Chapter 26

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I watched Ben as he walked into the kitchen. His blond hair was a mess and he had dark circles around his eyes. He frowned at me and walked to the fridge to grab a beer. I watched as he gulped it down while Kent shot me a frown causing me to narrow my eyes back at him, 'What? I had not done anything to Ben yet – not that I was planning anything. He looked like crap though.

"What are you looking at?!" Ben snapped at me.

"Nothing... How was that dinner, by the way? You listen to my suggestion? Did it get you some action –?"

I cried out as Ben suddenly grabbed my shirt – I was expecting him to be annoyed, but not this pissed.

"Listen here, Asshole –"

"Calm down, Ben. He's just messing with you." Sergio's voice came from the door.

I looked at Ben as he glared down at me where I was still still sitting and I realised he wasn't pissed at all. He let my shirt go with a shove before he walked out of the kitchen not looking at Sergio as he passed him. I suddenly felt incredibly bad about teasing him.

Sergio raised his brows confused as he stared at the opening Ben had just walked out of.

"I expected him to try to hit you first, and then walk out." Sergio mumbled, "Can't you try, at least just for a few hours, not to make everyone around here angry?" he looked at me.

He's so oblivious...

"Oh, he's not angry." Sergio still looked confused and I laughed.

"Just – just ignore him, Sergio." Kent frowned at me again. What was up with him?

"Yeah. Where's Clyde?" I asked.

"Here. Let's go." Clyde's voice came from the hallway.

I nodded getting up from my seat while I finished my juice. I made my way out of the kitchen giving Kent and Sergio greetings as I smiled at them. Sergio grabbed my arm and I turned to frown at him as he dropped some bags into my hands.

"Enjoy your day." He grinned. I shot him another glare at his sarcasm as I threw the drugs into my bag. "I'm not being sarcastic, Cadbury." I furrowed by brows glancing back at him as I walked out of the front door, my eyes cautiously surveying the road before I got into Clyde's car. Cadbury?

"Uh... Is it alright if I hang out with someone later, after school?" I asked.

"No."

"No?" I turned to Clyde surprised as he drove.

"Yes: No. You're the one who said your lecturer's trying to kill you."

"Uh, I said nothing of the sort. They're trying to kill you, I might be a target but I'm not that big a threat to them so I don't matter."

"If you're part of our gang, you're a threat to them."

"Good thing I'm not then." I said.

"They think you are." He said.

"So... just tell them I'm not." I said.

"Firstly, I think you have the perception that we actually sit down with these people and talk to them, we don't. Secondly, if I were to tell anyone to stay away from you it would result in a bigger target on your back because it would make it look like I care about your safety which would make you seem more important to us." He said. "Also, I spoke to Rod; he's going to keep a closer eye on you. I suggest you don't run off again unless you actually have some type of death wish – who am I kidding, you probably do. You're an idiot."

"I won't run, Mother." I said rolling my eyes.

"Good. You have chocolate on your face." He smirked as we parked in front of the school.

I frowned at him and he smirked back. He was lying... I think. I gave in and turned the rear-view mirror so I could look into it. Okay, not lying... Oh. Cadbury. That explains it. I felt my face heat and cursed at myself for eating like a child this morning as I wiped the chocolate from my chin. Kent's waffles were just so good...

"Try to keep your face clean, will you?"

I flipped Clyde off as I got out of the car and walked into school. Alright. Focus on your test.

-----

I stared down at Kyle and he would occasionally glance at me as he spoke to the class. He looked pulled-together. So did Clyde. They didn't look like criminals in their suits. The way they spoke, the way they walked. Kyle in particular seemed to have an aura of trust radiating from him. Friendliness. Lies.

I decided I was going to call Steven, find out what he knew about all of this – or any of it.

When the lecture ended I gathered my things and began making my way out of the room but Kyle waved at me. I slowed my walking as I reached his desk. I waited as he ran through the students that wanted to ask him questions before the last one left.

"What?" I asked.

"You followed me."

"I didn't. How could I follow you without knowing where you were in the first place?" I asked. He frowned.

"Don't be smart with me." He snapped at me and I narrowed my eyes at him. I could see Rodrigo leaning against the wall outside the door; he was too far to hear us. "How did you know where we were?"

I shook my head deciding to get to the point. "Why doesn't Steven know that you know Declan?" I unintentionally sounded out the name with some disgust. "Why doesn't he know about the plans to blow the warehouses up?" I didn't know whether he knew or not, but I was going to assume.

"He doesn't need to."

"You're lying to the force." I glanced over him, "What are you?"

"I'm a policeman, Alexander."

"No, you're not." I said. He laughed.

"I am, but that's just to help a bigger cause." He said.

I laughed. "A bigger cause? Your gang is a bigger cause? Of what? Chaos? Get over yourself. You're trying to justify the fact that you're supposed to be a help to the public, but you're just a piece of shit." He chuckled stepping closer to me.

"Call me what you want, but this is bigger than me. This is bigger than us... This is bigger than the police, Alex. Don't you see? You're playing for the wrong team. When we take over, we could give you everything you've ever wanted." Kyle smirked.

"What the hell are you talking about?" I hissed.

"Your parents. It wasn't Declan... but we know what Steven doesn't. We know who killed them." I stared at him feeling my heart thud in my chest. I clenched my teeth staring at the floor as I tried to process what he said. He knows... What did he want in return for the name? "Join us. Help me get into Clyde's head and I'll give you everything you need to know to get revenge on their murderer."

"You want me to get into Clyde's head? Meaning...?" I asked looking up.

"Find out what he's planning, what they're planning. I heard you're close to Sergio? Find out what he's doing to retaliate our plans and then I'll tell you – no, I'll SHOW you who killed your parents and when we go to war, I'll make sure your friends are safe." He said, "Think about it. It's the only scenario where none of you get killed." He said.

"None of us?" I asked confused.

"Your friends. We take no prisoners, Alex. I have a staff meeting." He rolled his eyes grabbing his briefcase and walked out of the room.

I groaned dropping my head. What an asshole.

I stared at his desk for a few seconds trying to make sense of everything. My head was a mess. This was too much bullshit for me to deal with.

He would show me who killed my parents, all I had to do was help him. But he lied before, he could be lying now. I trusted Clyde way more but Clyde wasn't going to help me. Kyle probably wouldn't either, he would probably just say anything to mess with me enough for me to betray Clyde and Sergio.

I grit my teeth getting angry suddenly. He used my parents. How low could he get?

"What was that?" Rodrigo asked as I walked out of the room.

"The guy I f – the guy I heard talking about the warehouses." I replied.

"Oh." Rodrigo fell back as I kept walking and he began calling someone. I didn't care what they did to him. The only scenario where none of us got killed?

-----

I walked through the house ignoring Ben and everyone else that was around until I got to Sergio's office. Clyde said that he was home, and that he was busy so it would be best not to disturb him.

I shoved his office door open and he looked up.

"The closed door means I don't want to deal with you, Alexander." He gave a smile. I frowned shutting the door behind me. "Seriously. I'm working." His smile fell.

"When can leave?" I asked.

"Where are you going?" He frowned. "Ryan? No." Ryan. The guy I went out with. Sergio knew his name? Why? He had never even met him and I had never mentioned him.

"No, not him. I mean go home." I said, "My tests will finish in a couple of days, I will have no way to sell anymore. You don't need me here; I don't want to be here. I think –"

"No."

"No? Why – Don't say because you decide when I leave. Why?!"

"You've answered that." He said simply.

"Stop it!" He looked up raising his brows when I suddenly shouted at him, "I need to get out of here! Your war isn't mine, I have no part in this and yet I'm the one getting threatened. My friends are and they don't even know about this shit! I didn't start any of this, why should I be a part of it?! Why are you such a fucking asshole?!"

"Alexander, get out of my office and go get some sleep." He said.

I clenched my fist walking over to him.

"If you keep me here I can – will tell them how you move. Where you are at what times and what you're up to." I said. Did I just say that to him?

"Are you threatening me?" His brows rose as he leaned back in his seat and crossed his arms over his chest.

"What do you think?" I asked.

Shut up, Alexander. He probably has a gun in one of these drawers.

"I think you're on thin ice, and when it breaks your friends will be the ones that drown."

I leaned over his desk glaring into his eyes.

"If anyone I care about gets hurt I'll end you." I said lowly.

He leaned forward, his elbows on his desk, resting his chin on his intertwined fists, his eyes not moving from mine. He bit his lip making my eyes drop to them temporarily but I forced my eyes back to his. What the hell is wrong with me?!

"You are so sexy when you're threatening." He smiled.

I stared at him dumbfounded. I didn't know what to say or how to react. He thought this was a joke? I shook my head turning to leave but his hand grabbed my wrist. I frowned looking down as his hand's heat ran through my skin. I had the urge to slide my hand into it but I shoved that down. Why would I want to hold his hand? And right now?

"You will not leave, but your friends are safe as long as you're part of my gang and you don't cause trouble."

"I'm not part of your gang. They better be safe." I said before I tried to pull me wrist from his hand but it tightened. I looked back at him. "What?" I hissed.

"Don't think that just because we fucked a few times you can disrespect me. And I don't care how sexy it is, don't you ever even think about threatening me again, Alexander. You won't like what comes from of it."

He let my wrist go before he grabbed his pen and got back to work. I frowned before I walked from his office.

He probably had a point about that threatening thing, I had no idea what came over me.

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