LIM 04

ZEKE

Stepping into the house, I wipe away the streak of blood on my face and swipe it over my faded jean trousers. He is sitting at the couch when I enter, a half lighted cigarette on his hand. —Ryder, the one man I hate the most and yet the only one I have to trust.

"You are here, two hours late at that" he remarks eyeing my bloodied face.

"I was ambushed by the—"

"Skull kings, Knew they would be there.. Got their stuffs didn't you?" He cuts in, taking a long drag from his cigar before dropping it on the ashtray before him.

"You knew they were gonn' be there, yet you let me come through that route?" I ask, clearly stating the obvious, dropping the box on the table.

He shrugs. "Not bad if you get into an impromptu fight that's what this shit is all about boy"

Fucking bastard!

I shake my head, wondering how I got myself into this mess.

Well I do remember —

* * *

Seven Years Ago...

It was in junior high, guess I was just Fourteen at that time, still trying to get used to the folks and norms of high school. Mum and Dad was on a trip so I had to take the bus and also get to pick Brianna and Ed from Middle school.

The bus was pretty late or rather I was actually late that I had to wait for the second bus. I was sitting patiently at the slab when a black Lamborghini parked at my front, the windows were all rolled up and tinted so I couldn't get a glimpse of whoever was in the car.

I got up trying to move away so I would at least see the bus at its arrival but the swinging opening of the car door had me stopping on my tracks. A man walked out, a dark glasses on his eyes, he was about six feet tall and he couldn't be more than thirty or so.

"Hey kiddo" he called and I turned to him.

"Me?"

"You" he affirmed and took a step towards me, I moved back. "I don't bite kiddo, I actually want to talk to you"

Well, I was surprised and I could only gawk at him, then he removed his sunglasses and I gapsed in shock -he was a spiting image of my father, not my foster father but my real father -murdered father to be precise. If the man wasn't too young, I would have assumed my father wasn't dead.

He sat down for on the slab and patted the space beside him for me to sit.

Turns out he is my father's younger brother and at that time he was twenty six. The first question that came to my mind was why wasn't he there when my parents died? None of their relatives showed up, even their burial was conducted by the government.

He finally told me why he was here and also why he never showed up until now, apparently around the time of my parent's death he was in juvenile reform though he didn't tell me why.

Somehow he finally told me his main reason for seeking me out. He said he could help me find my parents murderers but first I had to work for him and when he meant work— he was practically telling me to help do his dirty jobs or rather put it this way join the Sandro mobs.. They are not the mafia. Bah nothing close to that... Just a secret underground cult that ships illegal drugs in and out of the country there are other illegal stuffs they do which I don't wanna dig into.... And Ryder was the leader because Sandro gang was just like a family business passed down to all lineage of the Sandro family and I am one of them— The Sandros.

And my parents death practically had to do with Sandro mobs and their rivals.

Thirst for revenge had me agreeing in no time and I am. Why I hate Ryder though is a story for another day.

* * *

Presently....

"Lucas is bringing in his men to the clubhouse, Sandy's to be precise.... I think he is gonna play smart ya know.. Maybe try to take the stuff without dropping the money" Ryder says.

"Dude got away with it once, you can't let him off the second time" I reply.

"Well then, you finish the deal, take Blake and Carlos with you"

"Sure, are we done here?"

"Patience kiddo, patience... Heard you are filling in for NYU you didn't tell me" he says picking up his cigar.

I roll my eyes. "I wanted to get in first before I spill"

"Cool and smart..... Just like Larry" Larry is my father, Ryder's brother, I don't like hearing Rydee talk about my dad, it only gives me creeps and makes me cringe but I say nothing... I pick up my bag and sling it over my shoulder.

"I'm off" I say and walk out... I can't go home with a bloodied dress on, I hate making mum and dad panic so I send a text to them to make them know I will be sleeping out and I hop on my bike to Sandy's... I'd probably crash at Cole's for the night. Cole is actually the only one of my friends that know about Ryder and my past and that's why I always crash at his place whenever am out late finalizing a deal.

*

BLISS

'No serious relationships' Not like I am interested in any relationship at all.. My life is too messed up to get entangled in one. So check for that.

'I still do the night runs' check, as long as it doesn't affect my studies then its all good.. After all that's all I was probably born for.

I am sitting on my bed reading Sandy's set up rules and just like I said, it ain't all that bad... I'd just check for it all... Not like I care, my whole life has always been based on the rules and I never had a choice to choose so I'd just stick to the rules or whatever, play by it diligently and then maybe.. Just maybe I will be free someday.

I put back the paper into the envelope and place it underneath my bed, now I have to get ready for school... Though I still need to clear somethings out at the university tomorrow, just hope I can get Bella to come with me.

Speaking of Bella, I get down from my bed and go back into the bar my eyes scanning the crowded rows for her.. And there she is sitting at a table, three bottles of whisky right in front of her, drunk flirting with two guys at her front.

.... Hell no! I have to deal with drunk Bella tonight, and when I mean drunk Bella, I mean oh- yeah- stick- up- your- shit- outta-your- pants Bella. You probably don't know what that means but I assure you that if I don't get past this crowd in the next two to five minutes, the whole club is really going to get a good view of a strip show.

I push through the crowd hurriedly, my hands hitting the drunk horny people staring with interest at the girls performing on stage. I get to her seat in no time. "Hey babe wanna join us huh?" One of the men slurs.

Stupid Dick.

I roll my eyes and grab Bella who is already dozing off, carefully I lift her up on a piggy back ride and once again scramble through the crowd. I place her on the bed when I got in she is fast asleep already, soft snores escaping her slightly parted lips.

I smile and pull off her earrings and her shoe and then I adjust her so I can sleep next to her. My hands travel to my left wrist like I always do every night but it isn't there. I spring up. My bracelet.

My mother's bracelet. It is something I must never loose, because it is the only thing that reminds me of a mother I never met. At least even a whore like me can have something that is cherishable.

I slip my legs into my flops and hurry back into the bar, my eyes scanning the floor as I move, it probably dropped when I piggy backed Bella. Panic starts to grip me when I still can't find it.

"Hey Bliss" I hear Evans call me from the counter and I walk back to him, a forlorn look drawn on my face.

"Hey..." I mutter.

"You okay?" His eyes scan my face, I shake my head in negation.

"Nah, I think I lost my bracelet"

"Bracelet?...." He pauses. "Wait, do you mean a bracelet with a locket in it too?"

"You have it?" I ask expectantly.

He drops it at my front, my eyes widen as I slip it back on. "Where, where did you find this?"

"I didn't, a guy dropped it off before he left.. Said he saw it on his way out"

"In this bar? Someone dropped something like this?" I ask surprised, ever since I have been here, one thing I noticed is that the customers here tend to have a nonchalant attitude to mostly everything going in around here.. So for someone to willingly pick up a bracelet at a place like this and still return it is probably the newest thing I have come across.

"That's what I thought too, but he doesn't seem like a regular here"

I look around. "How long has he dropped it"

"A while ago, you can still mee—"

I run out not allowing him to finish his sentence, there is no one in sight but then I hear the roar of a bike behind me.

That could be him, I turn instantly as he whips past me. A smile creeps up my lips as I fiddle with the bracelet.

I think I have been doing a lot of smiling today and this strange guy just added to my hand full of smile.

• • •