Callous (bad boys #1)

Chapter 7/Mob business

Do you ever get that weird feeling in your stomach when something bad is about to happen? Like, literally. No exaggerating. Something is happening in my tummy, like. . .like it’s churning and uneasiness coils around my insides. 

Something is terribly wrong. 

I rushed to the front door, peeking outside through the window’s curtain, and spotted Aarib fumbling with his car keys as he tried to unlocked his car, and slid behind the wheel of his overly suspicious black BMW. As he reversed out of the driveway, seconds later three black cars almost the same as Aarib’s followed pursuit, and that’s when my heart almost jumped out of my chest and ran after Aarib. 

He was in great danger. I had to help him. 

My family always used to call me delusional, idiotic even, but I had never really believed I was dumb, according to them. Now, my opinion changed to something entirely different, something I never admitted to myself. I was pretty dumb, and I realized that after throwing on a big cloak and Nike Air Force, as I rushed out and jumped into my brother’s car. Some might even call me crazy. 

Yet I was still following my heart when I really should’ve been listening to my brain and the coherent thoughts that kept on appearing in my head. I was high on adrenaline as I all but drove like a lunatic, trying to catch up with the rows of black cars ahead of me. 

Reckless, a voice screamed in my head. Truly, utterly reckless.  

With my gaze sharp, my senses clear, I followed them until after fifteen minutes I was in the middle of nowhere, far away from my house and parked my car far behind them as I turned off the headlights and slapped my arm here and there on the passenger seat. . .crap. My eyes widened in horror. 

I forgot my phone at home. 

Crap. Crap. CRAP! 

Despite streetlights lining each side of the cemented road, none of them worked save for the loner above the heads of the huge, bulky men who slipped out of the car, and darted their eyes around the area. I couldn’t be more glad for the lack of light. I wonder what would happen if they saw me. . . shudder! 

With slow measured steps, I followed after the men inside what could be called the most suspicious buildings I have ever seen in my existence. I stopped by the huge metal doors, peering over, and waiting until everyone was inside. When I was sure they might be somewhere deep inside the creepy building, only then did I start moving again. 

My first thought was the door would be locked, I mean, isn’t that what sensible people do? That’s what I would’ve done. But when I walked up the porch and peeked through the window, it took everything within me to stifle the gasp of horror. Shoot. The men’s backs were towards me, but it was near impossible to not notice the g*n holsters wrapped around their thighs. They were huge, bulky men, and standing at a corner of the corridor was him.

Aarib.

Only he could see me if he just tilted a little—

His gaze cut to mine like a steel knife, piercing me to the spot. His face was ghost white, eyes widening a fraction in surprise before he looked back at the men standing before him. My eyes travelled down to his hands that were curling into fists, then up to his face. His lips pressed together in discontent. He looked murderous angry, scared even. He said something to the men and they disappeared inside a room to the left. 

Aarib took his chance to glance my way. He didn’t hesitate in shooting me a warning glare, and mouthing the words ‘WHAT THE HECK?’ Despite not being able to hear his voice, I could tell it would’ve made my knees go weak. 

Seconds later Aarib walked behind the men. I wasn’t a fool. This was definitely not something to let go of easily. Aarib’s life was in danger. Even if his hatred for me overpowered anything good he felt towards me, I wanted to prove him that I was a nice friend towards him. Although I am pretty sure he doesn’t give a crap, and my presence would basically just add to his plate, it still didn’t feel right to leave him. 

Maybe he needed me.

I could only hope. 

My first guess was the scary looking men were Mafia. I mean, hello? I don’t live under a rock, and watching enough action movies with my brothers’ has helped me spot a Mafia. There was little to no doubt they were exactly those cruel hearted, callous men, in other words called criminals. 

I gave a silent prayer in my heart, closed my eyes, blew out a breath, and pushed the door handle down. Muffled voices were coming from the door in which they all were. At some point it had been shut, but I hadn’t noticed. 

Bringing my ear close to the door, I tried to decipher the conversation being held inside, but understood nothing, except for the ‘leave me alone!’ that Aarib yelled. 

The world sort of slowed down when the door was no longer against my ear. Had I somehow moved away? Or maybe. . . 

“Who the heck are you?” the man snarled in my face, grabbing my arm and hauling me inside. His fingers dug into my skin so painfully that I had to press my lips together from crying out loud. 

“You brought a girl with you?” the other man said, his voice piercing through the air like a sharp needle. 

With my hand clutching my left arm, I raised my head and looked over at Aarib. He resembled a beast, ready to attack. But not me. He wasn’t—couldn’t—ever, hurt me. Not once. Instead, he wanted to rip apart the man who once again took my arm and gave me a shove in Aarib’s direction. I was about to collide with Aarib, but his strong hands steadied me, preventing our bodies from coming any closer, for which I was so grateful. I didn’t want to be too close to him. 

“The heck?” Aarib growled. He protectively moved in front of me. Eyes burned into mine. Somehow, I don’t know how, I was still breathing. “Why the heck did you follow me? Do you have any idea what you’ve gotten yourself into? Any idea?”

Tears pooled in my eyes. Wow, best time to be at my weakest. First, I couldn’t keep myself from following him, and now when I need to be strong, I start crying. Can I please have a round of applause, or a drum roll?

Maybe both?

“I am sorry,” I rasped, wiping away the traitorous tears that fell down my cheeks. “I saw—saw these suspicious cars following you—“

“We don’t have forever. Aarib, get in the damn car,” someone yelled. I couldn’t see, thanks to the muscular wall blocking my way. I couldn’t even look away from his eyes. When did Aarib’s eyes turn so. . .cold? I mean, they were cold before, but now they looked disconnected. Harsh. 

“Shut up, Feroz. I told you to leave me the hell alone.” Aarib spun around, glaring at the man standing across from him some distance away. 

The man didn’t look too old, maybe around his late twenties. His build was not lean like Aarib, but they shared the same eyes and hair. He was Aarib’s brother? Aarib had a brother?

Feroz’s eyes cut to mine when I moved to the left, standing just beside, but a little behind Aarib. Something like mischief gleamed in his eyes, and he tilted his head as he examined me like a report. 

“I didn’t know you had a girlfriend. I thought my brother didn’t do relationships.”

“She is not my girlfriend,” Aarib corrected. “Just a friend. And keep your filthy hands off of her,” he snapped at all the men standing on each side of Feroz. The thought ‘Mafia’ appeared in my head. I shuddered beside Aarib. He noticed, but decided to continue shooting daggers at the men. 

“You can’t run away for longer, and you know that. Father has been trying to find you for years. Do you know how much tension he’s been taking since Mom ran away with you? I think it’s enough and you need to come back to us.”

Um, what? 

Since Mom ran away with you? Did his Mom run away when from their family? But why? Why did she run away?

“I told you I have nothing to do with you. Leave me alone.” 

The two brothers stared each other down. The tension grew thick in the air, almost to the point where they would launch on each other and tear from limb to limp every part of their bodies. 

“This friend of yours,” Feroz grins, “Does she know you are the son of the biggest Mafia of San Francisco?”

Woa—OH MY GOD! HE IS THE SON OF A MAFIA? I DON’T KNOW WHY I AM OVERREACTING CONSIDERING I ALREADY KNOW WHAT THEY ARE—BUT SERIOUSLY WHAT?

Aarib dares a peek at me, probably to gauge my reaction. He gets nothing, save for the slightly parted lips, and eyes open in horror. 

“That’s why you have that BMW. How did I not put the pieces together?” I whisper. My eyes scan his face. He just looks mad. And it makes me mad in return. “I think maybe I deserve an explanation.”

He stares at me. Gone is the anger from his eyes, replaced by an emotion I can’t quite name. “If I told you to trust me with this, would you?” 

I don’t hesitate a second before murmuring, “Yes. Yes I would.” Gah. I said it. I said it and ignored the red flag being waved right in front of me. something deep inside me yells I am making a mistake with trusting him, and another part that goes way deeper tells me to trust this rude boy with everything I have. 

He pulls out the car keys from his jean pocket, then holds it out to me. His eyes, his face, everything about him is so beautiful. He can pretend with me all he wants, but I see him through the walls built around him. Through the guard that’s up around him all the time. 

“Go get in my car. Don’t worry about yours. I’ll get it to your home.”

I find myself nodding to his words. Then, I am out of the house as fast as a sports car.