59–Rejected.

Editing in Progress…

~Chapter 59~

"What do you mean by you have being skating since you were sixteen?" 

Gabriella furrowed her brows at his question. Because to her, it sounded really dumb and unnecessary. "Yeah, since I was sixteen"

"What!!! Why?!" Now it was Noah who was in shock as he asked her. He gripped her arm, completely forgetting that she had a freshly inflicted wound on her arm. 

But she didn't forget, as the grip sent her a painful reminder to her body to take care of herself, or it would keep opening. 

She tapped his arms, signalling for him to let her go, "Will you men stop gripping me so painfully!!" she yelled in an annoyed tone. 

"Right, sorry for that, but why—?" Noah asked.

"I needed to survive and not sleep on the streets, So it was either this or prostitution. And I choose the former," she said, shrugging like it was no big deal at all.

Aban sighed as he placed all their emptied bottles in the center. Distracting himself by arranging the bottle over and over, he said with a low voice, "The world really isn't fir and favorable, is it?"

"Nope… Especially if you are a female," Gabi added. She seemed to have noticed the downward cast look that they had on their faces because of her story. So she decided to change the topic all together.

"Well, then." She said, standing up from her chair, "I will be expecting you at my school next tomorrow. I am heading to back home. My body aches all over."

The men hummed as they paid for the drinks and walked with her back to their car. 

"Let me take you home…"

"That would not be needed," She interjected sharply. She knew what they were trying to do. And she didn't like it. Suddenly, she was annoyed that she even said anything to them.

Noah, understanding the reason for rejection, immediately spoke up. "We don't pity you. It is weird for a young to be walking the streets at night. It is 2:15 in the morning," Gabi squinted her eyes, still not believing their sincerity. "And besides, didn't you say the world wasn't fair to women? Let us drop you home and we will get off your hair".

She sighed as she felt fatigue dwell on her shoulder like a ton of brick, "Alright fine, And I am just letting you just because I am physically in no position to skate home"

"Understandable"

They got in and the drive to her house was smooth. It wasn't awkward as they spoke about everything and anything. Finally arriving at her house. It was an apartment complex.

"My apartment is on the third floor on the right," She informed. She placed her phone between them.

"Your number. I will give you a call by tomorrow evening".

"Evening? Why not once you get in?"

"Because I plan on sleeping till tomorrow evening." They stared at her like she had grown another head.

"Alright," Noah answered reluctantly. They punched their numbers in and she stepped out. Waving to them good night, she entered her apartment.

"Noah—"

"Don't say it"

Aban nodded, and they drove off as soon as they saw her light switch on 

🌟

Quin and Diesel sat together at the dinner table as they chatted and laughed. The pair had become very unlikely friends.

"It is not funny, so quit laughing," Diesel argued, his face a very light tint of embarrassment. 

"No, it is… It really is funny if you look at it from my point of view" 

"Well, I don't want to look at it from your point of view," He replied. Though he sounded upset, he had on his face an amused smile.

The sounds of cutlery hitting the pates rang through the room. As the men continued their conversation. 

"Did you find all you were looking for?"

Quin shrugged his shoulders before answering. "Some of them."

"Some of them?"

"Yeah. There was some information I didn't have. So I couldn't buy them"

"Hmm… I see." Diesel responded. The don began speaking of a solution to it. 

Not that there was a serious problem, but he just didn't like the fact that his guest didn't find what he needed when he came for a visit. It left a sour taste in his mouth. "So why not call to find out whatever you need to know," He offered, pointing his fork at him as he spoke.

Quin scratched his chin for a moment as he stylishly played with his food, "Well, um, I don't have the person's number"

Diesel's mouth dropped as the fork in his hands fell to the table and bounced on the floor. Once of the servant noticed this and rushed to swipe out the fallen fork and bring him a new one. 

He turned and nodded his head to her in and immediately turned his attention back to Quin. While he stared at him, he began processing his word. 

'He doesn't have the person's number. I doubt he has an issue collecting a dudes number. Which means…' 

"It is a girl, isn't it?"

Quin cringed hard on his seat as Diesel spoke his truth. "It is none of your business"

Now it was Diesels turn to laugh at him. "Oh, my God!! The big bad Don of the Armani clan can not get a girl's number?!" He started. "Never thought such a thing could actually happen," He added whilst wiping the tears that fell from his eyes. 

"This fucker!" Quin cursed at him. But it had little to no effect as Diesel continued laughing, even going as far as clutching his tummy.

Quin sighed as he leaned back and watched the man opposite him laugh. Quin turned to his side as he motioned to his men standing as guards around them.

"Isn't it funny?" He asked them. But before they could even think of replying. Quin sent them a hard glare. "I dare you to comment or laugh. I will end you right here," He threatened whilst maintaining his glare.

This only made Diesel laugh harder. At this point, Quin did nothing again and just let him be. After all, he would stop once he gets tired.

Finally regaining his composure. Diesel wiped the tears that trailed down his eyes while he was laughing.

"If you need advice on how to get laid or—"

"I AM NOT LOOKING TO GET LAID!!" Quin shouted.

Diesel put his hands up in surrenders as he nodded to his words, "Okay, okay. You are not looking to get laid. But if you need advice on how to get a girl's number, then—"

"That's it, the contract is off… no more alliance," Quin hollered, shamming his fist on the table. It was only by luck, it didn't break.

Rather than looking upset and actually stopping his antics, as Quin had hoped. Rather than that, Diesel rested his hands on his chin as he gave Quin a lazy look.

"I can't believe you want to cancel our alliance contract over the fact that you can't seem to get laid… sorry, I mean to get a girl's number"

Quin closed his eyes, trying to calm his nerves as he clutched his fork in hands. "Drop it"

Diesel chuckled one last time as he concluded that his teasing was enough, and he had gotten the satisfying reaction he wanted from him.

"Alright. How about this?" He suggested. And this piqued Quin ears, and he raised his eyes to listen.

"When you get the information that you send it over here, and we can send you a catalog of what you can get based on the information. Then we will way bill it back to you"

Quin thought for a while before nodding. "That makes sense"

"Yeah, that way she won't think you are a stingy bum who traveled and didn't get her anything"

Quin having held his annoyance for so long as he threw the fork he was holding at him, which he swiftly dodged. "You could have left that part out and just ended with 'Yeah'" he reason with a glare.

"I could… But there would be no fun in teasing you about your girl," He replied, collecting a new fork from the servant girl.

"She is not my girl. And besides, even if she wasn't. I don't have a crazy female around me" Quin shot his combat with him. His statement referring to Maya from the club the previous night.

Diesel clicked his lips as he nodded while sipping his wine, "1-1" He graded their insults.

"What are you both doing?" Cassius asked, looking all dressed up and ready to go out. Minutes later, Carlos came up beside him, similarly dressed to go out.

"Making fun of him," They replied at the same time while using their forks to point at each other.