{Chapter Ten}
It doesn't last more than a second, and no more than a peck, but that second felt nice. I could taste the coconut of his chapstick, feel the warmth of his lips. In turn I offer a cocky smile when he pulls away, rubbing his side where the break lever was pushing into him.
"What?" he demands.
"You like me, humor me, how long have you liked me?" I question. He bristles, scoffing at my question.
"I don't like you, I just don't hate you."
"Oh, Ángel, you're anything but an angel, aren't you?"
"Shut it. Now, listen. I don't have any desire to become part of your family, but I'll help you." I stare him, flicking my tongue over my dry lips as I assess the situation.
Finally, I ask the obvious question. "Why?"
"Because I hate Yerial, and wouldn't mind seeing him go down. And just between you and me, I kind of grew fond of you... your persistence is endearing."
"I don't trust you." I point out. He quirks his lips into a small, knowing grin.
"Of course not, that's why I'm willing to tell you that you have a rat in your family. You seem to have a lot of disobedience, maybe you should work on that, too." He comments. I stare at him for a long time, watching his face, his breathing, any movement, in order to interpret his body language. Is he lying? Cassie was a traitor after all, what's stopping everyone else?
I'm not as hard on them as Andre, and even that apparently wasn't enough. Whoever it is, I need to figure it out, fast.
"That wasn't the helpful information. Yerial knows about a deal happening tonight, over by the high school. He's planning a raid, no one is getting out alive." He explains carefully, as if afraid I may lash out...again.
That's the last thing on my mind right now, though. That deal is being done by Luck, in a little less than two hours.
"Shit, I need to leave." I mutter, grabbing my phone and sending a message to Luck to change the location. Unfortunately the stupid kid doesn't use his phone unless he needs to, and even then he doesn't like to.
"Don't worry about me, I can walk. We're not too far from the university. Since you know my schedule, you know when to come pick me up tomorrow. I'll see you tomorrow," he pauses, glancing me over, his eyes hovering on my injured face. "Preferably not with any new injuries."
"Ha, injuries are in the job description." I state with a lopsided grin. His eyes roll and we're silent for a moment, neither of us knowing exactly what to say, or rather do. He gets out of the car a second later with an awkward smile.
"See you tomorrow," with that he leaves, and also leaves the unspoken term of endearment I could see in his eyes, off his sentence. I watch him walk away with this confidence I have to admire, as if nothing could stand in his way. I pull out of the park, heading towards the meeting place Luck will be at.
The whole drive I can't stop thinking about Angel. His overwhelming sense of confidence, a sense of self. As if he has everything figured out, and is afraid of nothing. I envy that. I'm not a good person, but lord knows I never got to choose anything in my life.
From the time I was born, I was destined to be Andre's shadow, his right hand man. I learned to stab someone before I learned to write, I only learned basic math to sling drugs. Even school was never the experience everyone else, including Andre, had. I was merely in school because Andre was, and so I could conveniently sell to the dumb teenagers.
I was never even asked if I wanted to become the leader of this family, I was just the most convenient option, because no one would understand, nonetheless aide, the treasonous plan to leave the family Andre had.
I never had parents, or even a parent, who would go against the family to help me. No, my parents were stupid. I could have been anything, I could have been out of this shit, if only they had been smarter.
I slam to a stop, the car skids against the asphalt from the sudden stop, likely leaving skid marks in my wake as I turn onto the street. I park my car on the sidewalk, grab my gun and shove my keys in my pocket after I hop out. I didn't park at the meeting place, so I can have the element of surprise on my side.
I walk towards the alley, known for its drug deals and lack of pigs. Unfortunately, it's also easy to be blocked in, or be S.O.S. I creep around the corner, scanning until my eyes land on the unmistakable silhouette of Luck. Thankfully I'm only a few minutes late and it seems like they just finished the deal. I stay where I am, lurking in the shadows watching for any possible trouble.
The buyer leaves with a shake of the hand, and while the next few seconds pass, I begin to wonder if Angel was wrong, or lying to set me up. That is until I hear a gunshot.
My composure falls as Luck drops to the ground with a gut wrenching scream. I don't have time to let the tingle of emotions control me, so I push them aside and quickly run to the other side of the alley. I get to the end and carefully glance to each corner. The only glimpse I get of the shooters is a blue sadden driving away, too far for me to even attempt to shoot back.
I growl in anger and run to Luck, scanning the alley the whole time to make sure no one else is lurking. I fall to my knees next to him, looking for the entry wound through all the blood.
Stomach.
It's fine, I can fix this, he'll be fine as long as I get him to the hospital.
"Luck," I snap, shaking his slim body. His eyes open to greet me, but they're bloodshot and glossed over.
"Isaias," he manages. "The money is in my pocket, hopefully the blood hasn't gotten to it yet."
I stare at him in surprise before a burning rage runs through my veins.
"What the fuck are you talking about? Never mind, I need to go get my car, then I can drive you to the ER, it's not that far, just a few blocks. So just stay here and I'll be right back." I start to get up but his hand, also covered in his sticky, warm blood, grabs my wrist.
"Nah, too many questions. I ain't gonna make this one, boss." He explains, barely a hint of pain in his voice.
"You can if you let me take you in, you shithead. That's a fucking order." I growl, shaking from how angry I am.
"Ha! You think that'll work on me? I'm dyin' pretty sure there ain't nothin' else you can do to me as a punishment. But listen, boss. This is an inside job, they're pretty damn good about hidin' too. Not another Cassie, she was stupid. This one is smarter, I can tell. Smarter, they know a few things, someone older."
"I know, and I can figure it out later. Right now, I need you to get stitched up, you're talking aren't you? Then you can hold on for ten minutes while I drive you to the ER." I snap, pulling his hand away from my wrist, only it was way too easy. He had no grip, and after another look-over, it's clear just how much blood he's lost. The crimson is nearly invisible, had in not been for the streetlights reflecting in the liquid, I wouldn't be able to see it trailing down the slope, wouldn't be able to see the large puddle under Luck's body.
"Let it go, there's nothing nobody can do for me. You're a good leader, by the way. Just tighten the reins, you may not have asked for this job but you still have to do it regardless. So stop pussy-footing around and be the leader I know you can be." He explains, but I can hear his voice failing as his body slowly dies from the bottom up. It won't be too long before his heart stops, his brain shuts down and there will be little chance of revival.
"You can't just leave me with no one," I state, but my voice has grown monotonous. I know it's going to happen, and he won't let me help him.
"That's not true, you have Andre," he grins, a twinkle in his eyes. By this point I'm not worried about him knowing Andre is still alive and never did die in that house when I beat him. "Don't worry, your secret will stay with me to my grave. Ha! Funny isn't it? Usually when someone says that, they don't mean much. Pretty sure I can say that with certainty though."
"You asshole," I mutter. I place my hand on his chest, ignoring the warmth of blood staining my hands.
"I need a favor, boss," he manages, and now the pain seems to have caught up to him as his voice trembles, tears freely flowing from his eyes. "Shoot me, finish it, I want it over with. Don't let me suffer any longer."
I swallow against a dry throat, my eyes darting around his face. I take in his squinted eyes, his bottom lip between his teeth. His breathing is slow and shallow. He doesn't have much longer.
"I can't--"
"Do it! Please!" He begs as the first sob releases from his throat. I nod reluctantly, pulling my slick, cold gun from the waistband of my jeans. I push it against his temple, his blood smearing from my hands on the previously clean medal. I shut my eyes after I cock it and pull the trigger. Unwilling to look at his lifeless body, I just stand, eyes still closed and walk away. I open them only once I know I'm not in view of his body.
I get into my car, smearing blood all over the door handle, the seat belt, and smooth leather seats. I ignore it. I toss my gun under the seat, unable to think about what I just did with it. My phone dings and I open the new message.
Unknown:
I warned you
I scream with rage and throw my phone out the window, watching it fall apart against the hard concrete on the sidewalk. I turn the car on, the engine purring like a well taken care of whore, and peel out.
I drive over the speed limit, avoiding populated streets in case cops are lurking. I turn the familiar corner and park in the driveway behind a white SUV. I push my door open, pulling my keys from the engine. I shut the door, not bothering to lock it. After walking the small distance over grass to the heavy oak wood door, I pound on it, pushing the doorbell numerous times in order to wake him up.
Finally the door opens and Andre glares at me behind tired eyes until he takes in my appearance. He bites his lip and motions me in. I follow him down to the basement, both of us silent until we're sitting on the couch.
"What happened?"
"It's Luck, he was shot after a deal." I reply, my voice dead. He stares me, stifling a yawn before he pulls his hidden box out from under his couch. He pulls out a joint, lights it and hands it off to me.
"Bad deal?" He asks, inhaling the smoke into his lungs and holding it for a few moments before blowing it out.
"Antonio, there's another narc in the family. I wasn't smart, I didn't scope out the area to make sure no one was there. It was a drive by, I couldn't stop them. Luck wouldn't let me take him in, he made me shoot him." I explain bitterly.
"Shit, you gonna be okay?"
"I'll be fine, but by the end of this, Antonio will be gone."
"Don't get yourself killed, Isaiah, they need you." Andre reminds lightly. I glare at him, that pulsating rage heating my blood.
"I don't give two flying fucks about what they need. They were never mine to begin with, and yet I'm forced to deal with them because you decided to be selfish. I was never meant to lead, Andre. You were, you were their leader, our leader. But you threw me to wolves for a stupid kid! You abandoned me for him! And you never even asked me if I wanted this, never asked if I wanted to get out! You selfish asshole!" I yell, not caring that Avery might wake up. All the better if he does, then I can take this out on him, too.
Andre stares at me silently before his dark eyes harden. "Waaa, boo-fucking-who. I did what you're too cowardly to do, what you never wanted to do, I left. You don't want to leave, you love this life, until something doesn't go your way. Grow up, put your big boy pants on and stop being a pansy. Go kill the narc and put your family in line or else they will rise up against you. Now get the fuck out of my house until you're ready to talk and not accuse me." He snaps. He stands up and grabs my wrist, still stained a dark brown from Luck's dried blood.
He pulls me up the stairs to the door, shoves me out and shuts the door behind me, locking it. I glare at the door, half tempted to break a few windows but the neighborhood is too nice, probably a neighborhood watch, too. So instead I get in the car and head to the university.
Andre can be pissed and Celeste can ignore me, but something in my gut says going to see Angel may help. The same way seeing Celeste used to help.