by Ivy Knight
I stick out like a fucking coffee bean in a bag full of marshmallows. I don't want to be here, but this isn't my roof and when the owner of the roof you’re staying under, requests for your presence, you do as your told without question. I lead as an example for the people in my gang and if I don't show respect, then I'll receive no respect. It's as simple as that.
"Can we start? We all know he doesn't give a fuck anyway."
"Summer, I think you've had enough time to adjust so I'll warn you now. The rules are still the same. Mind your language in the house, we're not illiterate."
"Fuck is a synonym for he doesn't care and many other words or phrases. I don't see what's illiterate in that, so I'll continue to use whatever language I'd like to use in and out of house. If you have a problem, then no one's begging to stay under your roof."
"Summer," Anthony's eyes are full of warning.
"Let it go, Anthony. We have much more to discuss and I'm sure you can't tell us where your sister has been for the past three two years." Xavier steps in before Summer can reply and makes things worse. "Sum-"
"Sorry I was late, the meeting took longer than expected and the traffic jam wasn't much help," Vincent walks in. A briefcase in one hand, he unbuttons his coat before he pulls out the seat from across me and sits down. He sets the suitcase on the floor, next to his seat, as a servant walks in with a glass off ice water.
The fucking man is the size of my brother and beat me to a pulp two weeks ago. If I wanted to, I could've put up a fight, but I didn't. Not because I was scared, but because I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of breaking me. You can beat a person to death, but that will never give you the same satisfaction you get when someone is truly broken on the inside.
We can beat people. Leave physical scars on their body's, but never get what we want so we torture to the point where a person can never pass out and we endlessly make them feel pain. We hit where it hurts not physically, but mentally and emotionally. Everyone in this field plays by those rules unless their only motive is to kill.
Vincent's initial motive wasn't to kill me. He was questioning me, but I never answered, is earning a few lashes from him. After a while, I don't exactly remember, but he kind of just lost it. All I remember is a burning rage.
"Kai?"
"Huh? Sorry I -I have a dry throat." I make up an excuse as I reach for my water bottle and drink some of its content. All eyes still set on me, I lean back in my chair trying to get comfortable.
Noticing my flustered state, she clears her throat and begins to talk again taking the attention off of me. This time, I pay attention to her words.
"So, as I was saying, I just wanted to start off by saying thanks for not killing me or my friends and I know all of you had your doubts about if I'm actually who I claim to be, but the results to the DNA test should've cleared that for you. Today, I'm here to tell you about what happened during the past three years and why I chose not to come home until now."
"On the night of my fifteenth birthday, Vince was taking me to the venue when he had to stop somewhere. He said he had to meet someone and he'd be back in a couple of minutes so I sat, waiting in the car. I fell asleep and woke up to find out that it's dark out. I step out of the car as Vince and I start arguing and then all of sudden, a tip of a knife is sticking out of his stomach and I watched him fall to the ground. I thought he was dead and it took me a few seconds to react, but before I could do anything, I felt a pinch in my neck."
She takes a deep breath pulling her hands off the table. Leaning back in her chair, her eyes are focused on her lap instead of on the people in front of her.
I avert my eyes back onto my own hands fiddling a small die.
"I woke up tied to a chair and a cloth over my eyes preventing me from seeing my surroundings. He came in minutes after. I heard his voice first, but I didn't recognize it. Of course I was trained for the situation, so I answered his questions, but then he did what I hoped that he wouldn't. He took off my blindfold and made me look at him. I knew it at that moment, that it was either going to be life or death. When he was talking to you, I yelled it through the phone. I knew you heard me, but even after knowing that, you did what Nick asked you to do."
"After many days of starvation, sleep deprivation and torture, I gave in to him. He made me work for him. He took me to clubs where I would bait men at any cost, I served drinks during his meetings and stripped if that's what they asked for. I was fed two meals a day and was hardly every allowed out. My room was worse than our basement. I was punished for every mistake I made. He would let his guards do whatever they wanted to me, which was practically every night he didn't want me."
"I became a fucking toy: my emotions, my state of mind, my body, my words, my thoughts, my choice did not fucking matter. I was used and played with until one day, Nick decided that he didn't need me anymore. He threw me into one of his camps and I just couldn't take it. I couldn't let him throw me away, so I set the house on fire and made it look like I died."
"I didn't come home because I didn't know what I would say or do. I was supposed to be this girl who was only taught about what our world was made of. I was supposed to be this innocent little figure who all of you would come home to and the innocence in me would make you feel better for doing what you did during that day. But I wasn't. I wasn't this innocent little girl anymore. I didn't want to become a surgeon, I didn't want to save lives. Instead, I wanted to take lives."
"So instead of coming home, I stole money and made my way from LA to Tennessee where I was picked up by the police. They asked me who I was and where I was from and I told them that I was an orphan. I was put into the system under Summer White and was adopted really quick. The family realized that I had problems, but so did their daughter. I fit right in."
"After two years, we moved to Chicago where I met Kai. He didn't know who I was and all I knew about him at the time was that he's the leader of a newly created gang called The Black Killers. A couple of days into meeting him, I found out that he's Nick's younger brother. We made a deal and there was no way I would've won so because I was going to lose, I decided that I'd use Kai to take down Nick."
"I was doing fine until Nick found out who I was. He showed up on the fourteenth and told everyone about my real identity then got us all arrested. Of course, no one missed that part since it was broadcasted on national news."
She finally looks up from her lap letting out a small laugh. Her eyes hold no emotion to them. It's like she's explaining everything without actually allowing herself to feel what she's saying.
"So for the part that interests me most," she brings her hands back on the table and leans in. "I came back here to bring Nick down. What happened with him is in the past and I can live with what he did to me, but I can't see him doing it to more innocent people. He's in control of all the states, has power, men and money, but so do we. We have power, men and money, but we also have Kai and no one knows Nick like we do. My deal to you is: in exchange for helping Kai and I destroy Nick, you'll be handed forty five percent of every business Kai decides to run."
"Why only forty-five?" Vincent questions.
"Because without Kai and I on your side, you won't even be able to get near Nick. Nick and I still have unfinished business and he will come after me again."
"Okay, say that we get near him. Is our goal to permanently terminate him?" One of the guys on the table asks.
"It's not our place to decide, it's Kai's. He has the right to do whatever he wants to Nick. Details can be dealt with later. My main goal with this deal is to gain power over the states back. All I need from you, right now, is an answer. Will you help? Yes or no?"
Everyone drops silent as they try to process what she's saying. When no one speaks and the struggle to choose becomes clear on everyone's face, Xavier naturally takes the lead.
"Sleep and think about it, we'll meet here tomorrow," Xavier gets up from his seat. "Summer, if you don't mind meeting me in my office, I have a few things I'd l
ike to discuss in private."
She looks at him. Her eyes focused on Xavier's, I can tell she's trying to predict what he wants to talk about. I like that about her. She likes to be prepared for situations before running into them, but it's also a disadvantage when events don't go as planned.
"Okay," she scoots her chair back and gets up. Xavier and Summer make their way out of the room. Everyone remains seated. Slowly, I hear the screeching of other chairs followed by the sound of footsteps distancing.
"Are you coming?" Alec asks me.
"Uh- no. I'll come up later."
He nods knowingly and heads out with everyone else.
As I sit there, playing with the small die that I found lying around, Dean takes a seat in front of me.
"Dean White," he introduces himself.
"Kai Black," I say as I slide my hand in his.
His eyes linger on me as he decides what to say next. Dean is closest to Summer's age in the family. From what I know, they had a strong bond when they were young. As for now, it seems like they can hardly look at each other without wanting to kill themselves. Alec tells me it's mostly because Dean almost killed her when we first arrived.
"My sister is supporting you and in my opinion, I think it's naive of her to be doing so. If I find out that you're working in favour of your brother, I'll make sure that every single thought that enters your mind involves killing yourself."
"She's been on her own for the last three years and has done quite well. Maybe if you doubt her less and actually have some faith, she'll be more open. But, as far as her relationship with her family goes, that's none of my concern. Whatever Summer said today, about wanting to take down Nick is true, but her and I haven't discussed anything she claims to do. The deal she proposed might not even exist," I inform. "I owe her nothing and I sure as hell don't owe The White Dragon's anything. If I go through with it, I'll have my own reasons. Until then, I appreciate the hospitality and from my side, I assure you, no problems will be caused."
"Do you like her?" he questions with the utmost seriousness.
"Excuse me?"
"Do you like Summer?"
"I don't think my personal opinions are any of your concerns, so if you'll excuse me, I think it's time for me to leave," I stand up and take my leave.
Instead of going up to my room, I decide to head to the gym on the top floor. Once I enter, I pull off my shirt and head straight into the ring.
My mind too clouded to think, I go in raw. With every impact of my fist, the bag swings ever so slightly. I increase the force in my punch with each swing trying feel the pressure in my muscles increase.
As the stamina builds, I feel my thoughts becoming clearer.
I look at Summer and I still see her. I see the same thing I saw the first day I met her, but I shouldn't. I should see her as a traitor, as the woman keeping my son away from me or the girl who kills with such perfection, it'd be wrong not to applaud her ability.
But I see her.
A woman that does what needs to be done to survive.
A girl who never stops fighting.
A person who refuses to give up.
She's Summer.
No matter how many times I repeat it in my head, I don't see her as the daughter of Xavier White or a victim of Nicholas Black.
I see Summer.
Just,
Summer.
Why does she do this? Why does she reel me in and then move further away? Does she forget what she wants?
Is she that indecisive or does she do it on purpose?
I don't know, but it needs to stop. She needs to stop messing with me, because I don't know how much more I can take. The only reason I'm still hanging on is because of Luciano.
I need him back.
I've made mistakes. I've made countless mistakes. I know I can't let Luciano face the consequences for me, so for whatever it's worth, I'll fight.
I'll fight with The White Dragons in order to get my son back in my life. Not because I want revenge for what Nick did, but because I need my son. I need him because he's the only one left in my life to live for. I'll die fighting if I have to. I owe that much to his mother and him. I owe it to them both.
Chapter 49
"You're what?"
"He's enrolling me and my friends into school," I repeat for Dean.
"You're not serious? Nick is everywhere and the school has security, but it's not enough to keep you safe."
"We don't even know what Nick wants. If I don't live normally and give him a chance to come out of hiding, then we'll never find out."
"And Cole, Kai, Amelia, Dakota and I will be with her throughout the day making sure she's safe," Alec adds. "Not to mention all of her other friends."
"Okay," Dean sighs heavily.
"And the deal?" I question.
"After the meeting I had with everyone this morning, we came to the decision of taking your deal. Once Nick is dealt with, Kai will lead all the businesses with fifty-five percent of the shares and we will get the other forty-five. Here are the terms and conditions of the deal. I have already signed the papers. All I need is for you and Kai to sign them so that the deal can officially be set."
"Okay," I reply. The papers are first in Kai's hand and I watch as he looks over the first page. He plays with the pen in his hand nervously. "You'll get the papers back by tonight, we'd like to read them over thoroughly."
"That's fine by us," Vincent answers. He then nods in approval to Anthony. Anthony gets up opening a suitcase.
"All of you are now enrolled at Los Angeles High School. All of your phones are constantly being tracked and all of you will have your own cars to go wherever you'd like," he says as he throws car keys at each one of us. We all catch them with ease and smile. "You answer your phone's, no matter what, and make sure to inform one of us of your location at all times. Whether it's a football game you're going to or the club downtown, inform at least one of us."
He then walks around handing us a booklet of
papers.
"These are your schedules for the next three months. You'll wake up at five every morning and go on a six-mile run with me. Then you'll go to school and until five, you'll be free to do whatever you want. From five to eight, on Mondays and Wednesdays, you'll have physical training. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, we'll be working on your mental stability and Saturdays will be test days. The two winners of test days will sit out on Sundays during the eight-hour teaching sessions."
"If you skip even one training for an invalid reason, you'll automatically be put into the Sunday's training session. You miss more than one and your instructor is free to choose whatever punishment they find suitable. Your instructors will vary depending on their availability, but they'll all either be me, Dean, Zeke, Felix, Lane, Calliste or Graham. Any questions?"
"Who do we talk to if we can't make it to one of the days?" Amelia asks.
"Anyone you're comfortable talking to, just make sure it gets to one of the instructors."
"Okay."
"Oh, and these are your new credit cards," he says as he hands them out. They all have a limit of eighty thousand dollars per week and all transactions will be monitored. We realize that all of you are more than capable of paying for your own purchases, but this is our way of showing gratitude. We encourage you to use these and I think that's all for now," he says as he takes his seat.
Everyone turns their attention back to my father.
"Then everything is done here. When the papers are signed, we'll be merging The White Dragons and The Black Killers meaning that Kai and I will be working together regarding all matters and not just Nick. Kai will be co-owner and everything that goes through me, will now go through him as well."
"Cole, Alec, Amelia and Dakota are all a part of our team and no one will be treated with disrespect. Every one of you, in this room, needs to put their differences aside and get to know each other. Make one mistake on the field because you couldn't work together, then keep in mind that the consequen
ces will be severe."
He gets up from his seat.
"Kai, if it's not much to ask, I'd like you to deliver me the signed papers yourself. I think a small one to one conversation is due."
"Sure," Kai bobs his head as he shakes my father's hand.
Anthony's phone rings and he picks it up. The call is brief and few words are spoken.
"They just caught Rylan on the borders of town, trying to skip. He's refusing to cooperate and they're calling us in," Anthony informs. "Lane, I want you to come with me."
"Who's Rylan?" I ask not being able to hold myself back.
"Sign the papers and you'll find out," Dean replies.
"That's fair," I reply holding back any hostility I want to show. "I forgot that we're just business partners now."
I scoot my chair back and look at everyone around the table before my eyes land on Anthony.
"I'll be at the school."
"Take someone with you," Anthony advises.
"I'm taking all of the crap in my mind with me. That should be enough," I retort before turning around and leaving the room.
With the car keys in my hand, I head outside to where the cars are parked. I press the lock button and follow the sound to a silver McLaren. It's known to be in the world's top ten fastest cars.
I feel the exterior and determine that the car has been customized for our lifestyle considering the bullet proof glass and the thumb accessible door handle. Impressed, I unlock the car and take a seat. I'm not a car junkie, but the velvet anterior with neon, blue lights makes me smile with excitement.
I twist the key turning on the ignition and the roar of the engine makes my heart skip a beat. With the shift of the gear and pressure on the pedal, the car starts to move and I make my way through the streets I never thought I'd ever see again.
Once I reach the busy parts of town, the traffic moves slowly and it takes almost an hour to reach the high school.
I park the car in the parking, away from another car that is shaking hysterically. When I exit, I hear faint grunting and moaning in the distance. Saving myself from the sounds, I walk to the back of the school, onto the soccer field.
