Chapter 22

*****

I trotted over to the door half asleep as the bell rang again. It had been ringing for the past five minutes and everyone was just ignoring it so I got out of bed to answer it.

I frowned as I pulled the door open, not a very nice greeting but I was really annoyed.

"Who the hell are you?"

Seriously? He came knocking on the door at 4 AM on a Sunday morning and that's what he says to me? I'm the one that lives here. Well, sort of.

"Uhm... I –"

I let out a surprised cry when I was shoved from the door. I stumbled before I regained my balance and turned to glare at Ben, but he completely ignored me.

"Vega, what are you doing here?" Ben asked raising his brows.

"I need to see Sergio." The man sounded a little on-edge.

"He's not here – look, are you alone?" Ben stared outside.

"Yes. I, uh, got dropped off and took a few taxis here. Someone's been following me but I'm pretty sure I lost them." Ben's face held a sceptical look as his eyes ran over the street in front of the house. I could tell that he was itching to say something to the guy but I guess this Vega guy was higher ranked in this than he was like Sergio, so Ben just nodded.

"Come in," Ben stepped aside to let Vega walked in.

He pulled off his coat as Ben shut the door and they made their way across the room. He looked like he was in his late thirties or early forties, like Clyde, except he was covered in tattoos and his head was shaved bald.

My eyes moved to the guns at his waist that glistened in the light of the room and I let out a heavy sigh turning to go back to bed but Ben grabbed my arm.

"Where are you going?"

I had the urge to ask where he thought I was going but I knew it wouldn't end well if I embarrassed him in front of this Vega guy.

"Bed." I said.

"I thought you had an appointment with one of your friends?" Kent's voice came as he walked over to me.

"At four in the morning? No." I sent a slight frown to the Vega guy because he was the reason I was awake and his eyebrows rose. I felt Ben's grip on my arm tighten and I looked back at him. "Can I go?" I asked.

"No, we need some beers."

"Now?" I asked.

"I'll get it." Kent said.

"No, Kent. You have the day off. Alexander's got it covered." My eyes shifted behind Kent to Macen. Oh...

"It's not necess –"

"I said you get the day off." Macen repeated. Kent turned to him, his usually friendly face hardened, but I didn't want him to get in trouble.

"Uh... Kent, it's cool, I..." the words drifted from my mouth as light shone through the windows causing me to turn to them, "What is tha–" I was cut off by a hard shove that knocked my breathe out of me as Kent speared into me which sent us both slamming onto the floor.

I jerked to cover my face and ears as a series of ear-piercing bangs went off while the windows around me shattered and I tried to keep the glass from my eyes.

"Stay down!" Ben's shout filled the room when the shots paused. There were more bangs before everything went silent except for the ringing in my ears. My heart was racing in my chest and my breathing was rapid as I opened my eyes.

"Are you alright?" Kent asked as he rolled off me. I stared at him disorientated and scared out of my mind.

"F – I'm fine, I –" I felt my heart stop in my chest. I shoved myself up quickly.

"Hey –!" I ignored Macen as I ran upstairs and into my room before I shoved into Sergio's room.

I let out a breath of relief seeing a confused Sasha stumble out of bed looking unharmed.

"Alex?" she mumbled sleepily.

"Yes. Sorry about the noise, they dropped some things in the kitchen. It was loud." I said quickly as I knelt down to check if she was really okay. She seemed mostly dazed from being woken up by the noise, but had no clue what it was and she wasn't hurt.

"Very loud." She nodded yawning and I chuckled.

"Come on, back to bed." I said. I might have let her stay up longer than I should have. She just nodded again stumbling back into Sergio's bed. I tucked her in and climbed onto the bed next to her waiting until she was asleep before I got up and made my way back downstairs.

When I walked into the living room, it was a mess. The couches were filled with holes and the floor was covered in pieces of sponge and fabric that had come from the couches, there wasn't a window left in, the curtains were ripped and the door was covered in scattered holes that went right through it.

I froze seeing a puddle of blood peeking from behind the couch.

"Get out of here." Ben said from behind me.

I looked at him, Macen was beside him. My eyes moved back to the puddle.

Vega?

-----

I walked towards Jordan's parent's front door, away from the car that had Rodrigo in it. Apparently I had failed to notice that more people were in the room than just the five of us and Paul was where the blood had come from.

I had explained what happened to Kiera when she picked Sasha up, she was shocked to say the least, but she was relieved Sasha was okay. I doubted Sasha would be visiting again though. That was definitely a good thing.

I shook my head trying to clear it as I reached the door. Act normal. I glanced back at Rodrigo who waved telling me to go inside. Despite his... partner? Yes, partner, being killed just a few hours ago he seemed okay. Actually everyone was except for Kent who had decided to draw the line and left. Yes, he quit. I wish I had that option. Everyone acted like nothing happened, they just began to clean up and call to get the windows fixed and have the body disappear because they didn't want to answer to any police. They were also dealing with the neighbors.

I was on my own now. From Kent's reaction, nothing like that had ever happened at the house before so I assumed whoever drove by had followed Vega.

I let out a breath as I pushed the door open and walked inside.

"Alex!" I smiled as I was pulled into a tight hug as soon as the door shut behind me, "Have you grown?" I chuckled shaking my head at Jordan's father, Greg.

We began talking about school and work instantly as we made our ways to the dining room and I almost forgot to greet everyone else but I remembered because I heard Amy, Jordan's mom, in the kitchen and I knew she would kill me for not greeting her immediately.

I walked to the kitchen with Greg in tow and hugged Amy as soon as I saw her.

"Hi." I felt myself relax in her arms as she hugged me tightly and for a moment I felt like everything was okay.

"Alex," she laughed before she suddenly smacked me upside the head.

"Wha...?" I looked at her dumbfounded.

"Where have you been?!" she demanded angrily.

I shook my head with a nervous chuckle as I rubbed the back of my head. "Work... sort of. I've been busy with a friend, he's really sick. I'm sorry I couldn't drop by." I said feeling bad about lying to more people that I was so close to.

"It's okay." She pulled me back into a hug and I smiled. She reminded me of my mother so much, I guess that was why it was so easy to feel comforted by her presence. It's why it was so easy to settle in with them.

I greeted Jordan's fourteen-year-old brother Oliver as he ran through the kitchen chasing their dog Nido out of the house before I greeted the seven-year-old Ezra once he joined us in the kitchen.

We spent a few minutes catching up before Oliver, Ezra and I moved to the living room to play games while we waited for Jordan to show up.

I groaned and Oliver laughed when my car crashed as my phone began ringing.

"I was distracted." I said.

"That’s just an excuse." He replied smugly and I chuckled as I answered it furrowing my brows at Sergio's name on the screen. I stood up motioning to the dining room and the younger boys nodded at me.

"Hello..." I said slowly feeling my heart pick up as I made my way out of the room.

What the hell? We agreed it was over; I couldn't still want him in bed like this.

"Hey. I heard what happened. Is Sasha okay?" he sounded worried.

"Yes, she was in your room, they only aimed downstairs." I leaned against the wall. "She was just a little shaken by the noise." I said.

"Great." He let out a relieved sigh before he paused for a few seconds. I was about to ask if he was still there when he spoke, "What about you?"

"I..." I drifted surprised that he had asked, "I'm fine." I said.

"You sure? You can always call Kiera if you got hurt, Alexander. That's why I gave you her number – not for this particularly, I didn't know this would happen – but yeah, you get it or go to hospital, I'll take care of your bill."

"I'm seriously fine, Kent helped me." I said. "You know, before he quit." I added.

"Kent quit? What? Why..." he drifted confused. I guess whoever told him about the shooting forgot that part, "Why was he even at the house –? He can't quit."

"Oh, he quit." I said.

I heard Sergio sigh. "Okay." He said.

"Okay?" I asked, "Can I quit too?" I asked.

All I received as a reply was a chuckle in my ear before the line went dead. I frowned shoving my phone back into my pocket before I went back to the living room and resumed my game play.

By the time Jordan came Oliver, Ezra and I had finished a bunch of snacks and Amy and Greg had just finished making the food, which the three of us would now not be able to eat much of because we were stuffed with junk already.

We spent a few more minutes playing games with Jordan before we headed to help set up the dining room.

"So, Oli. How's Tatum?" Amy smirked.

Jordan and my heads turned towards Oliver as a light blush covered his face.

"You got a girlfriend?" I asked smirking.

"N- no." Oliver mumbled.

"You do! Aw. They grow up so fast. Is she pretty? Have you made out with her?" Jordan asked.

"Have you even hugged her?" I decided to join in on the teasing as Oliver's face darkened even more while he tried to eat.

"Guys," Amy giggled.

"At least I can get a girl." Oliver shot Jordan a smirk.

"Hey, I get tons of girls." Jordan said. Everyone looked at him silently before they laughed.

Jordan frowned at them and I chuckled. Of course his family never saw any of the girls he was with because he was never actually with anyone, he just hooked up a lot. Apparently he was too good looking for just one girl. He had actually said that to me before, I'm not kidding.

"Alex, do you want some?" Ezra held his plate out to me.

"No, eat your food, Ezra." Greg said. Ezra pouted and I chuckled.

We settled into conversation as we ate while I helped Ezra eat his vegetables by eating them for him when his parents weren't looking. He couldn't feed them to Nido because the dog was outside.

I stared at the people laughing and eating around me and felt my stomach turn. I was putting them in danger. I sold drugs... and whether I wanted to be part of Sergio's gang or not, I was. If what happened this morning was related to why Kyle – and probably more of Declan's gang – was there, something bad was definitely about to happen and I was going to be a part of it... Paul was probably just the first of many... Hell, maybe he wasn't even the first. Maybe they had something to do with Nigel's death.

These people, this was my family. I don't think I could not risk putting them in harm's way.

I looked down at my food, my appetite completely gone and the food in my stomach threatening to make its way back up the way it came.

"Alex, look." I turned to Oliver after he hissed at me.

He smirked raising his eyebrows as he glanced Jordan's way before he reached for the potatoes. I smirked and nodded.

I tried to hold my laughter back as I watched him 'innocently' begin to dish for himself.

"Ma, the potatoes won't –" I couldn't stop the scoff of laughter that escaped my mouth when Oliver's spoon plopped from the mashed potatoes and sent some flying into Jordan's face with a splat. Oliver stared at his spoon wide-eyed. "Oops."

Ezra and I broke out laughing as Oliver jumped from his seat and ran while Jordan sped after him.

"You did that on purpose!"

I laughed harder hearing Jordan shout through the hall before Oliver called for their mom to help. I looked at Amy as she shook her head while Greg began chuckling.

"Jordan, leave your brother alone!" Amy called.

"What?" Jordan walked back into view and I realised Oliver had gotten potato on his shirt and hair as well, "Ma, he threw mashed potatoes all over me!"

"It was a mistake." Amy said.

"No it wasn't, he plotted it with Alex."

"Pardon?" I looked up faking confusion.

"Jordan, Alex would never do that! Now get cleaned up, sit down and finish your dinner."

Jordan glared at Oliver as the fourteen-year-old pushed by him to sit back down.

"The colour looks good on you though." I smirked watching Jordan leave and he gave me a vengeful glare in return. I turned back to the table laughing along with everyone else while trying to shake the nausea caused by my guilt. “Can I have some potatoes, please?” Everyone seemed to laugh at that and I decided to enjoy the evening with them, because it would be the last time I came over until I had this thing with Sergio and gangs behind me.

*****