Son of the Boss

Vendetta

Before I have time to process his movements I feel a sting burn my cheek as his palm comes down against my face hard. It whips to the side and I taste the blood pool in my mouth.

"You're going to call Alessio and tell him to meet you at this address," Jesús starts and pulls a paper from his pocket. "Act normal and don't for one second think I won't kill you right now."

I watch as Tucker takes my phone out of his pocket and hands it to Jesús. He unfolds the paper for me to read the address sprawled out in black ink.

"Tell him you need a ride home and want to talk to him," Jesús continues on, "He knows you met with Tucker so this shouldn't come as a shock to him."

I watch as he pulls his gun out and carefully rests the metal against the wood of the chair. I stare up at him as he dials out Alessio's number and the ringing fills the silence around us.

"Olivia?" Alessio's voice echoes.

"Alessio," I swallow and look at the gun in Jesús' hands, "I need you to pick me up."

"I have something going on," He starts and his voice sounds strained. "I can be there in about 10 minutes. Are you okay?"

Jesús stares back at me with a dead stare and moves the gun to the edge of my jaw. "I'm okay, I just need a ride home."

They all watched me in silence as I read off the address to him.

"Okay. Are you sure everything is ok?" Alessio asks again. I can tell he's getting suspicious and so can Jesús.

"I'm fine, I just need a ride home," I tell him and try to force some perkiness to my voice. "I met up with Tucker but he had some things to wrap up at the cafe."

A long pause goes by before Alessio says anything else.

"I'll be there soon."

The line goes dead and I watch Jesús toss the phone back to Tucker. He wastes no time shattering it against the wall.

"Not bad, recruit." Jesús laughs at him.

"I don't think so," Tucker grimaces. "I just need to get the fuck out of this shit hole."

"As you wish." Jesús mutters and tosses him what looks to be a band of money.

Tucker fingers through the bills, "This isn't all of it."

"You'll get the rest when Alessio is dead."

Tucker shoots me a glance and almost seems to hesitate as the others get up and move towards the door.

"Man, that wasn't in the description. You told me to make sure you could get to Olivia, that's it."

Jesús looks over at Tucker for a moment and laughs. "Pedro stays here. Tucker, you come with us."

His jaw flexes and he looks back at me one more time before he disappears with the others. The boy left to guard me looks to be only 16.

He's a thin, lanky kid with dark hair and dark eyes. I notice he has a gun resting on his hip.

"How old are you?"

He glares back at me and pulls a switchblade out. "Did I say you can talk?

"You're right, you didn't. I figured we could at least pass the time," I shrug and feel my hands move against the rope. "I bet you wanted to go with them, huh?"

"I guess so...Jesús is just looking out for me."

"Big brother?"

"Yeah."

"Do you not go to school or anything?" I ask and feel a weak spot in the rope under my fingertips.

"Not anymore..."Pedro begins and starts flicking the knife in and out. "I stopped going when I was 11. Alejandro wanted me to get used to this life...I jumped into the gang at 13 years old. Only been two years of me being part of any of this."