Time is running out for me, but I refuse to show my fear in front of this sociopath. Even if I’m gurgling on my own blood with my last breath, he won’t have the satisfaction of knowing the fear that consumes me in his presence.

I’ll die before giving him another piece of me.

“Fuck you!” I scream in his face with everything inside me.

Nicky

Jin:Remember your place, Son, and don’t disappoint me. Be at the dock’s warehouse in two days at eight o'clock sharp. Bring the girl.

I’ve read and reread the text from Jin over a dozen times. Doesn’t matter that I’ve already seen it, my fingers are gripping my phone so tightly that I’m surprised I haven't cracked the screen. I’ve put up with a lot of his shit through the years, always bowing my head and obeying, like any good son would do.

No more.

Part of it has to do with Tillie. She’s opened my eyes, like I’ve been sleepwalking my whole life. For someone so tiny and fragile-looking, she’s one of the bravest motherfuckers I know. We all have our stories… and the shit we’ve been through. There's just something about her facing all her fears, after being knocked down so many times, that makes me want to keep getting up each day to see her take down everyone in her path.

I want to do better, be someone that she and Tey can look at, and know I will never run. I’ll be right here, through thick and thin. Even Logan and Dalton need to feel secure, that when a moment comes and they have to leave their backs exposed, they need to know I've got them. Fuck it. Dom too. How he stares at Tillie tells me he’s in it for the long haul. Sometimes you just know from the first glance that one person is going to change your fucking life.

So having Jin tell me to bring Tillie to the auction, like she’s only good for one thing because she’s a woman, makes me want to murder him, gouge his eyes out for even staring in her direction, and have his tongue ripped out for telling me who’s good for me. You can’t help what the heart wants, and the small organ in my chest wants to devour Tey and Tillie, locking them up tight so they’ll never leave me.

I realize I’m staring off into space, not paying attention to whatever lecture our calculus teacher is droning on about when my phone pings with a notification. The teacher keeps talking, pretending she doesn’t see me with my cell out and not listening to a word she says. She knows better than to try anything with me. All the staff knows who my family is and no one wants the triad coming after them. It’s usually done at night, involving a death you never see coming, like sleeping peacefully in your own bed until you wake up gasping for air as a knife slides along your throat, ending your miserable life.

I huff a sigh and pray for my own sanity that it’s not Jin messaging me again. Leaning my elbows on the desk, I bring my cell up to my face and arch a brow when I see a video in the group text.

What is Tey up to? Doesn’t he have a class with Tillie right now? Turning down the volume, I push play and almost fall out of my seat. I’m not sure if I blink or even breathe, all my focus is on the screen as the video starts playing. The first thing I notice is Tillie in the front seat of my car in only her bra and skirt. Her head is tilted as she stares at Tey, confusion in her brown eyes right before a small smirk graces her plump lips. That smile is naughty, devilish, and sinful. I watch, as if transfixed, unable to look away as she swings her leg over to the other seat and braces herself over my stick shift. My pants become tight, my cock straining against the zipper as she slowly lowers herself, her pussy lips stretching over the gearshift as she fucks herself on it.

I’m going to kill Tey for this. Are there panties in her hair? It’s obvious they fucked and he’s torturing me. He was supposed to wait for me so we could fuck her together. Is he pissed at me? They’re both playing a very dangerous game, and their punishment will not be light for what I have in mind.

My chair squeaks against the floor as I suddenly stand up and walk out of the classroom without saying a word. By the time I’m in the hallway, the video has ended and bubbles are popping up as someone texts.

Dalton: Fuck me hard. I’m supposed to be heading to a church meeting but change of plans.Ever been fucked on a motorcycle, little bitch? You're about to.

Logan: You're dead, Tey. If anyone saw her like this, I’m burning their eye sockets out and having you dig your own grave. No one looks at what’s ours.

Dom: GET TO THE PARKING LOT NOW!!

My heart starts racing at Dom’s text. I expected him to tell Tillie how beautiful she looks, but instead, his message sounds frantic.

Down the hall, a door smashes outwards and my head snaps up to see Logan running towards the front of the school. I don’t hesitate to follow after him as I run to catch up, but I slow down for a second as Paris and her two friends drag her down the hallway between them. One of the girls holds paper towels under a bloody nose as they disappear into the nurse’s office. I shake my head to clear it as my thoughts run wild, the fast beating of my heart telling me just how Paris got the two black eyes with a busted-up nose. I slam through the double glass doors into the California sunshine, sure that Tillie knows why. It’s a gut feeling, and if true, there’s going to be hell to pay.

It’s blistering hot as I sprint outside and around the corner towards the parking lot on the side of the school, passing a shit ton of fancy cars until I see my Nissan come into view. My breath saws in and out, taking in the scene with one glance. I feel like I’m about to explode out of my body in rage, destroying everything in my path. One of Dom’s members is pacing back and forth, talking on his phone in rapid Spanish as Logan kneels down next to the dead gang member who is bleeding all over the parking lot. I bend down next to my car and pick up Tey’s unicorn, carefully placing it in my pocket before surveying the inside of my car without touching anything.

I’m going to get the prints of every fucker who touched my car and bury them alive with only enough oxygen to make their death slow.

“Mother fucking asswipes!” Logan spits out in fury, kicking the gang member over and over, even though he’s dead.

“Don’t touch anything!” I bark at him, gesturing for him to take over looking for anything in the car that might help.

He kicks one more time and takes a deep breath while shoving his fingers through his hair so not one piece is out of place. A show of calm and collected, but he’s anything but that.

“You!” Logan narrows his eyes and strides over to one of Dom’s guys who’s currently freaking out and keeps making a sign of the cross over his chest. “What the fuck happened?” Logan growls, grabbing the guy by his collar and snarling in his face.

I walk around my car and pop the trunk, moving the tarp and shovel out of the way until I find my extra laptop tucked away in a safe case. Never know when you might need it since I’m always breaking into shit and destroying lives from behind my computer screen.

“I was just watching the girl like Dom ordered since he couldn’t be here, but then she started having s–sex. I didn’t watch! I–I was tr–trying to keep myself busy as they were having fun in the car. By the time I saw them throwing the girl and guy in the trunk, I was too far away.” Logan pushes the babbling gang member away in disgust and starts swearing in Italian, reaching for his gun as if he might just kill the guy right here and now.

“Logan, call Dalton. He’s blowing up our phones, freaking the fuck out,” I mutter, giving him something to do so he doesn’t lose it and my phone won’t stop vibrating in my pants pocket.

Unzipping my case, I pull my laptop out and get right to work. Hacking into the school campus security cameras takes only seconds, it’s sometimes too easy. I need to hack into the Pentagon or something to make it a challenge, but that’s for another day. I block out Logan growling and cursing into his phone and everything else around me as I pull up the video feed, saving it to my drive and wiping the original from the school computers.