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"Okay," I parked near the front of the lot, glancing back at Cielo in her big girl car seat.

"Are you ready to have some fun?" I turned around in my seat and grinned at her.

Cielo nodded, turning to look out the window with an indifferent expression. "There's going to be a lot of kids there. Running...and screaming," I explained slowly.

Cielo's head snapped back to me.

"I know. And if things don't work out, we'll find somewhere else to go. You liked it when we went to the museum, remember? With Jovan and I. Or the aquarium?"

Cielo nodded slowly.

"C'mon. I'll unbuckle you and we can go."

A heavy hand fell down on the hood of my gleaming white car; freshly waxed; as I stepped out of it.

"Nyia Kelley. Didn't expect to see you here."

"Your hand's on my car, why?" I asked tightly.

Mira tried to peer into the backseat area through my windows curiously but I knew she wouldn't be able to see in.

She slid her hand across hood with a loud squelch before letting go and folding her arms across her chest.

"I want to make another deal with the cartel. My gang doesn't have enough products to last us a month, and I know we have debt with the Kelley's but we won't survive much longer in the game if-

"I'm not at work right now, Mira. Save the negotiations and the BS for someone else."

Mira scoffed, running her fingers through her long brown hair, tan lines on her face from where I assume glasses were. Mira was athletic and sharp looking, as she had always been since we went to high school together.

"You're a Kelley. You're always at work."

"Well, this Kelley isn't. Back up from my car," I snapped, going to open Cielo's door and unbuckling her. My gun was a hard affirmation of my safety as I turned my back to Mira. An enemy of mine's...an enemy of the Kelley's to the core. We had cut them off months ago because they wouldn't pay back what they bought- whether it was girls or guys for her gang members, or drugs and weapons to keep stocked.

"It's just a car. You could afford plenty of em," she snapped. "I'm just here to negotiate..."

"You couldn't afford one engine from this manufacturer. I think you should take a seat, Mira," I held Cielo's hand, turning to face her. "You were cut off for a reason."

"But if we go to another cartel and create an alliance with them then your family and the whole town would see it as switching up," she sneered. "Since you refuse to be patient."

"It would be," I said simply, Cielo tugging on the side of my pants. I held the side that my gun was on, making sure that it was secured in place with its harness.

"We're just trying to survive. Like every other family in Camphor. Like every other gang or cartel."

"Can I tell you a secret, Mira?" I asked.

"What, Kelley?" she snapped.

"You're not doing good enough," I told her bluntly, turning around and bringing Cielo with me to the entrance of the building.

"You know. I hear she isn't fit to be the heir after you," Mira called out, fists balled as she stood where I had.

I stopped walking along the side of the parked cars, gripping Cielo'a hand so hard that she started to wiggle out of my grasp. I whispered something into my daughter's ear and patted her head.

I started walking quickly towards Mira, fire in my eyes as I slid my gun out and pulled Mira towards me by the waist.

She instantly felt the cool metal against her skin, slightly hot from my body heat. I pressed the barrel of it deeper into her skin, so she could feel every notch. The way the safety wasn't on. The weight of all the bullets inside.

"You heard what?" I asked her, darkly.

"I heard she isn't fit to be the next heir. Something's clearly wrong-

I pressed the gun in deeper, hitting something hard. It had to be a bone. Mira's face twisted up in pain as I moved her further out of the public eye and closer between a set of cars. "It'll be your blood all over my whip if you try me again," I whispered.

"You won't do it," she argued, bravery still shining bright in her eyes despite her clear pain. "Your child isn't too far away," she grunted out. "My family gotta eat food. Not everybody lives fancy. Camphor has a hood- remember that when you try to act all high and mighty. Your family might have escaped it decades ago, but a lot of us are still living it."

I fire the gun through her, letting her thump to the ground. My entire left arm was covered in blood as Mira howled out in pain.

"I won't?" I chuckled darkly, stepping slowly into the wound that oozed out bright blood. Blood seeped onto the sole of my white Forces, dying them a pretty color. I wiggled my foot into her punctured skin as Mira gasped for air. "I won't?"

"I'm sorry," she gasped, holding her throat with one hand, trying to pry my foot off of her gun wound with the other. "I'm sorry. Please!" she started to panic.

"Mommy?"

I stepped off of Mira and ordered for Cielo to close her eyes. Why did Mira have to voice what I knew everyone had been thinking. Cielo was just as much of a Kelley as I was. If anyone could be as cutthroat as a Kelley, it would be her. I already see it.

"I think Mommy has to run a quick errand. Some paint off of the red car came onto her arm," I said softly.

Cielo shook her head as I led her a row over to my car with my clean hand. If she could speak, I knew she would be saying that she didn't believe me. I wouldn't have even believed myself if I had said that.

How long until she catches on to who her mother is?

How long until she won't want to love me anymore?

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