Jem's POV
I frown as I take in Andrew's trashed house.
When we got here the door was all but tore down. His couch was flipped over, the TV was busted, files littered the floor, and a match was in the trash. The match was partially burnt and a few things around it in the trash were singed.
My best guess was they were looking for anything of value, either money or information, but when they found nothing they decided to just burn the place. Either they had never started a house fire before or they were just in a hurry but the small fire only lasted for a few minutes before the fire ran out of things to feed on.
"Essentials only," I remind him for what feels like the hundredth time as he stuffs his third pair of shoes in his suitcase.
"This is essential."
"You don't need this many pairs of shoes to just go to work and then go to sleep."
"But what if one pair gets ruined and I need another one? Then you'll be sorry when I have to come back to get some more."
"Well luck for us you already have an extra pair packed. If you manage to ruin two pairs of shoes I will gladly go buy you a new pair," I said as I take out the third pair.
Patrick only watches me suffer from his place on the bed, a clear smile on his face. He was enjoying this way too much but my heart was beating out of my chest.
I glanced down at my watch. I'd been out of the house for over 2 hours at this point. A few minutes waiting for them to show up, about 20 getting shot at, talking for another 10, and an hour drive to Andrew's house. I've been out for way too long and we still have to go to Patrick's house.
Still, I keep my face neutral as I push down my small panic as I look over to Patrick.
"Please tell you you're not going to be this difficult." Andrew scoffed at my small put down but Patrick doesn't give him time to say anything about it.
"I'll be in and out," he promised. "I have a bag ready to go at all times just in case."
"Do you get threatened by gangs that often," Andrew asked as he attempted to put the third pair of shoes back in his bag. I grabbed them from his hands and waved for him to go get something else.
"It's not just for emergency exits. I've had last minute family funerals, last minute plans, and things like that. It's just easier if I keep a bag packed at this point."
Andrew only hums as he looks around the room to make sure he didn't forget anything and when he declares that he's good to go, I grab his suitcase and lead them back to my car.
Sadly their cars will need a new set of tires on them so it wasn't too hard to convince them to let me drive.
Patrick sat in the front seat while Andrew sat in the back, his eyes glued to his phone while Patrick stared out the windshield.
His hands were crossed over his chest but a small detail was missing from one of his fingers. His wedding ring was gone.
I couldn't help the small smile that worked its way onto my face but I don't bother commenting on it, no need to add salt to the wound quite yet.
"You don't have to get out," he said when we pulled up to his new apartment. The door was pushed open like Andrew's had been but there didn't seem to be any movement inside. "Like I said, I'll be in and out."
"Fine," I huffed just to save time on arguing. "But if someone is in there yell really loud." He only nodded before disappearing into the small apartment.
Patrick walked out only a few seconds later with a small duffle bag over his shoulder before sliding back into the front seat.
"That's how you should have packed," I sighed just to keep up conversation as I pulled back onto the main road. "If all goes well you'll be back in your houses by the end of the week anyway, you didn't need that many clothes."
"Well maybe I was just being prepared."
"And just think, he would have packed even more if you hadn't stopped him."
"I don't see how one person has that many clothes."
"I don't believe for a second that you have less clothes than me," Andrew brushed off with a small scoff but I only chuckle a bit.
"I choose to spend my money on things other than clothes." Andrew gives a small gasp at that. We made eye contact through the rear view mirror, a shocked expression covering his face.
"Drugs?" The question came out small and timid as if he didn't really want to ask. I have to bite my lip for a second to not laugh.
"Not for myself. None of my personal money goes towards that." That seemed to make him relax.
"Right, you spend all of your money on guns," Patrick piped up with a small scowl.
Suddenly I wished I had just let us drive in silence.
"I don't remember that being against the law," I said, my face turning cold as I turn down a gravel road.
For a second I consider blindfolding Patrick. Now that he was in charge of the department, he would have no probably leading a search party out here and trying to arrest me.
Then again if I were the one saving his life would be still do that?
Patrick was about to say something but I cut him off before he had the chance as I slam on breaks. The car slid against the gravel, Patrick grabbing onto the safety handle before glaring at me while Andrew braced himself against my seat.
"Are you going to keep trying to arrest me after all of this?" I don't even bother looking over at him. If the only reason he was letting me take him here was so he could use it against me later than I would have someone take him home right now.
"How long has it been since I last came after you," he said after a while.
"I don't know-"
"Two years," he cut me off. "We made a deal that day. You hand over all of your minors to camp and I leave you alone. You held up your end so I'll keep up mine."
I finally turn to look at him. I study his face, trying to find any clues that he was lying or was mad about the agreement but he only looked bored; I assume this was the same face he makes during interrogations.
I took a deep breath and forced my eyes back to the worn out road before allowing the car to move again.
I couldn't stop my thoughts as we drove in silence down the long winding driveway.
What if Patrick was lying? What if he was ready to drag me to jail the second all of this was over? What if this never ended? I know I said a week tops but that was more to sooth Andrew's nerves. Depending on how long this other gang was willing to wait to go after them, this could carry on for months. What if one of them died because of me?
Several of my men have died on my watch before but this would be different. They didn't ask for this life, they were in this mess because of me. If they ended up dying-
"Why do all of these roads have so many split offs," Andrew asked as I turned the car down another gravel driveway.
"It's designed to be a maze," I said boredly. "Most of the roads lead back to the main road, others just lead you down dead ends or circle back around to different parts of other driveways. Easy security."
He gives me a look I couldn't quite place but I couldn't care less as I set my eyes on my house. Every tense muscle I had immediately relaxed at the sight of it. This was the only place I was truly safe.
"When you said we were going to your house I for some reason pictured a farm house with a few guest rooms," Andrew said as he eyed my place wearily as we continued to drive up the long driveway.
"I was picturing some run down warehouse," Patrick frowned.
"This is a literal hotel," Andrew noted.
"It is not," I scoffed as I threw the car in park.
I won't lie, my house was big but it had a reason to be. Back when I first took over the gang it was small and only had the one long driveway. It didn't take long for rival gangs to figure out the gang had a new leader and they wanted my title.
A few punks from small town gangs around the area tried to take it but one night it got a little too close for comfort. They attacked the house and back then only Barrett, Devon, and I lived here so the three of us were facing a whole gang on our own one night.
After that I had the whole thing re done. The driveway became a maze and I put so many add ons to the house that every member I had could have a place to stay if they want it.
Now I stood in front of a three-story house that had three wings to it that made a blocked letter U shape. The house itself was nothing other than a greyish blue color that blended into the sky almost. Trees framed both sides of the house and even though you couldn't see it from here, a lake spread across the back of the house.
I could practically feel my heart calm itself the longer I stood here. Nothing but the sound of water and crickets filled the air as the last bit of sunlight faded from the sky.
"Get your bags," I reminded them as I started walking to the front door.
That seemed to snap them out of their daze as they followed behind me. I opened the door and stepped into the small room before looking over to Patrick and Andrew.
"It looked bigger from the outside," Patrick teased as he tried to figure out the trick room.
It looked almost like an elevator but there were no buttons, just a small metal room with a front door and a sliding door in front of that.
"How does it work," he asked, defeat slipping into his voice after a few minutes of looking around for the answer and coming up with nothing.
I only smirked at him as I leaned over to the top left tile in the floor. I tapped my foot to the rhythm I had set as the passwords and when I was done the sliding door opened to reveal one of the common rooms.
Patrick scoffed at the simplicity as I led them into the house.
Quite a few people sat on the couch tonight. Most of the guys watched some sports game while a few of women fought them for the remote. One of the men was stupid enough to hold the remote over a new girls head in a teasing manor. Her jaw clenched as she rammed her fist into his nose, causing him to drop the remote and hold his nose to keep the blood off my floor. The woman didn't bother gloating as she sat back down and changed the channel while no one else bothered to complain.
I don't bother saying a word to them as I led Patrick and Andrew to my wing of the house, well it was less of a wing and more of the bottom half of a wing being secluded to be mine, Devon's, and Barrett's house, which was closed off from the rest of the mansion.
"I'll give you two a tour later but for now I'm sure all you want is some food and a place to sleep."
"Food sounds nice actually," Andrew mumbled for the first time since stepping out of the car.
I led them down a long hall with no other rooms on either side until we came to my door, which I opened without second thought. I ushered both of them in before locking the door behind us.
"Okay," Patrick sighed as he took in my living room. "This place alone is bigger than my entire house."
I only hummed with a small smile as I took a quick look around.
I loved this room so much. It was on the farthest side of the right wing of the house and with the wall of windows in the living room, it gave a perfect view of the lake with the trees behind it. The sunsets here were honestly to die for.
The open floor plan had the kitchen right behind the living room and all of its windows before allowing the house to branching off into different sections of the house.
Devon and Barrett were nowhere to be seen though but at least the place seemed to be clean, I guess it made since though. Of course the place was clean considering those two were gone.
"Well, you have two options," I sighed, fighting the urge to lie down on the couch and let sleep take over. "Either I can show you to your rooms and you can have dinner there or I can show you to your rooms and you can come back down when you're ready."
"Wait, we're sleeping here," Andrew asked as he looked around.
"Well did you think I bought you all the way out here just to make you leave and a few minute later," I teased.
"No, I knew we would sleep in this building but isn't this, like, you're room? I'm sure you have plenty of others we could use."
"And you're more than welcome to but I don't you'll want to. My guys aren't dumb and they would never do anything to you, but they won't be very welcoming when they find out that Patrick's a cop and that you are an outsider. It's probably best of you just stayed in here, especially when I'm not here."
The two of them only nodded before agreeing to see their rooms first. I showed Patrick to his first, which was nothing, more than a bay window, a bed, and a desk along with a closet, before going right next door and showing Andrew a pretty much identical room.
"You two know where the kitchen is now," I said as I awkwardly stood in the middle of the hallway so both of them could here me. "And the living room. That's all you need for tonight at least."
Patrick stayed silent while Andrew hummed and sat down on his bed.
"What do we do now," he asked as he looked up at me with sad eyes. I forced back a sigh and bit back the urge to wipe my face just to keep myself awake.
"You two settle in and go to sleep. You both have work at some point tomorrow. Your shadow will be up and ready to leave by the time you are so don't worry about that. Get some rest, I'll handle everything else."
Andrew only nodded as he looked around the room while I turned around to head to my office.
"Hey Jem," Patrick called out, his voice almost so timid that I almost thought he was Andrew. I stopped in my tracks as I looked back at him. "Thanks for letting us stay here."
He doesn't look at me or bother to add anything to it but it was enough for now.
"No problem," I said. I nodded at both of them before going walking down the long hall and stepping into my office, shutting the door behind me.
My shoulders sagged the second he door was closed.
I had been up since 4 this morning and now it was at least 9 at night. I was nearly ready to just collapse at this point as my hand dipped into my pocket before grabbing my phone. My fingers move quickly as I pulled up a number I knew by heart at this point.
"What do you need," Devon asked the second he answered the call, not bothering to waste time with a formal greeting.
"You and Barrett need to get home now. I don't care what you're doing, just drop it and get here."
"What happened?"
"Not on an open call," I dismiss. "Get home and I'll tell you."
He sighed but said nothing as he hung up the phone.
I plopped down in my chair as I looked over thebit of work on my desk. At least I could knock some of this out while I waitedfor them.
Last updated October 20, 2021