I don't think I screamed. I don't remember doing it. My throat wasn't raw. My eyes weren't burning. I was numb.
But before I knew it, Harrison and Ace were standing in the room. My hands were clutching the paper as sobs erupted from me.
There was the pounding of feet before Devon burst into the room, his face was red, sweaty and a vein was protruding from his forehead.
His eyes fell onto the paper in my hands and he paled, "Aria."
I locked eyes with him, "Did you know that he was murdered...?" My voice was thick, foreign to my own ears.
All three of them looked away. I scanned the words on the page and sucked in a breath, "My-my mom talked to the press about it." I was only repeating what they already knew, "she told me he died of cancer..." I tried hard to blink the tears away, "she...she lied to me." I wheezed.
"Wait. Paul and Trent. Wrong place wrong time." I glared at Devon, "they were talking about my father." There was no reason for tag questions now. I knew he knew.
Devon stepped forward and swiped the paper from my hands, I didn't try to fight back.
"Remember when I told you that people know I know things, and they use it against me? My knowledge of all the shit that's happened to INNOCENT PEOPLE!" He was shouting, he was furious, "I wasn't involved with gangs at 9 years old believe it or not. I had a childhood before that was stripped from me..." he shook his head viciously, "I'm sorry that among taking precautions to protect you I forgot to mention such a soul crushing story..." he sat down on his bed and motioned for Ace and Harrison to leave.
We waited for a while in silence. Me, sitting on the floor with my back against the wall, breathing through the tears.
"My mom knows about the gangs doesn't she?" I breathed, "That's why she was taken..." my head was spinning, how could I have been so stupid?
The mysterious phone-call in the morning, "My mom was on call to someone the morning of all the chaos... do you know anyone called Jensen by any chance? Is he aligned with-" Devon had gone rigid.
He nodded, slowly, measured, "Jenson Claremont isn't a good guy. If your mom was on the phone to him then her situation right now is none-too-surprising." His words chilled me.
"She...Isabelle?" I recalled, "I assume it was Isabelle?" I muttered more to myself than Devon.
He groaned, "Isabelle Kingsley - before her marriage - now, she's Isabelle Claremont. Jensen." Devon looked like he could throw up, "Clearly, whether you wanna' hear this or not, your mom knows something you don't. How did you meet Issac?"
I thought for a moment, "My mom invited the Kingsley's to my eighth birthday party. A few months before my dad died." Devon pursed his lips and nodded, standing up and pacing his room.
"I have a theory that Gang-related ties may have been strained. Your mother is twisted up in this web somehow, I'm not entirely sure where she fits in but she does. You and Isaac getting together was the plan. For years the Kingsley's have reigned complete supreme over the Golden Dragons - their gang is practically a family heirloom - whereas their rivals, the Fire Serpents - us -" he motioned to himself, "it's a free for all on who wants in." My mind whizzed around searching for a clue, something that could tell me where my family links in.
"Your mother and father must've tried to win the title of "leader" from Jensen. He used to lead the Serpents before I took over. They didn't get what they wanted, had to deal some sort of promise with Jensen to protect you maybe? Before trying to reconcile with the Dragons, by offering a union between you and their son Isaac. Some people will do whatever it takes to get into a gang." He reasoned.
So my parents are bad people?
"Regardless-" he continued, "before you guys were of age to see what was happening, the Kingsley's must've saw how vital Jensen was to their cause - whatever that was at the time - and married Isabelle off to him." Devon shrugged, "your parents weren't needed anymore but they clearly knew too much. So in an attempt at warning off your mother... they killed your dad. To silence your family." He finished.
I took a deep breath. It was a lot. It was more than a lot it was... too much.
"That would explain the constant moving." I wheezed our, unable to think of anything else to say, "So, what do we do now?"
Looking to Devon seemed futile, he didn't let anything but the quizzical expression pass across his face. At least there was no visible doubt.
"We get in touch with Jensen."
•
It's coming TO-GETH-ER!
•
©️//®️