In the Middle - Book One

Chapter 62

We had pulled to a stop at a diner. I was starving and I needed to calm my nerves. I still couldn't believe we had actually gotten away with that. 
I ate the fries on my plate, Gabriel was smashing down two burgers. 

'I have to admit, I had no confidence in you.' He chuckled. 'Really? No, I wouldn't have guessed that.' I smile. I am still a little rattled. 'So Luis is working for Da'Von huh?' 
'Guess so, i'm actually not as surprised as I thought i'd be about that.' Gabriel confessed. 

'Really why?' I asked, finishing off my fries. 'Well, his betrayal to the other team isn't surprising I mean. 

He leaned back in the booth and let out a loud burp. 'Gross.' I reamended.

'I have to ask.' 
'If you have to.'

'Why aren't you and your brother close with Luis? It is just cause you aren't full brothers?' Gabriel sat back, his thoughts ticking away. 

'We were close, when we were younger.'
'So what changed?' 
'He did. I mean he didn't, he has always been a complete asshole but he just became selfish and conceited. Our dad was an angry guy right? But Luis would always make him angrier, he did it because he like to see him mad. When our dad was mad, no matter who was to blame we all took fault. He would punish all of us.' He explained. 

I sat back and just listened. The was the most I had even learnt about The Ramos families parents. Taylor never mentioned anything either, tough subject for her, I get it though. 

'One day Luis was just so angry, when Luis was fifteen he got expelled. Dad went off on all of us, so Julian beat Luis up. He was sick of getting hit cause of him ya know?! Luis was embarrassed and angry or whatever and so he got super drunk and took a bunch of drugs. And then he went and killed our mum.' Gabriel said. 

'Holy shit!' 

'Yep. He wanted revenge, Ezekiel was going to kill Luis but he had taken off. We didn't see him after that till a month ago. If anything we are the ones that are mean to get even with him. It's bullshit!' Gabriel slammed his fist on the table. 

'I'm so sorry.' I meant it. Family killing family was something I was very aware of. Now I understand why Julian had never said anything at all. 

'I get it, why it's better for him to not be around. Why you would want him dead. When my dad supposedly killed my brother I was mad but I couldn't do anything about it cause I was a kid. But then when we killed my mum, that felt worse.' 

'See, so you get it. You done?' Gabriel pointed at my plate. 'Help yourself.' He pulled it towards him and started eating my cheeseburger.' I wasn't too hungry anyway. 

My phone started ringing. Julian was calling. 

"Hey." I breathed through the phone. 
"Hey, you're alright. I heard on the police scanner, officers were killed! Was that you two?"
"No, that was Luis."
"Luis? He was there?"
"Yeah, we think he's working for Da'Von." I explained. "Zeke wants you back at the warehouse." 
"Okay, we'll be there soon. Love you." I smiled through the phone. "Love you too." I could feel his smile going through. 

'That was disgusting.' Gabriel added. 'Come on, Ezekiel wants us back.' 


I let Gabriel drive back, I was done with this fucking car for a lifetime. There was no one around when we pulled up. We walked into the empty building, everyone had gone home and it felt eerie. 'Hello?' I called out. 

Julian came through the office door. 

'Hey! I am so glad you're safe.' He kissed my head. 'Again, gross!' Gabriel taunted. I followed him back into the office. Harry was here also, sitting on the couch. 

'Hey, i'm glad your safe.' He hugged me. 'So Luis is working for Da'Von?' Ezekiel asked. 
'Looks that way.' Gabriel spoke. 
'I'm not even surprised he would do something like that. They both want to take us down.' Ezra was right, Da'Von and his mob were no friend to the Ramos mob. But there were less of them. We seemed to be growing more and more in numbers lately. 

'Did they take the boxes at least?' Ezra asked. 'What was in those?' 
The twins smiled, it was evil, secretive. 'Well?' Julian demanded. 'Bombs, small ones but enough to take out quiet a few.' Ezra finally shared. 

'Are you fucking serious? We could have been blown up!' Gabriel argued. I couldn't believe it. 'Well, we were hoping you wouldn't. And you didn't. But, just by opening those boxes it would have triggered them.' They explained. 

'It'll be all over the new tomorrow.' Harry mentioned. 

'Yeah, it will be. But if there is even a chance Da'Von or Luis was there...'
'I don't know about Da'Von but Luis was chasing us the whole time. If they opened them after we left, he'd still be alive.' I shared. 

'He was the one that shot the cops?' Kaden asked. 'Yeah.'

'So the whole police force will be looking for him, I guess that helps us out a bit.' 

'How did your driving go?' Ezekiel asked. I looked over at Gabriel. 'She stalled the car, while Luis and the cops were behind us.' He admitted blame. 

'So maybe it is luck that you're alive!' Ezekiel laughed. 'Yeah, it was super hilarious in the moment too.' I sarcastically mention. 

'Okay, well. I guess we'll find out tomorrow who died or not.' Ezra added. Kaden and Gabriel walked out. 'Come on.' Harry nudged me. 'I'll home.' He smirked. He walked out the door but I stayed behind. 
I gave Julian a quick kiss on the cheek. 

'Nice work.' Ezra noted. I turned back to look at him. He had a devilish smile across his face. Even Ezekiel was smiling which was a rare occasion but I wasn't exactly sure why. When I looked at Julian he didn't share the same expression. He was death staring his brother. What was going on between those two? Was this still about the kiss? It had happened a while ago, was Ezra playing off his brother emotions now? 
I just wanted out of whatever feud was brewing. 

'I'll talk to you later okay?' I spoke to Julian. He nodded and I walked out, finding my way back to my brother. 

The car was already warm when I got in it with Harry. I could see the frustration bubbling under the surface. 

'Say it!' I sighed. 

'I'm sick of this Zoie, they could have actually blown you up tonight. I feel like this is just a joke to them, they don't have to put the same risk on their lives as you are putting on yours.'
'Harry stop, please! I get it, You want me out. But it doesn't work like that okay? And this is my choice too, it's not just them telling me what to do. I chose this too, just like you did!'

'NO, I chose you. Not them.'
'So if I wasn't around or with them, you would be on Da'Von's side?' He didn't answer. Was that what he meant though? That if I had never been with Julian our family would be with Da'Von's mob? Then maybe tonight it would have been Harry getting blown up. I couldn't even think about that. 
'This isn't just about Julian anymore Harry, this is the good side.' 
'There is no good side.' 
'All I know is that Da'Von is not a good person.'
'And they are good people?'

'You shouldn't speak like that.'
'Why? They gonna kill me?' Now I wasn't sure what to say. 'They are better people than Da'Von. And you know that. You're telling me you have no loyalty to them?'

'Of course I have loyalty to them. But they were once the reason I had to fake my death Zoie.'
'They weren't the only reason.' He looked right into my eyes. I could feel where he was coming from. I just wish he would see where I was coming from too.

'I chose this too.' I say again. I need to know he hears it. I get he wants to protect me. He worries when I'm off doing something for them. But when he is off doing something for them I still have to worry too. 
I feel better at least sort of knowing what's going on.' 

'I love you, you know. I just wanna make sure you have a future.' 
'I know! I worry about that for you too.'