Jason

''Why do you have pictures of Melody and her family? You got your revenge, what has she got to do with any of this?''

It doesn't make sense that she'd have her pictures unless she…

''You caused the Lakedale shootout, didn't you?'' Ever since the incident happened, I've been thinking a lot about it. Mel and Vladmir were dating at the time and Patricia arrived a month before the incident. Prior to that, she did say they met at a restaurant and she had an altercation with Mel.

With her confessing that Vladmir killed the love of her life and now stating that she killed him to get her revenge, it's only logical she caused the accident. Vladmir was last seen at Lakedale.

''Ding, ding, ding, we have a winner.'' The smirk on her face grows even wider and I've never had the urge to slap her as I do now. She knew goddamn well that Mel was dating him at the time. I don't care about what happens to Vladmir, he could rot in hell for all I care, but she intentionally put my girlfriend in danger and that's something I can't excuse. Mel was hospitalized and skipped school for a week; even resumed school with crutches and bandages.

''Out of respect for the fact that we're related and you're a woman, I won't hit you.'' My fist curl at my side and I try to reign my anger in. ''You hurt my girlfriend.''

''So? She dated him.''

She had no idea who he was at the time. I'm sure she still has no idea till date.

''And that gives you the right to hurt her? What the fuck is wrong with you?'' I yell. I'm pretty sure the whole house can hear us but I don't care. Patricia needs a leash.

''Stop defending her for fucks sake!'' Patricia yells back. ''Quite frankly, I don't care if she's your girlfriend. She dated Vladmir and I can't believe you have the nerve to date her after everything he put me through. I literally told you he killed the love of my life and you're here having back.''

She's my girlfriend. Even though I'm not sure where my trust lies right now, I'm still going to defend her, especially from my sister who is bat-shit crazy.

''Don't forget that you killed him,'' I remind her, this time decreasing my tone by a decibel. I heard mum's car pull up in the driveway hours ago. She's home and I don't want to alarm her. I haven't raised my voice in years.

''If I find out that you've so much as laid a finger on her or on her family, I'd forget that we're related,'' I threaten. ''I promise you, you wouldn't like to see the other side of me and I always keep my promises.'' I hold her gaze to show the seriousness of my threat but she doesn't flinch. Her eyes look dead and it's almost like she's…soulless.

''It's already too late for your threats. What's done is done.''

I move faster than the flash to her side and grab her arm like I did minutes ago. She winces again but I pay her no mind. ''What do you mean by that? What have you done?''

Has my sister been messing with Mel this whole time?

If she has, why didn't she tell me?!

My mind reverts back to the slashed tyres I saw in the picture, reminiscent of the ones I saw in her neighbourhood. I'm already too little too late. How long has Patricia been doing all this, planning all this right under my nose?

''You fucking slashed her tyres, didn't you?" I need confirmation. That was Mel's only vehicle and she used it to commute to and from school and I know she used it to drop her sister off at Linkdale. Granted, she got a new one, but she had an emotional attachment to that Prius.

I toss her on the bed, letting go of her arm and she bounces violently on it. She glares at me. ''You defend her and threaten me even when you know that her ''step-brother'' is a fucking cop.''

She has met Theo?

She chuckles bitterly and motions to the paper in my hand. ''You're pathetic and naïve, Jason. You're a gangleader and I expect you to be smart, but clearly you're not.''

I burrow holes so deep in her head but she continues. ''Can't you see that I'm the only one who has your back? I've had your back since the get go and you're willing to throw everything away for her.''

She points to herself. ''I've kept your secret. I helped you in the beginning when the gang wasn't as successful as it is now. I held you down when no one else did and you know it.'' All these may be true, but she left me for Paris without so much as an explanation. I want to tell her this but it's best not to revive the past.

There's bigger fish to fry.

''Can't you see that she's using you? I never liked her from the get go for obvious reasons but while I was doing my research, I found out a lot of things about her.'' Why would you be researching my girlfriend? ''I ran into her and that guy at Target and when she introduced him as her step-brother, I knew something was off. So, I started doing more research and I found out a few days ago that he's a cop. Jason, she's only going to get you in trouble. Think about it, she's close to you, you've no doubt told her that you're a gangleader.'' She looks at me for confirmation but I give her a blank look.

Shaking her head she says. ''Idiot. You've showed her layers of you that you've never shown anyone else and it's going to land you in the four walls of a jail cell. The only reason why she's getting close to you is because she wants to sell you out to the cops. She and that Theo guy are working hand-in-hand. God knows how many things she has told him. Use your head.''

Mel would never sell me out. She wouldn't, would she?

''If I were you, I would break up with her. She's going to get you in trouble. Don't say I didn't warn you.''

Mel isn't like that. She's loyal, sweet, nice and the best damn girlfriend I've ever had. She's more than my wildest dreams, if that even makes sense.

''Take your own advice, Patricia.'' I sneer. I'd only take advice from her when I give a shit. ''The only one going to jail is you.''

Her left eyebrow raises and she wags her forefinger. ''My Prada heels are not stepping foot in prison, little brother. If you breathe a word about this to anyone, much less to the cops, and they arrest me, I'd sing like a songbird because if I go down, you're going down with me.''

Now, she's threatening me?

''Is that a threat?''

''It's a warning,'' she answers. ''You know what I'm capable of so it's in your best interest to heed to my warning. Besides, if you want to keep your girlfriend safe, you'd do as I ask.''

My body goes rigid and my face contours to pure rage. ''Touch her and I'd kill you, Patricia. I fucking mean it.''

''I dare you to do it.'' Her resolve is defiant. ''But know this, I know her number, I know her address, I know where her mother works at, I know where she works and I know her sister's school. Kill me and they would all die. Touch me again, and they would die. Breathe a word about this to anyone, they would die and you'd go to jail.''

''Fuck you, Patricia.'' I spit.

I'm not taking her threat with any laxity. The Patricia that left for Paris is long gone and is now replaced by a…mad woman. If she could kill Vladmir, I wouldn't put it past her to kill Mel and her family. I don't know what Mel has done for her to hate her so.

Far as I know, she only hates her because she dated Vladmir.

Hatred by association.

''No, fuck you, Jason for defending her and not me.'' I'm not a defense attorney, I can't vouch for a murderer. ''You defend her even when she is willingly betraying you.''

You don't know that.

''You're crazy. If you think I'm going to bend to your will, you're dead wrong.''

In this game of Russian Roulette, who would win?

''If you kill me, I'll kill her, it's that simple.''

''What is all the noise about?'' I hear my mum's voice say. She's standing at the door with a hand to her hip. ''I could hear you two from the garden. What is up with the two of you?''

We glare at each other for what feels like hours till Patricia turns to her. Giving my mum one of her best fake smiles, she answers. ''Nothing, Heather. We just had a difference in opinion.''

''Excuse me.'' Without giving them a second glance, I side step my mum, ignoring her questioning gaze and jog downstairs to Dean's wine cellar. A strong shot of whiskey is what I need right now.

The battle line has been drawn.