I really thought my talk was going to go well but instead, all I got was a reality check.

"So..." I drag out, fiddling with my fingers, I try giving him an innocent smile but all I got in return was that same disappointed look as he shakes his head at me, "listen, technically this time it wasn't my fault,"

"Melody," he warns, "I told you, don't visit me, it's dangerous,"

I sigh, "I know, I know and I was swearing by it but Cayden said I needed to tell you something,"

Romero shakes his head at me again and sighs, "go on and this better be good,"

"Okay, so Cayden told me to tell you that he thinks that there is a scorpion on the inside, like not one you but more like one of them," I nudge my head towards the police officers standing guard around the room.

Romero narrowed his eyes taking the information in as he looked around the room, he turns back towards me with a stern look, "and he thought it'd be smart to send you," Romero clenched his jaw as he looked down, shaking his head.

"I offered?" I say, not really sure because I did offer but I wasn't exactly sure what I was getting myself into.

Romero looks up at me, "Listen, kid, Cayden might be nice but he also has things his hiding and the other guys don't even know the meaning of nice, so you have no idea what you're getting yourself into. I think it's also stupid of Cayden's to send you here and get you involved,"

Cayden wasn't happy with sending me either but the other guys all seemed a little hesitant so, I figure it'd be best to just send me, that way at least I'd get to see Romero and catch a little glimpse of James in his uniform.

Romero doesn't stop, "Do you even know what's going on? Do you know why Cayden was behind bars? Do you have any answers? You get answers first before you do anything, then you decide if you want to be involved, don't act on impulse."

I gaped at him, watching as he settles his breath, to say I was shocked was an understatement, I never thought Romero actually cared. Did I actually break his shell?

I shrug, "it's not that I don't try, because I do, but I also give up and just go with it. You probably don't wanna hear my life story, but it's just I've never had someone draw me a line and tell me when to stop." I wasn't lying about the whole absent parental figures, Aunt Jemma was hardly a present figure in my life, she was to busy dealing with her own crap.

So when no one tells you to stop, you keep going, until you hit a dead-end but still, no one is stopping you, so you climb over the wall or dig to the other side, there's no line drawn, I can go wherever.

Romero sighs, "then let me draw you a line; you saw James and got a little crush, great but you crossed the line when you decided to arrange a visit with a criminal and obviously, after that it's a whole domino effect," I know it was wrong, but I couldn't help myself.

He continues, "You're letting a random dude stay in your house, a guy you know hardly know anything about-"

I cut him off, "I object! I know some things okay, ask me what he likes and I bet I can answer it correctly,"

He ignores me, "his past? What has he done? You know Cayden but do you know who Cayden Royce is?"

I tilt my head at him in confusion, "isn't that just his surname?"

Romero gives me a deadpan look, "let Cayden know I'll handle the matter on this end and you should ask him yourself,"

Romero stands up and turns around, ready to leave, I slowly stand up, taking a deep breath, Romero turns back around,

"Remember kid, find out what you're jumping into before diving in, never know might be a pool of glass. Goodbye kid," he gives me a nod and turns back around, walking away.

Laters.

.

.

I sat in my car, taking a deep breath, was I really ready to face the music? No!

No matter how much I try to avoid it, Romero's words really stuck to me, every word he said was on point. What if Cayden kills me because I asked too many questions? He could just hide the body or cover it up as a suicide...

I look up, to find the front door wide open, Cayden standing there with his eyes narrowed at me, probably confused as to why I've been sat in my car for 20 minutes.

Taking another deep breath I finally open the car door, taking a step outside and closing the door behind me.

"You good?" Cayden asks, I nod and walk past him, letting him follow behind.

Leaving my shoes at the door, I walk towards the living room, it's quiet, "Have the others gone?"

"Yeah, they had to take care of some things," I hear Cayden say from behind me.

I nod, some things, huh?

"How'd the talk with Romero go?" Cayden asks, walking beside me, towards the living room.

"It was alright," I shrug, let's give him a little taste of his own medicine. I take a seat, reaching for the remote to turn the tv on.

"And? What'd he say?" Cayden takes a seat beside me, his body turned towards me, but my attention was still on the tv screen.

I shrug again, "we caught up, it was nice," this is getting boring and I feel mean.

I hear him sigh, "Melody stop playing, did he say anything?"

I'm done

I turn the tv off and turn towards Cayden, "he said a lot of things, okay and you might not like them but I think we both need a little reality check,"

He furrows his brows, "what's going on? What did he say?"

I take a deep breath, "that if you want me to help you, you need to give me answers, this should've happened away before but, I didn't wanna push you," My stupid conscience.

I notice the little twitch in the jaw, "what answers?"

"Everything! Why were you behind bars? Who's the guy? Who are the guys from before? Who are you? Who is Cayden Royce?" I rant, standing up with a deep sigh, I continue, "I'm letting you stay here and I don't even know who you are, I know we're not besties but I deserve some answers,"

I stare at Cayden as he sighs, sitting back, "I was wondering when you'd finally snap, see the problem isn't I don't tell you it's the fact that you're too nice, you never ask or push,"

I narrow my eyes at him, watching the slight movement of his lips, is he smiling? "Well, are you going to tell me now, because this time I really am going to push for answers?"

He nods, "I'll tell you but-"

I quickly cut him off, "don't. I swear if you finish that sentence with you'd have to kill me, I will kill you myself,"

He finally breaks as he chuckles, shaking his head at me, "I was going to say, but this only stays between us, you can't tell anyone or else... I'd have to kill you,"

I sit back down on the sofa, just to smack Cayden in the arm, "you better start talking,"

He rubs his arm and frowns at me, "geez I am, now where do I start?"

"Maybe from the beginning?"

Hey! ⬇️

Sorry guys I know this is a boring chapter but I really wanna get all the secrets and past stuff out the way. ☹️

Please, if you don't mind I'd really appreciate a comment because I feel like this story's going at a slow pace but then again that might be because I'm writing at a slow pace...Let me know guys 🥺😬

Thank you guys for reading, commenting or voting.💕

Stay Safe guys💕