Wraith
My legs feel as if they are moving at a cheetah’s speed as I run through the woods.
I was at the hangout spot alone making myself an adult beverage after a long day at school when I heard some knocking happening outside the place.
At first, I thought someone had come back to the club because they forgot something or need a drink like me, but I found nothing.
When I chose to ignore it the knocking sound started again so I walked outside and saw some asshat trying to break into the club, using a metal bat.
I now have that bat after I jumped him, but he was sweaty, all thanks to the Arizona heat, and he was able to slip through my damn fingers so now I’m chasing him in the forest that surrounds the club.
He’s getting tired, I can tell by the way his legs falter every now and then and the dark angel in me smiles defiantly as I gain on him. He comes to a halt by the creak and I swing the bat aiming at his shins.
Crack!
The asshat screams in pain as he falls to his knees. I grab him by the collar of his shirt and finally get a perfect view of his face.
“Who—”
Pow!
He punches me in the face and my head swings to the side.
Growing angrier by the second I punch him anywhere I can, blow after blow, not giving him any mercy.
Blood decorates his face as I continue to punch him.
He tussles with me until we’re in the water.
He grabs a rock and tries to hit me in the side of the head with it but misses and jabs me in the neck.
I falter a little but recompose myself and take the rock from him.
Once it’s place in my palm I take it and slam it against his crotch as I feel blood run down my neck.
He howls whilst grabbing his balls and turning over.
But I don’t allow him to. Stepping to the side of him I use my foot to kick him back over so he’s lying on his back.
I step on his face hard and lean down on my knee.
“Let’s try that again... who. Are. You.” I grit out.
Before he could say anything a gun shot sounds and echoes through the air.
“Damn it Lorenzo you’re such a lousy messenger!” a males voice said.
Turning around I see multiple Hispanic men dressed in black with guns pointed at me. Among them is a decently dressed man in a blue suit, pressed to perfection but he doesn’t have a gun.
“Who the hell are you?” I ask.
“Oh me, I’m a Herrara.” he says. “As in a relative of Valentino Herrara.”
A growl of disapproval tries to escape from deep inside me, but I hold it in—or attempt to anyway.
“Where is that son of a bitch!?” I ask as water droplets mixed with my blood fall into the stream.
“If I were you I’d watch that mouth of yours.” Herrara says.
“Or what?” I growl, stepping forward a little.
The men holding the guns cock them and I scowl at them.
“Or he may come and haunt you.” Herrara comments.
My mind catches on two words “haunt you”.
“Haunt me as in ghost haunt?” I ask.
Herrara nods.
“So, Valentino is dead?” I ask.
Herrara is silent for a moment before he says,
“My dad died by the hands of your fucking adoptive father!”
I don’t understand, the last time Dad saw Valentino in person was years ago, before Frani and I joined the Motorcycle Club.
Dad had said he dealt with Valentino in a way he wouldn’t forget but never specified what he did to him.
I never saw Valentino, I just know of his existence, which is unfortunate.
My mind comes to a complete stop when I realize what he said.
“Valentino had you?” I ask, bewildered.
“I know right, it’s such an honor to be in my presence.” He gawks, fixing the sleeve of his suit.
I’d reword that but whatever.
“Anyway, none of that is important, you and your gang members owe the Herrara family.” He says, looking me in my eyes.
“Like fuck we do.” I snarl.
“Oh, you do.” Herrara smiles as he walks closer to me.
My eyes stay on him the entire time. He stops at the edge of the creak, careful not to get his expensive dress shoes wet and dirty.
“So, I’ll cut you a deal.”
I don’t respond.
“There’s some money I want that’s in Las Vegas, and I can’t get myself due to my family and I being banned from the entire state of Nevada.” He starts.
“And that’s my problem how?” I interrupt.
“Shut the fuck up!”
I walk over to him and get in his face, the guns aimed my way following me, the men holding said guns tighter, ready to fire at any given second.
“Make me.” I threaten, my voice deep gravelly. “And when you do you better hope I’m dead or you’re going to wish for a happy family reunion with daddy.”
He watches me closely, reconsidering his actions.
“Make one wrong move and you’ll die.” Herrara laughs, gesturing to his armed men.
“Yeah well at least I’d get my hands on you before I die.” I shrug.
He stares me in the eye, annoyance clear in his own.
“Las Vegas, my money, you and your gang go get it and return it to me or else.” Herrara threatens, voice tight.
He begins to walk away but his men don’t stand down.
“Yeah I don’t really feel like traveling try again in your next life.” I remark with a smirk.
He turns around and punches me, I stumble backwards and slip on a rock.
I get up in a flash and before I know it, I punch him.
He falls to the ground and immediate pain radiates from my side.
One of the men shot at me but their aim was off because the bullet grazes my skin and plunges into a nearby tree.
It grazed me good though because I’m bleeding.
“Listen here motherfucker.” Herrara says. “I’m only going to ask once and if you don’t do what I ask, you die, my men have already shot you, I can get them to kill you right now on the spot then kill your family one by one.”
I rip my shirt off and rip a piece off before applying it to my wound, applying pressure to keep as much blood in my body as possible.
“Now I suggest you do as I say if you don’t want your family dead.” Herrara says. “We’re done here.”
I watch him and his men walk away, leaving me in the creak by myself, the fucker I was chasing being helped away since his balls are on flames and he can hardly see with the black eyes I gave him.
Rolling my eyes I bend down and run my shirt in the cold water before ripping it into a long piece of fabric then tying it to me the best way I can. I sit on a nearby rock and watch as my reflection appears in the creak. I replay what just happened before I kick at my reflection frustratedly.
***
“Like hell we are!” Dad roars when I relay the news to him.
“If we don’t, he’ll come back.” Frani argues.
“Let the son of a bitch come back, we can take him!” Dad says. “Plus, you guys are in school.”
“Family emergencies happen.” Frani states.
“This isn’t an emergency.” Dad argues.
“They attempted to shoot my baby brother but missed and the bullet only grazed him, hence his wound.” She gestures to my side.
I flip her off and she smiles, sticking her tongue out at me teasingly.
“What would have happened if they would have succeeded in shooting him and shot him dead?” Frani adds. “The asshole is a fucking coward, catching Wraith when he was alone, knowing we were all out busy!”
“I can’t believe the son of a bitch has a son.” Aziz said.
He’s looking downward, thinking hard as he slowly shakes his head.
“Bastard had to have raped a poor woman or something because no woman in their right mind would sleep with a measly little man such as Valentino.” He continues. “Hearing about his death has been the best news I’ve received since my bike caught fire.”
Frani snickers, trying to hold in her laughter. Dad gives her a firm look and her spine straightens as she tries to wipe the smile off her face.
“... I say we do it.” Aziz says.
“What?” Dad asks.
Aziz nods. “Frani is right, not doing it could risk putting us in more danger.”
He stands from the stool he was sitting on and walks behind the bar to grab a bottle of Tequila. He doesn’t even bother grabbing a cup he just pops the top and brings the rim to his mouth. He takes a few gulps before sitting down.
“I know we are very capable of fighting our own but there’s a time to be tough and a time to be smart and I think the smart move right now is to go to Vegas and get this fucking money and give it to Mr. Herrara.
” He says the name with disgust in his tone.
“That way we won’t put our love ones in danger on purpose. ”
Dad looks at Aziz, comprehending what he’s saying. He’s silent for moment before sighing.
“Fine, pack your bags, we’re going to Vegas.” Dad groans.
“Whoo-hoo time to go party!” Frani cheers.
“Hey, no, we’re not there on vacation, we’re there on business.” Dad interrupts her. “I just need to figure out where and who to go to in Vegas to get the money.”
“And how are you going to do that?” I ask.
“I’m sure he’ll show up to tell us, since he didn’t tell you.” Dad said.
I study him as I lean over the bar. I guess I’m going home to pack for an unexpected trip to Sin City.