SEVENTEEN: SECRETS
A month had passed.
Nothing a single word uttered since Riley found out where Zayn and Marcus stood about her situation. As for her health, mental health, nothing changed. There were times where she completely shut everything out and stayed to herself. Nights where she just couldn't sleep. So, she stayed on the balcony instead. With music, she tried to drown her pain, but that didn't work. There were nights when she cried herself to sleep because of the guilt. Knowing that she could've cost her father his life because of her lifestyle.
Today, was another one of those days. She was exercising in the gym when Cameron walked in. He had a tray in hand as he knocked to get her attention. "Breakfast's ready, Red."
"I'm not hungry, Cam," she replied quickly still focused on the punching bag in front of her.
"You haven't eaten a proper meal in almost two days, Riley," he pointed out setting the tray on the bench nearby her. "You haven't even slept properly either."
"No need to worry about me. I'm fine," she told him drily.
"Are you really, Riley? Or is that just you bottling up your emotions again? Better yet, your guilty because of everything, am I right?" he asked her. She was about to punch the punching bag again when he grabbed her hand. "Is it also because you feel that you're the reason for your father's situation right now?"
"I don't feel that I'm the reason my dad is in a coma right now, Cameron. I am the reason he is in a coma right now. I'm the reason he almost died. I'm the reason he got dragged into my mess."
Knowing she was right, he sighed slowly leveling her hand down. "I would tell you that things will get better, but that doesn't do much. Yes, you were an idiot, knowing what you were bringing with you, to go to see him, but that's what you wanted right? To see your dad?"
She nodded. "Is that selfish of me?"
"Of course not, love. You missed him. You just wanted to make sure he was okay."
"But still, Cam, I still went. I even stayed when I wasn't supposed to and now..." her voice became quieter. "I doubt he'll ever look at me the same again. He'll never see me as his daughter again...just as the most wanted killer in America."
He hugged her tightly as he noticed her teary eyes. "We'll get through this, okay?"
"Zayn was right. I should've traded myself for him. I should've just...went back." She whispered in his chest.
"I'm not letting you go back you understand me?" he said sternly, pulling back from the hug. He held her shoulders. "I won't let that happen. There's no way I'm letting you put yourself through that again. That man doesn't know the truth. He doesn't know the hell we went through just to walk freely for once. And I'm going to show him. I'm going to show him the story, our story. The reason we are the infamous twin dragons. So, please. Don't do that again. Don't shut me out again. I hate seeing you like this. Crying yourself to sleep, the razors, not eating. I'm here for you. Allow me to carry your pain too."
As hard as she tried to, the tears came down flooding. Without hesitation, he hugged her again as she soaked his shirt with her tears. All of it was there, the pain, the anger and anguish. Everything fell down her cheeks, tear after tear. Her river never stopped as her sobs joined it. All that pain she had been carrying with her came down on her like a brick. For such a long time, she had been pulling that cinder block with her. Now, she had help.
He rubbed her hair softly, gently laying a kiss on her forehead.
***
Inside the living room, they all sat. Cameron sat close to Riley, and Eli, Zayn and Marcus sat across from them.
"What's the plan?" Eli asked being professional. Although the tension in the room could cut through iron.
"We get him off her tail for a while. Until we can figure out how to keep him off her tail. I say hit him where it hurts a little bit." Cameron replied.
As the two talked, Riley was silent. The thick tension couldn't be ignored at all. Zayn stared at her blankly while Marcus stared apologetically. Although she wondered why they were, she gave them both a cold shoulder.
Eli glanced at her. "You're wonder why those two are here, huh?"
"I could care less. Anyone care for a drink?" she offered as she stood up.
"Some water would be great, thanks." Eli replied.
"Can you refill my coffee cup, babe?" Cameron asked her.
She nodded taking Cameron's mug that was on the coffee table and went to the kitchen. When she got there, she paused for a second knowing she was followed.
Zayn leaned against the archway. "I don't understand how you caused all of this and still get to roam free. I just—"
Riley laughed darkly. "Why does it matter to you? You want me to go back to where I was running from. And yet, you're here still trying to get involved."
"I only came to apologize for how I acted," he stepped closer to her while she began making Cameron's coffee. "And that boy you're living here with. I didn't know you had a boyfriend either."
Knowing he was close; she increased the distance between them. "You can find out who—"
Cameron's arm slipped around Riley's waist. "Am I interrupting family time?"
"Nope. Just finished talking actually. And here's your coffee," Riley smiled a little. "Eli's water too."
She was about to walk away when Zayn grabbed her wrist. "We weren't done talking. Where are you going?"
She took his hand and pulled it off her wrist. "I have nothing more to say to you."
He was about to grab her hand again when Cameron stepped in front him. "She said that she's done talking to you. Can't you take a hint?"
Zayn scoffed. "Out of my way, boy. This has nothing to do with you."
"Oh, it does. More than you think, sir." He retaliated.
"In what world? Neverland? Please," Zayn chuckled eying Cameron. "Show some respect kid. You don't know who you're talking to."
Cameron smirked. "Zayn Morris, Matt West's head bodyguard and friend. A vet and a fellow agent. However, it is you who doesn't know they're talking to. Respect isn't given. It's earned. Besides you're in my house. Don't give me a reason to lay you out cold, understand?"
Cameron's aura had changed but his words sounded as calm as the ocean. Zayn was usually the intimidating one around Marcus, Matt and Riley. He was known for that, but that wasn't the case now. Zayn could feel his tough façade cracking. Cameron was the one with power here. He exuded it. It naturally came off him. Zayn has never seen anyone like him. Cameron's stance alone made Zayn's confidence dwindle.
"This is between me and Riley. Nothing more, nothing less. Stop trying to act like a big shot when she's not here. Who the hell do you think you are to disrespect me, hmm?" Zayn spat coldly.
"You really don't know who this man is, Morris? My apologies. I should've introduced you earlier," Eli popped in with his glass in hand whilst Marcus stood quietly watching them amused.
"Don't mind me. Things are finally getting interesting since we got here. Riley, do you have some popcorn here?" Marcus smiled.
Riley glanced at him. "Sorry, we don't."
Eli laughed. "Well Morris, meet Cameron Newman. Better yet, Rogue, the Black Dragon. One of the U.S. best mercenaries in the entire world. In fact, he's practically royalty here in Dubai. Hence why you saw his face everywhere. All of that and he's only nineteen. That kid is the deadliest man on the planet with his bare hands. So, be very careful of what you say."
Cameron smirked. "Now that's done with, as I said before Morris, don't give me a reason to embarrass you in front of your goddaughter that you want dead."
"I never said that I wanted Riley to die. I just wanted Matt safe and all of this to be over, fool," Zayn stepped up to Cameron confidently. Also, making a big mistake.
"She told both of you everything she went through. Showed you all of her scars and bruises to prove it. How she fought her way back through sleepless nights, not being to have a decent meal for weeks; all because she just wanted to see her father again knowing what would come of that risk. She still did it because she wanted to reunite with you all. And this is the treatment she gets? This is what she gets just for being a teenager who just wanted to hug their father again after almost ten years of suffering? Now I know that none of you wouldn't care even if she did die and that could've happened multiple times."
Zayn scoffed. "Boy, you don't know me or her. None of that would've happened. Hell, she would've left already if she got tired of the suffering. Guess she actually liked it."
Cameron was livid. Without hesitation, he sent a right hook at Zayn. That hook earned him a satisfying cracking sound. One that Cameron considered music to his ears. There was sadistic look in his eyes that scared Eli and Marcus. Riley immediately pushed Cameron away before anything could get worse.
"You think I don't know her? I was there. I saw it all. You think she liked it? I could still hear her shrills even in my sleep. You see this?" Cameron pulled his shirt over his head revealing his story. "We got shot, whipped, burned. Acid thrown at us if we didn't win our fights. Your mouth has been really reckless since you walked in here. And I'm already tired of it. When I'm done with the man who made us suffer, you're next. Your head will be the last I put on my mantle, Morris. I promise you that," Cameron stepped back after holding a section of Zayn's hair as he looked him in the eyes. Zayn's eyes were wide as if he had seen a ghost. So were Marcus. Cameron then turned to Marcus. "As for you, you can bet on both your lives, you will never see her face again."
Instead of letting things go, Zayn's pride got in the way. Blinded by his anger, he lunged for Cameron only to be stopped in his tracks. Cameron slammed his body into the floor. Almost immediately Cameron pulled Zayn's arm around to his back. He wrapped his arm around Zayn's neck while his leg constricted Zayn's breathing. Tightly, he locked Zayn into a position that he could never escape from.
Zayn's face began to lose its color. In that moment, the moment Riley saw Zayn's eyes get heavy, she pulled Cameron get off him. "That's enough. He's going to pass out if you go any further, Cam."
Cameron chuckled darkly. "One more body can't hurt."
Riley grabbed his hand and pulled him away from everyone else. "That's my dad's bodyguard, Cameron! You can't kill him!"
"Riley, move," he tried to push pass her.
She stepped in his way. "Go. Cool. Off."
"To hell with that, move," Cameron spat coldly. "I won't allow him to disrespect you like that. Not in my house!" He moved passed her ready to attack Zayn again, but she stopped him. She hugged him tightly. Her arms wrapped around his waist, her head against his chest listening to his heart that pounded against his rib cage in rage.
"Please, my dad needs him. You've done enough already."
His breathing started to level out as she hugged him. He embraced her glaring at Zayn then at Marcus who froze in horror. "He has no right talking about you that way."
She took his hand and led him away from the kitchen. "Come on, you need to cool off."
"Can I at least get a beer?" Cameron asked.
"No beer for you, Newman. Calm your rage first," Riley was about to leave him on the balcony to get some damage control done but got pulled back into Cameron's bare chest. He cupped her face, looking in her eyes softly.
"I hate that you have to deal with people like him," he told her stealing a peck. "You're not allowed to wear these shorts around me, okay? You're going to wake up something you shouldn't."
She chuckled heading inside. "Deal with it, Newman. I wear what I want. You can't tell me otherwise."
When she got back to the kitchen, Marcus and Eli were silent. Zayn was nowhere to be found. Eli smirked.
"You've got one of hell of man on your hands, red."
"I know," Riley chuckled.
"Um...Riley, where's the bathroom? I might've—"
"There's one in the guest room you're staying in. It's the door right next to the closet." She replied. He ran toward the room leaving Eli and her alone.
"I haven't seen that side of Cameron since his fight with an old opponent," he smiled a little. "That boy is head over heels for you. To see him, almost go into assault mode, like that, all for you, let's me know that he cares. He cares about you so much."
She sighed. "I know. He almost killed him. Now, Zayn isn't going to take this lightly nor see him like I do."
"Here's the thing, as much as Zayn hates him for taking you here without consulting him especially after all the stupidity, he has said to you and about you, he just wants the best. He wants to see his friend awake and well, you know? His pride is all he has really." Eli countered.
"I just hope I can smooth things over with him eventually?" She sighed. "I just know that I'll have to keep him away from Cameron considering his pride got crushed."
"Well, he did get laid out and he was warned. So, he set himself up for that one. Don't worry though, I'll talk to him."
"No, let me. Since everything has happened because of me. I have to finish it."
***
Nothing was the same.
No one uttered a word to each other in the morning. Cameron stayed away from everyone else. He had been in the gym room since he woke up this morning. Meanwhile, with a cup of coffee in hand, Riley went to Zayn's room. The minute she opened the door, he was already awake but still feeling the effects of what happened last night.
"What do you want?" he asked coldly.
She placed the cup of coffee on the nightstand next to him. "Made your coffee just like the way you like it."
"Why are you here, Riley?" he asked sternly. "Come to tell me make fun of me for what happened last night?"
"I'm not here to make fun of you. But starting a fight with Cameron was stupid of you to do. However, you were right about what you said. One thing is for sure though," she goes closer to him, eye to eye. "You would never last a day in my shoes, marine. Lastly, you're very lucky because no one lives to tell the tale of Slash, the red dragon."
Her words were chilling. Horrifying to say the least. Zayn was frightened even though he hid that fact. He could barely look in her eyes. Even though, he tried to chop her spirit down with the truth, she still stood tall. She looked at him with the eyes of a killer, not the ones of an innocent teenager. He found himself in conflict although he was right. She started to this so why does she get to run?
To busy in his thoughts, Eli walked in with a first aid kit startling him. "You're an idiot. You know that Morris."
"Spare me, Torres. You and I both know I was right." He huffed.
"So, you decide to push a button you shouldn't have? Count yourself lucky because Riley saved your life last night. If she hadn't stopped Cameron, you would've been dead already."
"She what?" he asked surprised as Eli started to treat his broken nose.
"Riley pulled Cameron off you. If she didn't, Mr. West wouldn't have a bodyguard anymore. I can't believe Red thought you'd understand her knowing how much you've been through. To think, you, a man she considered family at one point in her life, one she put trust in, would undermine her struggles. After scratching and clawing her out of that hell just to see if all of you were alright. Just to even see you all again, she risked her life. Risked everything to see you again, and you alienate her, dismiss her pain because you believe she was seeking attention? Does it even look she enjoyed torture, Morris? The death in her eyes say otherwise. You're a marine, Morris. You should know."
"My best friend is half-dead in a bed, Torres!" he shouted. "How would you feel if your own daughter was the cause of your death, huh?"
"Disappointed, of course. You're missing—"
"Listen, Torres. As of right now, she's nothing but an enemy to me. I will not rest until Matt gets the justice he rightfully deserves. If that means, his own daughter has to die then so be it," he gritted bitterly.
Eli laughed darkly. "Well, I'll be. Morris, you should switch careers. Maybe you'd be a better mafia leader than I am. I hate to break it to you though. If you touch red, you'll have hell to pay. However, I think you've done enough—"
"Riley! Get down!" all of a sudden Marcus' voice was heard. Eli, with Zayn leaning against him for support rushed out of the room to see what was going on. When they did, Zayn's mask shattered. His eyes were wide.
A frantic Cameron was holding to her hand tightly as she stood on the edge of the balcony with a smile on her face. Marcus had tears in his eyes begging her to come back. Cameron gripped her hand tightly as she tried to fight him off.
"Just let me go. You don't need me. None of you do. You'll be fine without me." She said.
"What about your father, Riley?! He needs you! Marcus needs you. Eli needs you. Zayn needs you. I need you more than you would ever know," Cameron pleaded to her. "Please. Hold out a little longer. Please."
Tears were streaming down her cheeks. "Why won't you let go? LET ME GO! LET ME DIE IN PEACE! I CAN'T TAKE THIS ANYMORE!"
Cameron pulled her back. He pulled her into his embrace with tears streaming down his cheeks as well. "I know. It hurts. We're all alone and it hurts. No one understands us. But please don't go? I don't want to say goodbye yet. I can't live in this cruel world without you. We're supposed to fight together. Please don't give up yet. You're not allowed to give up yet. That's not the Red I know. The red I know would never give up."
"I'm tired of fighting, Cam. It's exhausting. I'm tired of trying to make people understand."
"I know, sweetheart," Cameron hugged her tighter. "They don't have to understand. They'll never understand what they can't see." Still hugging her, he wiped his own tears away. He let her cry into his chest listening to the pain she was carrying for so long. The pain they both shared. Slowly, he led her away from the balcony and into their room. She had cried so much that she fell asleep.
Tucking her in, he gently planted a soft kiss on her forehead. "We'll end this. I swear." He carefully slipped out of the room making sure he doesn't wake her up only to find Eli, Zayn, and Marcus in the living room. Marcus' head hung low as he covered his ears. His heart shattered witnessing her in that state. He turned to Zayn with a cold gaze.
"You just had to do it, huh? You just had reminder of her pain knowing how much she was hurting. You just had to drive her to that point. How cruel could you be?" he said.
"Don't act like you're innocent, Marcus. You contributed too," Zayn spat back. "Besides, she did this to herself. No one asked—"
"Getting kidnapped, tortured, and assaulted for ten years straight is a choice now?" Cameron spoke up frightening both Zayn and Marcus. "You think she asked for a grown man to touch her?"
Zayn stayed quiet.
"Answer the question, Zayn," Cameron's voice grew huskier. Eyes narrowed in slits dead set on Zayn. Cameron pulled the coffee table closer to where Zayn was sitting and sat in front of him. "I'm listening."
"No," Zayn finally answered.
"If I remember correctly, you're the family's head guard, right?" Cameron asked.
"Yes."
"How long have you been working with them?"
"Since Matt's second year into his boxing career," Zayn answered truthfully.
Cameron smirked. "So, where were you when Riley got kidnapped, hmm? I'm sure you would've known something was wrong that night."
He scoffed. "Why are you asking me this? It doesn't concern you."
Cameron chuckled. "Because Riley deserves to know what a fraud her family bodyguard really this."
Marcus looked at Zayn questioningly. "What is he talking about, Zayn?"
"Nothing. Nothing at all," Zayn glared at Cameron.
"Oh really, then what's this?" Cameron turned the tv on revealing a video. Zayn's blood ran cold. His throat became dry. As the video played, they all could see him taking something from one of the men that broke into the house. Three other men slipped in and grabbed Riley unnoticed and left with ease.
A/N: Lord, this chapter is so long. I'm sorry guys.
What a twist. I know I wrote it, but I'm shook guys. I was NOT ready for this twist at all.
What do you guys think?
Who would've thought?
Zayn, the family bodyguard?
OOF.
Drop your thoughts in the comments
And vote. hehe.
See you guys soon!