Beautiful Fiend: Chapter 1

Today

I count the cash in my hand before looking around the room to ensure I’ve searched everywhere I could steal something. Jewelry? Done. Emergency cash they hide under their mattress? Done. Underwear drawers? Done and redone. I walk out and gaze at the family portrait hanging in their upstairs landing. I bet my ass there’s a safe behind there.

I hesitate, tilt my head then turn around. Nah, I’m going to get caught for sure. I stretch my arms and walk down their double staircases. The houses in Stoneview are perfect for thieving. The parents are away most of the time and are too loaded to notice when things go missing.

The town is a half-hour drive from the North Shore, but our lives couldn’t be more opposite. Only the rich and famous get to live in this city. The only problem with stealing here is getting in. It’s hard to break into their houses to steal their treasures. They have top-notch security and it’s practically impossible to sneak in without getting caught on camera or having guard dogs released on your ass.

Thankfully, I don’t need to sneak in. I usually walk through the front door and smile brightly at their maid when they welcome me in. A technique I’ve perfected over time.

Strolling back into the living room, I observe the kid at the table, focusing on his homework.

“How is it going, buddy?” I ask, sitting down next to him. “I like the way your parents redid the bathroom, by the way.”

“I’m not doing good at all,” he mumbles, chewing on the cap of his pen and twisting the page of his notebook with his other hand.

I like Jordan, although his low confidence will get the best of him one day. I wish he could see how smart he is.

“Alright, let’s have a look together.” I grab his book and read the math problem several times before looking at what he started writing. “Okay, that’s not a bad start.”

For another half hour, I help him with the questions he didn’t understand. Math comes easy to me. It’s just another language to learn. It’s simple and efficient. It makes sense. And, thank fuck, it never changes. Once you know something, you don’t have to worry about it. It’ll always stay the same.

A knock on the door takes us out of our hard work, and I peer up from the table to watch Jordan’s mom walking into the room.

“Your two hours are over, Caden,” she smiles sweetly. “Are you all done with your homework, pumpkin?”

Jordan nods and closes his textbook and notepads. “Yeah, Cade is the best.”

I laugh softly and mess up his hair as I get up. Julianne grabs her purse and walks me to the front door. She fishes the cash she owes me for the lesson and hands it to me.

“You’re amazing,” she purrs before squeezing my bicep. Every single Stoneview stay-at-home mom drools over the North Shore poor boy who tutors their kids. They just love the rough look mixed with the kind heart. “Jordan loves you. Thank you for everything.”

“My pleasure,” I smile at her before pocketing the money.

“Same time next week?” she asks as she tightens her robe around her.

“Sure thing.” I wave and walk to my shitty car. It looks pathetic compared to their luxurious ones.

Someone opens the gate for me, and I drive away. It’s sad to see the way my surroundings deteriorate as I drive away from billionaire-town.

Silver Falls is average and the people here love life on the South bank, but it’s definitely not Stoneview. I stop at the light just before turning onto the bridge and observe a family of four walking alongside the Silver Snake River. They’ve got a boy and a girl running ahead of the parents, giggling as they pick up leaves and throw them into the river. I rest my head against my seat and daydream about doing this with my kids one day. Getting out of the North Shore, finding a decent girl, and marrying her. Giving her about a million babies and watching them grow. If I don’t end up in prison for killing someone, that’s what I want.

Someone behind me honks, and I startle in my seat. The light is green, allowing me to turn right onto the bridge. I roll down my window and give the middle finger to the car behind me, my silver ring glinting in the sun, just as I accelerate and cross the bridge leading to the North Shore. It’s a red, neglected truss bridge that barely fits a two-way system. On my side of the road, a sign says, Entering Silver Falls North Shore, as if to give a final warning. A chance to turn around in case someone went the wrong way. After this sign, no one can protect you.

On the other side of the Silver Snake River, the commercial street I was on before crossing is replaced by a rundown road surrounded by trees. No one really lives by the river here because it would kill the nice view people in the penthouses get from the South bank. We’re all packed into the housing behind the woods. I drive straight through the woods and turn left onto the main road.

Two years ago, that wouldn’t have been possible. Back then, most of the North Shore belonged to NSC, aka the North Shore Crew. The woods were theirs, and I would have had to take a longer route around it to get to my house and avoid their territories.

I smile to myself as I look at the town around me. We’re the Kings. This town belongs to us. Every single abandoned building, every broken house, every cracked bit of the road and sidewalk. Ours. Even the abandoned cinema they had built when I was a kid, and the city was desperate to gentrify our area. They changed their mind quickly. After selling some parcels of land to property developers from Stoneview—who built condos and some shops no one here could ever afford—a few people moved here. Middle class who couldn’t afford the South bank but still wanted something nice. Needless to say, they didn’t stay long. Too many of them were robbed. They got scared and moved away. The buildings were abandoned, the cinema, the bowling alley, all of it was left for us to destroy.

And we did. Because that’s what we do here. We can’t afford shit, we’re bored, and we turn against each other. And every single brick of those abandoned buildings belongs to the Kings now.

To me.

Since NSC lost the support from the Bianco family, they’ve been reduced to nothing. They can’t trade anything but drugs on the North Shore, and even that, they’re struggling with their suppliers. They’re fucking done, and they know we won our long war. Most of their crew has turned to us, joining the Kings so they could survive. If they want to eat and pay their bills, they work for us. If they want to feed themselves off our leftovers, they can stay with NSC.

I park in front of Sawyer’s and close my door softly. I think if I slam it, it’ll fall off. It’s not like I’m completely broke. Between the North Shore jobs, the Stoneview thefts, and the math tutoring, I’m doing okay. But that money isn’t for a new car. It’s to get the hell out of this shithole. For that, I need much more, and I know exactly how. I just need Sawyer to approve my new idea.

I walk into his house and go straight to his kitchen. The guy only does business while cooking. My older sister, Kay, is already here and my dad said he was on his way. The Kings’ crew was named after my family. My dad is at the head, and Kay should be his right-hand man. Unfortunately for her, she was born without a dick so my dad can’t take it. So he put Sawyer in her place. He’s not even family. No, my dad just valued his loyalty and violence. Apparently, I’m too unpredictable to be the second in command. I never told him I didn’t give a shit and that I never wanted the role anyway.

Kay’s not far behind Sawyer in our useless hierarchy, nonetheless, everything has to run past my dad and Sawyer before we put it in place.

“Hey,” I say as I kiss the top of her head. “Look at you in a dress.” She smiles at my compliment and dusts her dress. She hasn’t worn one for more than a year.

“Yeah, well, getting out of the house and all.’

“Thanks to me,” I smile as I tap Sawyer on the back as a hello. “Forcing you to get out of your house and back in business.”

My dad walks into the kitchen and grunts a hi before sitting down.

“Nice to see you too,” I tell him sarcastically. We’re not exactly on the best terms right now. Thinking about it, we’ve never been. He thinks I’m a pussy for wanting to leave the North Shore, and I think he’s a dick for abusing my mom to the point where she ran away from all of us. Great relationship.

“Alright,” Sawyer says as he slides a chicken to roast in his oven. He throws potatoes on the table and gives us all a knife. “Get peeling, everyone.”

We all start peeling our potatoes, and my dad gets us started on business. “I thought of your idea, Caden,” he says low. “I’m not sure it’s worth the risk. Sawyer can tell you more.”

“Can’t you?” I ask him with a little more vehemence than I wanted.

His answer is a grunt, and I share a look with Kay. “Great conversation,” I mumble. “So,” I say to Sawyer. “What do you think?”

“I think arms dealing gets people in jail.” He’s not much older than Kay, but he always talks like he’s seen the world. The guy’s never stepped outside the North Shore in his life. He’s scared of growing our business because it could mean doing things he knows nothing about and losing face in front of us all.

“Please,” I scoff. “Everyone deals arms. Fucking NSC still has that on us. How can you guys be so unambitious?”

‘Will you be meeting them and doing the transports?” Sawyer snarls. “Cause I fuckin’ won’t, that’s for sure. Get caught with that sort of shit, and you’re not getting away. Drugs and women are safer. Drugs are easily split into small dealers, and everyone from the richest fucker to the poorest enjoys women illegally. No one wants to save them.”

I tighten my jaw to try not to insult him the first chance I get, running a hand through my dark hair and taking a deep breath. “Obviously, I’ll find someone to do the risky task of moving the guns. We’ve got buyers all over town, even on the South Bank. This is a gold mine we’ve yet to explore.”

“It’s not just that,” Kay says. My heart rate doubles when I realize she’s on their side. We always have each other’s backs.

She must see my disappointment because she continues with a soft voice. “Cade, you’ll be getting guns from the Wolves. They’re a dangerous organization.”

“We already get our drugs and women from them,” I argue back, trying to remain cool and collected.

“Yeah, but not directly. There’s a process; we have middlemen. We don’t have anything in place for that kind of trading.” She tries to stay sweet, although the strong bitch who doesn’t do business nicely is in the room. Not my older sister.

“I’m gonna suggest something,” my dad intervenes. “Find someone willing to make the trips from the Wolves to our distributors. Then we can talk about it again.”

Fucking asshole. He knows no one would do that kind of job for us. “Okay,” I say anyway. “I will.”

“Sure thing,” Sawyer snorts. “You do that.”

I stand up and throw a potato at his face. “Fuck off.”

I leave without saying bye, hearing my dad tell Kay that I’ll never find anyone. I text Elliot and Ethan to tell them I’m on my way to theirs and to roll me a joint. I need to fucking relax.

I park on their road and go straight to their shitty backyard. It’s small, and the grass is always yellow no matter what, but at least it has some privacy due to the high bushes.

“Here’s our genius,” Ethan shouts as I make my way past the two trash cans they use as a replacement for their broken gate.

“How were classes?” Elliot asks as he lights up the joint.

I sit on one of the plastic chairs next to them and shake my head. “I was at Sawyer’s.”

“Tell me you didn’t miss classes, Cade. You’re the only one of us who goes to college. Make your daddies proud.” Elliot winks at me and pulls at the joint. He’s older than Ethan and me by a year but always hangs out with us.

“I didn’t have anything today.” I’m the only one who goes, even though it’s still the worst community college in the state.

North Shore Community College is overpacked with students who want a chance at life yet can’t get out of here. It’s a fucking joke because one of the best universities in the world is in Silver Falls. Unfortunately, it’s unaffordable for any of us, even if we have the brains. No kids from the North Shore ever got a scholarship to attend there. They’re too scared we’d bring trouble with us. We can barely afford our community college, to begin with.

The trash cans move and we all turn to watch Jade walk into the backyard. She zips up her coat as she walks our way. “Hey, fuckers,” she grins. “I see you started without me.”

“Do we have to call you whenever we light up a joint?” Ethan snarls. They’re not exactly the best of friends. She fucked him first, and then Elliot after. She’s been causing trouble between the stepbrothers for years. Jade is a beauty. Dark skin, pale blue eyes and thick, long brown hair. Her mom is Indian, her dad Portuguese, and she’s a lovely mix of both.

She sits on my lap and wraps an arm around my neck. “Cade didn’t start without me, ‘cause he’s a good friend.” I grab her waist, lifting and putting her on the chair beside mine. Elliot passes the joint to Ethan as I dust off my jeans.

“Ouch, my feelings,” she snorts.

Jade has been very clear over the years about wanting to have sex with me. I personally think she did well enough with the brothers and doesn’t need to add me to the list. We’re better as friends. She’s fine with it unless she’s drunk and texts me all the things she’d like to do to me.

“I bumped into Sophie.” She smirks at me. “Such a pretty name for a huge slut like her.”

Ethan chokes on the smoke as he explodes in a laugh.

“She’s sporting a nice necklace,” she continues before turning to me. “Yours.” She drags her index finger from her ear to her chin, indicating what she means.

“What?” I shrug. “She’s a good fuck.”

Ethan passes me the joint, and I drag in the smoke as Jade keeps going. “Why do you always do this? Leave hickeys along their jaws. Like, everyone is so aware every time you fuck a girl.”

We all chuckle, and I relax as the weed spreads through my system. “I like marking my territory.”

“Women are not objects,” she huffs. “You three are bad, but you’re seriously the worst, Cade.”

“Women are not objects,” I agree. “But the women I fuck are whatever I want them to be. They have no issue with it, trust me.” I wink at her and she takes the joint from me.

‘Keep begging, and you’ll get your turn at some point,” Elliot adds. “You’ll go through the three of us eventually.”

She gives him a middle finger, and we laugh again. All of us but Ethan.

“Sensitive topic,” Elliot adds just to make fun of his brother. “So, how was it at Sawyer’s?”

“Shit,” I say, putting my hands in my jeans. It’s the end of October, so the winter cold is already starting to take over our town. Jade hands the joint back to Ethan and they all turn to me. “It’s a big ‘no’ for arms.”

Jade’s mouth twists. “We kinda expected that.”

“It’s a risky move. Sawyer hates anything risky,” Ethan adds.

“Yeah, but it would make us so much money.”

Elliot smiles knowingly at me. “And fast.”

“And fast,” I confirm.

Jade huffs. “You just want to get out of here quicker. You still have another year of college after this one.”

“Yeah, imagine the kind of money I’d have if I’m the one in charge of arms dealing for more than a year?”

The joint comes back to me, and I take a drag. I let my head fall back and exhale before saying, “They said if I find someone to be the middleman, they’ll let me do it. Someone who’ll take the fall if things go south.”

“What will they do exactly?” Ethan asks. “Drive from your supplier to us?”

“Yeah, basically. And go to prison for us.”

“I’m sure you’ll find someone real quick,” Elliot mocks.

“You have two solutions for that kind of driver,” Jade says low. “Either you pay them a shit ton of money, or you blackmail them into doing it.’ She shrugs. “We all know you’re tight as fuck when it comes to money, and you won’t spend an extra cent than necessary.”

I smile as I bring my head up and look at her. “So you’re telling me to find someone to blackmail?”

“That’s what I’d do. Or someone you can trust and who you can promise something to if they do the job right.”

I nod slowly before tilting my head to the side. “Jade,” I smile. “I’ll fuck you if you move guns for me.”

Elliot and Ethan laugh as my friend gives me the middle finger. “I don’t want your fucking dick. Just go stick it in Sophie for all I care.”

Our laughs double, and she gets off her seat. “Whatever, I’m gonna get a beer.”

“You’ve upset her,” Elliot laughs.

“She prefers when she’s the one fucking her friends over,” Ethan adds bitterly.

I lick my lips as I stare up into the darkening sky. The sun is setting and the moon is rising. I’m a night owl, so I’m sure I’ll figure something out during the late hours.

I’ve always felt more alive when the darkness surrounds us, and the stillness mutes the town.