Chapter 40

Chapter 40
D Y L A N

We met Alexis' family on one of those usual, crazy Perez family vacations. And yes, Alexis was a boring girl to me at first.

That is, until one afternoon when I caught her standing outside a door, eavesdropping on her parents yelling inside, tears silently streaming down her face.

‘They are always fighting. Almost every day,' she said quietly, even though I hadn't asked. I'm not sure why she was talking to me, but I somehow understood her.

My parents also fought. Only difference? It was not almost every day. It was every damn day.

We became tolerable with each other from that moment on. We spent the rest of the trip hanging out – Elliot was at summer school camp.

I didn't realise I had fallen for her until the last day, when we had to part ways.

I had just graduated from high school at the time. I had no intention of attending college because I did not believe it was a good fit. However, after meeting her, I changed my mind.

I now wanted to go to college, manage one of the Perez offices, and move her away from her dreadful parents.

Looking back, perhaps that was silly of me. She was just fifteen, and I was nineteen. But it happened. Then, three years later, I returned home for a holiday, and there she was, hand in hand with my younger brother, Elliot.

Elliot was the Golden Child. The one who made our parents proud. The person who never made a mistake had a strategy, and always made the right choices.

Compared to him, I was just background noise. I knew what was best for her. And if she was already madly in love with him, then it was my job to disappear. So, I did.

She didn't even seem to remember me. That stung more than I like to admit. However, it was probably for the best.

When I returned to college, I lost focus. I joined the wrong group. Started partying. I stopped attending lectures. That's how I ended up at twenty-six without a degree.

I was suspended, and rather than fight my way back, I chose to see the world, spend Dad's money, and drown in nightlife.

When I finally returned to Los Angeles, Dad attempted to force me to head one of the family branches, but I refused. I have been drifting ever since. No purpose, no direction.

And yeah, I still loved Alexis. Deeply. But I made sure she hated me.

I stayed away because I knew a guy like me was not suitable for her. I still am not.

Call me crazy, but I never stopped watching over her. Silently, from the shadows. That's how I'm always there when she's in danger.

It's become a habit to watch her. Making sure she is safe. I do not intend to stop. Not until she finds someone who deserves her and can protect her.

Since Elliot turned out to be just as useless as me, I think it's up to me now to find her a better man. I will watch her marry that man before leaving.

She was looking at me now, her eyes waiting and looking for it. She asked me a question. "Dylan, why did you always avoid me?" she repeated. I parted my lips to speak, but nothing came out. No lies surfaced either.

Maybe it was time. Maybe I should tell her the truth, bring up our family vacation, and the first time I realised we were alike. Broken in the same way.

Being the older child is not easy. When Mom and Dad fought, I was the one who had to deal with it. Protect Elliot. Prevent him from hearing. Play the role of peacekeeper…. make sure the house did not collapse.

I knew she did the same for her younger sister. That's how I knew she was in pain. I drank and got tattoos to mask that pain but her… I could still see it in her eyes.

My cellphone rang, thank God. I leaped up and groped for it as if it were oxygen. I whispered, "I have to take this," and stepped away before she could hear me. "Speak," I said once I'd gotten far enough.

"We got him.” Luke remarked, "I don't know where to hit."

"In the gut. Make sure he knows it's from me. I want him to understand the consequences."

"You got it."

"And make sure he can walk tomorrow. I want him to come and apologise in person. Clear?"

"Crystal."

"Good, now don't call me again unless I call you first."

"Copy that," Luke said and I hung up.

If you are wondering—yes. I lead a gang. A secret one. My family doesn't know. We operate underground, dealing with criminal activity that I am not proud of.

Drugs, security, policing, and even private investigations. It's like a mafia, but it also serves as a lifeline. I've helped a lot of struggling individuals, who grew up like me. It's the only thing I've done that matters.

Still, it's not something I'd ever want Alexis to be part of. That is why I can never have her.

I took a breath and returned to her. She dragged her toes through the water. "I know what you're thinking," she whispered gently, still looking away from me. "That I am crazy, in need of therapy. But I don't. I am fine."

"Yeah," I replied, meaning it.

"It's just my parents. I… I have a past." I nodded. I had such flashbacks as well, where all you can hear are old screams and broken plates.

I understood her in a way that no one could.

"It's okay," I said. "There's nothing crazy about that.”

She turned to face me and asked: "Why are you so nice to me?" I looked aside.

If only she knew I'd moved here for her. If I wanted to, I could be running things in Russia right now. But I stayed… for her.

"I hate it when people feel sorry for me. I am not weak," she added.

"Yes, you're not."

"Your brother... he confuses me." She said and I clinched my jaw. I made a mental note to text Luke and give him another cause to bruise that smug face. "What do you think is wrong with me?" she asked.

"Nothing."

"No, there's something wrong. I'm twenty-one, single, and in love with a guy who doesn't even..." She trailed off, her gaze sharpening. "Do you know what? I should get revenge.”

"You should," I agreed without doubt. I meant it. She stared at me, and her voice became softer.

"The other night... You kissed me."

"Alexis—"

"Do you want to have sex?" She asked, cutting me off. "No strings attached. I just want to make Elliot feel it. He told me I'm not in his league, I..." she paused. Her eyes locked with mine and just like that, my heart skipped a beat.

She rose up and took off her shirt. My breath caught. She was left in only her bra, and Jesus, I've seen a thousand girls' breasts, but I've never seen such beautiful breasts before. I felt a rush of blood below my belt. I was already hard.

This was wrong. She was hurting and trying to use me, which may sound silly coming from a guy who never refuses sex—but with her? I wanted more than just sex. I wanted everything and last time I controlled myself because sex would complicate my whole plan.

I fought to resist. I really did, then she bit her lip, and I broke.

I stood, walked up to her, and crushed my lips on hers without saying anything else, pouring every breath, secret, and forbidden feeling into her.