safe houses weren't meant to be big and flashy, so a filthy bathroom sink with various stains on the surface was very much expected. I glanced at the dye box in the trash, sighing at my reflection in the mirror. It had been a while since I was blond, yet it doesn't surprise me how different I look without my dark brown locks. At least they let me keep my brown eyes this time, wearing contacts was a massive pain in the ass whilst on a mission. My eyes then wandered down to the black ring sitting on my left nostril. It was still slightly swollen, since I hadn't worn it in a while, but was still holding up. I grabbed the scissors and began slicing my long hair in half. My hair falling to the ground, in the sink, onto my clothes, pretty much everywhere. I cut my waist-length hair to just below my collarbones, yanking some hair in front of my face and cutting bangs to fully disguise my old haircut more than perfectly.

I swept up the hair off of the floor and threw it into the fireplace, the strands of my DNA disappearing into thin air. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a gentle pair of headlights making their way through the trees and down the dirt path. I could easily tell the headlights had been modified to be discreetly less bright. A navy-blue Honda civic was getting closer and closer to the safe house I was hiding in. I smoothly yanked my gun out of my waistband, it fitting perfectly into the palm of my hand. My hand warmed under the familiar metallic feel and tingled with excitement. The headlights pulled up right next to my ditcher car as the driver began to open his door. His beanie was worn low and his hoodie cast a shadow of what I could see of his face. I quietly crept to the bedroom window and slowly slid it open, as the driver made his way up to the front door. I cringed at the cold pavement tiles beneath my feet as I got closer and closer to the mystery man. A familiar scent came through my nose but was quickly overpowered by the adrenalin suddenly jumping through my veins. The man began to twist the doorknob, pulling out a pin when he realised it was locked. Ah, he knew what he was doing.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," I said as I pressed the barrel of the gun against the back of his skull, the pin falling to the ground with a light clink.

"I told Panera you didn't need protection, but it's not like he listens to me anyway." A relieved smile made its way to my face as I slipped my gun back into my jeans.

"Nathan you bastard, you could've called." I slapped him on the arm and climbed back through the bedroom window. I locked the window and then let him in through the front door.

"You're on like your fifth burner phone, Harley. I don't have your number." Nathan Prado, my long-time best friend. Every memory I have, he's in it. Nathan's parents died on a mission when he was barely walking. Even though my Mum was pregnant with me at the time, she took Nathan under her wing as well. My Dad never kicked up too much of a fuss about it, but Nathan has always been my brother- biological or not. It was easy to tell he and I weren't related when I was wearing my natural features. His hair was blond with subtle curls and he had soft green eyes and a very structured, masculine face. The subtle curly hair was about the only trait that he and I had in common. Not only did he tower over me at 6"2, but Nathan was also bulked up. He was obsessed with training, he taught me most of what I know about defending myself and keeping myself strong.

"Well, Dante certainly does." I scowled at the name of my supposed leader. The leader who had almost gotten me killed on my last mission. The leader who almost let me bleed out in the backyard of one of Britain's most wealthy men. The leader who almost forgot about me whilst he was trying so desperately to seduce my mother. That leader- Dante Panera.

"Look Harl, I know he's doing a pretty slack job of leading the Sapphire Bloods but cut the man some slack. I mean he only just buried his wife's body a few weeks ago. He's trying..." Nathan sighed. At this moment, I noticed how truly tired he was. Nathan and I were two of the most upper leaders in the cartel. With me out of commission for weeks on end in hospital and on a mission, Nathan was trying his best to hold everything together for Dante.

"Nath, he didn't inform me of key information because he was at the Undergrounds trying to seduce my mother." I could feel the venom in my words as I almost gagged from the thought of my mother being in the Undergrounds alone with him.

The Undergrounds was a military-style base the Sapphire Bloods ran. The campus consisted of many basic rooms and escape tunnels. There had been many raids over the years, but as far as the police could prove, it was a facility for the less wealthy to house and live at a cheaper rate. Being in the Undergrounds with a leader was often described as a privilege because it meant they valued your opinion enough to meet with you in a traditional manner.

I'm assuming my mother's meeting with Dante was anything but traditional.

"I'll deal with that another time, Harley. But right now, I'd like to hug my best friend considering I spend 36 hours thinking she was dead." He sighed and pulled me into his embrace.

"I love you, Nath."

"I love you too, Harley. I'll always make sure you're safe, I promise."