Play Me

by Ivy Knight

  "How was your day outside of the four walls?"

  "Short," I reply.

  "Why'd you come so early then?"

  "I didn't want you to try to look for something that wasn't lost."

  "Oh, I know you weren't lost," he says. "And I hope you enjoyed your little trip outdoors, because that was your last."

  "I didn't return to become your bitch, or because I knew you let me out on purpose and were watching my every move. I came back because I have an offer. If you want to hear it, meet me on the balcony in exactly fifteen minutes," with that, I pull away from him and take a leave.

  ...♛...

  I wait on the balcony staring at the moon. At a point in my life, it was my favourite, but all it reminds me of now, is Kai's dominant grey eyes. The similarities are almost frightening.

  "I'm glad you came," I say turning around to face Kai.

  "What makes you think I'll be interested in your offer?" he responds coldly.

  "Because you're interested in me and if you don't take it up, I can offer the same thing to anyone inside."

  "And your offer is?"

  "We both know that I have skills that are unexplainable and you want to use them to your advantage. I, on the other hand, want nothing to do with you or this business you run. If you make me stay by force, I'll never succumb to you and whatever skills I obtain will be useless if – sorry, when I decide to kill myself. So I've decided to help the both of us, I'll become a part of your gang after you agree to my terms," he waits, so I continue. "I continue going to school, I'm not forced to kill anyone, I get to work a part time job, and I'm not known by any of the other gangs."

  I wait for his response. There's no hint of emotion on his face, making it hard to know what his response will be. "You continue going to school with us, you kill if you have to, your job will be one I approve of, your actions will determine whether you'll be known or not, any free time you have, you spend training and you show me respect."

  "You give some to get some, deal?" I ask. My sweaty palms are evidence of my nervousness.

  Will he say yes or no?

  Chapter 14

  "Deal," Kai responds, calmly. "Stay after the party, I'll take you to your new home."

  Before I can respond, another voice fills the silence, "Hello brother."

  The familiar voice makes the hair on the back of my neck, stand on their ends. I look to the side, past Kai, and spot a smirk I hoped never to see again.

  His short black hair is disheveled. Baby hair, falls on his forehead past his simple black mask. The black tux kisses his muscular frame. As I scan him, my eyes reach his eyes just as his reach mine.

  The slight eye contact frightens me and I immediately avert my gaze. Seeing the two together, I feel foolish not recognizing Kai as Nick's brother when I first met him.

  I watch as Kai's eyes turn black just before turning around to face his brother. His back blocks my view. In a way, I feel protected, but I know I can't stand behind someone in fear from the past.

  So I take a step to the right, and stand next to Kai. Nick's eyes travel along my body's structure as he takes slow steps towards me. Stood only two feet away, like a gentleman, he takes my right hand and kisses the back of it.

  "Such a pleasure, to meet the woman in black."

  My heart seems to be beating at an abnormal pace. The night feels like it's getting colder and Nick's eyes seem to be curiously waiting for a response. "For what it's worth, I only meet the people I want to. You just happened to have walked in, on our meeting."

  Nick lets out a slight chuckle and faces Kai, "Your taste in women never fails to impress."

  "But your timing, always does," Kai responds in monotone.

  Before Kai can say my name, I excuse myself, "I'll leave you two to it, we can continue our conversation later."

  Kai gives me a slight nod in response and I silently walk past Nick. I leave my past and my present behind me entering the party once again.

  The goosebumps covering my body have gone unnoticed until now. Everything changed about me the second I heard Nick's voice. He still has that effect on me. The fear is buried inside of me and that is something I can't even deny. Maybe it's a good thing. A reminder to never let anyone treat me the way he did.

  I take a glass of red wine off of the waiter's tray on my way to the side. Standing on the edge, I can see everything the people on the inside can't. Like this one guy dancing with another girl, but his eyes constantly meet with another's, or the way a man slips a card out of another man's pocket while hugging.

  To think that these people created this ball, so for one night, there'd be no killings but missed the fact that this was the one night everyone is at their weakest. I can't help but feel pity for those who came here thinking that they'd be safe. This whole ball is a big fat lie that should've ended a long time ago. I wonder why it still goes on? Are people actually too stupid to realize what's right in front of their eyes?

  "I see you," Dean says, taking a stand next to me. I don't respond. I'm really not in the mood to talk.

  "Not in the mood to talk, I see. Lucky for you, all you have to do is listen. You're an observer. Observing the tiniest details of everyone here tonight, you're missing the bigger picture. Listen carefully," he instructs, and I do as I'm told.

  Guess who showed up tonight? I hear a female voice from behind me.

  Who?

  The White Dragons. They've been awol for two years now. Ever since they're youngest was kidnapped, no one has seen them until today.

  Do you think they're planning something?

  You don't just show up to the party that's being held by their worst enemy's younger brother without having a plan, now do you?

  "No, we don't," Dean responds. I stay silent, waiting for him to conclude his thoughts. "I spotted you talking to Kai on the balcony."

  "And now you think I might be his weak spot." I turn around and face him. A cynical smile appears on my face, "Instead of looking for someone else's weak points, you should look for your own. Improve yourself and everything will work out. That's one thing I can guarantee you."

  "And where do you think I should start?"

  "Go back and fix your mistakes, maybe you'll find something you thought you've lost forever," I state. When I don't receive a response, I finish off my drink and leave the empty glass on an empty tray in the hands of a waiter passing by.

  I'm about to leave when I'm stopped by three other men who I recognize as Anthony, Vincent, and my father.

  "Mind my youngest, he can be unprofessional at times."

  "Mind me, but I have no interest in talking to a gang not worth of my time," I say, mostly looking at Vincent. Even under his mask, the forming creases around his face give him away.

  I try to step to the side to leave, but his voice stops me, "It'd be in your best interest to stay."

  "You don't know what's in my best interest. You never did," I whisper the last part to myself.

  "Is there a problem here?" Kai walks into the conversation standing next to me. My family remains silent.

  "No," I reply.

  "Well, it was nice of you all to show up." Kai continues, "The meeting is starting upstairs."

  With that, they take their leave and I stay.

  "What was that?"

  "They wanted to talk," I reply.

  "We have bad history. Don't make things worse with them," he states.

  "Why do you care? Not like they have anything to offer."

  Kai has no right telling me how, and how not to talk to my own family.

  "I have my own reasons and how would you know that they have nothing to offer me?" he questions.

  "Keep your reasons to yourself. I treat people the way I want to. I work for you, that's about it. Everything else, you stay out of. And let's just say, I was born a mystery."

  "I don't know what just crawled under your skin, but if you want, I'm allowing you to come to the meeting. Come at your own risk. Remember, your actions determine wh
ether you're known or not." With a slight edgy tone to his voice, he doesn't wait for my response as he turns around to leave.

  "I'm not missing the real party." Kai stops in his spot but doesn't turn around. I wait patiently for his reaction. His head bobs down in approval just before regaining his footsteps with me following behind.

  We pass the balcony, taking many lefts and rights down various hallways. This mansion is unbelievably large that I can't even imagine the house Kai actually lives in.

  Almost ten minutes later, Kai stops at a door. His hand lingers on the knob, thinking. He looks back at me, "You're going in as my responsibility, make a fool of me, and I won't hesitate to put you in your place. Stay close and stay silent."

  Kai doesn't give me an opportunity to reply seeing as he opens the door and walks in. I close my eyes and let out a big breath just before entering. Whatever I'm about to witness, is something my family has always tried to hide from me.

  I take my first step in, and everything drops silent. Slowly, I make my way down the room towards the end of the table. Thirty pairs of eyes constantly glued to my every move. I pull out a chair and take a seat. The room is spacious with a projector screen on the wall, behind Kai. A glass full of water, along with a pen and paper sits in front of everyone on the table. The only people I fully recognize in the room are my brothers, father, Kai, Alec, and Cole. Everyone else, even without their masks on, are unknown to me.

  My eyes travel to meet Kai's and they speak the only thing I was hoping they wouldn't. He wants me to take my mask off so without hesitation, I pull it off and set it onto the table. It takes me a minute before building up the courage to look up at everyone. When I finally do, I'm happy to see everyone wearing a flustered look. No one recognizes me and for once, I'm thankful for the art of makeup and puberty.

  "Women aren't allowed at this meeting."

  I speak before Kai can, "I'm happy to see you have some manners calling me a woman and all, but it's the twenty first century and I can bet that you won't have the guts to go against any of the people present in this room if needed."

  "And you do?" It's Nick who spoke.

  "For a man who's never seen a woman fully clothed unless it's his mother, you're too quick to judge another woman, Nicholas. Let's just get the fact, that I am not one of the girls you sell at your camps, through your head. I won't be ill-treated in any way and my presence at this meeting is merely out of my curiosity. I'm not interested in being a part of your charades. This might just be the last time you'll ever see me, so be thankful," my confidence is over the roof. It feels like a huge weight has just been lifted off of my shoulder's seeing Nick sit back in his seat with locked lips.

  "From where you pick up these women, I'll never know," Nick sighs under his breath mostly talking to Kai. I look at Kai's nonchalant expression. It honestly, isn't that hard to stand up for your gang member, but I guess that isn't in his handbook.

  "Let's start the meeting," Kai ignores Nick's words. On cue, everyone turns their attention towards him, "First and foremost, I'd like to thank everyone for showing up tonight. I hope everyone enjoyed the party downstairs."

  Everyone bobs their head, as a yes.

  "Every year this meeting is held to see what most gangs have accomplished in the past year. As leader of one of the strongest gangs still running, I'd like to congratulate Mr. Dietrich on his success of taking over New York, becoming the leader of the most widespread gang today."

  A man around his forties replies with a thank you as everyone claps at his success.

  "Unfortunately, that's not the main topic of the night. The FBI is. The economy has been declining for the last three months. Our incoming supplies of drugs, children, and weapons are constantly being raided. After weeks of analyzing all possibilities, I've come to a decision. This is being done by an insider, and to protect my own gang, I'm withdrawing ourselves from the unity of the states."

  "The unity was signed fifty years ago, by people much wiser than you child," a man around his fifties speaks. Not just him, but everyone seems astonished by Kai's decision. For some reason, I'm not. I mean he's out to ruin me every way, so why not do something to put me in even more danger? I should've just murdered him at the camping trip.

  "This 'boy', built a whole empire with his bare hands, I would watch how you talk to him," my father is the one to speak. I look at him with a dazed expression.

  Why is my dad supporting Kai?

  "What would you know, Xavier. You weren't even in this until today."

  "We've been around enough to know that this unity isn't useful to any of us. The White Dragons have also decided to step back," Vincent speaks on behalf of his soon-to-be gang.

  "If they're both resigning, so are we," another man says. One after the other, eventually everyone agrees with Kai.

  "That's settled then, I'd like to end with one last note," Kai stands up and buttons his coat. "May the best man conquer."

  My mouth gapes open.

  Kai openly just declared war.

  How? What? No. He – he just set me up for death.

  I look at everyone. Some people are left in shock. Others, including my father, are impressed. Confused, I spot Kai, Alec and Cole leaving, so I decide to follow. I'm stopped at the door by a blonde guy around his twenties.

  "If you've openly declared war, I hope you don't mind if I declare claim over this territory," his voice is attractive, but his personality is trash.

  "Sweetheart, I'm unclaimed territory and I plan on staying that way. So if I were you, I'd step away before I lose it," I state. The dumb blond defies my warning by snaking his hand around my waist and pulling me up against him.

  "A girl with attitude. I'm surprised Kai never taught you how a bitch should behave," he whispers into my ear. With a roll of my eyes, I slip out the pocket knife tucked into my skirt, and stab it in the guy's neck. He moves back in shock and gargles on his own blood falling to the ground.

  I turn around and put on an innocent smile, "And that gentlemen, concludes our meeting."

  Chapter 15

  "Kai. Kai, stop and tell me what the fuck that was."

  As soon as the blond was dead, Kai started walking away. I silently followed behind until now.

  We're alone outside, so he can't use the 'someone is going to hear us' excuse. I stand there as the three men come to a stop.

  Personally, I find it funny that I refer to them as men when most, who only know their age, would refer to them as boys.

  Age is the amount of time you've spent on this earth. I believe that has nothing to do with if you're a kid or an adult. Maturity is what decides for me, and the three eighteen-year-olds in front of me, have matured in ways, most eighteen-year-old boys, don't. It's the things they've experienced and learned from in such little time, that I envy.

  They turn around and face me. Kai holds an unreadable expression matching Alec and Cole's.

  "How old are you?"

  My forehead creases in confusion.

  "What does my age have to do with any of this?"

  "Answer the question and you'll find out."

  "Eighteen," I lie.

  "Seventeen is your real age," Kai replies. "If you can't even be honest about your age with us, I don't find it necessary to share all our business information with you."

  I clench my jaw from the amount of anger running through my veins. My whole life is on the line.

  "If you want me to stop getting in your business, I want something in exchange," Kai's eyebrows rise in interest. "The box you stole from my room. I want it in its full form, and you to stay away from whatever's inside."

  "What makes you think it's not already open?" he retorts.

  "The zero point one second of surprise, wouldn't have flashed across your face otherwise," I reply confidently. He didn't have a valid reason to refuse. I mean, I'm going to live with him. He'll find out more about me than a lot of people ever will.

  "Alright. Anything else you'd like to discuss before the night
ends?"

  "I'll tell you later," I say. Just in case there is something I want to discuss later, I don't want to bluntly deny his question.

  "Let's get home then because there are many things I'd like to discuss," with that, they turn around and make their way to the car with me behind.

  "I'll follow behind," I state, walking over to my car.

  "No, give the keys to Cole. You're coming with me," Kai orders.

  I shrug and push the keys into Alec's chest on my way to Kai's car.

  "You're driving my car. I haven't said anything, but that doesn't mean, I've forgotten what all of you have done," I open the back door and slam it shut after taking a seat.

  "So you'd rather ride in the same car as Cole, noted," Kai says, taking a seat along with Cole.

  "At least this way I know he's not trying to rape other girls."

  "I don't call it rape when the other person enjoys it," Cole replies making my blood boil. How dare he say something so disgusting and aggravating?

  My hands are fisted white as I bite down on my tongue from retorting and making things worse. My legs bounce up and down eager to do something, but I need to calm down.

  I close my eyes and recite the lyrics of my favourite song.

  Downtown we let it go

  Sunset high and our bodies low

  Blood rush in the hazy glow

  My hands, your bones

  Loose up we break the scene

  One step deep as you fall to me

  Heart clap, we skip a beat

  Count one two three

  And don't you stop the music

  Get into it

  Won't you dance with me?

  Find a place and lose it

  You can do it

  Won't you dance with me?

  Move your feet and feel it in the space between

  You gotta give yourself a moment, let your body be

  We gotta lose it

  We gotta lose it

  Lose it

  Lose it

  I lose myself within the lyrics until I feel the car come to a stop, and I open my eyes. Massive, is the first word that comes to mind.