^^ special thanks to starlightwriting for the beautiful cover above ♥

Lucius's POV

I was met with loud music the moment I entered the old looking apartment doors, which clearly did not look old from the inside.

Stepping inside, I slowed down my pace and looked around the numerous heads. This place was big, yet it was still cramped up with these people.

I was not surprised, though. This place looked like a typical club, and clubs like such were always filled after midnight.

Since I couldn't find the person I came here for, I went over towards the bar and sat down on one of the silver bar stools. For some reason, I could feel my head pounding along with the loud music. Probably because of how fucking tired I felt right now.

"Something to drink?" I looked up and saw a red haired girl narrowing her gaze at me, from the other side of the bar counter.

Everything inside me was protesting to get some sleep. I was even willing to sleep here against this bar counter if I had a choice. But I had to remind myself that I was not here for that.

The red haired girl wiped her hands on her apron and raised her pierced brows at me, waiting.

"Yeah. A bottle of water." I nodded, looking back towards the dancing crowd. Girls in short dresses, boys in typical jeans and shirts.

Why was it that I always ended up in such bars?

I closed my eyes briefly to clear my head with the sudden neon lights. Few more minutes here and I'm sure I'd be having a really bad headache.

"Here you go." The girl came back, placed a bottle of water in front of me, and left to serve somebody else.

I opened up the cap and gulped down the cold water. Hopefully, this would help and keep the drowsiness away. At least until I did what I was here for.

"Lucius!" A cheerful voice came from somewhere behind me.

Frowning a little, I turned around and looked at a very much unfamiliar girl. Her long dark hair fell down her shoulders in smooth waves, a short black dress hugging her body.

"I didn't know you come to this bar too." The way she batted her long eyelashes at me, that made me frown even more.

Was I supposed to know who she was?

Her eyes widened a little as if she had heard the obvious question in my head. "You do remember who I am, right?" She asked, pouting her dark red lips.

"Uh, yeah." I lied, eyeing her before sipping some more water.

The seductive smile came back again and I realized that I may have seen her before. In Welsh's Bar maybe?

"So..." She stepped forward, towering over me since I was the one sitting down. "...what brings you here?"

This is why I hated going over to any bar after midnight, especially when I was sleep deprived. However, before I could've said anything, she stepped closer and wrapped one of her slim arms around my neck.

"Why don't we dance?" She leaned closer and whispered in my ear.

I closed my eyes and scrunched up my forehead. Opening them again, I stood up and carefully pushed her hand away from my neck.

"I'm sorry...but I have to go." I didn't even know why I was apologizing. It wasn't my fault that I wasn't interested in her right now.

My eyes trailed away from her face behind her and stopped near a guy in a long black coat. It could've been anyone, but the blond hair gave it away.

Short height. Thin frame. Pale complexion. And yeah, blond hair.

That's all I was told about this guy. And I couldn't really make out any other blond apart from him.

"Later." I muttered before sidestepping her.

Unfortunately, drunk girls like her got a lot clingy in such situations. The exact reason why she blocked my way again and clutched onto my arm before pushing me back against the bar counter.

"Come on, Lucius. Other things can wait, right?" She asked, looking at me from beneath her lashes, pressing her slim body against mine.

My gaze flickered back towards the blond guy, who was weaving his way through the crowd, escaping away. I had a very short time left before things fucked up more than necessary.

"We can go upstairs. There are rooms on the second floor." She suggested in her silky smooth voice.

When I made no move to say anything, my gaze still fixated at the blond guy, she took me completely by surprise when she leaned closer and dipped her head against my neck. Then she trailed her soft lips against my neck.

I gripped her arm and pushed her away with a frown before forcing out the words, "I said, later. Okay?"

I didn't wait there any longer to hear her response. Quickly, I sidestepped her once again and followed the blond haired guy.

Squeezing among the crowd and trying my best not to physically force people out of my way proved out harder than I could imagine. All the while, I kept my gaze fixated on the blond head which was moving a lot faster.

Finally, after what felt like hours, I grabbed the back of his coat and pulled him to a stop. The guy whipped around almost instantly, regarding me with his wide, scared eyes.

"What are you—" I pulled him towards the back exit until we were in the familiar dark alleyway. For once, I was truly grateful that I wasn't still under those blinding neon lights.

"Who the fuck do you think you are?" He shouted pretty loudly for a guy who looked scared like shit.

I straightened my jacket over myself and ran a hand through my hair before stepping towards him. He must've taken that as a threat since he backed away against the old rusty wall.

"Look, I don't know what the hell you're here for but I don't have what you want." His face paled even further under the moonlight.

I was so fucking used to such situations that it didn't even amuse me in the slightest.

"And what do you think I'm here for?" I asked him, sliding my hand inside my back pocket and taking out my phone. Not surprisingly, a lot of missed calls were from Ryder.

I was so going to be fucked up today.

The blond guy balled his fists. I noticed the wild look in his eyes as they darted from here to there. He was most certainly planning to come up with an escape.

"You work for Burner." I stated. A sentence that somehow made the dark, empty alleyway seem more...quiet.

I hated that I had to say his name. I hated that guy. I hated even speaking about him.

"I don't know who he is and I don't know why you're here. Let me go." He rushed out his lies. It was surprising that he thought I'd believe him when he looked this scared.

I inhaled deeply at that. I despised situations like these, where I wasn't the bad guy but the situation made me seem like the bad guy. I really wasn't. At least not right now.

"You've got exactly five seconds to start speaking." I fixed my glare at his cowering form. "Tell me what the hell this is about before I do something you won't have the chance to regret later."

He paled even further at that. If I wouldn't have been so exhausted right now, I would've been a little concerned for his current state. He looked like he might just die like this.

I didn't break my glare away from his face, ticking the five seconds in my head.

"He...he needs that thing. From that girl." He spoke up almost immediately. "Believe me, I never meant to be involved in this. They forced me into this. Those other men were after me. Burner needs something. I don't know what it is but it's something important. He knows where it is now. He's coming after that girl. I really don't know anything else."

I felt my phone vibrate in my hand. Glancing down at it, I read Ryder's name on the screen. I looked back at the blond guy.

"Go."

He froze at his spot, eyes widening even further.

With a small groan, I pushed back my hair when I realized that he wasn't moving. "For fuck's sake, do you wish to die?"

He shook his head timidly.

"Then fucking run away!" I hissed at him, hearing footsteps nearing me from behind. "Don't say a single word to anybody. I'm trusting you when you said that you want to be free from this shit. Go and never come back. Do you understand?"

He nodded and finally, I saw some color drain back imto his face. "I–thank you. Thank you." The words rushed out of his mouth before he turned away and ran the opposite way.

I knew that I should've run away too. I should've followed him and left just as quick. But unlike him, I knew what was coming. Something that was meant to come my way sooner or later.

"Jackson." A gruff voice came from behind me.

I turned around slowly and saw three men all clad in black. I recognized them to be Ryder's men. As if on queue, Ryder stepped out from behind them and eyed me with his narrowed gaze.

"Where is he?" He asked, looking around.

I slowly dragged a hand up my curls, pushing them back. I saw Ryder advancing towards me, but I didn't back away.

"Where the fuck is he, Jackson?" He fumed, his dark blue eyes glaring at me.

At this point, I could feel the exhaustion nagging at my eyelids. I was really craving some sleep right now.

"I don't know." I lied nonchalantly.

The next instant, he fisted his hand around the front of my shirt and pulled me forward. "Jackson, you really don't want this right now."

"I don't." I stated calmly. But we both knew it was coming either way.

"One last chance. Tell me where he ran off to. Tell me all the stuff that he told you." Ryder looked like he was trying to remain calm like me. He also knew me well enough to know how I had interrogated that blond guy. And that was probably pissing him off since I had reached that guy way before him.

I knew how much important this was for Ryder. I knew he had been working so hard to get his hands on one of his men, Burner's men, for so long. And I had ruined his plans right now.

"I don't think that stuff concerns you anyway." I frowned at him. Which was the truth, but he didn't seem to believe me.

He pulled me closer, whispering almost in a threatening way. "You called this, Jackson. And you won't dare to fight back."

So I didn't fight back when he pushed me away almost harshly. And I didn't fight back when one of his burly men's fist came in contact with my stomach—which to be honest, was no fun at all. Getting punched in the stomach when your insides are aching for sleep is the worst thing ever.

I staggered back against the concrete wall, trying my hardest not to bend over and groan out loud. However, another punch soon followed by. I tried not to but doubled over anyway. The next kick was kind of painful so it was natural when I glared up at that person before slamming my fist in his jaw.

Ryder made a sound of disapproval since he had clearly told me not to fight back. There were things for which I couldn't have defied his orders. Still, I don't know what kind of satisfaction he got watching me getting beaten up by his fucking minions.

Again, it took me by surprise when someone gripped the front of my shirt and shoved me up against the wall before knocking his fist somewhere towards my shoulder this time. I hissed at the sudden pain but didn't punch him, even though I felt like doing that.

I saw another fist coming my way, towards my face this time. I pulled my face away right on time before shoving the guy away. "Not the fucking face, you bastard."

Before that guy could've regained his composure back again, Ryder stepped forward and held up his hand to stop them, all the while fixing his glare on me. "This much is fine for now. I hope you know what you're doing, Jackson."

I let out another small groan and placed my head back against the concrete wall, glaring back at him.

I saw his men walking away. All until Ryder was the only one left. "That guy worked for Burner. He ran away from his army. Do you know what kind of fucked up thing you just did by letting him go?"

"He didn't want this." I muttered, letting out another groan when a sharp jab of pain went through my stomach.

Ryder looked at me disapprovingly before shaking his head a little. "Don't make me regret this, Jackson. You and I both know the consequences for defying my orders don't just involve slight beating."

"You call this slight beating?" I asked him incredulously.

He shook his head in disbelief, a small smirk tugging on his lips. "Later, Jackson."

And then he disappeared into the shadows, just like his men.

I closed my eyes and leaned back against the wall. Sudden exhaustion seemed almost overwhelming at this point. A small sigh escaped my lips when a thought struck me.

Home. I should go back home.

I needed to cover up the obvious bruises. I needed to get the sleep. However, I stopped when I thought about Grace.

I promised her.

Well, fuck.

_______________________________________________________________________

Crystal 🌿