Chapter 140: A contract

Kieran's POV

My first class didn’t start for two more hours, but I needed to get Rae here. She got a letter from the school stating that she’d lose funding for her scholarship, and I could tell it weighed heavily on her.

If I remember correctly, the only time that she ever missed school was when her mother died, and yet since finding herself entangled with me; She’s being threatened for missing too much.

My fucking father was becoming a nuisance. Ares sent me a text to meet him this morning, but I wasn’t about to let Raelynn know what I was doing. I can tell what happened the other night is eating her alive.

She wasn’t built for this fuckin’ life. It’s one of the many reasons that I fought this shit so hard. Rae deserves more than my fucked up past and potentially fucked up future.

After Sadie dragged her inside, I circled back to my car. The engine purred to life as I tore out of the parking lot, speeding to the old, abandoned warehouse where my fights used to be held.

The director reached out yesterday letting me know they had a new location and wanted me back. I didn’t respond because I wanted to talk to Raelynn about it. Which feels weird as fuck, because I never thought I’d be looking for approval from anyone, let alone Rae.

As I pull into the lot, I feel the gravel crunch beneath my tires, and it brings back memories. I always felt so fuckin’ free when I stepped into that ring. It was like nothing could touch me.

I fuckin’ miss it.

Ares is already standing against the building, his ankles crossed, and his arms over his broad chest. The kid is eighteen but looks like he could pass as a thirty-year-old man.

“You look quite a bit better than the last time I saw you,” Ares grins. “How are you, big bro?”

He’s got new ink covering his arms, leaving no bare skin visible except the palms of his hands and few fingers.

“Yeah, not having a stab wound or being doped out helps,” I roll my eyes.

He untucks the hem of his shirt, showing off two large, white bandages, “Just gotta take em’ like a man.”

I blow out a breath, “What’d you do to earn those?”

“You know Emilo,” he shrugs with a wicked grin as though we’re not discussing our own father stabbing us.

“Yeah, speaking of, why the hell did you want to meet here?” I nodded towards the building, arching a brow.

Ares’ grin grew wider, “Can I not ask to meet my big brother once in a blue moon?”

“Cut the shit,” I snapped. I only have an hour left before I need to get my ass back to class.

He rolls his eyes, pushing off the building with a grimace. So much for taking it like a man, I think to myself. The asshole puts on a show for our father, I’m sure. Smiling through the pain while he has his guts penetrated by a blade.

Fatherly love, am I right?

“He wants them dead,” Ares starts walking, and I hesitate before following. There are no other cars around, I don’t feel like Ares would set me up, but I’m not about to take any chances. “Stop your worrying, I came alone,” he called out as if he could read my thoughts.

“So what, are you giving me a heads up before you finish her off?”

We round the rear side of the building, and I stop dead in my tracks when I see Cae lying on the ground, bound at his hands and ankles, with a slip over his eyes and mouth.

“What the fuck?!” I hissed, running towards him, but before I could make it there, Ares thrust out his arm, slamming an elbow to my chest. I stumbled back from the force, gulping a lungful of air.

“He’s fine,” Ares rolled his eyes, spinning around to block my view.

“Why the hell is he bound and gagged behind an abandoned fucking building, Ares? He’s a kid. A child. What the fuck?!” I roar.

Ares grips my throat, squeezing enough to cut off the air flow. My jaw muscles tighten as we glare at one another, “You knew how this would end, and you went and muddied the waters catching feelings. You’re lucky I give a damn about your peace. One of Emilo’s men snagged him on the way to school this morning, and I just so happened to intercept. A thank you would be appreciated,” he shoved me backwards, and I barely caught my footing on the gravel.

“A thank you,” I choke out, attempting to clear my throat, but it feels hoarse. Shaking my head, I continue, “You chose to do his bidding instead of telling him to fuck off. How the hell do I know this isn’t just another fuckin’ trap?”

“Why would I risk another knife to the gut for some kid who means nothing to me?” Ares snarls. “I’ll answer that question,” he takes a step closer, jaw thick with tension, “Because he means something to you. But a word of advice,” my eyes stray from his dark ones when I see Cae shift slightly behind him, “Cut your losses now, brother. This won’t end the way you hope. They will die. It’s a fact. When Emilio gets a contract; He doesn’t fail.”

Ares steps out of my way, allowing me to go to Cae, where I quickly slice away his restraints and tug the blindfold from his eyes.

“You killed the fucker, right?” I hiss under my breath, staring at the blooming purple around Cae’s terrified eye.

I hear the crunch of gravel growing further away.

“Take my advice,” he calls out, not answering my question. “I don’t have much more blood I can spill for you.”

Cae launches himself into my arms, clinging to me like a toddler, and not the young man he is. I’m frozen between fear, anger, and frustration as sobs tear from his throat. The sound is gut wrenching, and I find myself hugging him back as my shirt grows damp.

When I look over my shoulder, Ares is long gone.

“Iz…. Rae-lynnnn…. Afe?” I could barely make out the words he was trying to say through the sobs.

“She’s in class,” I untangle him from my arms, speaking slowly so he can read my lips, “Can you walk?”

He nods, sniffling softly before I help him to his feet. Other than the black eye, he appears unharmed, but it doesn’t temper my anger. If anything, I feel murderous. Cae is a child. He doesn’t deserve to be attacked on the street and kidnapped.

After getting Cae into the car, I dial Malcom. He doesn’t have classes today, and the fucker knows better than to keep his phone on silence after what happened.

“Aren’t you supposed to be in class, Loverboy?” Malcom snickers, going silent when he hears me growl. “Need to drop Cae off.”

“Wait, why’s he not in school?” Malcom chirped.

“Emilo.”

“Shit, bring him by. I uh, will order some pizza or something and set up the Xbox,” Malcom clears his throat, “Is he… hurt?” his voice drops.

“I think he’ll be fine. Just… Keep an eye on him. I need to think.”

“I’ll be waiting.”

“Thanks, Mal,” I hang up quickly, glancing in the rearview to see Cae’s dazed eyes looking out the window.

The entire ride to Malcom’s, I find myself unknowingly gripping the steering wheel until my knuckles ached.

I needed to figure out a way to fucking stop him… But can I protect Raelynn and Cae in the process?