Alex wasn't a man who enjoyed what he did. He never enjoyed beating people up for protection money. Neither did he enjoy threatening innocent families with fates worse than death if they decided that betrayal or running away was a good option.
The Turners were a different breed of crime family, more progressive in their ways of crime. Most kept it traditional, followed the Don's every word and stayed with the old ways of the mafia. Though the Turners had become more aggressive as time went on and it was something Alex hated.
This is where the Kanes had come in. The Turners needed more territory, or so Alex's father had said. He had a sneaking suspicion it was yet another thinly veiled excuse to start a turf war.
"Do you want to look weak?"
Alex's older brothers had shook their heads obediently while their father kept talking.
"I didn't think so. We need the docks. It's a good bit of territory and remains relatively lightly guarded. Kane is getting sloppy in his old age. Or perhaps he's just a little too arrogant."
Alex's eyes remained anywhere but his father's face as he kept his hands in his dress pockets. He rubbed his leather shoes against the linoleum floor, creating an irritating squeaking sound. It earned him a shove in the side from one of his older brothers and a glare from his Mother.
He stopped with a sigh.
"It's not right to just bust in and take their territory. They haven't done anything to us."
Alex spoke up, eyes finally settling on his father. His father's eyes narrowed and a loud smack could be heard. Alex's mother winced but didn't move to help her son.
She never did.
Alex covered his stinging cheek with his hand, feeling a fresh cut opened high up on his cheekbone.
"You talking back to me, boy?"
Alex looked to his mother for help but she was ignoring him, trying her best to act as though nothing had happened despite seeing it with her own two eyes just moments before.
"No, sir."
Alex eventually responded in a soft voice. He'd managed to leave that talk with only one cut on his face. It was better than most days. He'd been told to go in the van with his brothers down to the docks and start collecting protection money. But halfway through, he'd ditched them to walk around on his own. He'd had more than enough of terrifying people for one day.
As Alex walked down the small street, he noticed a small beach. You couldn't call it a beach really, it was more of a small strip of sand where perhaps a small family could squeeze together if they tried. There on the sand strip was a young man with his eyes downcast and toes in the sand. He was wearing an unbuttoned floral shirt and board shorts, eyes watching the waves rush forwards and over his bare feet.
His shirt swayed in the wind and as he sat down, he turned his head to the side and Alex caught a glimpse of his face. He visibly recoiled when he realized who it was.
Miles Kane.
But just as he was about to leave for fear of being caught watching him, Alex caught sight of his expression. It made him pause and he instead chose to hide behind the corner of a nearby building. The man looked incredibly sad, heart wrenchingingly so. Was he like him? Waiting for an opportunity to leave this life of crime and murder for something so much more peaceful and calm? That thought made him scoff.
YOU ARE READING
Used To Be My Girl
Romance"We can't do this." Miles looked at Alex, eyes darting around anxiously even though they were alone. "And why can't we?" Alex challenged with a smile, settling his hands on Miles' hips. Miles sighed and leaned into him, burying his face into Alex's...
