Chapter 6

(Chapter song ‘Gangsta's Paradise’ by Coolio)

MARCUS I stared at my phone for I don’t know how long. Jax's number is just begging me to hit call. I can’t tell him this. He put his ultimate trust in me. Invested so much into me. Even when his family was murdered, he still stopped to check if was on the straight and narrow. Honestly, he was more like my dad after his dad was taken from us.

To tell him that I went back to my family would crush him. He’d hate me forever. I almost lost him once, I don’t want to do that again.

I lean on my knees and rub my chin as I remember the last time I almost blew us to hell.

‘What are you doing, Marc?’

‘I can’t be you, man! I can't! Stevie has what I need! All I have to do is ice this asshole and I’m back in. Ya wouldn’t understand.’

‘No, I wouldn’t! But then I never had a family who wanted me to kill for them to be accepted!’

‘Just go, Jaxton.’

‘No!’

I wince my eyes as I look at the fist I popped him with. I rub my chin where he popped me back.

‘I love you, man. I get it. Having dad gone…It hurts. I know. He loved us, Marcus. Loved you.’

I remember the grief I felt in my heart as I stared at the 9 mm in my hands.

‘Please. Dad wouldn’t want you to throw your life away. Give me gun.’

I stared at his outstretched hand.

‘Marc. If you do this, I’m walking away. I won’t look back.’

I stared at my best and only friend. The only person I truly had left in my life that cared what happened to me.

I remember the weight of the gun that left my hand as I placed it in his. The feeling of his arm around me as we walked away from a rival pack house. To this day, he’s never told me how he found out, but thank God he did.

‘I’m sorry. Um…thanks.’

He hugged my head. ‘Don’t thank me. I’m just doing what real brothers are supposed to do.’

My finger presses the button to exit out of my contacts and I put my phone in my pocket. I feel like this time around that conversation would go a whole lot different and I can’t have that. I’m not doing this for me. I’m doing this for them.

I grab my jacket and leave my room. My father summoned us to his office. All top hands.

I walk through the house and avoid all eye contact. As I round the hall, I see his office door open and the backs of several big guys, including Stevie’s. This is big.

I slip in and the door man shuts the door.

“This has gone on long enough. This level of disrespect ends now. I want that message made clear, understand?!” He bellows to the room.

I lean to Stevie. “What’s going on?”

“Zalinsky refused to pay…again.” He whispers.

“Who?” I look at curiously.

“You’ll see." He smirks.

“You go down there and you make it clear! No money, no protection!” He growls.

“Yes, Alpha.” The group of bruisers say and turn to walk out of the office.

I turn to the door.

“MARCUS!”

I turn back.

“You're heading the family. I want your face front and center!” He barks.

“Excuse me?” I say with a tiny bit of shock.

Stevie grabs my arm and pulls me out. “Don't.” He growls in my ear.

We climb into the black cars and drive away. I’m completely confused.

“Stevie, what am I in, huh?” I turn to him in the backseat.

“Zalinsky is a pack Alpha on the west side. Lately, he’s been shirking his protection payments. We're making sure he’s clear on the contract he signed.” He eyes me and pulls out a gun. He checks the clip and puts it back.

“I can’t kill no one! My fucking career…” I grind.

“Ya shoulda thought of that before ya came back.” He side eyes me.

“Steve!” I clench.

“Marc…relax. We realize this is your first. We just need you to deliver the message. Rough him up. We're scaring him, not killing him. If he tries something…then we kill him.” He smirks as he glances my way.

“Still. If this gets to the press…” I grumble.

“It won’t. Zalinsky knows if he blabs, he’s as good as dead as are his two very young daughters. You’re good. Just enjoy the new York night life.” He smiles and gets comfortable in his seat.

I turn to the window and my conscious beats on me hard. I don’t know the circumstances of this transaction and my gut is not feeling it.

Stevie’s right though. If I was worried about my career, I wouldn’t have jumped into the fires of hell. I’m worried about Sophie. I don’t care what happens to me, I need her safe. If that means I use my father to get closer to the Vinellis, then so be it. I’ll deal with the fallout of that later. For now, I’ll play the part of obedient son and if my dad needs me to rough someone up, I’ll do it with a smile.

We pull up to a brownstone in the West side and get out.

“He just got in from a pack meeting.” One guy informs me.

I do up my jacket and hop up the steps with Stevie and the guys behind me.

I stop at the door and knock. I get my tough guy look on my face as I watch shadows move in the frosted window.

The shadow stops and I glance at Stevie. I hear a click from inside and my eyes widen.

“DOWN!”

Just as I grab Stevie, two shotgun blasts smash through the glass and we hit the concrete step. Shards of glass hit our backs, smash on the stone step and fly at my guys as they duck and cover their heads.

Stevie stands, pulls two guns from under his jacket, aims and they all open fire. The wood door is blown apart as it’s battered with a hail of bullets.

I watch the outstretched arms of the guys stay like stone. I see their murderous faces as they shoot for blood. I watch Stevie reload and raise his arms again. He pulls each shot without hesitation.

Screams and sounds of destruction happen inside as I cover my head and try not to get shot again. From the angle I’m at, the walls are peppered as the sounds of children hit my ears. My jaw falls and my heart hammers on my ribs. I recoil with every shot as I protect my head. As shit from the door falls all over me, I catch something in my peripheral vision.

“STEVIE!!” I whip my head and yell as a shot was blasted from the house and Stevie is thrown back. My eyes look on in horror as his arms and legs trail behind him and his body takes to the air. He hits the stairs half way down and rolls head over ass. He lands on his back on the walk.

My hair trembles as I look to the door and the guys jump over me, running into the house. More shots are fired as I slide down the steps and crawl to my brother.

His teeth are clenched and he’s whining through his labored breath while he holds his shoulder. Blood oozes through his fingers as I check to see if he's OK.

“I’m OK…I’m…Fuck!!” He cringes in pain as he rolls back and rocks on his back.

I pull back his jacket and it’s through. “Put pressure on it. We got you. Hang on.”

I turn to the house and the guys are dragging a whimpering, injured Zalinsky out. He’s been shot in the chest and leg.

“Get going!” One of them growls and pushes him down the stairs.

“Shoot one of us!”

“Got balls, Zalinsky.”

“Ya stupid or what?”

The goon drags Zalinsky by the shirt to his front lawn and forces him to his knees beside me. As I meet Zalinskys eyes, the goon presents the but end of his gun to me. “Sir. “ He gives me that look and I look at Stevie on the ground. Stevie’s mouth is small as he gives me that same look I know so well. I flick my eyes to his blood covered hand.

My eyes fall to the gun and I wrap my fingers around it. I take it from his hand as I stand. The weight of it was like a recurring nightmare.

Carefully inspecting the weapon, I walk to the cowering man at my feet.

“Ya shot my brother.” I say low. “Ya shot at my friends.”

“I-I'm sorry. I was protecting my family.” He whines.

“Shut up.” I clench.

His eyes plead with me, but it’s too late. I feel it growing deep in the pit of stomach. That feeling. The one I’m not suppose to feel. The one I thought was dead.

In a flash, I aim it at his head. My face twists in anger as I hear Stevie grind out a growl behind me.

“NO!”

My head slowly turns to his crying Luna standing in the destroyed doorway, holding a baby in her arms and a toddler pup hugs her leg at her knee. All of them cry for the man who’s life is in my hands.

I look back down to the Alpha. My own Alpha is ripe with dominance as my wolf makes his stand in my chest.

“I-I'm sorry…please…not in front of my kids…please…” He begs with his head lowered and his hands clasped on his knees.

“Marc.” Stevie says with a shaky breath. I turn to my brother who nods, telling me to do it.

If I don’t, I could open a whole lot of problems for myself. If I do, I could scar those babies for life and ruin the best friendship I ever had. Is this worth a few thousand a month?

I cock it and pull the trigger. The blast rang out through the neighborhood and his Luna screamed. He was thrown to his back as I stare blankly down the barrel. My eyes reflect the pistol smoke rising from the end.

I drop my arm, walk up and straddle his groaning body as he holds his other shoulder in agony.

I lean on my knees and look down on him. I tilt my head and stare deep into his pain filled eyes as he shakes with fear and blood loss. His Alpha cowers before me and my wolf soaks it in. “The fact I let ya live only says I don’t want to hurt your kids. I want to teach them what happens when ya don’t pay. Pay your tab or I’ll come back and put that bullet where it should have gone. Clear enough for ya?”

He nods fast. “Yeah…Y-Yes.”

I look at my watch. “Ya have six hours to transfer the money or I’m coming back to deal with ya personally. Since ya shot my brother, I’ll make damn sure it’s extra painful.” I glance at his family then turn back. “If ya respect them and their safety at all, I expect ya to do it in four.”

I step over him and walk through my guys. “Let’s go.” I step over Stevie. “Pick him up!” I say with anger stemming from my father making me cross the line I said I wouldn’t.

They pick Stevie up who growls in pain. We are helped into the cars and leave.

I lean on the door and watch the outside world. In my head, I’m thinking of the line I crossed and the line I could of crossed easily.

“Ya shoulda killed him.” Stevie grits as he holds his bleeding shoulder.

I cover my lips with my knuckles as the lights played on my face. “I couldn’t. Not in front of the babies. No. I won’t.”

“Dad won’t let it go.” He mutters.

I glance at him and turn back to the window. “I know.” I whisper.

I know my dad won’t. I know what he’s capable of. The disrespect was tolerable. Shooting Stevie? I almost wish I did kill him. It’ll be more humane than what my father could do, but for my own soul, I just couldn’t. I just hope my warning was enough to spare the women. Zalinsky’s dead no matter what. His Luna and her daughters don’t deserve the same punishment. Like me, I’m sure they didn’t ask for any of this.

Who am I to tell them different?