Chapter 5: Shootout on Fifth
Story.
So, in week one at Melvore High, a dead body had turned up. Week two, and the suspected killer was in hospital. I, along with the fight club, must solve this riddle.
***
So, a few weeks later, we were all hanging out. I was sitting with Zack. We’d become close, even if he was a raging fucking man whore. He was sweet.
Quinn joined us at my apartment and smiled. "Have I got news for you fuckers” she grinned, lighting up a cigarette. I rolled my eyes.
“What is it?” demanded Gage, his cold ice eyes alerted with something I can't quite place.
“I know who Brook was speaking to the day of her attack whilst all you dickheads were trying to win the attention of Storybook; I got busy”, grinned Quinn watching me with a beam.
“Again, Quinn, what the fuck did you find?” growled Gage, seemingly more irritated.
”Oh, cousin dearest, chill your socks,” she laughed, blunting out her smoke.
“Cousin”, I gasped, shocked.
Quinn laughed and nodded. “So, Brook was on the phone with a friend of ours. Well, yours ... Gabriella”, she claimed, tilting her head.
“Fuck's sake!” shouted Haze slamming his hand into the wall. It made me jump. I never expected this sort of thing from him.
”Gabby knows too much. I told you last year, Haze”, growled Gage, seemingly pissed and blaming him.
“Well, I have art. I have no time for this boring chit-chat,” mumbled Forest, rushing out quickly. Izack nodded.
“Me neither. You coming to grab a coffee with me, princess?” asked Zack curiously.
“No, London is coming with me. I have some errands to run”, stated Gage looking at me with a glance.
“Who else is coming,” I whimpered, fear lacing my voice.
“No-” he started.
“Me,” said Tyler, cutting him off abruptly. Nobody spoke after that. Panic edged my body.
I was going into a car with the two guys I found highly unpredictable. Great. Getting in the front of Gage’s Land Rover, I watched as Tyler hopped in the back, unaffected and unbothered that I’d called dibs on the passenger seat. But then again, he was a gentleman from what I’d gathered. I was silent driving down the LA suburbs, and so were the other two until they began small talk.
In the side mirror, I noticed the same black BMW had been following us for twenty minutes since we’d left Melvore.
“Hey, Gage, not to stress you out, but that car has been tailing us since we left school”, I stated, watching it speed up. “And why would that stress me out? Besides, I’ve already collared whoever it is”, he managed to focus on the road ahead.
Suddenly, the back window was shot out. Glass shattered everywhere.
“Tyler, are you okay?” I cried, panicking. Panic consumed me. He leaned forward with a look. Murder in his eyes. “Are you okay?” I quizzed.
“I’m fine, my love”, he said, pulling out a gun I didn’t even know he had hidden.
“Buckle up, princess”, shouted Gage, swerving all over the place. I gripped the side door, my body rumbling with panic.
Tyler was shooting at the maniacs behind us. Loudly, the Bluetooth came through the car.
“Hey, I’ve got Gabriella. Is everything okay on your end,” said Izack, relaxed.
“No, we are in a shootout on fifth. I’m getting to one of my dad’s clubs. They won't do that shit on his turf. I don't know who these fuckers are though”, hissed Gage, seemingly furious.
Surprisingly, Zack went all serious. “Look, baby, I want you to know you’ll be okay. I know your probably freaking out right now”, said Izack soothingly.
Tears sprung to my eyes as Gage suddenly gripped my hand. I won’t let anything happen to you, London, trust me”, he stated. Trust him. I didn’t want to do that but knew I had to.
The car roared forward.
***
We were at the club, and the Land Rover had sped off. “Did you get the nameplate?” Gage asked.
“All locked and loaded into my iPad. Turns out that the car has been reported stolen. We can’t trace it,” said Tyler seriously.
“Fuckkkkk”, Gage roared, slamming his hand repeatedly on the steering wheel. The Bluetooth lit up the car again, and Gage answered it, but his face shut down horrendously. “Dad,” he said quietly.
“A shootout? You're supposed to be sorting this the fuck out, not waiting around for them to attack. Did you trace it?” he bellowed furiously.
***
I shrunk into my seat fear at the loud shouting of Gage’s dad.
Great, just great. “Stolen”, muttered Gage, stroking his fingers against my hand. It soothed something inside of me.
“You are foolish. I mean seriously, Gage, you want to run this empire one day, and you can't even find out who’s taking the fight club down a peg by peg. My men are being followed. I’ve got people on this case, and they are ready for any shit, but maybe you aren’t cut out for this responsibility yet, son,” he growled, still annoyed.
“No, Dad, it’s not that”, deflected Gage, looking more defeated than I’d ever seen him.
“Yeah, maybe it has something to do with a Melvore girl who’s got into your fucking head. You know Story Ranger isn’t for you, Gage. You know my deal with Jack is she belongs to Haze. I’d be pissed if you were all taking a hit at my wife,” he laughed. Wife. Married. Haze. What?
“I’ll call you later, Dad”, he mumbled, ending the call.
“Please tell me that’s not at all what I think it’s about; tell me your dad’s just a dick, and everything he said is all bullshit”, I cried, beginning to shake with anger, my eyes brimming with unshed tears.
"Story, I didn’t want to be the one to tell you this, but your mom sold you to Jack Melvore to marry Haze, Haze wanted you, so he asked his dad to do anything to get you," he said quietly.
The ice-cold eyes glimmered with pain. Pain that was now slicing my body. I couldn’t believe this; was I only here for some fucked up little game between Haze and his dad?