Chapter 44: Chapter 44

Chapter 44 secret of the family

Ace's POV:

At three in the morning, I showed up to assess the damage.

The intruders are still being searched for. Who could have attacked us, I'm not sure. It must've been some smaller gang I'm not familiar with.

And why would some small gang attack us? It would be pretty foolish on their part to provoke the lion.

All of my men and women who work for me gather around. "Did any of you manage to capture any of the intruders?" I ask them.

"As a matter of fact, we did." Jeremy says before calling the guards over. They drag a wounded man behind them, and throw him down at my feet. Blood drips down from his face and one of his eyes is swollen shut.

I squat down and pull his head up. "What gang do you work for?" I ask angirly.

"I'm not tellin' you shit!" The man hisses between coughs.

I stand up to my full height and bury the toe of my boot into his face. His body slides backwards and he groans in pain.

"What little, weak gang do you come from? Why would such a pitiful and weak gang attack me?" I ask the man, my voice trembling with anger.

"Weak? My gang is not weak, my leader is strong! He rose up after you destroyed the gang, he will never be weak." The man spits angrily.

I think for a moment. What is he talking about? I never attacked his gang unless....no....it couldn't be, could it?

"You are a member of the Viper Gang?"

"What's i-it to you?"

"Oh, gee, I don't know, maybe it's because my wife spent her life in that hellhole and not only that, but your gang as always caused me problems." I spit.

The man falls silent.

"Who is your leader? I killed your previous leader, so who took over?" I demand.

When the man doesn't respond, I kick him in the ribs next. I hear the satisfying sound of his bones crunching beneath my foot. He screams in agony.

"O-Okay! I-I'll tell y-you!" He screams. "M-My leader....his n-name is Spade. I believe h-he had a sister. The previous leader you killed h-had two kids."

"What?"

"H-he had two kids, a brother and a s-sister." The man repeats.

Dakota's father was the previous leader I killed so....he has to be talking about Dakota. Dakota had a brother?

"Did the brother know that his sister was being treated like shit and suffering in there?" I ask.

"W-what? What are you talking a-about? She left the gang years ago." The man mumbles.

Her own father lied to the gang about the sister, Dakota?

I asked the man questions until I know longer found him useful. I pull the gun from my waistband and cock the weapon at him.

"N-no, plea-"

I don't let him finish his begging when I shoot him in the head. He falls lifeless and my men come and clean up the mess for me.

Not only did the Viper Gang attack, but I found out some worse news that will break Dakota's heart.

She has a brother who turned his back on her, just like nearly all of her family did.

And this brother happens to be leader of the Viper Gang.

* * *

When I finally get to go home, I'm exhausted. Katelin and Dakota are relived to see me home safe and sound. They greet me happily and hug me when I walk through the door.

"Is everything okay? Are you hurt? What's going on?" Katelin asks, concerned.

"A smaller gang just attacked us, that's all." Conveniently leaving out the details....

Dakota raises an eyebrow and crosses her arms over her chest. "You're hiding something from me."

She knows me too well.

"Hiding something from you? Why would I hide something from you?" I ask nervously.

She sighs, and I can tell she's giving me a look that says, I will find out.

She lets it go and sighs, "Well, I'm happy you're safe. I just never know if yo're going to come back when you leave."

She's right, and I feel bad for putting her in constant fear like that, but it's my job and there's nothing I can do about it. "I won't leave you and Cole, alright?" I hug her in reassurance and she tightly hugs me back.

"Ace?"

"Yes?"

"Will Cole be the next leader?" She asks.

He will, yes. But I also think he should have a choice. What if he doesn't want to take over? What if he wants to do some other job? But at the same time this is my family. My gang is my family and I would want my own family leading it.

"Yes, I am planning on that he will take over." I reply.

"I'm just afraid. I'm afraid that he will get hurt or even worse....now that I'm a mother I can't really stand the thought of my children being in harm's way." Dakota says quietly.

I sigh. "That's understandable. I'm going to be a father and that thought hurts, too. But I can assure you this gang and I will do anything and everything to keep him safe. He's got so many protectors already and he's not even born yet."

Dakota nods in agreement, but I can still see that look of worry in her eyes.

How and when can I break the news to her? I'm going to have to tell her eventually....

* * *

Dakota's POV:

Days go by and yet Ace continues to hide something from me, I can feel it. I just know it.

So, like the independent woman I am, I go on a bit of an adventure to figure it out. I find myself at Jordan's doorstep.

"I'm coming!" He calls out. I hear his footsteps get closer and closer until the door opens. "Dakota? Please don't tell me we have to write another letter-"

"No, no, I'm not in trouble this time." I say, laughing.

A look of relief flashes across his face. "Well, if you're not in trouble, what do you need? Oh, come inside to discuss this."

I find myself sitting in the very same living room I had written the letter in, and I sit down on the couch. Jordan sits across from me in a recliner.

"So, I just want to get straight to the point. Ever since that smaller gang attacked your shipments a few days ago, Ace has been acting different, like he's hiding something from me. I'm here to find out the truth."

"Well, uh....something did happen but....I don't have the right to say. I really think he should tell you himself." Jordan mutters uncomfortably.

Oh we shall see about that!

"Boss would kill me..."

Not if I kill him first.

I stand up, crossing my arms over my chest. "I wish I could say thank you for the help." I mutter in frustration before leaving to go find someone else that may give me the answers I seek.

I find myself in Ace's little "mancave" where all of his gang members seem to hang out. There's a bar where members serve drinks and a TV and a wood-burning fire place. The room is cabin-like and it's the perfect place for men to feel like men and complete their large egos.

Some of the members talk with each other while others drink. I scan the crowd for Drew. I find it a bit ironic how Drew seems to be gullible yet he works in a gang.

Maybe he will give me answers.

I spot Drew and the blue haired gang member smoking together in the corner, talking about God knows what. I recognize the blue haired gang member as Krazy, the one who has an obsession with knives and sharp things.

I approach them.

"What does Boss' wife want?" Krazy asks. Drew shrugs.

"You're quite the charmer." I say, rolling my eyes.

Krazy shrugs. "So they say. Hey, want to see my new dagger?"

"No," I deadpan, "I'd like to talk to Drew."

"Okay." Krazy says, continuing to stand there and smoke.

"Alone." I add.

Krazy rolls hos eyes and walks away and Drew stands there awkwardly. "What's with that face? Angry pregnant women scare me!" He exclaims.

This will be a piece of cake.

"I'm assuming you were at the shipments when you were attacked a few days ago, correct?"

Drew nods.

"Then you would have been there to see something big happen, right?"

Drew nods awkwardly. "Boss - I mean Ace didn't tell you?"

Let's play some trickery.

"Yes he did! And I cannot believe it!" I exclaim, putting on a worried face and slapping my hand to my face in shock.

"I know, neither can I! I can't believe you have a brother, either!" Drew replies, a look of shock written on his face.

Wait.

What.

Did.

He.

Just.

Say?!

My heart pounds and my hands become clammy. I can hardly believe the words I've just heard.

Drew notices the look of terror on my face. "Shit, I am dead."

* * *

Upset.

I am deeply upset that this was hidden from me, from both my "family" and Ace. I have a brother and I'm just finding out about this. I am shocked.

Sad.

I am sad because I went through that hell alone. The thought of my brother getting special treatment just because he was the next gang leader made me angry.

Angry.

I am angry because I was lied to. I was told I was alone and what hurts even more was that not only was I abandoned by my father, but now my brother, too. Maybe I was just as much of a secret as he was to me?

My dad lied to me.

My mom lied to me, too. How could she not have told me about this?

Why do I get left in the dark about things?

And Ace.

How could he not tell me? How could he hide this from me? Aren't we supposed to trust each other? He held a very big secret from me, one that I deserved to know!

I find Ace in the kitchen.

"Hey babe! Want some-"

"How could you hide this from me?" I roar. Angry tears slide down my face.

He turns around, his mouth full of food and his eyes wide with fear.

"You didn't think to tell me about my brother? How could you hide something like this from me!"

"I-it's not like I didn't think about telling you-"

"No! Shut up, just shut up!" I yell, cutting him off, "I don't want to hear your lame excuses, I have a right to know about issues that deals with my own family! I thought we trusted each other!"

Calm down. Breathe. Calm down for baby Cole.

"It's just disappointing that you would hide this from me. I thought we trusted each other..." I say sadly as I walk away and slam the door to my room. I lock the door behind me.

I just need to be alone to process this information.

Ace pounds on the door. "I'm sorry. I know I screwed up. Please, let's talk?"

"Not now, Ace. I just need some time to think about this. This news is quite the shock and I need time to process all of this." I reply.

"I'm sorry." Ace murmurs before I hear his footsteps pad away.

I flop down on the bed and bury my face in my pillow.

I have a brother.

And the worst part is, he probably doesn't care about me just like the rest of my blood-related family.

* * *

Third Person POV:

His black boots scuff against the dusty, rickety wooden floors of a room that used to belong to a girl. The window of the room is shattered and he moves closer to inspect the moldy walls of the room.

Blood.

He sees blood.

It is old blood and it is spattered throughout the room. Someone struggled and suffered here, the evidence of that is physical.

There are dents in the walls from someone being slammed into them with force, and the man traces the divots and dents with his finger.

"So the rumors are true that a girl used to live here." The man speaks to himself, his voice just a mere husky whisper.

Some say she was my sister. A sister whom decided to switch sides. Pity on those who decide to double cross me. He thinks to himself, evil intentions linger in his eyes.

He studies the blood stains and the moldy walls before the man turns his attention to an old, worn out stuffed cat in the corner of the room. Dust and insects decorates the toy like a Christmas tree, and he crushes the toy with the toe of his boot.

He smirks as the stuffed animal deflates and crumbles beneath his foot.

He utters words into the dark room. Promise lies in his voice, and the words he speaks perhaps have enough power to send chills up the spines of his fiercest foes.

"My enemies will face the same fate. I will be sure of it."