I got a text from Dom that evening, right as we reached our house from school, asking to meet up at his place.
Casey didn't look surprised. In fact, she had eagerly pushed me out the door saying that some guys night out would do me some good.
I knew that something was off the second I walked out the door after she banged it close behind me.
I left as I heard the lock click in place, just to make sure that she didn't forget to lock up. Call me paranoid all you want but I wasn't willing to risk it.
When I got to Dom's place, I rang the bell once before he answered the door and let me in. I sat myself down on the couch in the living room as Dom grabbed some cold drinks from the kitchen for us.
I got off the car and circled it, stopping beside Dom as we stared at the building in front of us, where I first met Quentin. I glanced at Dom. "You ready?"Dom had a grim expression on his face. I think I've drilled it into his head enough times for him to know that once he steps into that building, his fate would be sealed. We will either succeed in our mission and tear the Mafia down to its very roots or fail and be tied to it forever. Tonight, Dom was basically selling his soul to the devil. I wasn't in my sound mind when I did it so I couldn't even begin to imagine how Dom was feeling, knowing what he was signing up for. Nevertheless, he refused to back down. He gave me a firm nod and we began to cross the road to walk into the lion's den despite being fully aware that the odds weren't looking too good for us.Like the last time th
Dom: I overheard one of the guys telling Jax that the package will arrive tonight.I stole a glimpse at him over my phone. He was slouching in his seat that was across mine, his finger tapping his phone impatiently. His eyes left his phone and caught mine.I looked down at the text and typed up a response.Me: You know where?Dom: I've got an address.Me: Okay, we'll meet at your house."What are you doing?" Casey asked, peeking at my phone over my shoulder as she leaned closer to me.I quickly turned off the screen and angled it away from her, s
First thing I thought of was "Run!"I looked at Dom with wide eyes that reflected the panic I was feeling.This was not part of the plan.Jax strolled closer to us. The guys holding Dom and I didn't let us move an inch.I felt like a kid who just got caught trying to steal a cookie from the jar. No matter how much I flailed to get out of the dude's hold, he just wouldn't budge.It took me a second to actually realize that Jax looked pissed and anxious more than joyful and excited for having caught us sneaking around."Do you realize what could have happened? You fucking idiots!" He cursed at us as he paced.
One year later"Get down!" Someone hollered.I threw myself behind the nearest wall to take cover right before a machine gun went off.After a year or so of being in the Mafia, I've grown accustomed to the sudden appearance of deadly weapons. They can have a rocket launcher and it won't even shock me anymore.When the sound of the machine gun finally went out, I peeked around the corner before pulling my head back as a bullet zapped past me.That was close.When the guy across from me started shooting, I took that as my cue to start shooting as well.I pushe
I screamed loudly, bringing my hand to my chest, over my racing heart."Whoa, what made you so jumpy?" Case asked as she shone the light from her phone screen at me.I shut my eyes, my brows scrunching up together as I willed my heart to stop banging against my ribcage, it was starting to hurt."Shit, Case. Why are you still awake?" I asked her as I finally peeled my eyes open to look at her.She raised her phone at me and I saw a screen full of words."Uh, reading, duh?" She replied. She looked at her phone, swiping the screen. "What the.. did you just come back?"I sighed, straightening back up and clearing my throat, as if I didn
We stepped into the restaurant and told them we had made a reservation under Johnson.A waiter led us to a table where a man in a collared shirt sat, talking into his phone.When he saw us approaching, he waved and said a few words into the phone before hanging up and stashing the device away, smiling widely at my parents."I thought you stood me up!" He joked, standing from his seat to warmly greet my parents with hugs.Dad slightly turned his body to let the man see Casey and I clearly."This is Bryant, my oldest." I smiled as Dad made the introductions, stepping forward and offering my hand.He took my hand and shook it firmly. H
I rang the doorbell and waited for a few minutes for Dom to answer it and let me in.I had the urge to look around to check if anyone was watching me while I was waiting but I didn't want to tip off the people watching if there were any. I didn't want to give them further reason to suspect that I was hiding something.Because I was, and they're not supposed to know that.It was a Saturday afternoon and it was way too shiny than I'd like it to be. The sun was beating down my back and it was starting to get uncomfortable, so I knocked on the door to rush Dom."Coming! Hold your bloody horses!" Dom cursed from behind the door as the door jiggled and swung open. Dom stepped aside once he saw it was me and let me in. "You're here."
"You haven't forgotten what day tomorrow is, right?" Casey asked me while she dumped her things on the foot of her bed.I plopped on my bed beside hers and rubbed my eyes tiredly. I hummed in response to her question, laying my arm over my eyes to block the light streaming in through the window by my bed.When she didn't continue speaking, I raised my arm slightly and took a peek at her.Casey stood over me, staring me down with her hands propped on her hips."You totally forgot what tomorrow is, didn't you?" She asked again.I grunted in annoyance, prompting her to stop speaking in circles and just get to the point.I felt a slap l
The car had toppled over and had landed on its side. Casey was under me. I could feel the liquid that drenched my eyelids, preventing me from cracking my eyes open. I felt the pressure on my arm that laid under Casey's head to protect it from the jostling that happened as the car swerved and fell sideways. I couldn't feel my lower half either but from the movements that Casey made under me, I knew that I've successfully cocooned her.Through the blinding pain, I heard Casey's cries and screams over a faint hissing noise. Every movement she made that nudged any part of my body would flare a new set of pain that threatened to knock me out. But amidst the unbearable pain, I felt relief in my heart.My little sister was okay. She was alive. She was moving.That was all I needed.
I pulled up at the spot where I dropped Casey off earlier and got out of the car. I jogged to the front door where Casey stood, one of her friends hanging a few feet behind her with what looked like my sister's purse in her hands.I locked eyes with Casey and she started walking. I couldn't read her expression as she looked straight ahead and power walked towards me. I slowed down, ready to spread my arms to give her a hug, but she stepped past me and walked towards the car instead. I turned to look at her back as she continued walking before turning back to her friend, handing me Casey's stuff.Casey's friend gave me a look and shook her head, tipping me off on how bad it went. As I took Casey's bag from her and ran after my little sister who was already walking towards the car, I watched the drag in her steps, as if they were the heav
"Yeah, just drop by any time you feel like it, Bryant. I've got no plans tonight so I'll probably be home. I'll text you my address." General Reeves said through the phone."Thank you, General. I'll call you when I'm on my way there." I spoke into the phone before hanging up.It's been a few days since I last heard from Dom. If our fight the other day didn't happen, I wouldn't have thought much about his silence since we weren't the kind of friends who had to talk to each other every day to stay close but how we left things off the last time we met made me worried.I checked his social media account to see if he was active or had made any posts lately but found nothing that eased my worries. Maybe I was too hard on him..But wha
I shut the front door and locked it before taking off my shoes. Casey was laying sprawled on the living room couch in her pajamas, covered by a layer of blanket. Her hair was tied up in a messy bun, head resting on a pillow propped up against the armrest and hands holding a spoon and an ice cream tub. The TV was playing one of the episodes of 'Salvation' on Netflix.When she heard me stroll into the living room, she raised her head and craned her neck to look at me. "You're home early," she commented, looking at the time displayed on her phone screen.It was only 6 p.m. so technically it was early. After staying for a few hours in the park, watching the sunset together, I told Maddy what I was planning and she understandingly agreed without any objections or complaints. I was lucky to have a supportive and understanding girlfriend.
I tilted my head up with my eyes closed, trying to just absorb the fresh air and let it cool my insides and help me relax.I opened my eyes and watched as the wind shook the branches of the tree we were sitting under. Fall was already here and winter was just right around the corner, approaching fast. The branches were already balding, giving it a bare look, making the tree seem almost naked without its green. The leaves that managed to stay on the branches had already turned colors, pulling different shades of orange, yellow and sometimes even a beautiful bright red. The sight made by the tree branches reaching out and creating a web right above us, mapping across the space between us and the sky, was entrancing, at least to me. I could never get enough of it.The sun was nowhere to be seen today, hidden behind some clouds. The air aro
"Leaving?" Casey asked me as she stirred her cereal and milk in a bowl for breakfast."Yeah, I'll be back by 10 p.m. tonight." I told her over the jiggle of my keys as I pocketed them. "Do you have any plans today?"Casey shook her head, "Get home as late as you'd like, I'm not a kid, I'll be alright. I'll just be chilling inside, binge watching netflix and enjoying my ice cream."I didn't want to argue with her about going home later. It was more for my peace of mind than anything else. For the past year, I've tried very hard to never let Casey be alone. Especially in an empty house late at night. Of course she didn't understand where my worries and anxiety was coming from but that's alright. I'll do the worrying and being the anxious one, she can live in blissful ignorance that comes
"You haven't forgotten what day tomorrow is, right?" Casey asked me while she dumped her things on the foot of her bed.I plopped on my bed beside hers and rubbed my eyes tiredly. I hummed in response to her question, laying my arm over my eyes to block the light streaming in through the window by my bed.When she didn't continue speaking, I raised my arm slightly and took a peek at her.Casey stood over me, staring me down with her hands propped on her hips."You totally forgot what tomorrow is, didn't you?" She asked again.I grunted in annoyance, prompting her to stop speaking in circles and just get to the point.I felt a slap l
I rang the doorbell and waited for a few minutes for Dom to answer it and let me in.I had the urge to look around to check if anyone was watching me while I was waiting but I didn't want to tip off the people watching if there were any. I didn't want to give them further reason to suspect that I was hiding something.Because I was, and they're not supposed to know that.It was a Saturday afternoon and it was way too shiny than I'd like it to be. The sun was beating down my back and it was starting to get uncomfortable, so I knocked on the door to rush Dom."Coming! Hold your bloody horses!" Dom cursed from behind the door as the door jiggled and swung open. Dom stepped aside once he saw it was me and let me in. "You're here."
We stepped into the restaurant and told them we had made a reservation under Johnson.A waiter led us to a table where a man in a collared shirt sat, talking into his phone.When he saw us approaching, he waved and said a few words into the phone before hanging up and stashing the device away, smiling widely at my parents."I thought you stood me up!" He joked, standing from his seat to warmly greet my parents with hugs.Dad slightly turned his body to let the man see Casey and I clearly."This is Bryant, my oldest." I smiled as Dad made the introductions, stepping forward and offering my hand.He took my hand and shook it firmly. H