Everything She's Not

The First Rule

"We can't stay like this forever, Baby." Gabe says while still petting her hair.

"I know, I just don't want this to end." Lilly says, defeated.

"I know, Lil. But, I'm their leader and they're expecting me. Besides...if I'm not there, s**t gets crazy." He grunts as she lifts off of him.

She climbs over, grabs her clothes from the floorboard and redresses silently. He's watching her while putting his jeans back on.

"What's wrong?" He asks.

She shrugs and looks out the window for the last 10 minutes of the drive. He reaches over for Lilly's hand and laces his fingers between hers. She barely responds.

Once the car is parked outside of the "gang house", which is really just a huge mansion owned by the founder of the "business" that was passed down to each leader after him, Gabe kisses her hand and lets go.

"Listen, Lil." He starts.

"I know. I can't be your anything while we're here. I'm just a warm body." She sniffles as she says those words.

"We can tell everyone, but you'd have to be on guard all the time. I wouldn't be able to keep you safe unless you went everywhere with me, lived with me, and had your own gun. It would be a life of looking over your shoulder. You wouldn't be able to leave for college. You'd be stuck here. Yeah, you'd be rich, we could buy a nice house, our own house. You'd have men willing to take a bullet for you, but you'd also have to live with all the nasty and terrible that comes with this line of work. You'd have to be tough. If we had kids, you'd have to be willing to kill for them, because that might be what saves their lives. A lot of our alliances are fickle, and could turn on us at any moment. The people inside aren't just from OUR gang, they're also from other dangerous families and some of them are mob. But, if you want, I will scream at the highest cliff that you're mine."

*knock knock* There's a knock at the window.

"I get it," Lilly says in a huff, getting out of the car and walking into the mansion.

Gabe follows, ignoring the girl waiting by his car. His mind is fixated on the task that has been handed to him by Mr. Plump. He has to kill one of his most important members in front of everyone, and Mr. Plump wants it on camera. He may be the leader of this gang, but there are much bigger and badder entities at play. No way could he handle the mob or the cartel on his own. Truth be told, the reason he is even in business with them is that if he weren't, he'd be dead. This is his distraction from the woman who just ignored him after he laid everything out on a plate for her.

Gabe's eyes are trained on Lilly for the first few hours of the party, watching as she flirts with every gang member she can get attention from. She makes eye contact with him from the main floor, while he watches from the balcony. His jaw clenches while she makes out with a member and lets him slide his sleazy hand up her leg.

Lilly knows exactly what game she's playing. She knows what's at stake if he's too distracted to keep his end of the deal with Mr. Plump. She finds it exciting to watch him while he follows her every move with a murderous look on his face.

"Thanks, but I have a man. I'm just getting his attention." Lilly says while pulling away from the drunk gang member and patting his chest with a devious smile.

Truth be told, she's had his attention the whole time. Gabe takes his anger out on the gang member who challenges him to a fight. The underground fighting ramps up while bets are handed out, shirts are removed and knuckles are bloodied.

Gabe is smashing the member's teeth when the blood splatters. He dodges it, and it hits Lilly in the face as she comes up behind him. She swipes it away with the back of her hand. Gabe's distracted by the sight of her covered in blood, it's oddly arousing, so the member takes the opportunity to step up and swing at him. His fist hits Gabe in the jaw as he's turning to face the member.

This lights a fire in Gabe. He pins the member to the floor and begins to wail on him until he's unconscious.

"Mm, that was hot, Baby." Lilly whispers against Gabe's ear while she wipes the blood from his mouth.

He's consumed by the sound of Lilly wanting him after beating the crap out of someone and winning a lot of money. But, he's reminded of the task at hand when his right hand man gives him a Glock and pats his shoulder. He scans the party, finding Rodriguez, the person in charge of the escort services in the "business".

Two large men drag Rodriguez to Gabe and force him to his knees. At this point, the entire building is quiet and watching him. The anticipation and terror is hanging in the air.

"Mr. Plump doesn't want any of us touching his daughter. You've been told to keep your hands off her, right Rodriguez?" Gabe asks, holding the Glock a few centimeters above the quivering gangster's head.

"Yes, sir." He stammers.

"What's the first rule of our gang?" He presses the cold, black metal to the gangster's head.

Lilly steps closer, grabbing Gabe's hand to steady it. "Do it." She whispers.

"Don't touch women who don't wanna be touched." Rodriguez replies.

"See, you DO understand." Gabe responds before pulling the trigger.

A loud bang and a grunt ring into the air before Rodriguez's body hits the floor and blood pools around him.

"Clean this s**t up, I've got a crazy b***h to destroy." Gabe says, handing the Glock to his right hand man and lifting Lilly onto his waist, carrying her to the closest bedroom and locking the door.