Chapter 7 #3
“More than useful, Rem!” he shouts, tossing a hand. “He tried to take us out and take what’s ours…”
“He should be put to death then,” Uncle Michael scoffs.
“If he is such a big threat to us, then why allow the man and his family to continue breathing? We’ve already let one brother slip between our fingers after leaving us for the fucking military and law.
Jonathan shouldn’t be breathing and neither should Raph.
” He raises a brow when Mama gasps but refuses to lift her eyes to the men standing above us in the basement of a church in Briar Cove.
It was the main hub of the Viotto family before they spread out, taking pieces of California to control.
“Because he can be useful,” Uncle Samael curses. “Despite his fuck ups, Raph has proven he has determination…”
“Yeah, for himself,” Michael scoffs again, shaking his head. “I have too much shit to do to be concerned with our little brother. Either kill him or send him to make this deal on our behalf and trust he won’t take things for himself. Again.”
“I’ll do it,” my father says slowly, getting to his feet with a grunt. He rubs at his cheek where a bruise forms from the rage his brothers rained down on him.
“There are no other second chances within the family. If you were anyone else, we would have put you the fuck down,” Gabriel hisses, glaring at his brothers.
“I understand. The foolishness won’t happen again.” My father shakes his head slowly, looking at his four brothers in front of him with pleading eyes. A gesture he doesn’t offer very often. Especially not to me or my mother.
I hold my breath when Michael reaches into his pocket, lifting his lip into a sneer.
“See that it doesn’t. The second you step a toe out of fucking line and betray us again, I’ll put you down myself.
” With that, Uncle Michael walks up the stairs of the basement and is out of sight.
No doubt retreating to his own territory.
“We’re oddly putting our trust in you, Raph,” Remiel mutters, lighting a cigarette and blowing out the smoke. “Think of Espie and Olivia.”
My father briefly stares at our bowed heads. I swallow hard, quickly looking at the floor and counting the stones beneath my knees. We were instructed to not look up. No matter what.
“Yes. Them.” The dismay in my father’s voice nearly saws me into my soul and tears it in half. It’s more than dismay. It’s disgust. Hatred. He hates that he has to bring us along to wherever we’re going. I feel it in my bones.
“Go on then. Franco is expecting you. You’ll have a home on his property. Be a good soldier. Make the fucking connections and align us with the most powerful man in Southern California,” Gabriel grunts, tossing out a hand.
“And don’t fucking fail us, baby brother,” Remiel grunts, shaking his head. “We don’t need any more fucking disappointments from you.”
The only place growing up I knew as home was here in this town. Then, it was taken from me. Just like the place before that when my father was exiled from Briar Cove and our family turned their backs on him for all the bullshit he did.
“You're sitting way too straight,” Jordy snorts, slapping my thigh as we race through a red light at top speed, taking me out of my spiraling thoughts.
“Firmer handshakes. Spread your legs more. Gotta accommodate your gigantic cock, Oli.” I smack him on the chest for his stupid comment.
“Umph fuck! I'm just trying to help, okay?” I glare at him, and he rubs his chest. “You'll have to learn how to lower your voice a little. You know what? Just pretend the world owes you something,” he laughs at that, blabbering on as he continues driving like a goddamn maniac.
Talk about blending in and being a civilian. Not. I grunt, tossing his hand off me as I slide in my seat. The stinging burn makes my muscles tense as he laughs hysterically at my expense.
Bastard.
“Would you pay attention to the road and not me.” I toss a hand, gesturing to the traffic in front of us, but he scoffs at me.
“Seriously, you’re being too proper,” he tsks, making a sharp turn near the entrance of the large campus that’s morphed from a small-scale university to something massive.
A place someone–AKA Franco–has put a lot of money into.
The question still stands–why? Is it because more gangs are migrating here to learn?
Form alliances? Fuck, my brain hurts thinking about it.
Coming close to campus a few nights ago in the dark of night didn’t do this place justice. My jaw falls open at the sight of campus as we make our way down a long drive, leading to a large parking lot at the heart of it all.
“I got a map here somewhere,” Jordy grunts, parking our borrowed SUV and searching around.
“Fuck, here it is.” He unfolds the large piece of paper, laying it over the steering wheel as he whistles, continuing to speak about what each building is.
The truth is, he doesn’t have to explain anything to me.
I’ve snuck onto campus many times before with the guys before our friendship went up in flames.
Mack tosses an arm over my shoulders and pulls me close.
People mill around the campus with cups in their hands, woohooing as they make their way to the first party of the year.
The remnants of the August heat encapsulated us as we stand on the sidewalk outside the administrative building of campus.
“This is the heart of it all,” Mack whistles in awe.
If there’s anyone excited about higher education–it’s him. He can’t wait to start his career as a doctor, helping people and saving lives. It’s all he’s ever wanted to do since he was a kid.
“It won’t be long until we’re all here together.” JJ stands beside me with his hands in his jeans pockets and a sense of wonder crossing his features. His dark eyes dart around, taking in the multitude of people celebrating their new lives with their degrees in hand and jobs on the horizon.
“One step closer to our new life,” Hux says from behind us, leaning his head back, and staring at the stars illuminating the dark sky.
“Our new future,” Mack agrees, squeezing my shoulder and gently kissing the top of my head.
Sometimes we sneak on campus since we live so close.
It’s always on nights we need a break from–well–our situation.
Life with Franco and his gang has become increasingly difficult, especially for the boys.
Since high school graduation is a little more than a year away, he’s increased their job load within the gang.
Sending them out on different runs all over the state of California and even into the surrounding areas.
They’re picking up guns, drugs, and whatever else Franco asks of them.
“We’ve got a run this Wednesday,” JJ mutters, looking at his phone with a frown. “To Nevada.”
“Nevada?” I grumble as my shoulders slump.
I’m never allowed on their runs. In fact, my duties have dwindled into basically nothing. My father is away more, tending to the kid he decided to take under his wing, which is fine. I’d rather him not be present to torture us, but there’s something in my gut that says something is wrong. Off.
“Fuck Nevada,” Mack says with a grin, looking down at me with a sparkle in his blue eyes. “Let’s party the night away, okay? We’ll celebrate their graduation and then, we’ll plan the future.”
But the future never came, not after that night. We drank, danced, and had the time of our lives until we stumbled back to their mansion, tripping over our feet and laughing.
It was one of the last times we spent with each other.
My heart breaks as I continually stare at the large brick building sitting two hundred yards in front of us—the administrative building—the heart of campus.
It’s an old and weathered brick building touched by years of use.
Green vines climb up the side of it, and a massive grassy courtyard stretches out in front of it, like the lawn of a palace.
Jordy looks up from the map in awe, sitting silently for one golden minute. But his silence never lasts too long.
“Jesus, Livy. This place is wild!” He whoops with excitement. “Remind me, I need to come to a party or two. Hell, I can become roommate number five. Fuck my assignment. I need a damn vacation, anyway.” He babbles on and on, filling the vehicle with his words.
I glare in his direction, peering at him through the glasses perched on my nose.
My jaw tightens, and my teeth clench. It would be a terrible idea to punch him square in the nose for being a nuisance.
Right? I mean, it would definitely make him shut his trap for one second and stop that awful nickname from leaving his tongue.
Worth it? Possibly.
Jordy wrinkles his nose, staring at my hardened face.
“What? Don’t give me that look. You need to loosen up, Liv.
Live a little and don’t look so constipated all the time.
It’s very unbecoming of you,” he quips, earning a smack on the shoulder.
“Fine. Keep your face like that and see if I care.” He rolls his eyes as he folds the map up and tosses it at me with a huff.
“You need to spread your legs.” I side-eye him, and he smirks.
“Not in the sexy way. Take up the whole seat and slouch for God's sake,” he gripes, pushing me down into the passenger's seat and forcing me to slouch.
God. He babbles way too damn much. Someone needs to shut him up. So, I volunteer as the person to do it, seeing as it’s just me and him.
“Stop,” I groan, pushing him away with a huff. “I'm fine!”
“Yeah, you think you're fine until they find you out because you're not man-spreading everywhere,” he snorts, side-eyeing me as he slumps back in his seat.