I glared at the back of the police car and clenched my fist tightly as I pivoted on my heels and marched away from the pavement. Kaden tumbled behind me, his eyes narrowed to slits, mirroring my expression as we made our way towards the parking lot.

"Who do we have to kill?" He growled and a smirk slowly slid onto my lips as I unlocked my car and slipped into it. Kaden rounded the car and hopped in beside me before slamming the door shut behind him.

"Damien and Ryder got her arrested. I don't know how and why and I don't care why but they're gonna pay for it. I planned to have Michelle by my side at all times now that Kaleb is out on the loose but these assholes got her arrested and they won't see the day of light tomorrow." I spat as I pulled out of the driveway and sped down the streets.

"What are you planning to do?" He inquired as he gripped onto the handle above the window, steadying himself as the car zoomed forward. My jaw tightened in anger and I pressed my feet against the accelerator as Michelle's tear-stained face flashed through my mind

She's probably scared and angry. I know what it feels like to be arrested for something you didn't do or something you did to protect yourself and the people around you.

And whatever she did, I know she had a reason.

"We're gonna visit some old friends."

He chuckled humourlessly and drummed his fingers against the dashboard, "always wanted to beat up those assholes!" He exclaimed and I shook my head vigorously as I narrowed my gaze on the road.

"We're not getting our hands dirty Kaden, we can't risk it. If we do they can send us back to Canada and we're gonna have to wait a year until we can leave. I can't leave Michelle right now, I know who's gonna help us. . .he owe's me after everything I've done for him in the past."

"You're going to your old neighbourhood aren't you? Can't wait to see those two assholes in the hospital, they tick every bone in my body."

This is why Kaden's my best friend.

He doesn't know what Michelle did and yet still he's willing to get his hands dirty for her because of me. We've been best friends since birth, always stood up for each other and never left one another's side.

He even got put into the juvenile delinquency program with me, well partly because he took place on what went down that got us here in the first place.

I winced as the memories of that day came flashing back, the blood and the screaming, the police cars pulling up into my neighbourhood as they came to drag me away, Kaden along with me.

He took part in something that sent us to prison for a week. No, not jail. . .prison. Why? Because we were meant to spend years there, not weeks until my mother finally confessed everything and we were released but placed into the juvenile delinquent program run by my school and well the government.

But that week in prison wasn't the best week of my life, but luckily Kaden was there with me and I will forever be indebted to him.

He was there for me when I paced around my cell cursing my mother on her life, and he was there for me when I broke down, wondering if she was okay despite the fact that she betrayed me.

"You're thinking about her aren't you?"

"I miss her you know, I've forgiven her but I'll never forget what she did when all I tried to do was save her life." I spat and he nodded his head as a humourless chuckle escaped his lips, "funny how we got stabbed in the back for helping huh you know? This is why I closed off my heart if someone I looked up to as a mother betrays me and her actual son, then what will others do?" He said.

I frowned deeply, and once again the memories came flashing back. I winced at the sound of her voice pleading for me to stop, to stop hurting the man that hurt her.

Sorry, not sorry.

But she's a bitch.

Even though she's my mom.

•••

"You sure you wanna do this?" Kaden asked as we peered up at the crack house. I kicked at the broken down picket fence and stepped over it, "I've never been more sure about anything, they got Michelle arrested, humiliated in front of the entire school for what!? They're gonna pay for this!"

We tumbled onto the porch and I knocked against the door that hung off its hinges, threatening to fall onto the ground until it swung open and I stared at it perplexed, wondering how the hell it didn't break.

As the door opened, the smell of marijuana wafted over my face and I smirked down at the guy peering up at me, an astonished expression etched onto his face as he leaned against the frame of the door.

"Mason! God, I thought I'd never see you again!" He exclaimed, a hearty laugh escaping his lips as he motioned inside. I stepped through the doors, and one by one all the guys came tumbling into what was once a decent looking living room.

"Mason!"

Before I could reply I was tackled against the floor with no way to escape as they all tumbled onto me, their laughter echoing around the house as they hugged me against the floor. "Get off me, assholes!" I chuckled as I shoved them off of me and grabbed Gretto's hand as he hoists me off the ground.

"What brings you here, Mason? Heard you were in town for a few months but you never came to see your old friends." Gretto exclaimed as he waved the guys off to leave him, Kaden and I alone.

"I need a favour," I said and he nodded his head as he lowered himself down onto the surprisingly clean couch, his eyes peering up into mine as a smirk crept onto his lips. "What do you want?"

"There's this girl, she got arrested today because of two guys and I need them to pay for it."

"So you want me to get my hands dirty for a girl?" He chuckled humorlessly.

"First of all, you owe me for all the shit I've done for you over in Canada, I could have gotten arrested on many occasions but I did your dirty work Gretto. And this girl isn't just any girl, I need to protect her so I need her by my side and those dickheads got her arrested. They. Need. To. Pay."

"So. . ." he trailed off as he leaned back against the chair, his eyes flickering towards the gun sitting in his waistband.

"No, no killing. I just want them to pay, beat them up or whatever, just teach them a lesson."

"Son, do you see this?" He asked as he gestured towards the teardrop tattoo sitting under his eye. I rolled my eyes and nodded my head as I leaned against the wall beside Kaden who stood there observing silently.

"I kill Mason, I don't let people leave alive, it's death or nothing," he spat. I sighed deeply and pinched the bridge of my nose in frustration. I could threaten him right now but that wouldn't do me any good. "Grett, I'm begging you right now,"

"Mason-"

"I'm BEGGING you!"

"Who's the girl?" He asked.

"Don't worry about that Gretto. You'll find out on the news anyway, her family is big here so they're gonna drag her through the mud. Gretto, I need this done today so promise me you'll get it done. Threaten them, beat them up, do not kill them!"

He stroked his cheek slowly and nodded his head before smirking, "Mason, at least tell me her name."

I think the hell not.

What if Michelle's dad finds a way to bribe the media out of this situation and he never finds out who she is and I open my mouth and tell him anyways. Do you think I'll risk having Gretto know who Michelle is? Risk having a group of sadistic and dangerous men know who the daughter of a highly acclaimed millionaire is?

She went through it with Kaleb, I won't let her go through it with me.

Especially not Gretto. He's been trying to get revenge on his brother for the longest while. If he knows Michelle is Kaleb's ex-girlfriend he'll try to send a message to his brother's gang which Kaleb is part of. Even me owing him won't stop him from hurting her.

And I'll kill him if he does.

•••

Michelle sat idly on the bench, her eyes drooped lowly as tears trickled down her cheek. They pressured to interrogate her but she never spoke, not until her parents came and she didn't have to do this alone.

She was scared, scared that people would think she did this out of spite and not to save herself. Too many times have women been disregarded in society and have been called attention seekers, sluts, liars. . .when all they needed was someone to believe them.

She needed them to believe her.

She cried silently, wishing her parents were here to hold her. In a moment like this, all she could think of was her mothers arms around her, telling her that she believed her. She needed it, not her friends, not Mason. . .her mom.

Officer Bill glared at her from across the table, willing her to speak one way or the other but she kept her lips pursed in a thin line, her eyes piercing through his.

"Get the hell out of my face," she spat as she narrowed her eyes at officer Bill. He shook his head in disbelief and lowered himself back onto the bench. "You're a feisty one White," he said.

"Keep interrogating me without my parents and a lawyer and by tomorrow I'll make sure you don't have a job." she hissed and he pursed his lips in a thin line, his arms folded over his chest as he glared at her.

She was heartbroken, watching a man that she thought had sworn to protect the citizens of Washington DC accuse of her of something she did in self-defence.

And that's why she didn't feel safe.

That's why she will never feel safe.

•••

Damien and Ryder and laughed in amusement as they tumbled on the field, oblivious to Mason's glares as they tossed the ball towards one another.

"Pass me the ball!" Mason shouted as he ran towards Ryder who flashed him a glare, "I'm also part of the team you piece of shit." He growled, his eyes narrowing to slits as he glared at Ryder who suddenly began to chuckle amusedly.

"Why don't you go down to the police station and cuddle with your girlfriend?" He cackled. Mason froze, his fist clenched at his side tightly as his body shook with rage. He tightened his jaw and sucked in a harsh breath, his eyes red with rage as he stared at Ryder expressionless.

Ryder shivered as his eyes interlocked with Mason's and he pivoted on his heels before running towards Damien.

A smirk slid onto his lips as he pivoted on his heels. He knew that tonight those two weren't going home in one piece.

When practice was done, Damien bid Ryder goodbye as he tumbled off the field. He retrieved his phone from his pocket and sighed deeply as his mothers name popped up onto the screen. She was reminding him to buy groceries because she didn't have enough money after spending it all on booze.

He sighed deeply and replied before shoving it back into his pocket and tumbling into the locker room where he changed his clothes and returned outside where Ryder stood, a worried expression etched on his face.

"What's your problem?" Damien asked.

Ryder's head snapped upwards and he clenched his fist tightly, his eyes flickering around the field in fear, "dude I think Mason knows."

Damien furrowed his eyebrows, staring back at his best friend in confusion. "Fuck Mason, there's nothing he can do anyways, am I right?"

Ryder hesitated for a moment before nodding his head, Damien patted his best friends back before walking down the field and into the schools parking lot. Ryder tumbled behind him and together they made their way towards Damien's car before a loud voice suddenly halted them in their footsteps.

"HEY!"

They pivoted on their heels, preparing to reply before their eyes widened in fear as a group of armed men charged towards them.

Before either one of them could do anything, they were on the ground.

Wincing from the pain that shot through their body with every kick and every punch.

Neither one of them knew why they were getting beaten up but eventually, Ryder knew.

He knew it was all Mason's plan to get back at them, snd surprisingly he wasn't even mad.

He knew he deserved every ounce of it.

Damien screamed out in pain when a shock spread throughout his body from the blow to his stomach. He screamed and shouted, pleading for them to stop as he gargled on his words from the blood that rode up to his throat and out his mouth.

What happened next had Mason stumbling off the wall he was perched onto as he observed them.

What happened next set off an alarm throughout the group of thugs who screamed at one another to run.

What happened next had Damien screaming in pain and agony.

What happened next had Ryder dumbfounded, crying for his best friend to hang on. Screaming and shouting for help as he held onto his dying body.

Mason who sat in a corner, his mouth hung low in astonishment as he stared at the gunshot wound in Damien's chest and the pool of blood that flooded around him.

He watched as Ryder clung onto his best friend's chest and wept.

Screaming for help.

But Mason didn't falter, no he wasn't even mad that Gretto didn't listen to him. Instead, a smirk grew on his face as he stared at Damien bleeding to death.

He deserved it he thought to himself.

That's what you get for messing with the wrong people he thought again.

The popular boy who only wanted to have sex with the good girl was now lying in his own pool of blood for his mistake.

Gasping for air.

But it was useless, the bullet hit him right in the lung. Depriving him of the air he needed.

And despite all of this Mason still called the ambulance, he wanted to stay anonymous of course but he didn't want to see the body left out.

He knew Damien would be dead within an hour.

Neither did he care.