1 the introduction!

hello, welcome to secrets and lies, a tale of deception, violence and finding love in some of the weirdest circumstances. I hope you enjoy your stay. I must warn you, there is swearing, drinking, violence so please be aware :)

Let's meet the characters!

- you!

-otherwise known as Lyra

-barista at a café in your local town

-innocent and kind

-single

connor

-leader

-gunman

-very experienced in karate

-hard on the outside. hard on the inside.

Leo

-professional con artist

-could fool almost anyone

-has a soft side

-don't push his buttons though.

Nathan

-trained fighter

-anger issues

-loves a cheeky drink...or two

-simp

Blake

-acts soft, he is lethal.

-has killed before and not afraid to kill again.

-has even pulled a knife on Leo

-s c a r y m a n

Amare

-is actually quite fair

-caring for the best part

-can switch personalities in a heartbeat

-will do anything to keep his group safe

Sam

-notorious killer

-even the group is scared of him

-can sniff out any lie

-won't take no for an answer

-has done prison time for murder

Lewis

-was kind of dragged into this without warning

-however adapted quick

-has a special charm with the ladies

-CAN SEDUCE ANYONE?1!1!1!1

Jason

-deputy to Connor

-this man will stop at nothing to get what he wants

-excellent actor

Okay now we have met the characters, on with the story!

Warning: swearing, violence and drug taking.

7:30 p.m: dusk

-Leo's pov-

"It's the perfect time to strike boss, she's tired, unaware and unskilled. She won't have a shot in fighting us off!"

I nudged Connor who just tapped off the excess ash from his cigarette onto my hand, making me wince. All eight of us cramped into a tiny room in an office that we were illegally renting out. It had everything we needed, a window, a door and a roof. Joking I am, we have a special computer system where we can hack into any camera, any phone and any laptop that we fancied. So that's what we were doing.

"Shut the fuck up I'm working."

The boss spat, blowing out another cloud of smoke that dissipated in thin air. Currently, we were peering through the cctv cameras of a cute little café where our next victim lays.

She was unsuspecting and vulnerable. Everything we like in our prey. She will make a good addition to our team, she just needs a little...briefing let's say...and oh boy was she going to get that.

"So just before she shuts, me, Blake and Sam will go in and poise our attack, Amare and Lewis , I want you ready to drive and be on your toes for the best route out. As for you Leo, Jason and Nathan , you need to be alert and in the back of the van for when she comes in, who knows; she could start making a scene as I believe kidnapping isn't the most pleasant thing to go through."

Nathan scoffs and we all look at him then back to Connor as he directs more orders. It was amazing how this mans mind works, he could take almost anyone of his pick.

"Is that clear? Capeesh?"

Connor slams the laptop lid down, lighting another cigarette for himself without the thought of offering any of us one.

"Capeesh."

We all replied, getting ourselves hyped up for a mission was always essential, it's what made our task ten times more doable. Without the warm up, there's no cool down.

"Okay men. Do not fuck this up. You hear me."

Yes Connor. We hear you.

loud and clear.

Leo's pov

The plan was set in stone, we lie in wait outside the café in our van waiting for the right moment.

"Boss, thats the last customer gone-"

"GO!"

Connor shouts viciously, him, Blake and sam scramble out of the car, going into acting mode before springing their attack.

Lewis and Amare wait nervously in the front seat, Lewis at the wheel, Amare planning out the best route on how to avoid cops and so on. Lewis grew nervous as it was only his second job with us, we can't have liabilities on our team.

"Lewis get it together, we need you to be useful. Not fucking panicking. Pull yourself together; we don't need an enraged boss."

I pat his shoulders making the boy flinch, he nodded cautiously and wiped the sweat off his brow. He gripped the steering wheel until his knuckles turned white. He had one shot to get this right, he better not screw this up.

No ones POV

The three men enter the empty café, all dressed in fine leather jackets, ripped jeans and white shirts; to the untrained eye they look rather innocent. However on the inside there was another story to be told, the inside pockets of their jackets contained guns and daggers in case you decided to put up a fight. It was just a scaring mechanism to keep you silent.

"Hello guys, we're closing in five minutes so you'll have to takeaway your order, is that okay?"

The girl seemed cheerful but the dark circles under her eyes told another story. She grabbed her notepad and pen ready to take our orders. What she doesn't know is that this order will be different from all the rest.

"What can I get you?"

She asked. As a cover up we just ordered three cappuccino's that we knew we would never drink.

"Coming Right up!"

She turns around the face the coffee machine and starts to make the three meaningless drinks, oh she was falling right into our plan.

"Go. Now."

Blake mutters to the two boys who were waiting for the cue. As Connor was the most experienced gunman, we let him take this one.

Connor POV

Quietly creeping over the counter, I revealed the gun from my jacket pocket, poising it at the back of her head; she was unsuspecting until she felt the metal touch her. The girl tenses up, letting out a stifling breath.

"Scream. And I'll shoot. Got it?"

I said tonelessly, waiting for her reply I pushed the loaded gun further into her head. I wasn't going to kill her obviously; where would be the fun in that? She just needs a little wake up call. I look over to see Blake smashing up the cctv cameras, destroying any evidence that you was gone, or where she was going to be.

"You haven't answered me yet peaches."

She whimpers at the pet name I gave her, worthless to me, a lot to her. Reluctantly she nods and I cease the gun and tuck it back into my pockets.

"Don't you dare fucking run just because there isn't a gun anymore, there's three of us and one of you."

Sam spits out, the young lady had no idea what to do, run and be killed, stay and be in the unknown.

"How about you come with us peaches hm?"

Connor whispers from behind, his breath tickles a bit but not too much, she has no choice but to comply and let Sam lead her out by the shoulders into the van.

Realising her fate, she screams.

"HELP. HELP. FIRE. FIRE."

She yelps anything to get any members of the public's attention but unfortunately for her, it was late and no one would hear her cries for help. Sam grabs the bundle of nerves behind her neck making her seize up.

"Throw her in the van, GET READY TO DRIVE YOU TWO!"

The leader hits the window to alert the remaining members, Blake and sam work together to open the van doors. She was greeted by three more men who held ropes, gags and a baseball bat, let's hope they won't use the latter on her.

Sam ruthlessly chucks the girls body in, she makes a groan as the landing wasn't comfortable.

Nathan pulls her up to sit, placing a rag around her mouth to refrain from anymore unwanted trouble, before he could take his seat; Connor needed to remind the girl of something.

"I TOLD YOU NOT TO FUCKING SCREAM, ARE YOU TAKING THE PISS PEACHES? HM? ARE YOU?"

Peaches kicked the man right in the place it hurts, never in his life had a hostage been this defensive about being abducted.

"Oh you fucking bitch."

Connor, securing the baseball bat was ready and was happy enough to hit the girl, only to be being stopped by Jason.

"Go easy. We don't want to kill her just yet."

The girl and the leader both stare at Jason, both of their faces saying very different things.

"Fine. fucking fine. Lewis go. Don't stop until we arrive."

The van pulls away from the curb in a hurry, the members all sitting back in their seats, Connor giving you one last look.

"You're pushing your luck peaches."

-arriving at the destination-

The van haults, sending us all forward because Lewis's driving was questionable let's say; he got us lost five times in fifteen minutes. Connor was at his wits end.

"Jason , get the blindfold."

He obeyed, sadly. As he made eye contact with you, you could see a glimmer of sorry in his eyes; the look saying,

I don't want to do this but I have too

Kind of look. Letting it happen without a struggle he wrapped the cloth around my eyes, shutting the outside world away from me so all I can see is darkness. An unsettling darkness.

An unknown voice then spoke up.

"Basement or attic sir?"

His voice was deep and husky, sexy in a way, it had a smoky overtone to it that somehow sent shivers down my spine, another guy, presumably this Connor dude replied.

"Basement, we don't want her escaping, she's quite the wriggler."

fuck you man.

I thought, it was so peculiar. Why me? What did they want from me? One minute I'm pouring teas and coffees for customers, the next I'm being shoved into the back of a van with a group of random strangers.

A strong pair of hands forced me to my feet and pushed me with some force out of the van; thankful I didn't fall as my body was already drained from this ordeal.

"Walk bitch."

Connors voice rung in my ears, I had no choice but to walk, feeling a gun being pressed to the back of my head for the second time tonight, it made me that much more on edge.

-inside the basement-

This place reeks. There was a pungent smell of damp and urine, most likely rats. I was plonked on a wooden chair that was sure to break any second now, the floor would have been a relief as nothing could be uncomfortable than this chair. The guys had locked the door and went back upstairs to continue whatever. Drugs, drinking? Maybe both, don't ask me.

Footsteps made the ceiling vibrate, clouds of dust or asbestos was falling into the air which made my throat dry and scratchy; they really have great accommodation here.

With gratefulness, they took my blindfold off on the condition that I kept quiet and didn't scream, once my eyes were free to look I could make out eight guys. Eight good looking guys I won't lie to you, if they weren't abducting me, I'd possibly flirt. But no. The hottest guys I've ever laid my eyes on are wanting to possibly kill me. What did I do in my past life to deserve this?!

Not expecting to hear anything apart from the thuds coming from upstairs, to my surprise...or fear, I began to hear footsteps coming down the stairs, my breathing quickened, fearing it was Connor or one of the other two guys in the café, they out of all of them scared you the most.

I squeezed my hands into fists until my knuckles were pale, the door opened. Expecting the absolute worst I pressed my eyes shut...

Yet...there wasn't an insult, like whore or slut. There was no violence, there was nothing remotely scary, in fact, you were flabbergasted.

"Hey...it's okay. Relax, I'm not gonna hurt you."

The guys voice was soft and calming. I wasn't falling for it.

"T-that's what they all say. You'll hit me a-after I open my eyes. J-just get it over with!"

I choked out, my emotions pouring out for the first time in front of someone who is unknown and dangerous to me. I haven't had time to process anything that's happened in the last few hours, it's all come tumbling out now.

If this guy was like the rest, he would whack me and hold a knife up to my throat. Something was different. Very different.

"I promise, I will not lay a finger on you, open your eyes please."

deep breath y/n he made a promise. just open your eyes.

Doing so, my eyes opened to reveal a guy now smiling softly a me, he was crouched down to my level as I was quite a small girl, he had almond coloured hair that fell delicately over his forehead, he had gorgeous cheekbones and not to mention a lovely grin.

"See? Wasn't that hard huh?"

I giggled, he did so too.

"What's your name?"

I asked, I needed to be familiar with all the guys who I now basically lived with.

"Amare."

"I'm y/n but I guess you already knew that."

He nodded, I noticed that he has somethings in a bag for me, I Usher my eyes down to the bag so he could get the hint that I wanted an explanation.

"Oh yeah, it took a lot of convincing and all of them said no, but I brought you some things to help you feel a bit more comfy. I know that this whole experience isn't settling for you, but I wanted to do something to help."

Amare blushes and smiles cutely again. I admired the action but something tells me that this is too good to be true.

"Why are you being so nice to me? You and your guys literally had me in a back of a van earlier"

I blurted out.

"Hey Im just the guy who reads the map."

true. he wasn't violent with me at all .

"The members always say I'm too nice and I'm too soft. I don't know. It's just the way I am.

Anyway, I bought you a pillow and a blanket, I'll try and get you a mattress but that will take loads of asking. I got you some water a sandwich and some chocolate. Do you need anything else?"

Man this boy was so sweet and lovely, he was the polar opposite from some of these members. You couldn't help but awh at the kindness he was showing.

"O-oh Amare. Thank you! This is more than enough, thank you again."

I tuck into my sandwich, starved of any food all day, this bought some relief.

"Don't mention it Y/N!"

He starts setting up the pillow and blanket in a corner where there was a window, he was in hope that the sunlight in the morning would warm you up; he couldn't help but feel guilty that he couldn't get a mattress for you, sleeping on concrete is not pleasant.

"You're somewhat bed is over there, I'll get a mattress ASAP. G-good night I guess!"

Amare mentally curses at himself for stuttering, he was meant to appear strong and condescending; however these last five minutes contradicted it.

"Good Night Amare!"

He shuts the door, darkness sets in again only the moonlight casting through the window was present. You couldn't help feel sad when you heard the sweet guy's footsteps get further away.

He was sweet...

but how long would it last?

Y/N POV

After my little encounter with Amare I couldn't help but feel just a tincy bit calmer. Obviously I was still petrified that I've been kidnapped and locked in a basement, but I did feel a little at ease. Yes maybe I was trusting him a bit to early and yes I definitely felt comfortable around Amare, is that so bad?

It was currently the middle of the night, the dim moonlight shone through the tiny window which may as well been a crack in the wall. I was curled up in a ball with the blanket and pillow that Amare provided; at the time you didn't mind that he didn't bring a mattress for you however right now you couldn't bear sleeping on the rock hard ground.

It was cold, it was damp and it was disgusting. God please make dawn come fast.

-7:30 a.m.-

Amare was right, the sunlight did warm you up a little. It must be early morning as the sun was coming up the boys might be awake, you'd hoped to see Amare out of everything, starting your morning with Connor is not the most ideal situation. You sat up onto the pillow so your behind wouldn't go numb also you wrapped the blanket around your body.

About half an hour later you heard some footsteps coming down the stairs.

please be Amare...

The door opened, maybe you got your hopes up to quickly because unfortunately it was not Amare but a different guy. He had nothing with him apart from his body. That could be good or bad.

"Morning peaches."

Ugh I hate that name.

"What do you want."

The man pulled a fake shocked face, holding his hand over his mouth pretending to be offended.

"Tut tut peaches. That's no way to talk to someone. Especially when I have seven other guys ready to hurt you."

You sunk into your pillow.

"If I were you peaches. I wouldn't talk back."

He came close to my ear making me flush, his voice was something else, he had a charm. A seductive charm.

"Yes."

I swallowed. His index finger went under my chin to lift my face up. Making eye contact for the first time I got a proper look at him.

"Lewis. And you're Y/N. That's our introduction done."

I couldn't even talk, I had no idea what to say to him, he's hot. That's a silly statement they are all hot. Incredibly hot.

"You're quite beautiful aren't you peaches? If circumstances were different I would definitely smash."

You could not believe that this Lewis dude who you've only just met is trying to seduce you. He places a hand on your thigh; giving it a tight squeeze, slapping it away as this was far too intimate for your liking.

"Hands to yourself peaches."

"Then you're contradicting yourself Lewis,aren't you, shouldn't throw stones at glass houses."

I snapped back, he was shocked to say the least, he wasn't expecting you to have such an attitude with him. You had guts. His hand creeped further up your thigh as fear slowly began to take over, you froze. You couldn't do anything to stop him. But someone else can.

"Lewis what the fuck are you doing?"

I peek around Lewis body to see a knight in shining armour.

Amare

"You're like a dog on heat Lewis Jesus fucking Christ take your Hands off her. It's half past eight for crying out loud!"

Amare places what's he's holding on the ground and pulls Lewis back by the shoulders. The boy snarls and evilly chuckles.

"Oh look it's Amare to save the day! I was only having a bit of fun ain't that right peaches?"

I gulped.

"I said. Ain't that right peaches?"

He grits through his teeth, I said yes quietly in hopes that he would leave...and he did. Slamming the door shut after, now it's just me and Amare. He smiled at me awkwardly. Lewis and Amare were completely different, like sweet and sour.

"Sorry about him. Always trying it on with any girl."

You scoffed.

"So he try's to touch every girl without consent?"

Amare snaps his head up searching for an answer.

"....yeah. Anyway, I bought you some breakfast, there's some coffee and some toast. Oh I managed to convince the guys to give you a mattress, it'll be down here by tonight."

Thank god. You couldn't do another night on the ground, you muttered a small thank you and tenderly pulled the cup of coffee to my lips. He made it perfect.

"How did you sleep?"

He takes a seat opposite me with his legs crossed. You made a little white lie as you didn't want him to feel bad.

"I slept great thanks. You were right about the sun, really warm."

The boy smiled and slid the plate of toast towards you.

"Amare why are you being like this?"

"Being like what?"

"You're so nice to me, You're treating me like I'm a friend not a victim. You could've killed me like the rest of them but you didn't, you're bringing me food, giving me blankets and making conversation. What's the deal?"

Amare opens his mouth to speak and then retracts whatever he was gonna say and just shrugs. You wanted to know.

"Is that your answer?"

I reply getting almost angry at the boys quietness.

"Look. Im being nice. Don't change that. Got it?"

He hissed, it was a complete mood change from what he had been like two minutes ago. He looks into your shocked eyes and immediately softens up again.

"J-just eat your breakfast...someone will be down here soon."

And then he left without another word, guilt coarser through you as you offended the one dude that was kind to you.

Way to go Y/N.

Sighing, you did what he said anyway and carried on eating your now cold toast.

-two hours later-

Minutes feels like hours in this place. I have stared at the same spot on the wall for at least a couple of hours occasionally being interrupted by a clad of footsteps upstairs.

I wonder what it's like up there.

Not that you want to be up there with them however you never got a proper look of the ground level house as Connor had you blindfolded. If you ever got to see the upstairs, maybe it could give you more of an idea on what these guys are like.

Speaking of which, some more footsteps, more than one pair of feet were travelling towards the door.

Threes a crowd they always say.

The door swung open. Connor and Jason. Great. Today is gonna be a good day.

"Stand."

Connor directs, I do so without objecting. He retrieves a rope from Jason's hands and holds it up.

"Turn."

Again, following his orders he ties an almost painful knot around both my wrists.

Ah let me guess what's coming next.

"Walk."

One point to me!

My "dreams" were coming true as I walked up the stairs; I saw sunlight for the first time in a day, the house smelt of cooked bacon that made my stomach growl. The living room was quite big and that's where I was going, to my surprise the rest of the group were there too.

"Sit."

As soon as I did I heard a dude, not one that I've spoke to before say:

Good little mutt

"I-"

I go to speak but Connor puts his hand straight over my mouth.

Is it a fucking crime to talk in this house?!

"Zip it."

I frown and nod, he takes his hand away and takes a seat on the chair adjacent to me.

"You have caused quite the fuss peaches. Tut tut. Such a disgusting little brat."

don't talk don't answer back.

"And to my surprise, I see potential in your Y/N. We all see potential in you."

what the fuck does he mean by that? potential? I'm just a barista-

"So here's my offer Y/N."

"Join us..."

A/N DUN DUN DUN! That's the first instalment of secrets and lies done! How did you like it? Leave me advice on how to get better!