Page 18 of Giving In

“What? What do you mean he accompanied them?” I ask, confused.

“I mean he was there with them. I read the whole transcript; Samuel was there protesting them going to the Murrays but he was a minor back then so he couldn’t do anything concrete.”

“How do you know he’s got an English accent if you read the transcript only?”

I can see there is much more she wants to say but doesn’t.

“Em, come on. What did you do?”

“I may or may have not started looking for him online. He was hot so I investigated his social media, and I may or may have not um...” she gets her phone out as she slows down her talk and starts typing.

“Oh Em, you follow him on Insta. Are you for real?”

“I don’t know, was it this guy?” She shows me a picture of the exact same guy that was talking to Rose and Jake two days ago.

“Yep,” I pop the ‘p’ as I nod at the picture.

“Cool. Cool. Great. Tiptop,” she says slowly.

“What? What is it?”

“I have such shit news right now,” she keeps going. “Believe me when I say you can learn a lot from people when you’ve stalked them for years.”

“Em, spill it.”

“I’m not too surprised you thought he looked as nice as a gangbanger.”

I widen my eyes already knowing what’s coming next.

“Heisa gangbanger, ‘Me,” she says, concern edging her tone.

She frowns at me as if I’m in big trouble.

“You can’t learn that from Instagram, Em. Surely he’d be arrested by now if he put anything on there.”

“You’re so naive when it comes to social media, babe. And it’s not so much what he posts, he’s kind of lowkey. It’s more what others post about him.”

So that’s why Jake doesn’t want anyone to know about Sam? He used to be in a gang?

Impossible. He was too young.

Something else comes to my mind.

“But...he talked about doing business in Stoneview. Everyone knows Stoneview is Volkov’s jurisdiction.”

There aren’t many criminals who can get away with anything andeverything.Vladimir Volkov is one of them. His gang, the Wolves, overrules underworld crime in almost the whole state of Maryland, including Stoneview.

Rumors have been going around that their men on the ground here are the Diaz boys. It is known that Camila’s brothers are the go-to people for overly privileged teenagers looking for drugs, but who knows how involved they really are with Volkov. What I know is that when you’re the gang who does business with politicians and billionaires, you don’t have to worry about getting caught or being overridden by another gang. Some people say they keep Stoneview safe and don’t mind admitting the city belongs to Volkov. I know without a doubt that I hate them with every inch of my soul.

“It is Volkov’s territory,” Emily confirms. “And if Jake and Rose’s bestie wants to come to do business here, they’re going to be in serious trouble. You don’t want to be involved in any of this, ‘Me.”

Silence falls on the car as we both get lost in our thoughts. A honk makes us both jump.

“Shit, we need to get to school,” Emily puts the car in gear and starts driving away.

My head becomes its own enemy as thoughts rage in my mind.

Volkov. Volkov. Volkov. Volkov.My inner voice repeats, my heart pressing against my ribcage.

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