Chapter Eleven
Wraith
Turns out that the money we found in Vegas is the money my dad is keeping.
He told us that it was a well-deserved payment from the Herreras and honestly I’m not mad about it.
We have enough money now to last us a lifetime.
The trip back home was fine, Dad wasn’t happy about what happened to the room, but he’ll get over it, like always.
I’m currently in my room, supposed to be doing homework to catch up on all the stuff I missed in class but I’m focused on something else, someone else.
Honestly, I should be mirroring him but I’m not.
Looking through the school’s library security cams I watch Harshal catch up on his homework, college waits for no one apparently.
I watched him leave his apartment building and walk to the library.
He’s been there for about a good hour now, going back and forth between his textbook and his worksheet which I believe to be on his computer.
He types furiously before getting frustrated and slamming shut his laptop.
His head hangs low between his shoulders and I imagine him taking some much needed deep breaths. Raising his head up he checks his watch before hastily packing up and rushing out the library. I click my mouse and navigate through the cameras to watch his entire journey to the gym. He works out now?
“What are you doing at the gym, Grey Eyes?” I mutter to myself, watching him intently. “You don’t work out.”
Entering the gyms security cameras I watch him talk to the guy at the front desk, I turn on the audio.
“Of course, follow me this way.” The employee says.
Harshal follows the muscular guy to the back and they knock on the manager’s office door. After getting permission to enter the office Harshal is brought to the desk where the manager sits.
“This is Harshal Bolaji, he’s here for the janitorial interview.” The guy says.
“Ah, okay, okay.” The manger says. “Let me use the restroom real quick and I’ll be right with you.”
The two leave Harshal in the office by himself and I just sit and watch him.
As he waits for the manager to enter again I grab my phone and pull up the name of the gym.
It’s not far from campus and students get a discount on the membership so, naturally, I sign up for it.
A knock sounds at my bedroom door and I groan.
“Come in.” I say, shutting down my computers.
My sister comes in with an emotionless expression on her face.
“What? What’s wrong?” I ask, sitting straighter.
“Fucking Valentino’s son is in action again.” She responds.
“What did that sorry son of a bitch do this time?” I ask as she comes in to grab my leather jacket and helmet.
“Come on, put these on and you’ll see.” She says. “Whatever it is Dad told me to bring you along with me.”
Well fuck!
***
When we get to the location Dad texted us, some deserted place behind the city’s mountains, it’s fucking chaos.
Gunfire galore. Frani and I ride our bikes and in unison swivel them, using one hand to steer the bike and the other hand to shoot at our rivals.
Together we take out five men, either being dead or seriously hurt.
We then reposition ourselves and the bikes before parking and quickly taking cover.
“What the fuck is going on?” I ask.
“Like I fucking know!” Neon says.
A bullet flies by my head and I move from the tree I’m standing behind and fire at whomever I see.
The fucker grunts as he clutches his chest, falling to his knees.
I go back to hiding. I hear Ghostin grunt and fire his gun somewhere as Neon fires at someone.
I go to shoot another guy but stop when I hear someone whistle and the fuckers stop their firing.
“Oh Mister Prez.” An annoying voice singsongs.
I roll my eyes when I recognize the voice as fucking Jamie.
“I want to shoot this ass wipe in the head.” Neon rolls her eyes as we come out from hiding.
“The fuck you want?” Prez asks angrily.
Jamie is dressed in a cream white suit with a thick, single gold chain around his neck. His brown shoes look like they cost a fucking fortune. Rich people and their inability to spend money wisely.
“What do I want?” Jamie asks.
He laughs as if someone told a hilarious joke.
“Did you guys hear him, he asked what I wanted.” Jamie laughs.
I cock my gun and aim it at his head, annoyed with this little boy.
“Hey, cool it Wrath!” Prez instructs.
“I can blow him to bits right fucking now.” I growl through gritted teeth.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” Jamie says.
“Why the fuck not?” I ask, eyes trained on him, ready to shoot.
Any sudden movement and I may accidentally, or intentionally, however one may look at it, pull the trigger, killing Jamie on the spot. In response to my question Jamie whistles and his men cock their guns, all of them pointed at me... once again.
“You forget? My squad is here so you kill me or injure me you and your dumb ass goons are as good as dead.” I shrug.
“You see unlike you I can take a bullet to the flesh and unlike you I can fight without having to coward behind a damn gun, but I wouldn’t want to get that fortune of an outfit roughed up. ”
I hit a nerve in him, I can tell by the way he stares at me while he clenches his jaw.
“Where’s my fucking money?!” he asks through gritted teeth.
“No where to be found.” Prez responds.
“The fuck you mean you don’t know?” Jamie asks, shifting his attention on Prez.
Prez simply shrugs. “We went to Vegas to get the money and couldn’t, simple as that.”
“No!” Jamie shouts. “No! You motherfuckers owe my father, owe me, especially you Prez!”
We stay silent and let him have his temper tantrum.
“The day my father died at your hands!” he points at Prez. “He told me everything you took from him, part of his business, some of his freedom, his fingers and toes once upon a time, and so much more, and I’m not stopping until your debt is paid. You took my father away from me!”
“Oh cry me a river ass wipe, everyone loses their parents so put the big boy pants on and do me a favor.” Neon says. “Grow up!”
“See you have no idea what your leader did to my father and his family name, I want revenge and I was hoping you guys would be dead by now due to the Vegas trick, you know using my fathers name and all, but as I see, you’re not I want my money and you all to pay the debt owed to my father.
” Jamie said. “Actually scratch that I couldn’t care less about the money I can make that with the snap of my fingers but I want you all to pay the debt owed. ”
“And what would that debt be?” Ghostin asks.
Jamie smiles deviously. “Death, but first I want to watch you watch me hurt everyone and everything you love before I kill you motherfuckers.”
“Like that’s going to fucking happen.” Flit snickers
Jamie looks Flit dead in the eyes with a dark promise within them.
“Yeah... we’ll see about that, let the war... begin.” He says before he and his men turn to leave.
“Is he fucking serious right now?” Flit asks. “War? He thinks we’re going to go to war like we’re in the fucking nineteen forties?”
“If it’s war he fucking wants with us then let’s give him a damn war.” Prez grits out before heading to his bike.
***
I’m dressed in a black tank top that hugs my torso, black gym shorts, white high-tops and a white hat that obscures my face as I walk into the gym that Harshal works at.
His shift doesn’t start for another fifteen minutes so I scan my membership card and walk over to the locker room.
Picking an open locker I place my bag inside and grab out my headphones before locking the locker and heading back out to the gym.
Today I want to focus on my chest but I’d like to start my workout with a little warmup, so I walk to a treadmill and begin to run a mile.
Five minutes into the workout I’m already sweaty which is to be expected but to be sweaty in the summer of Arizona is a bitch!
Eventually Harshal walks into the gym with his uniform on and he heads to the back for the employees.
He’s a janitor here so he goes around the gym, cleaning benches, mirrors, and the locker rooms. I found this out by watching him on my computers at home, after the fucking Jamie incident.
We haven’t spoken to one another since we got back home but we do share a math class so we can’t really avoid each other on campus which means we do see each other every day.
I watch the door he disappeared through as I continue to run my mile.
He comes through the door smiling with one of his coworkers as he slings a towel over his shoulder, and for some reason seeing him with his coworker ruffles my feathers.
My mile is done so I get off the machine and head to a bench press.
As soon as I lay on the bench and begin my workout a guy comes to the one next to me. He scoffs as he examines the bench.
“What kind of place is this if they can’t keep their stuff clean?” he huffs under his breath.
I look at him and try my hardest not to roll my eyes.
He signals for Harshal and he comes over, I do my best to hide my face using the bill of the hat.
I can still see what I’m doing along with Harshal.
I know he knows I have tattoos but he hasn’t ever took the time to actually look at them so I should be fine.
“Hi, how can I help you sir?” Harshal asks.
“This bench is dirty and sweaty along with the weights, if you guys can’t keep this gym clean I’m going to have to report this to corporate.” The guy says.
A growl of disapproval bubbles from deep within me and it takes great strength to hold it in so I won’t blow my cover and freak Harshal out.
“Oh I’m so sorry sir, I’ll get this one cleaned right now.” Harshal says.