Chapter 11

 

I tug at my hair as I walk around the main room. Aria sits in the corner curled into herself in tears.  I just killed someone right in front of her. What kind of monster am I, to ruin someone like her? The more I pace, the worse I feel.  I called Ghost but they were all out on a run for Dragon tonight. He said he’s on his way back, but I hated to drag him into this, too. My eyes keep slipping back over to that poor lost girl that I’ve managed to break, in the few weeks of knowing her. All the goodness that I saw in her, I ruined it. I took every last drop of it that I had no right to touch.  Angel walks into the room looking at me, and then over at Aria, but she just grins.

“You need something, Roc?” Her hands land on my chest before I can think to move her.

“Do I look like I need somethin’?” My hand still tugs at my hair. This is overwhelming me. I can’t even think straight.

“Actually, yes, you do.” Her fingers travel lower, just grazing the top of my jeans. My mind is so far gone; I don’t think to stop her. In fact, I don’t think anything at all. Before I know what’s going on, Aria is on her feet, yanking Angel back by the hair.

“Stupid whore!” Aria screams before pulling Angel back, her fist slamming into her face. It’s an all-out cat fight that has my dick stirring.

“Holy shit! This why you call me?” Ghost appears, just like his name, out of thin air next to me.

“Get Angel!” I slap him in the chest but he just chuckles. Ghost reaches down to pull Angel up. My arms wrap around Aria’s waist, pulling her back into me.

“Now ladies−mud wrestlin’ is on the weekends around here.” Ghost says. He laughs likes it’s funny, but I don’t.

“Let me go, you fucking murderer!” Aria screams louder. Ghost’s smile drops before looking over at me.

“That’s why I needed you.” His slight nod is all I needed.

“Get her cleaned up. I’ll be back.” Ghost says with a nod toward Aria. I nod back as he carries Angel in the opposite direction. She keeps fighting me. If she doesn’t stop, I will tie her ass to the bed.

“Fuckin’ move−one more time,” I growl in her face. She turns to me giving me one hell of an evil grin.

“Or what? Are you going to kill me, too?” I wipe the blood from my mouth with a rag before looking back at her.

“Stop givin’ me a Goddamn reason to!” I can’t deal with this shit.

“You killed him. Why did you kill him?” I drop the rag onto the bed before pulling away. I lean back on the headboard not able to look at her anymore.

“I had my reasons. My question is, why were you with him?” Aria laughs before sitting up. She shoves herself off the bed, looking for a way out. When she heads toward the door I stand up. I’m faster. Her hands slam into my chest, almost making me laugh.

“You want answers?” She screams. I nod but she doesn’t talk.  Her hands slam into my chest again before she screams.

“Fuck you! How’s that for an answer! Fuck you, Roc!” I grab her wrists, pulling her roughly into my chest.

“I want to know why you were with Malcolm.” Her eyes taunt me. They want me to lose control, hell; everything in my body wants to lose control.

“I don’t have to tell you anything. Why don’t you go ask that slut out there, maybe she knows.” I squeeze her wrists tighter. I keep repeating the same mantra over and over in my head.  She isn’t like you, Roc. She’s better than this.

“She has nothin’ of interest for me.” Aria runs her tongue over her lips and hell help me, if I don’t want to taste them again.

“That’s not what it looked like to me.” Why is she testing me right now?

Knocking on the door is about the only thing that saves us both. I don’t know how far she can push me before I snap and lose it. Releasing her wrists, I push her back slightly. I pull the door open to see Ghost. He stands there with a smirk on his face.

“Let’s get to it.” He looks at Aria before looking back at me.

“What do you need me to do, Roc?” He asks. Ghost nods toward Aria in a silent question. Her eyes widen with fear. Laughing hysterically, Aria’s eyes water. In a few short strides, I make it back in front of her. My hand wraps around the back of her neck, her eyes coming to focus on mine.

“If I wanted you dead, I would kill you myself.” I smugly tell her.

***

My words were left hanging in the air. I locked Aria in my room, but made sure Ghost and I didn’t venture too far down the hallway. I’m not in the mood for a chase. I take a deep breath before forcing myself to look over at him.

“What the hell’s goin’ on, Roc?” He asks me full of concern.

“Some shit happened years ago, man. We were younger. Fuck!” I punch the wall next to me. I don’t know how to tell him this shit.

“Spit it the fuck out, brother.” I flex my fist before I turn and lean against the wall.

“The murder I committed when we first met, in the alley? You remember?” Ghost narrows his eyes before nodding.

“That was fuckin’ years ago, but yeah. That was the first time I met you, robbin’ that store,” He says, a slight smile crossing his face. It all fades when he looks at me, though.

“I didn’t want to get any of you involved, Ghost.” This is hard for me to say. I don’t want to fucking say it. If I say it, that makes it all the more real, and I don’t want the guys involved. His hand lands on my shoulder.

“Look, whatever it is, Roc, we got this. We’ve been boys since that day. Nothin’ changes, man.” He says looking at me seriously.

“You ran after the other guy. I killed the one in the alley. You asked me why I didn’t stay there when you found me later that night.” Ghost nods his head, knowing that part of the story. “Fuck! A guy saw me. He saw you. He saw the cut you had on. He pulled my ass inside that building. He made me a deal.” I tell him. Ghost’s face pales as he looks at me. Shaking his head, he has to know something isn’t right.

“What kind of deal?” He asks. Shaking my head once more, I don’t want to involve him. “What kind of deal, Roc?!” He snaps at me. I take a deep breath and ready myself to tell him.

“He wouldn't pull the security footage if I worked for him. He would keep the shit to himself. All I had to do was work for him on the side.” I tell him the truth but I can see how confused he is.

“That was what? Ten years ago, Roc.” He asks. I nod my head.  I’m very clear as to how long it was.

“You been workin’ for him on the side the whole time?” Ghost looks taken aback but I nod.

“Yeah, he threatened me and the club. I wouldn’t let him fuck you guys over.” I tell Ghost. Ghost runs his hand through his hair before his eyes come back to mine.

“This is my fault. This shit is on me, Roc. You shouldn’t have to take the fall.”

“Fuck that, Ghost! You were all I had. Even on that day. We just met, and I knew you were family. I’ll take that load for family. It isn’t about that anymore, though. It’s more. He has a fuckin’ hold over me.” Ghost knows what I mean. He doesn’t even need to ask.

“What about her? Where the hell did she come in?” He asks. Isn’t that the question.

“She keeps poppin’ up, brother. I don’t fuckin’ understand it. Everywhere I go, there she is.” His face is pale. He has something to say, and I’m not going to like it.

“She involved at all? Do you know?” I knew he was going to ask, I shake my head because I’ve thought about that, too.

“Too many things that are coincidence, brother.” Ghost says and I know he’s right. I know what needs to be done.

Ghost nods toward my door before he says, “You want me to handle her?” My stomach sinks.

“I don’t think I can do it.” He knows what I mean. I can’t hurt that girl. I don’t have it in me.

“Let me talk to her.” Ghost nods, as I turn and head back toward my room. My stomach rolls inside of me.  Leave no witnesses. That’s the golden rule. Witnesses will get us all killed. I know this, but this is Aria.