The club had relocated to a place I would have never guessed. As Cole led me through the crowd of people in the fanciest-and most expensive restaurant in town, I couldn't help but feel like dirt when comparing their evening ball gowns to my bummy yoga pants, tank top and a bag slung over my shoulder. I kept my head straight as we continued through the kitchen and then through a side door and finally down a very long stair case leading to the basement of the building.
The place was absolutely sound proof. I didn't hear a thing until Cole said the password and the doors opened to the sound of a raging crowd and fists pounding on flesh and bone.
"So what does an innocent girl want with this place?" He whispered to me. He was a little too close for my comfort.
"I need to see the boss." I firmly told him as if I had seen the boss a million times before.
He eyes me suspiciously but then nodded and dragged me upstairs and into a room that over looked the fight below. A few men sat around a table and waitresses in nothing but lingerie and stilettos served them liquor.
"Yes!" one of them jumped in joy. "Did you see that move, Carter? I'm so winning." He sat back down and took a shot of his liquor.
I had no doubt that this was where men placed their bets, drank and laughed at their opponents.
"Hunter, I'm sorry to interrupt but someone is here to see you." One of the waitresses softly said to him.
He smacked her ass and sent her away. "Come." He instructed us and we went forward. "Cole! Long time no see. Who's this?" Both him and every other man in the room ravished me with their eyes. I suddenly felt uncomfortable.
Cole pushed me forward and I found my voice. "I'm here on behalf of my brother, Kevin."
"Ahh, yes! I thought you looked familiar. Your brother isn't one of my favorite persons right now."
"That's why I'm here." I said as my hands tightened on the strap on my shoulder.
He smirked at me, as if thinking of how I would fix it. The way his chocolate brown eyes raked over my body, I'm sure he already thought of a way. He wasn't a bad looking guy, he was in his late forties- no doubt and had shoulder length brown hair and a scar over his right eye. He looked familiar but I couldn't place him.
"Call me Hunter and have a seat." He gestured.
"No need." I said quickly, wanting to get out of there as quickly as possible. I gave my bag to one of his huge bodyguards and he searched it before giving it to him.
"What's this?" He asked, amused.
"Two million dollars. I assume that's what my brother owes and I'd like for you to take this as a peace offering and let him out of this place."
He sat back in his chair and stared at me, impressed. "You're a very lucky girl. Most people who just walk in my office and demand out of their contract, leaves in a body bag." His words sent shivers down my spine. "But because you're a.. ravishing young lady, I shall accept." He waved his hand towards his guard and a phone was out in his hands. He pressed a button and put it to his ear.
"Kevin?" He asked and my ears perked up like a dog. "Don't panic, my dear boy. I'm letting you out of your contract and you're free," he paused to hear Kevin's reply. "No, don't thank me. Thank your sister." then he hung up. "I'm quite sure this is our last meeting and I must admit, I'll miss your confidence."
I nodded and thanked him deeply for accepting then quickly left his office. Cole brought me back out of the restaurant and we stood outside as I caught my breath, trying to understand how I just did that without cracking.
"I'm impressed too. You were great in there. Most people stutter and sink themselves." He commented.
"I just really wanted my brother out of there. You should be fine too. I'm sure Kevin didn't owe that much."
"You're right, he didn't." He said as he came closer. "Thank you." He looked in my eyes and I actually believed he was genuine with his gratitude.
"No prob-"
"Kate!" A voice yelled at me. I turned to see Brandon getting out of his truck and storming towards me, but his eyes were on Cole. "What the fuck are you doing?" He said through gritted teeth.
"How did you know I was here?" I asked, genuinely confused.
"Your brother called."
I shook my head. "I'm fine. Now if you don't mind, I'm going home. Cole?"
"The hell you are!" He replied before Cole had the chance to. He literally pounced on me and threw me over his shoulder.
"Hey, Chambers-"
"Stay out of this!" He growled and Cole surrendered, realising this was beyond him and besides, he no longer had any beef now that he's debt free.
"Put me down!" I punched and kicked him. "You have no right!"
"I have every right! The fuck are you doing? Do you know how dangerous that was?" He put me in his truck and strapped me in then quickly climbed in and drove away.
"Yes, I know and I'm fine, see?" I gestured to myself. "Now you can stop throwing a bitch fit and take me home." I huffed and folded my arms.
Now he wants to act like he cares? Now he wants to talk? Well guess what! Too late, buddy.
On the ride home he took a detour and headed to somewhere unknown.
"Hey! Where are we going?"
"Shut up."
"Don't tell me to shut up!"
"Shut up, Kate! God, you drive me fucking insane!" He bellowed. "I can't even sleep without you on my mind, some way or the other."
He stopped his truck and I took a look outside. It was the very same field we came to all those nights ago.
"Why are we here?"
"Do you remember when I said I trusted you with me?"
I tried to understand where this was going.
"Yeah?.. "
"I meant it. I trust you with myself but I don't trust myself with you."
"What does that even mean?" I rolled my eyes.
"I can't guarantee that I wont break your heart! We're going separate ways after graduation and we are definitely two different people. I'm not willing to commit and here you are, ready as ever." He stared at me with his chocolate eyes.
He had a point. If it wasn't working now, then when would it? We will be miles away from each other doing our own thing and creating a new life.
"What are you suggesting?" I closed my eyes and exhaled.
"We had a good run. I never thought we would end up here. We hated each other." He stared out into the field.
"Indeed we did. If someone had told me that I would fall in love with you, I would have laughed in their face but here we are... "
"Here we are." He echoed.
We remained quiet after that and he drove me home. It was now six in the morning and we had graduation ceremony in five hours. I thanked him for the ride home and went inside. It hadn't registered yet that things between us were done and I didn't want to register it. Not yet, anyway.
"Kate!" Kevin trapped me in a bear hug and lifted me high. "Thank you so much! You're the best twin ever." He tightened his hold.
"I'm your only twin." I retorted as he let me down.
"I'm serious. Mom told me what you did. I can't believe you would do that. Why would you do that?"
"There's no way I would leave you, Kev. I promised you that."
He hugged me again and our mom came down the stairs, smiling at us. I assumed Kevin worked out his differences with her last night because he ran over to her and hugged her. I followed him right after and we stood there for a while, just hugging it out.
I looked up to the sky and thanked God that our lives had turned around and I also thanked dad. I knew he was watching over us this whole time and now I could bet everything he was smiling at us.
***
Kev and I sat beside each other as the valedictorian gave a great speech on our journey through high school. I held his hand and squeezed it. Everything was looking up and I would be eternally grateful to my mom and Joshua.
Speaking of which, they sat in the audience behind us and for the first time, I was okay with that. She was right, he would never replace dad but he didn't want to. Earlier on when he came over, Kev and I sat with him and we talked through all our doubts. Joshua was an okay guy and I'm glad mom found someone that would treat her right.
I proudly held my diploma in my right hand and held Kevin's hand in my left hand. He wasn't so up to the idea of our mom and Joshua in a serious relationship but I'm sure he'll come around to it.
"And so we venture out into the world, we'll find out who we are and where we're meant to be. I'll end with a quote that will benefit us all: forgive quickly, laugh loudly and love deeply. Congratulations, class of 2014!!" The valedictorian yelled and everyone threw their hats in the air.
I hugged Kevin tightly. "I love you, baby brother."
He scoffed. "By two minutes!" I smacked his head. "Okay, okay. I love you too." He grumbled and I laughed.
My friends found us and we all exchanged hugs and kisses. Kevin, however, exchanged a very long kiss with Jill.
"Oh, Kate. We're gonna miss you." they all hugged me.
I sighed. "I'll miss you so much more. You guys are my best friends. When no one else wanted to be my friend, you guys invited me to lunch."
"And it was the best thing we ever did." Phoebe mentioned.
"I love you guys." I said as tears blurred my eyes.
We hugged again. I really am going to miss them.
After all the excitement, I made my way towards my mom when I saw someone. I stood frozen in my spot as he approached me.
"You look as if you've seen a ghost." Hunter smirked as he came closer, dressed in a three piece suit and his hair neatly caught up. It was then I realized why he looked familiar. It wasn't a lot but the resemblance was there.
"I can't believe I didn't know." I said to him.
He chuckled. "Yes, well he likes to pretend I don't exist."
"Why?"
"He has his reasons, even though I try to reach out to him." He sighed and I could see a small amount of sadness in his eyes.
"You knew about me, didn't you?" I questioned.
"I did." He smiled. "You are far prettier than I imagined though."
"How?"
"That, among other things, are his story to tell. Not mine."
As I was about to demand an answer, the very same person we were talking about walked right up to us.
"I see you've met, again." Brandon said with slight anger in his voice.
"I was bound to meet her. Your mother would have loved her." He patted his shoulder. "Congrats, son." He walked away.
I stood there speechless, still trying to comprehend.
"Kate." Was all he said.
I shook my head at him, everything was making sense now: how easily he got out of that club, why he never mentioned his father, the way he talked about that club as if it was filth, not realizing he was regarding to who and not what.
"I'm done playing, Brandon. I've been so emotional and confused over the past three weeks than in my entire life. We're discussing this and I'm not taking no for an answer." I demanded. I had no idea where this confidence came from but it worked as he sighed and took my hand in his.
He led me towards the bleachers and we sat down. "What first?"
"Your mom." I had picked up that's where his source of pain and sadness came from.
He sighed deeply and looked up to the clouds that were beginning to cast over.
"I was fourteen, getting wasted at a house party. I called my mom to come pick me up, God, I was so shit faced I couldn't talk straight. She was so upset with me and cursed me over the phone at how stupid and reckless that was." He shook his head.
"I remember telling her how much of a bitch she was being and that she should lighten up. My dad had left us when I was nine and I used that against her. I told her that's why dad left, because she was so serious all the time. She never laughed."
"Oh no." I said as I figured out where this was going.
"Yup, she was hit by a drunk driver and smashed right into a light pole. The car was so wrecked.. " His hands shook and he took a deep breath. "My dad called me and it sobered me up right away. He brought me to the crash site and they couldn't even get her body out." He put his head in his hands.
I wrapped my arm around him and hugged him as he gently began to unleash his pent up emotions. Now I fully got why he was so angry about drinking and driving.
"I kept feeling like it was my fault. My brother held me responsible all these years.. " He softly said.
"What?"
That little fucker. How could Ken let his brother go through such a thing for four years? When I see him I'll be sure to give him a piece of my mind.
"Is that why you feel obligated to clean up his mess?"
He nodded. "I was so angry at everyone. I kept picking fights with kids at school until I decided to pick fights outside as well."
"And then you decided to fight at the club." I continued for him.
"I didn't know how to deal with everything so I fought. I did what I was good at."
I hugged him tighter. "Thank you for sharing. It means the world to me. You are the strongest person I know and it is not your fault. You hear me?"
"But I said those things.. "
"Baby, you didn't know. It wasn't your fault. I think it's time you forgave yourself." It was the only way he would get closure.
"How?" His watery eyes looked at me.
I kissed him deeply. "Visit her. Tell her how you feel."
He nodded and stared out in front of him.
Another question popped into my head and I couldn't resist. "There's a covered painting in your room, what's under it?"
"The one of my mom."
"I thought that was your art project."
He smiled. "My art project was you. I painted your eyes and the way they look at me."
I was shocked to be honest and my heart overflowed. I had used his picture in my project as well. He was the last piece to put together all the emotions I wanted to portray. "Thank you."
He smiled sadly at me and looked out again. "What happens now?"
I laid my head on his shoulder and intertwined our fingers. "Whatever comes, we'll figure it out. Like we always do."
---------***----------
The end!
Thank you so much for reading and voting, I appreciate it so much!!
I really enjoyed writing this story!
Stay tuned for the epilogue!
Xoxo