Chapter 6 Darius #2
I don’t agree. She was different this morning.
When the housekeeper was about to call the cops, I saw the moment the penny dropped for her.
She saw me as a person and not another criminal from the rough parts of Dog City.
She sat beside me, so close I could smell the faint traces of her perfume from the night before.
The guy she first met, who in her mind thought was going to rape her, disappeared.
“At least three dropped from what I saw,” Tariq says from the backseat.
Looking down at the gun in my hand, I wind my window down and wait for Jermaine to pass by the river coming up.
A text comes through from Rodrigo. He was in the second car, and he tells me they got two more.
Jermaine comes to a stop, and I collect Tariq’s gun and jump out of the car.
I toss them both into the water. Jermaine and Tariq get busy burning the car out and I read another text from the third car to hit the assholes.
They managed to get one of them down on the ground.
Their retaliation is going to be brutal but we’re ready for it. I’m ready for it.
The car goes up in flames and the three of us back up and start running for the alleyway leading back onto Central Street.
We already have a car waiting and we jump in, and Jermaine starts the engine. Tariq’s phone goes off and whoever it is, his response is to growl.
“This bitch is too much,” he says, and I look over my shoulder to see him holding up his phone.
Clare has sent him a tit pic and again, not even a twitch. The adrenaline from the drive-by is coursing through me and when he says he wants to be dropped off at the fair, I’m down.
“The fucking fair?” Jermaine huffs.
“It’ll give us an alibi if needed,” I point out and he swings the car around the corner and slams his foot down.
“Hey, cool it. You wanna get pulled over?”
He releases the gas, and I roll my neck to try and calm down. The fair comes into view, and the place is heaving.
“There could be 2-Guns around every ride, this is close to their turf,” Jermaine informs us like we don’t already know.
“It’s free territory,” I remind him.
He parks up and we each replace our guns from the glove compartment.
The three of us pay at the gate and head inside.
It’s easy to blend into the crowd, a mix of rich and poor have turned out, and I make sure our gang colors are visible and hang my bandana from my back jeans pocket.
Green and black. The rich will definitely notice, thus giving us an out.
Tariq presses his phone to his ear, walking off to somewhere quieter and Jermaine sulks beside me.
“You know he said to come here because his bitch is here.”
I’m fully aware of his reason, and I agreed because Amelia will be with her.
“Why don’t we go and find you coconuts to shoot, you should like that,” I say, slapping him on the back, laughing.
Tariq catches us up as we walk around.
“They’re over by the Ferris Wheel.”
“Of course they are, cause they’re fuckin’ women.”
Jermaine and I lag behind as Tariq picks up his pace on his way to his girl.
“Just for the record, I don’t like this.”
“I get that, Jer.”
The music changes as we pass each ride and my mouth waters when I spot Amelia leaning over the railings trying to pick something up.
Her ass is definitely not bony or flat. Tariq sneaks up behind Clare and she shrieks when he picks her up and swings her around.
Amelia straightens and her agitation of our presence is as clear as day.
“Hey,” I say, tipping my chin.
“Hi.”
Looking over the railing, I see a bag of candy floss. Jumping it is easy enough and I pass her the bag of sugar and jump back over the railings.
“Thanks.”
“No problem.”
I catch Jermaine rolling his eyes and ignore him. He keeps his distance and lights a cigarette, leaning back on the railing.
The guy manning the Wheel hollers there’s open seats and Clare drags Tariq forward. Amelia’s smile drops, not that she was truly happy we are here.
“You wanna go on?” I ask her.
“Yes and no.”
“Yes with your friend, and no with me?”
She bites down on her lip, and I drag my eyes back to hers.
“Not exactly.” She crosses her arms over her chest, her bag of candy floss sticking out.
“Come on, I’ll keep you safe.”
Rolling her eyes, she moves forward, and we catch the last opening. I hand the attendant a twenty, more than enough to cover the ride and slip in beside her.
The cart rocks back and forth and she clutches the bar so tightly, her hands turn ghostly white.
“Why would you want to come on here if it scares you?” I ask as the thing begins to move.
“Who says I’m scared?”
Staring at her hands, she catches it and loosens her grip.
“I should’ve known you and your friend would show up,” she says, and I narrow my eyes.
“I’m starting to feel like you don’t like me.”
She laughs and that shit relaxes me.
“Okay, I’ll rephrase. I wouldn’t think this would be your thing.”
She’s not wrong, but she wouldn’t want to hear what I did before getting here.
“Are you assuming a gangbanger doesn’t like the fair?”
“Pretty much, yeah.”
I laugh and rest my arm around the back of the cart, making sure I don’t touch her.
“Are these your gang colors?” she asks taking me back as she points to my bandana where it has slipped down around my neck.
“Yes.”
“Is there a gang who wears yellow and black?”
Frowning, I nod. 2-Guns wear their trademark yellow and black.
“There a few of them here tonight, won’t that be a problem for you?”
“Could be for them, not me,” I say, brushing it off.
I dig my phone out and shoot a text to Jermaine, letting him know. He’ll be on the lookout regardless, but still, I don’t want him being blindsided while he’s on his own.
“The city doesn’t look so divided when you see it from up here at night, does it,” she murmurs.
I look out over the lights glowing up the city. She’s right, there aren’t any divides. But it wouldn’t look any different during the day, it’s only when you’re on the ground, you see it… you feel it.
“It’ll never change, there’ll always be divides.”
“So you’re a glass half full kinda guy?” she throws at me.
“I’m more of a beat-up empty plastic cup kinda guy.”
She smiles, shaking her head. “I hope one day that changes, it’ll be sad if not.”
“Are you worrying about me, Amelia?”
Staring me dead in the eye, I lose myself in the clearest blue I’ve ever seen.
“Absolutely not, just pointing out the obvious.”
The ride comes to a stop, and I have no idea what just happened. Normally I’d have at least gotten a blowjob. I didn’t even think about that with her, yet I’m hard as fuck.
Jermaine standing tall, his shoulders broad and his chin held high has me going soft.
Without thinking it over, I take hold of her hand and help her off the ride.
I keep a hold of her as we step down onto the grass.
I follow his line of sight and there are three 2-Guns sizing Jermaine up from the burger stall.
They catch me joining him and then Tariq coming up behind us.
Three on three is no trouble for us.
“I called in Rodrigo and Daryl. They’re on their way, five minutes out. Cars have been lit up and their shooters are in the river,” Jermaine leans in to whisper in my ear.
Flicking my gaze to the girls, Clare has no idea what’s going on around her as she scrolls through her phone, but Amelia is looking between me and the 2-Guns assholes.
“Maybe you should get out of here?” she whispers.
Slinging my arm around her, I pull her in real close, close enough to whisper in her ear, “I won’t be the one to leave, sweetheart. This is nothing.”
I’m surprised she doesn’t pull away, she stays under my arm and the longer she’s this close, the more I don’t want to let her go. I’m prepared to fight, I always am, but I’m not prepared to feel this need to keep her close.
“Here we go,” Jermaine mutters.
The assholes start making their way over. Tariq swings Clare behind him, pushing her back so she’s against the railings. And Amelia tenses under my touch. This is going to be a shit show with them in tow but there’s no way we’ll be the first to back off. That’s not how it works with us.
Jermaine steps forward, knowing I’m going to protect Amelia first before jumping in.
“If this goes down, you take Clare and go jump on another ride. I’ll come find you.”
“You’re on the wrong side of town, dickheads,” one of the pricks calls out, coming to a stop ten feet from us.
“No one owns this territory. Unless you wanna claim it now, I’d run along if we were you.”
Jermaine begins laughing and when I look to him, I see our boys sauntering toward us. The three assholes back off and when they reach the food stall, they disappear.
Fucking pussies.
Amelia steps out from under my arm and her chest heaves with a deep breath.
“Does that happen a lot?” she asks.
“Not really, we mainly stay on our turf.”
I can see how this looks to someone like her, but to me, this was nothing. It could’ve turned out much differently, but it didn’t. I don’t run the largest gang in Dog City to be taken down at a funfair.
“I think I’m going to go home, it’s getting late, my dad will be wondering where I am.”
She’s full of shit but she wants an out and I’m not going to force her to stay. She holds a hushed conversation with Clare and storms off without her.
I don’t know what I expected to happen with her tonight, but it ending like this isn’t sitting well with me.
“Watch my back,” I instruct Jermaine and set off to catch Amelia up.
I fall into step beside her as she passes the haunted house and her frown as she looks up at me is cute as fuck.
“What are you doing now?” she asks.
“Walking you to your car.”
“Why? I’m more than capable.”
She looks over her shoulder and whether it’s intended or not, she moves closer to my side.
“Are you expecting someone to follow me or something?”
She’s not as naive as her friend.
“No, I wanted to make sure you got to your car safely. Gang members aren’t the only dangerous people lurking around.”
Her frown softens. “We got here pretty late, I’m parked on the other side of the parking lot.”
“It’s no bother.”
We walk in silence, and I keep my eyes open to any 2-Guns moving in.
“You don’t have to run home just because we showed up.”
“I have school tomorrow and my dad will be expecting me.”
Her car is not only on the farthest side of the lot, it’s in the darkest corner.
I wasn’t lying when I told her gang members weren’t the only danger she should look out for, it would be so easy for someone to lie low and wait for a victim without any witnesses around and the music from the fair drowning out any screams.
We reach her car, and I shake my head. She’s a beacon in this Porsche to be robbed and at her waif-like size, she couldn’t fight a fly off.
“Well, I’m at my car safe and sound, thank you,” she says opening her door.
“No problem.”
She looks around me and I look over my shoulder to see Jermaine and Rodrigo hanging a few cars back.
“Are you going to be safe?”
“There you go worrying about me again.” I smirk.
“I’m thinking of Clare with Tariq. What will happen to her if you all end up in a fight?”
“Tar wouldn’t let anything happen to her,” I assure her knowing it’s the truth.
Her hair falls out from behind her ear, and I burn to reach over and tuck it back into place. But I keep my hands to myself and say, “Drive safely.”
I step back as she climbs into her car and slams the door shut. My conscience won’t be hit tonight knowing she’ll go home and be safe behind her gates.
She drives away with ease and Jermaine is at my side before I can turn around.
“You know yourself how much we could make if her ride went missing one night.”
Turning to my friend, I warn, “You touch her car, and I’ll cut your fingers clean off.”
His laughter echoes in the night. “No, you won’t, but I’ll keep my hands off.”
No one is to touch her or her car, or they’ll have me to deal with.