Isabella's POV.
I stood still, not able to move.
I felt numb at what I had just witnessed before me; confused at how a simple night had turned into such chaos.
I think what had disturbed me the most was watching George hold a gun tightly in his hand before vanishing out of the door. I didn't know why he owned one or where he had gotten it from but it made my whole body fill with fear.
What was happening?
What had I gotten myself caught up in?
I had told Sophie I was going to stay away from both guys and now I was truly wishing I hadn't gone back on my word. I couldn't unsee the actions I had witnessed tonight. They would be engraved in my mind and haunting my dreams for a very long time.
"You okay?" A soft voice suddenly captured my attention and I turned to see Matt stood there looking at me cautiously, as if I may shatter to a million pieces if he got too close.
Among all of the madness though, hearing a more calmer tone eased a little bit of the fear within my body. I knew this guy worked alongside these other individuals and I knew I should have been just as terrified in his presence however, he gave the most security right now. That was definitely what I needed.
"George has got this covered, don't worry. Just stay with me, it'll all be fine."
As the voices outside were raised further, as they all yelled hatred at one another, I felt that panic returning once again.
"What is this?" I exasperated, taking a step back and trying to distance myself as far from the front door as possible.
Matt just stared down at me, trying to sum together some sort of explanation which obviously wouldn't give too much away.
"Those guys outside, James too..." He began, emphasising James' name strongly, wanting me to be aware that he was a big issue in this. "...are not the kind of people you should be hanging around with."
I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear, glancing back up at him and hoping he would continue. So far he was just filling me in on things I had already been told by George, but chose to ignore.
"I mean it Isabella. When George told you to stay away from them he didn't mean it to be selfish. He meant it to protect you."
"But I don't even know him!"
"That doesn't matter. You just need to trust us."
My head was currently pounding with question and uncertainty. There were so many things I wanted to scream at Matt to demand answers but instead I kept quiet. I didn't want to push it even more and add onto the stress and chaos. I knew I just had to ride it out, place my trust in Matt and George and hope that it didn't end up being the biggest mistake of my life.
*
George's POV.
As I rushed outside to witness the madness unfolding before me, I immediately lifted my gun and aimed a few shots at no one in particular, just to get everyone's attention. It seemed to have worked as I watched all figures drop each other as their eyes turned to look my way.
"Calm the fuck down." I ordered and began scanning the variety of faces, noticing Brent and Jay no longer held James hostage and instead James was stood close by to two very familiar faces indeed.
Drew Cusack and Jeff Hove.
These two additions of the Jenkins' gang were definitely members that were difficult to forget. While Jeff Hove was deceivingly smart, Drew Cusack was quite literally insane. We all liked to claim we held no fear in this lifestyle but Drew wasn't hiding any insecurities. He truly was born without a heart and frustratingly that made him incredibly good at what he did.
Making my way over to both Drew and Jeff, I made sure to hold my gun close, ready to take a shot if anything got out of hand.
"Oh look who it is. You decided to show your faces after running off when you couldn't handle it anymore?" I mocked, trying to pick at what I knew would bother them the most.
"Fuck off, Shelley." Drew seethed before displaying a sickening grin in a manner that always made me curious to what was going on in his mind.
"Where's ya ring leader hey? Good ol' Carl Jenkins. Not here to take control of the pack anymore? Was he really that chicken not to come back?"
"Oh he's coming alright!" James shouted from close by causing my head to snap around.
"Zip it Junior. No one asked for your involvement in this. You aren't one of them and I'm pretty sure they don't want you considering the weak punches you throw. The only thing that is keeping you close and in fact protected by them is the fact that Carl is your fucking brother."
Anger drenched in my words as I spoke Carl's name. That man was vile and I wanted him gone after everything he had done.
"...and you know what's going to happen when I get my hands on your brother James Jenkins?" I questioned, etching a smirk across my face.
"This crew will be no more, leaving you, the little weak ass you always have been to cry over the fact that you are nothing but a shitter version of your brother."
The finish of my sentence caused both Jeff and Drew to lurch forwards ready to lay their hands on me. I didn't have time to even process what I was doing but my body acted on survival instinct as I threw a punch to the side of Drew's face as Brent came forward to handle Jeff.
"Oi!" I shouted as Drew stumbled back holding his now throbbing cheek. "Stop with the violence for a second will ya? We didn't come here to cause trouble."
"Oh yeah, says you who shows up at my door, threatening my life." James bit while charging over towards me.
"How many times do I need to tell you to shut the hell up? No one wants or needs to hear that mouth of yours!" I ordered before turning back to Drew and Jeff.
"You two." I quipped while pointing their way with my gun. "Tell Carl that when he sets foot back here I'll be waiting. I'll be ready to end his life with my own bare hands if I have to. He's not getting away with what he's done. Fucking around with us, yeah that's fair. But fucking around with Joe and his family is sick."
"Whatever George!" Drew snarled while walking closer to me once again. "You didn't kill him before, and you won't kill him this time. This feud isn't over and won't be for as long as we all live."
By this point Drew was standing so close to me that I began to feel his horrid breath on my face.
"You think you're smart. You think that by running away from the mess you had caused was going to buy you time for us all just to forget like idiots." I spat, grabbing Drew by the top of his jacket and hauling him towards a wall. "Well Drew Cusack, I don't play games, especially with a group of pathetic lads who try to call themselves a gang yet don't know shit."
Pulling Drew away from the wall, I shoved him back and forwards over and over again as the pain grew throughout him and immediately appeared on his face.
"Understand?"
He didn't give me a verbal response but I took his weak nod as conformation, leaving him to fall recklessly down the wall. My eyes then continued to scan the many surrounding faces, landing on Jeff. Instead of trying to fight back, he avoided my glare before he immediately began to back up and escape from the scene.
Watching him leave, my gaze soon turned onto the pathetic excuse of a gang member that had caused me to show up here in the first place. He was my biggest issue right now. He was the one getting way too close to Isabella and dragging her into something I was supposed to be keeping her far from.
James Jenkins had a reputation, quite similar to his brother's, Carl. He toyed around with girls, slowly luring them in until they were completely and utterly fallen before slamming them down, breaking their hearts and then ending their lives. The Jenkins family were sick, messed up in the head, but that wasn't where we came in...
We were the X Gang, local gang of Brighton and were feared much more than the Jenkins. This was our land, our town and they had no right to be trying to run the show here. We were known for doing stuff that no one other ever had, but we had respect in the sense that we didn't use the female population to get what we wanted.
"James Jenkins." I quipped, my words dripping with hate. I knew that no matter what act he put on, he was terrified of me. "Little Jenkins Junior."
"What?" He spat back, urging me to continue as he stood tall, trying to hold onto a strong exterior.
"I have one thing to say to you and I fully well think you know what it is."
"Well I can imagine you are going to tell me."
His careless mannerism was just making my blood boil even more and just looking at his face made me want to beat him to the ground. While looking at him, all I saw was Carl Jenkins and that was an even worse image to hold.
Grabbing onto James' collar, I pulled him closer to me so he had no other choice but to look at me.
"Keep you filthy hands off of Isabella." I warned. "I know what your intentions are and I'm not going to sit back and watch you follow in your brothers footsteps."
"I don't know what you are talking about Shelley." He smirked. "You're just pissed because I got the girl."
"You haven't got shit Jenkins!!" I bit, my voice raising as all I saw was red. "Now I advise you to back off and leave her be or I'll make sure you're taken care of in a way that is best suitable for a scum like you!"
With that I let go of his shirt, forcing his body away from mine and causing him to stumble back into the wall behind.
****