CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

-•NATHAN•-

"We don't need to invest it in another bulletproof car," I explained. "We already have enough of those, it would make sense to give half the money towards the small businesses."

My father scoffed. "What do you think this is, boy? It's sure as hell not a damn charity."

I clenched my fists from under the conference table. It was the afternoon, and one day after the gang race. My father and I sat in a meeting with the most valuable Creeds members to determine what we should do with our prize money.

I refuted the nerve to flip the conference table. "It's not a charity if we're getting something in return," I elaborated. My father was only interested in things that benefitted him in the quickest time, that's where he was going wrong. He didn't like to play the waiting game, but sometimes you needed to.

He narrowed his eyes at me. "And what exactly would we be getting in return?"

"If we invest in them, we'd negotiate to get half their sales, it'd be a never ending supply of money, no matter what," I said, turning to the rest of the table. "In return, they'd get protection plus the money we'd be giving them. It's not a bad bargain."

My father seemed to consider this for a moment. "But what if they go out of business?," he pressed, not entirely convinced of the idea.

I shook my head. "We wouldn't be investing in just one. We'd be investing in around fifty to start, then we build from there. They can't all go out of business at the same time."

"I think it's a great idea," Ally spoke up. "I'm surprised we haven't done it before."

My father gave her a disinterested glance, Ally maintained her posture.

"I agree," Kyle put in, sending a discreet smile towards Ally. "Ally and I can do the negotiations."

My father laughed. "And why would I allow that?"

"If you send Kyle and I, we'll seem too intimidating, we'll scare them out of the deal. But they can see Ally as someone they can trust, a delicate figure to confide in. It's as simple as that," I stated.

The room was quiet while my father darted his eyes from Ally, Kyle and I, then he released a breath. "I'm not going to argue with you. I want Kyle and Ally going to thirty of the small business in the next three weeks, but speaking of delicate figures to confide in," he turned his attention to me. "I want you and our little healer boy to go to the other twenty businesses."

I diverted my gaze from him to the window of the conference room. "He doesn't have any experience in negotiations, he won't be any help, Haley can do it with me instead."

My father waved a dismissive hand in the air. "Your sister has a temper like no other, she wouldn't be fit for the job. And I have her teaching the little ones about combat already, so no."

"How is Presley fit for the job then?," I asked incredulously.

My dad shrugged. "He's not, but he looks submissive, just like our dear Ally. Isn't that the case you were making just now? That they would see Ally as a delicate figure to confide in? Now that I think about it, it's a good plan," he grinned.

I didn't bother to argue with him anymore. A feeling of dread washed over me as I realized that I couldn't put a safe distance in between Presley and I for the next three weeks.

Last night, I had made the biggest mistake of my life, which was give into a temptation that could destroy me, but most importantly, Presley. I didn't want to let him in like that, I didn't want him. I didn't want him to think that I could offer him more than what he signed up for, because I couldn't, and I wouldn't. He was apart of my gang and nothing more, I couldn't jeopardize the gang, nor could I jeopardize him.

In terms of the 'gay thing', I almost laughed. There truly was no reason to fuss over it. From a young age my mother taught me that if something was out of your control, there was no reason to bother with it. In my world, we were all just things, equal in dimensions, and equal in failures, even if we didn't want to admit it. It didn't matter who you desired. There were far worse things to worry about.

Red nudged me with his elbow. I looked up at him, expectantly. "What," I snapped.

He grinned. "Relax, boss," he whispered, being mindful to keep his voice down to avoid interrupting the conference table. "Alvin and I are throwing a party for you and Kyle. Starts at midnight."

I raised a brow. "Where? My dad will have a heart attack if you throw it here."

Red chuckled. "Yeah, I know that. That's why we rented a hall."

"And how much did that cost?," I asked.

Red rolled his eyes. "If you keep worrying like that, you're going to turn into a lonely old man."

I crossed my arms and drifted my attention from him.

"Oh, come on," he whispered. "We're throwing you a party, not a funeral, Nate. At least look happy."

I turned to him for a moment. "Who did you invite?"

He sent me a confused look. "Everyone."

"Who's everyone?"

"The entire gang," he explained. "And...the Tyrants too."

I almost leaped out my seat. "What? Why would you do that?"

He shrugged and sighed. "They know how to party. And Greg is harmless, you know that."

I could agree that Greg was the most idiot person I'd ever met, but I could also agree that he wasn't a threat. I couldn't say the same for the rest of his gang through.

"Yeah," I huffed. "Whatever, that's fine, the Tyrants are mellow."

Red grinned.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

The hall that Red said he rented was more like a warehouse, it was a warehouse, in fact. As I stood outside of it, I could hear the blaring music from inside.

"You think the Tyrants will start something?," Kyle asked from next to me, gazing at the entrance to the booming warehouse.

I leaned against the car. "They're outnumbered, not even Greg's that stupid," I responded.

Kyle nudged me. I turned to him. He crossed his arms.

"Nate, you just won the gang race with the best record," Kyle shrugged. "You seem...sulky. We're at a party, dude."

"I'm not sulking," I retorted.

He raised a brow. "Everyone else will buy your lies, Nate. Not me, there's no bullshit with you and me."

I grunted in annoyance and turned away from him.

"All right, you don't have to tell me, but promise me one thing."

I scoffed. "I don't make promises."

"You make promises to Presley," Kyle mentioned, smirking slightly.

I snapped my attention to him. I wanted to disagree with him, but I found myself shrugging instead.

Kyle blew out a breath. "We leave here stumbling, or we don't leave at all. Deal?"

I turned to him, expecting to see amusement in his expression, but all he looked was tired. I burst out laughing.

"Are you serious?," I asked, recovering from my amusement.

"On my kid's life," he stated.

"You don't have a kid."

"One day I will," he said, pulling me towards the entrance. "Deal or not?"

The security guard at the front checked our ID's. "No deal, Ky," I said, before I disappeared into the jostling crowd without Kyle.

He needed to unwind with a bit of alcohol, but me? I wouldn't drink as long as the Tyrants were here. What if they started a fight that I couldn't finish because I was too wasted on alcohol? What a pathetic way to lose.

I felt a tap from behind me and I instantly whirled around. I raised a brow as I looked down at the short brunette with an impressive amount of cleavage. It was hard to make out her form through the dim lighting of the warehouse. She placed a manicured hand on my arm as she gazed flirtatiously at me through her artificial lashes. She leaned up close to my ear and purred, "I thought you looked really sexy at the race yesterday."

I snaked my hand along the curve of her back despite the need to feel someone else. "A little bold, aren't you?"

She nodded, sliding her hands over my chest. "It's the truth, why hide it?"

I slid my hand lower down her back. "What's your name?"

She sent me a seductive smile. "Lisa. No need to tell me yours, everyone knows who you are."

"Lisa, don't you know it's dangerous to talk to strangers?," I asked, gripping her waist tight, pulling her closer.

A look of slight alarm crossed her features as she looked around us at the jumping crowd, then she brought her face up to my neck. "Not all strangers look like you though."

I could barely hear her over the booming music but I could feel as she trailed kisses up my neck. In a split second, I put a hand through her hair and kissed her full on the mouth, hard. Thoughts of a certain hazel eyed boy flooded my mind, I closed my eyes tight to focus on the girl in front of me. There, in the middle of the dance floor, I kissed her until she gasped her air.

She pulled away from me, breathless and smiling. I grimly looked around for a second, finding that certain hazel eyed boy. Presley was looking at me with big, betrayed eyes, I could've swore I saw them well with tears. It took all the strength and stubbornness in me not to go and wipe away that frown. I didn't want to go to him, I couldn't go to him, I wouldn't allow myself to.

Presley looked sadly at the curvaceous brunette beside me and turned the other way, wiping furiously at his cheeks.

Lisa took my face in her hands and began kissing me again. I wanted to push her off and check on my weeping, little healer boy, but instead, I drowned myself in Lisa's curves, kissing down her neck and chest, making myself numb to everything else.

As long as the music was playing loudly, as long as the lights were flashing erratically, as long as I lost myself in the strong scent of girl in front of me, I wouldn't be tempted to encounter the aching need to gather Presley up in my arms.

"Let's go somewhere...secluded," Lisa panted in my ear.

I didn't think as I took her hand and pulled her through the crowd. She let out a giddy sound as she gripped onto my arm. Once we were outside the warehouse and away from the noise, I pinned her against a wall and kissed her senseless. She placed her hands on my arms to steady herself. Lisa sucked in a breath when I slid my hand under her top.

I kissed down her jaw and over her collarbone as she ran her hands through my hair. The roles reversed as she lifted my face from her collarbone and started to place wet kisses down my neck. I forced myself not to gag at the thought of the sloppy mess she must've been leaving on my skin.

Lisa started to unbutton her top.

"What are you doing?," I asked.

She looked confusedly at me. "Don't you want to see my boobs?"

Red would have had a seizure if he saw me hesitating.

I was about to respond when I heard the piercing sound of gunfire. The music had halted from inside and the crowd screamed in panic.

The first thing that ran through my mind was, Presley.

I didn't look back as I dashed into the warehouse, gladly leaving Lisa behind. The crowd inside had stopped dancing, the lights were still almost completely dark. As I looked around, I grabbed hold of my gun from beneath my shirt. The crowd was a mob trying to get to the exit while gun shots still fired from a distance that sounded near the entrance.

Get to Presley. Get to Presley. Get to Presley.

I pushed my way through the crowd and stumbled across Haley and Alvin.

"What the fuck happened?," I asked. "Where's Presley?"

Both Haley and Alvin looked worried. "I think the K Blades are here," Alvin said.

A shred of panic rose in my throat. "Where the hell is Presley? You were supposed to be taking care of him," I growled.

A single tear ran down my sister's face. "We don't know where he is," she said shakily. "We were trying to find him but he just disappeared on us and I knew you'd be mad if we told you that we lost-."

I turned to Alvin sharply. "Get her out of here, I'll find Presley."

"Nate!," Haley called after me. I didn't turn around. The K Blades came here for a fight, the faster I found Presley, the faster I could avoid it.

I continued to push through the mob of people, desperately looking for the shortest person in the crowd.

One.

Two.

Three.

I was beginning to lose my temper. If I couldn't find him, our gang wouldn't have our miracle healer, and I would go crazy.

I reached the exit of the warehouse. When I opened the door to reveal the outside air, there was no noise.

I was about to close the door to continue my search inside when I heard a slight whimper.

I held my pistol in front of me as I cautiously moved towards the noise. I turned the corner and stopped in my tracks.

The Watts member, Diggy, that had an encounter with Presley last night pinned Presley to the wall while Raymond sipped on a beer. They had wolffish smirks plastered on their faces.

"There's no one here to defend you now, you little shit," Diggy sneered in Presley's face.

Raymond tipped his beer towards Presley. "You sure you don't want any?," Raymond took a swig. "It'll hurt less if you're drunk."

Presley bit his lip in an attempt not to cry but he couldn't hold it in. He shook his head as his small body racked with sobs.

"I-I promise," he managed. "I'll go with you, I'll be your healer, just please...," he hiccuped. "Don't hurt me. Or...Nathan."

It seemed that my bones grew cold when Raymond backhanded the small, quivering boy in front of him. There was a silence that hung in the air, then my bones warmed with fire. I shot two bullets into the air, I didn't want to shoot them, it would be too clean and fast. I didn't want them to die clean and fast.

Raymond and Diggy went pale when they faced me. They weren't expecting me.

I stalked calmly towards them, avoiding Presley's gaze. "I didn't think you'd be the kind of guy that would beat up a kid," I rasped. "It's low for even you, Raymond, don't you think?"

Raymond set his beer down on the ground. "Sometimes you just got to have a little fun," he shrugged easily.

"You know what would be fun?," I stood directly in front of him now. Diggy backed away, darting his eyes from me to Presley. He seemed to consider his risk and sprinted away from view. I didn't go after him. One day, I'd catch him alone, then he'd learn.

Raymond looked self conscious now. "What, Pierce?"

I discreetly took out my trusty blade. "This."

I drove the blade across his face, it brought him to the ground. My thoughts were in agreement.

I was going to stab him to death.

I heard Presley let out erratic sobs and pleas to stop, but not even his voice could bring me out of my rage. I continuously drove the blade down on Raymond.

Once. For hurting the most sweetest boy on the planet.

Twice. For costing my gang millions of dollars.

Thrice. For selling me out, for putting me in jail for a crime he took part in.

A fourth time. For making me miss my mother's last moments on Earth.

I didn't stab him a fifth time because someone pulled me from him, it was Kyle. I looked up and saw the K Blades rushing towards us, faces sick with worry at Raymond's bloody state. I immediately came to my senses and snatched Presley closer to me.

"What do we do?," Kyle asked, eyeing the K Blades.

I looked down at Presley who was shivering, I couldn't tell if it was from the chilly air, or from his assault. Probably a bit of both.

"Run," I said and pulled Presley's hand to get away from the scene.

I made sure that we didn't stop until we reached the parking lot. There were barely any cars left besides Kyles'.

Good. That meant Alvin and Haley got away.

"Meet me at the facility," I ordered Kyle. He obeyed.

I opened the car door for Presley, but he seemed hesitant to get in. He wrapped his arms around himself, and looked down at his shoes.

A guilty feeling ate at me. "I'm not...going to hurt you. I would never, if that's what you're thinking."

His head shot up and tears filled his eyes. "I know that. But he...he could have died! He's probably already dead."

The forgiving type.

I slammed the car door, Presley flinched. "You want to know who could have died?," I asked incredulously.

Presley sobbed.

"You could have died. And if that happened, him and his children would have answered for it," I whispered.

"You don't mean that," he looked up at me.

"I do," I stated. "Whatever you think you know about me...it's not true. You don't know me, Presley. You don't know the things that I could do or the things I would do for you, hell, I don't even know the type of immoral things I would do for you!"

"You don't care about me," he responded after a minute of silence. His voice became shaky. "I'm only your healer, that's all I am to everybody now!," he cried. "I just want to stop being everyone's healer! I can't even heal myself."

He looked away from me and tried desperately to hold in any more tears.

One. Two. Three. I let out a breath.

"You don't have to hide your tears, kid. It's all right. You can cry. It's just me," I tried my best to sound delicate.

He shook his head and cried more.

"Come here," I whispered.

"No," he sobbed.

"Yes, Presley."

He looked up at me with his tear filled hazel eyes and searched my expression for something faulty. After a second of consideration, he leaped up to throw his frail arms around my neck and burry his face into my chest.

I slid an arm over his waist while I soothed his back with my other hand. I knew that he felt betrayed more than anything, and I wished I could undo the events of the night just to save him his tears, but I couldn't.

I wanted to force myself to believe that I didn't care if I hurt him, but there was a raging voice in my head that said otherwise. Although I felt like holding him here in my arms for as long as time would let me, another, more stronger voice told me that it was best if I only offered him this one moment of comfort.

Tomorrow it would be different, it would be business as usual. But for right now, I held him and murmured soothing words in his ear.