Illegal Love

Chapter 3: Bonding

Tristan's POV
"Ugh," I groan as I stumble out of my bed. I had been up way too late last night for me to be up this early. However, I had to leave with Kirk and Russell at 10:00 am. My tousled hair was a mess, and I needed a shower. Once I finished getting ready for the day, I strode downstairs to get something to eat. Of course, the kitchen was a mess, and the garbage was brimming with empty frozen dinners. In all honesty, Ember Island was a massively expensive frat house filled with boys capable of killing. Now that I think about it: bringing Victoria here might do the boys some good. I inwardly chuckle as I pour myself some cereal.
"Boss. Are you ready to go?" Russell bursts into the room a couple of minutes later.
"Yeah. Let's go," I respond.
We rush out the door to be met by Kirk.
"Hey, Boss! Sorry I wasn't able to talk last night. I got our ride, though!" Kirk apologizes.
"It's okay. When's our ETA?" I ask.
"15 minutes, give or take!" he yells back over the sound of the helicopter's rotors.
About 15 minutes later, I climb out of the copter, my ears still adjusting. I immediately set off for the diner, praying that Victoria is there.

Victoria's POV
I look up to the sound of the door's bell chiming.
"Hello! Welcome to" I start before being cut off.
"I told you I'd be back," the hot guy smirks.
"I see that," I smoothly retort.
"Nice to see you, Mister?" I question.
"Just Tristan," he finishes.
"Okay, just Tristan. Nice to finally know your name! I'm Victoria Casey," I inform him.
"So, what brings you to work in this diner, if that's what you can even call it?" Tristan laughs.
"Well, not all of us can be rich," I coldly retort.
"Woah! Sorry! I didn't mean to offend!" he quickly apologizes. "What I meant to say: was why are you working here when you seem to have so much potential?" he corrects himself.
"I'm still here because I'm working to become a doctor," I calm down.
"Dang! That's a tough career," he admits.
"I'm getting by," I say.
"Good to hear," he congratulates.
It was starting to get awkward at this point. However, we didn't receive a chance to remedy that. I looked up and saw a group of people dressed in all black.
"What the?" I exclaim.
At that moment, the glass windows start shattering with the whizzing bullets streaking through the diner.
"Tristan!" I yell, frightened.
"Get down!" he yells, pushing me below the counter.
He ducks down beside me, reaching behind his back.
I look at him questioningly, but he glares back as if to say, "Don't ask." I quickly look around the counter and see the group trying to climb through the broken glass shards of the window. When I look back to Tristan, he has a black pistol of some sort aimed at the group, and he's firing back. I start to panic now. Maybe this hot guy was a bit too dangerous for my tasting. Tristan has a look of fury splayed over his face. All of a sudden, there's silence. The gunfight had stopped, so I peer over the top of the counter. Tristan had somehow left my side and was shaking with fury as he talked to two of the burliest men I've ever seen. Something was wrong. It was like I was watching everything happen from outside my body. I take a deep breath and calm my shaking hands. Yeah, that confirms it- definitely in shock. I look around the counter and see the men that shot at us all lying on the floor, looks of death remaining in their cold eyes. Well, all of them except one. He's the smallest of the lot, and he's bound, sitting on the floor. Tristan is questioning him relentlessly. Finally, he picks the man up and shoves him over to the two burly men I had seen earlier. Once the three disappear out of sight into the night, I glance over to Tristan. I"m pretty sure he's speaking to me, but my brain is telling me that the floor looks like a perfectly comfy place to take a nap. It appears that the adrenaline rush is over as I meet Tristan's green eyes one final time before I keel over and pass out unconscious.

Tristan's POV
"Victoria! Come on! Wake up!" I frantically yell as I check for injuries.
It had all happened so fast! I had been flirting and finally making a connection with Victoria when the rival gang, the Spades, had burst into the room, guns blazing. I always carried my handgun as a backup plan. Almost always, Kirk and Russell accompanied me everywhere, but I didn't want them to frighten Victoria off. I had given them some errands to run, but that turned out to be a stupid mistake. I was furious with myself for letting my guard down, even for one night. Victoria was still out cold, so I grabbed her stuff from the back room I had managed to track down, then I called Kirk.
"Hey. Did you dispose of the body?" I refer to the man I interrogated.
I didn't want to do anything too rash in front of my innocent girl.
"Yes, Boss. Do you need us back at the diner?" Kirk asks.
"Yes, please. And hurry because I can hear the sirens," I inform Kirk calmly.