Chet's POV:
After speaking to Markus on the phone and learning the warehouse had been completely gutted and there was nothing left, I let my anger get the better of me, and I snapped at Amity. I know that isn't an excuse because after all she was just trying to help, but this is a bigger deal than she could ever understand, and now isn't the right time to explain all of this to her.
Pulling up the where the warehouse once stood, Ryan stops the car and I stare out the passenger's side window to find it completely destroyed, only a few cement walls still standing.
The first thing that comes to mind is why. Since taking over from my father, I've made good with most other crews and their leaders, and even those who have stayed clear of me know it's no longer Dad running the Raven's, it's me.
The second thought hits me like a ton of bricks. How the hell am I going to explain this to the crews I am involved in dealings with? We had around one hundred thousand dollars' worth of drugs waiting to go out in the next shipment. That's a lot of pissed off leaders I'm going to have to try to explain myself too, and just hope that they know I'm nothing like my father and I had nothing to do with this, or I might find myself dead.
"You okay, man?" Ryan questions as he looks across at me from the driver's side of the car.
"Let's just get this over with." I tell him as I push the car door open and slide out, stepping onto the gravel on the ground.
Side by side, Ryan and I make our way towards the gutted building. Standing at what used to be the entry of the building is Markus who is talking to two members of the Springs police department and looks to be making a statement.
Striding my way towards them, I interrupt. "Can I help you with anything officers?"
Stopping mid sentence, Markus turns towards me, and the officer looks up from his notepad. "Are you the owner of the building, Sir?" he questions.
"It's my father building, but he passed away and left it to me, so yes, I guess that makes me the owner." I cross my arms over my chest.
"Your name?" He question as he places his pen to paper once more.
"Chet Raven," I reply instantly. "Do we have a problem here?"
"No sir, just trying to understand what happened here tonight, is it okay to ask you a few questions?"
"I wasn't here at the time so I don't think I can be of much help, but sure." I shrug.
"How did you come to find out about this?" He asks.
"Markus here was driving by, saw it on fire and phoned me right away, so I came down to inspect the damage."
"Is the building insured?"
"Why? Do you think I set fire to my own building for insurance money?" I scoff.
"No sir, I'm simply asking a question."
"I think so, I'd have to check my father's records, as I said before the building was handed down to me, I have nothing to do with it." I lie.
"Do you know of anyone who may want to hurt you? Anyone who would do this?" The questions continue.
"Not myself personally, but my father wasn't always on the best terms with most people."
"Right and-"
"Officer Bradley, I've found something." Another officer waves over the officer taking my statement.
"One moment." he says as he steps away.
Instantly I feel my heart pounding in my chest, if they've found the drugs I'm done for, there is no way they're going to believe I didn't know my father had a building with a hundred thousand dollars' worth of drugs in it, I can lie all I like, I'll probably still get thrown in jail.
"Don't worry man, it's probably nothing." Markus says from next to me as my eyes follow the movements of the officers.
"What did you say to them?" I turn to him
"Exactly what you just told them, I was driving by and I saw the place on fire, I called you because it's your Dad's place and you were on your way. Man, come on, you know I'd never fuck you over."
"Because you're so trustworthy and all." I roll my eyes as I look back towards the officers.
"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" He screws his face up, only to catch on a second later. "Wait is this about me kissing Amity at the club the other night, is that why you're all pissed off with me."
"All I asked was for you to stay away from her." I remind him, my eyes still locked on the officers as I stand with my arms folded across my chest.
"You also said she isn't your type, you can't have it both ways." He raises a brow.
"Sir, can you come here a moment, please?" Officer Bradley waves me over.
Walking towards him, I keep my same cold, stony expression not wanting to give anything at all away. I need to look as calm and collected as possible if I have any chance at all of getting myself out of this mess.
"My officers found this, do you know who owns it?" He questions as he holds out a clear plastic baggie containing a large, square black lighter with a large stylized B in gold on the front of it.
I take a long look at it, burning the image into my head so I can research it later before shaking my head. "No, the only person I know who's name starts with B is my sister Brigette and I've been with her all day. She also wouldn't have a lighter, nor would she burn something down that already belongs to us."
"Right, we'll take it in or screening, and if we find any information on it, we will let you know." He says as he hands it back to the officer who had found it. "We're all done here, but if you have any further information, please don't hesitate to phone us." The officer nods his head before turning and walking away.
As I watch him walk towards the car, I let out a deep breath I didn't know I'd been holding in before turning on my heel walking back towards Ryan and Markus.
"What was it?" Ryan questions.
"They found a lighter with the letter B on it, it looked expensive." I rub my left hand on the left-hand side of cheek before letting out a sigh. "Thankfully, they found nothing other than that, and I don't think they'll look into it any further."
"Thank fuck." Ryan laughs softly, attempting to mask the worry in his voice.
"Have you been into the building?" I ask Markus.
"No man, I called the fire department right away, and the police came out with them, and wouldn't let me inside."
"I think we got lucky." I tell the boys as I turn back to the gravel road and watch as the final police officers leaves the scene and turn back to the boys. "Let's get in there and salvage."
With that last car now way off into the distance and no longer visible, I duck under the 'do not cross' tape, and head into the building. As I could already see from the outside, the inside it gutted and the only thing still in place are a few of the walls made of cement and the floor, everything else is in a pile of ashes on the ground.
Making my way over to the wall which holds my fireproof safe, I find the control panel melted to the wall, the numbers no longer visible and not looking like a keypad at all, which in a way is good because if it had of been clear there was a safe in the wall I'm sure the officers would have cracked the wall and found my things inside.
"Have you got that crowbar in your car?" I ask Ryan, who follows behind me.
"Should do, I'll go and get it." He says as he turns and heads for the outside once more.
"Do you have any idea who did it?" Markus question as he joins me.
"Not a clue, but I think it's safe to assume it had something to do with someone Dad has pissed off."
"Here man." Ryan says as he makes his way towards me, holding out the crowbar.
Taking it from him, I smash the side of the wall with it, chipping away at the cement until I can see the safe. Once I can see it, I maneuver the crowbar in front of it and begin to chisel away. Once I can finally open the door, I pop the lock on the safe and open it.
I pull my laptop, cash and a few of my guns from the inside, all of which were being held there for safekeeping. "Let's take this shit to the car and get out of here." I say, turning to Ryan.
The three of us exit the building together and head towards the cars, I place everything in the backseat of Ryan's car, before turning back to the two of them. "That's all we can do for now, give me some time to come up with a new space." I tell them.
"The space isn't what I'm worried about. What are we doing to do about the drugs man? If any of the crews don't believe what happened we're fucked." Ryan states, sounding the most worried I've ever heard.
"Leave that to me as well, no matter what happens I would never bring your names into it. If anyone goes down for it, it'll be me."
buzzzzzzz, buzzzzzz My phone vibrates against my leg from the inside of my pocket. Sliding my hand into the pocket, I pull it out and read the screen. One new text message from unknown - Where's your pretty girlfriend tonight, Chet? Were you really stupid enough to leave her at home?
"Fuck," I yell as I slam my fist down on the hood of the car. "Whoever did this has gone after Amity, Ryan give me your keys."
"What are you-"
"The keys, Ryan, give me the fucking keys."
He takes them from his pocket and hands to me. Instantly, I make my way to the driver's side of the car and jump in, revving the engine. Markus jumps in the back, and Ryan in the front, sitting next to me. The second they have there doors closed, I speed off down the road.
"Dude, you need to explain." Ryan speaks from next to me, his brows knitted together as he looks at me as if I'm insane. I throw my phone across to him and he reads the text message out loud for Markus to hear as well. He then turns back to me, his brows now raised in surprise. "Are you sure they're referring to Amity?"
"Who else would they be referring to Ryan? Amity is the only girl I hang out with other than my sister and Sasha, and if they know me, they know you, so it's not Sasha that they have."
Buzzzzzz, Buzzzzzzz, Buzzzzzz, my phone vibrates in Ryan's hand.
"They're calling dude."
"Answer it."
Hitting answer, Ryan presses the speaker button so that all of us can hear what's being said. Markus fires up the laptop from the backseat and opens the tracking software I have installed in an attempt to find where the call is coming from.
"Who the fuck is this?" I snarl into the speaker.
"Now, now Chet." A deep voice replies on the other end of the phone, "We're all friends here, I was just calling you to ask you a question, you see me and your lovely girlfriend here are having a real fun time together and I was curious does she like it rough or should I take it easy on her, I bet she likes it rough." He laughs loudly.
"If you touch her-"
"I wouldn't go making threats now Chet, after all, it's me who holds the power and your girlfriend in my hands, isn't that right Princess." The unknown male questions, who I'm assuming is Amity, and I hold my breath for a moment, waiting to hear her voice.
But her voice isn't what sounds through the speaker, it's the sound of a stomach-turning scream.
"Leave her out this." I shout "Name the location and I'll meet you, but let her go, she has nothing to do with this."
"Oh, Chet." The condescending male laughs. "I'd drive a little faster if I was you, looks like your pretty girlfriend is bleeding out." The phone line goes dead.
"Did you get anything?" I shout at Markus.
I watch from the rearview mirror as he shakes his head no. "Locked tight."
Slamming my hand against the steering wheel, I let out a deep, guttural roar and push my foot down harder on the accelerator. "Ring Amity." I tell Ryan.
Once again he places the phone on speaker and dials her numbers, it rings for a short amount of time, before her voice message sounds. 'Hey, It's Amity I can't come to phone right now so leave me a message and if I like you, I'll consider calling you back.'
"Try her again." I instruct Ryan, my foot still flat to the floor.
He calls her again, and we get the same thing.
"Fuck." I shout once more. "Try Sasha."
Taking his own phone from his pocket, he dials Sasha who answers right away. "Hey babe we're just coming back now where are you guys?" He asks, his voice calm, not wanting to alarm her. "Right, so Amity is at her place?" He looks at me while still listening to Sasha speak. "Okay, I'll see you soon." He hangs up the phone.
"She's at her place?" I question.
"Been there for about 2 hours." Ryan nods.
Finally reaching the main part of town, I fly through the street at high speed until we reach Amity's house. I pull the car into the driveway; the tires screeching as I do and I jump out of the car, running toward her front door. The lights are off and everything is quiet; I don't like this at all.
Reaching the door, I bang loudly. "Amity open the door." I yell.
After a moment, but what feels like an hour, the porch light flickers on, the door then swings open revealing Amity dressed in a black silk nightgown.
"Can't you take the hint? I didn't answer your calls because I don't want to talk to you." she places her hands on her hips.
Looking past her and into the house I see that nothing is out of place, everything is the same as it's always been. Pulling my vision back to her, I take her in; she isn't bleeding; she isn't hurt and she's full of attitude. Whoever these guys have it's not my Amity.
"Chet, a-are you okay?" She questions softly as she looks up at me, worry now filling her eyes as she senses something is wrong.
"No, everything is fine." I lie. "I- I just came to tell you I'm sorry for how I spoke to you this afternoon."
Giving me a soft smile, she crosses her arms over her chest as she leans her side against the left-hand side of the door frame, looking up at me with her electric blue eyes. "Could anything at the warehouse be saved?"
"No, but I'll build another, things can be replaced, people can't."
"That's true." she nods with another small smile. "Well, thank-you for coming to say sorry, but I was just heading to bed, so if that's all you wanted?" She leans her body off the door, now standing straight once more.
"That's all I wanted." I nod.
"Goodnight." she says with another small smile as she closes the door.
Standing in my position, in front of the closed door, I let out a deep breath. She's fine, they didn't come after her; I said sorry for being an asshole; I did what I needed to do, so why can't I turn around and leave?
"Dude, are you coming?" Ryan yells from the passenger side window.
"No, you guys go, I'll get a cab." I reply and raise my fist to the door once more, knocking loudly.
Once again, the door swings open and Amity looks up at me. Stepping forward, I place my thumb under her chin and my pointer finger against it, pulling her toward me roughly, the second we're close enough I press my lips to her.
Surprised, she keeps her eyes open for a second, but quickly relaxes into the kiss and grabs my shirt, pulling me into the house with her and spins us so she's now facing the door.
Breaking the kiss, she turns and closes the front door, locking it, then turns back towards me, her back pressed against the door and she stands looking up at me with those blue eyes.
I step towards her and grab her waist, pulling her body towards mine, and press my lips to her once more, this time there is no hesitation, she kisses me back instantly. As I tangle my fingers in the back of her hair, I pull her head back, our lips now parting as I trail kisses down the side of her, which causes her to moan softly.
"Jump." I order, my breath against her ear as I remove my hand from her hair and slide it down her side, only stopping once it reaches her hip.
With both of my hands now on her hips, she jumps, wrapping her legs around my waist and once I have her stable in my arms, I kiss her once more, only this time I begin the short walk her bedroom.
This Chapter has been revamped! And was re-published on the 7/9/2020.