We're not really strangers, are we?

3

Callum

Weaving my way through the empty roads in an attempt to make myself slightly less bored didn't work one bit. This night isn't what I exactly planned it to be. I expected to 'kidnap' Vanessa, then whilst she was in my car begging for sweet sweet mercy I would simply just tell her that I am here to save her. She would be so scared, trembling with fear but I would comfort her, but not too much that I had to show emotions. There are many rules when you are part of the Mafia, and one of them is to always stay focused on your victim, and never let your emotions show. Except Vanessa isn't one of my victims, I am trying to save this girl from a life of running.

I pull a sweet apple flavoured sucker from my pocket and put it in my mouth, allowing the flavour to savour onto my taste buds before swishing it around. The roads are relatively quiet for midnight, after all, you would expect more people coming home from their mad nights from Saturday. I glance over to Vanessa slightly to see that she has fallen asleep, looking so peaceful. I am surprised really, I wouldn't take her for the girl to be so calm in a random guy's car, after all, I could be anyone. I may have to teach her some lessons on certain things so that she can at least be street wise, because this is anything but that.

"Callum?" I jump in my seat and turn to Vanessa, who is all of a sudden awake.

"What," I say to her, keeping my eyes on the road and the road only. As much as I could be nice to Vanessa right now, that isn't supposed to be my persona, so I just choose not to.

"Your phone's ringing," She mumbles before handing it to me and putting her head against the window again. I roll my eyes and snatch the phone out of her hands, realising that I have no reason for being pissed with her, I mean, it isn't her fault. I quickly swipe the call and put the phone to my ear, not even checking who is calling. I wait for them to talk first, just in case it is a trap of some sort.

"Hello son, can you hear me?" Jax's musky harsh voice comes from the other line. It is hard to read his tone, I can't tell if he is angry or if he is just neutral, you can't read this man I tell you.

"Yeah I can, you alright?"

"Yeah I'm good. I sent Mike to a Diner to um- handle some business, and I've belled his phone and it's going to voicemail." Shit, I can't let him know I am out, I gotta pull over. I mute my phone quickly and pull over before turning the engine off. Vanessa is looking at me now with a questioning look, clearly confused as to what is going on. I exchanged a look with her and put my finger up, signalling her to wait. "Son? What's going on? Why can't I hear you?"

"Oh shit sorry, I must've put my phone on mute. Where did you send him?"

"Just this little shitty diner on the outskirts of the city, have you heard from him at all? Fuck knows what's going on."

"Nah I've not heard anything, I've been at my place all night, he might've dashed his phone. Do you reckon something went wrong?" I look over to Vanessa again but she has got her knees pushed up to her chest with her eyes shut. I go to put my hand on her leg before stopping myself, gripping my steering wheel instead.

"Nothing should have gone wrong, there was only a girl there, and I don't think that she could've done anything. Listen Callum, I gotta go, just call me if you hear anything."

Before I can say anything back, the other line goes dead. I slowly put my phone down beside me and examine my options:

1. I go home with Vanessa and evaluate more options, giving me more time.

2. We both run now.

3. I kill her

Okay, option 3 will only come along if the first two options fail, which I guarantee won't happen, I'm in the freaking Mafia, I can handle this. I let out a prolonged breath before putting my phone down next to me.