Page 74 of Darkness

“You don’t need to worry about Autumn-Rose, she’s part of the family now, and we look after each other.” Aunt Jane walks over to me, and smiles, placing her hand on my cheek. “You deserve happiness in your life, from everyone, it’s you I worry about.” She leans in closer, and whispers. “And the twins.”

“Which ones?” I ask laughing, because I know she’s talking about Mason and Miles. The two of them are not right in the head, Declan he’s quieter, and sometimes they are the ones to watch, and Lileah well she has an army around her so no one will even come close to hurting her.

“I think we all know which ones.” She kisses my cheek, and keeps her hand on my cheek for a moment, just staring into my eyes.

“Aunt Jane, I’m good.” I lie, but I’ve become so good at it, no one even knows when I’m doing it anymore. “I need to get back to the club, and find out when Yang went to England and met up with Rowan. Something isn’t right about all of it.”

“Is Katy in the shop?” Miles asks, and I have to stop the smile crossing my lips, because that boy will try his luck with anyone, no matter what their age. The crazy thing is, he could get any woman in his bed.

“She is, and back away from her. She doesn’t need you-”

“Oh, come on, I could show her a good time.” Miles tells me, and I choose to ignore him, and I nod to Uncle David to follow me out, because there is something I need to talk to him about, something which has been on my mind.

Walking out to my car, I lean on it, and Uncle David stands in front of me. “I know what Yang wants, and I also know I’m going to have to give it to him. I need to know if it happens, Autumn is safe, and The Pit, what we talked about.” I had a meeting with Uncle David, talking about how I want The Pit to be in a few years, but I need to know he was with me on it.

“First nothing will-”

“Uncle David, I know how hard it is to fight down there, and Yang never lost a fucking fight. Yes, I know how he fights, and maybe I can win, but it’s a big fucking if. The man taught me how to fight, the way he does, he will know what I’m doing-”

“Cain-”

“I will fight to the end, I will do everything to win, but if something happens. I need to know Autumn is safe, and The Pit is still in Crawford's hands.” I press my fingers into my eyes to ease the pain a little, because fuck it is killing me.

“Autumn will be safe, and I spoke to your Aunt about what we discussed and she said as long as Cain is with him every step, then she’s happy to make The Pit a part of the Crawford world,” Uncle David tells me. I feel my body relax a little knowing if something happens, what I worked hard to control will still be in the family.

“Is he ready?” I ask.

“That’s your job, to make him ready.” Uncle David laughs, pats my shoulder a few times. “Remember, they’re my boys, but so are you. You’re my son, and I want you to know my brother would be proud of the man you are.” I look down at the ground, kicking a few of the stones.

There is nothing I want more than my dad here with me, but it’s never going to happen.

“I don’t think he would.” I look back up at my Uncle when he laughs.

“You are known as a ghost, no one crosses you, and I’m sure you could kill a man and enjoy it, plus you’ve turned my boys into killers. I know for a fact he would be proud.” He tells me, and I don’t know what to say, all I can hope is he’s not saying this to make me feel better.

“Grandad once told me, you and dad had a full on fist fight, and you broke his nose, dad was pissed off about it, so he slept with your girlfriend. Is that true?” I ask, there are so many stories grandad told me, and I never knew if it was true or if he was saying it to make me feel like nothing bad was happening.

“Oh, it’s true, you see this?” He brings his hand up and shows me a scar which looks like a bite mark. “That’s your dad biting me, when I broke his nose, he was pissed off. I won in the fight so he bit me so hard it broke a lot of skin. Fucker. Then he was still pissed off, he slept with my girlfriend. Shortest relationship I had, two days.” He laughs, then shakes his head. “Two weeks later, I did the same to the girl he was dating. Why do you ask?”

“Grandad told me a lot of stories, and I wasn’t sure if it was true, or he was making me feel safe with stories.” I take my cell out of my pocket when it beeps, and see Lincoln has found something.

“Come over one day, and I will let you know if they were true or not, but I have a feeling they will be. Me and your dad were best friends, but worst enemies at the same time.” I give him a nod, letting him know I will come over one day, to listen to the stories. I open the car door, but stop when Uncle David holds the door. “You know your dad’s house is still there, for you.”

“I know,” I tell him. My parents brought the entire plot, nothing around us, but the two homes. Uncle David, and dads,well mine, but I’ve not even walked into the house since I got out. Maybe one day I will, just not today. “I’ll see you later, if anything happens while someone is with Autumn, call me.”

Uncle David nods, then I drive off, looking over at the house. Once there was happiness in there, and now it’s empty collecting dust. I can’t get rid of it, I know how hard the family worked for this plot. One day I will figure out what to do with it.

I slam the guys face into the door, and walk away from him before I do more damage to his face. Why do assholes come into my club and think this club is where they can do their drug deals? It’s not, never has been. So, why pricks like him think it’s okay to sell them in here is a fucking joke.

“I don't know who the big man is behind your deals, but tell him Mr. Cain said if you come in my club again, I’ll find him and burn his whole fucking empire down.” I turn back to face him when Lincoln helps him to stand up. It felt exhilarating beating the fucker up, it showed me one thing, I miss fighting.

I turn to the door when Autumn walks into the office with Hayden. I was meant to pick her up from the shop when she was closing up, but this asshole needed to be taught a lesson.

Autumn looks at the guy as she walks over to me, and Hayden laughs at him.

“Have fun?” Autumn asks, before kissing me.

“Yes.” I lean back on the edge of my desk and look at Lincoln. “Find out if any of his friends are still around here.” Skyline is a big club, so they must have brought some of their friends with them.

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